 According to David Yallop, in his 1984 book "In God's Name", it was because of these alleged Masonic connections that Pope John Paul I had planned on transferring Poletti as Archbishop of Florence.From 1985 to 1991, he was President of the Italian Episcopal Conference.Upon his resignation as Cardinal Vicar on 17 January 1991, he was made Archpriest of the Liberian Basilica.