A few weeks ago, I was invited by the United Catholic Societies of Chicago to be their guest of honour at the Catholic Emancipation Centenary Celebrations to be held in that City on May 30th. In view of the fact that I had spoken in Chicago as recently as last Saint Patrick's Day, I refused this invitation at the outset. Then, our friend Mr. D.F. Kelly, the Chicago Director of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and others appealed to me to reconsider my decision. Finally, I decided to accept, and for many reasons, which are explained further on, I am very glad I did so.
On my arrival in Chicago on May 29th, I was received at the station by the President and several members of the Committee of the Affiliated Catholic Societies, and also by the President and Secretary of the Irish Fellowship Club.
On May 30th, the Catholic Emancipation Celebrations were opened by High Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Name, which was presided over by Cardinal Mundelein, assisted by nine Bishops. On the same evening, a banquet was held at the La Salle Hotel, presided over by Mr. D.F. Kelly, in which about seven hundred persons participated. There were only two speakers, Father Maguire, President of St. Viator's College, and myself. In my address, I dealt with the historical side of the penal laws, and drew a comparison between the conditions that existed in Ireland a century ago and those of today. To illustrate the latter, I quoted extensively from a speech delivered at Kilrush two or three weeks ago by the Bishop of Killaloe on the occasion of his silver jubilee. I also pointed out that the Saorstát was now exchanging diplomatic representatives with the Vatican, and called attention to the fact that it was only in 1921, the year the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed, that the last of the penal enactments were erased from the statute books.
After the banquet, I was informed by some of the Committee that an attempt was made by supporters of the Fianna Fáil party in Chicago to boycott the celebration. At a meeting of the Committee held some weeks ago, when it was proposed that I be invited as the principal speaker, the Vice Chairman, Mrs. Mary McWhorter, submitted a counter proposition to the effect that ex-Governor Smith be asked to speak instead. This proposition had practically no support, and was rejected after it was pointed out by the Chairman that Catholic Emancipation was fought out in Ireland and not in the United States. Although Mrs. McWhorter was present at the banquet, she used her influence to prevent her friends from selling tickets for it, and in other ways to ensure its failure. She did not, however, succeed in her endeavours, but from what I could gather she has lost whatever sympathies she had in reputable Catholic circles.
On the evening of my arrival in Chicago, Mr. D.F. Kelly suggested that I ought to see Cardinal Mundelein, and explained that His Eminence was misrepresented by people who wished to pretend that he was antagonistic to the Saorstát. I told Mr. Kelly of my previous attempt to see the Cardinal. He was, in fact, the medium through which arrangements were to be made, but his explanation was that the short duration of that visit did not permit of an appointment being made.
On May 31st, Mr. Kelly informed me that His Eminence would see me at any time that forenoon that I could find it convenient to call. On presenting myself at the Chancery, I was immediately ushered into his presence, and we had a very affable talk which lasted for about half an hour. In the course of our conversation, he told me that the only part of the Anglo-Irish agreement that had not his complete sympathy was that relating to the Boundary. I explained the situation to him as clearly as I could, put him wise to the conditions prevailing in the six counties, and also to the attitude of the Saorstát Government on the whole question. I was in a position to quote for him part of a letter written by Archbishop MacRory to his legal adviser in Philadelphia some weeks ago, which the latter handed me to read. It was in the Archbishop's own handwriting, and said 'Should the Free State take over the six counties at present, they would make a very bad bargain indeed. They would find there only a bankrupt Government and a multitude of beggars'. His Eminence then said that he thought our attitude the best and wisest in the long run. Then he asked me to inform any of the Irish Bishops I was acquainted with that he would support the proposal for the holding of the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932. His only fear was the question of accommodating the visitors. He thought that his own dioceses alone would send ten thousand people for the occasion, and that there would be fifty thousand from the whole of the United States if arrangements were made in proper time.
On my return to Washington, I had an opportunity of meeting Archbishop Curley of Baltimore, who is leaving for Rome towards the end of this month and returning via Ireland. I asked him to convey to any of the Irish Bishops he happened to meet the views of His Eminence on this subject, which he kindly consented to do.
My call on Cardinal Mundelein, the courtesy with which I was received, and the pleasure expressed by leading Chicago Catholics because of it, go to prove that if ever His Eminence was influenced by a political party, which is doubtful, he now wishes it to be known that his relations with the Saorstát authorities are of a cordial nature. From conversations I had with many of our Chicago friends, I have no doubt but the impression prevailed there that the sympathies of the Cardinal were with an Irish political party opposed to the present Government. The fact that he did not attend the banquet given in honour of President Cosgrave last year seemed to lend colour to that impression. His friends, however, were very anxious to convince me that after the splitting up of the Sinn Féin Party in 1922, His Eminence, not being Irish, decided to disassociate himself from Irish politics altogether, but his attitude having since then been misrepresented, they were very glad that an opportunity had presented itself for clearing the atmosphere, and showing to the people exactly how he stood. Professor McCann, who is one of the leaders of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, said that if my visit to the Cardinal had taken place a few days before the banquet instead of after, the attendance would have been double what it actually had been.
