FROM THE ARCHIVES:
With several eastern European countries being taken over by Communist governments in the late 1940s, much attention was focused on elections in Italy in April 1948, won by the Christian Democrats in spite of some fears that the Communists would be victorious. Among those fearing such an outcome was John Charles McQuaid, the Catholic archbishop of Dublin, as this pre-election frontpage report indicates.
THE MOST Rev Dr McQuaid, Archbishop of Dublin, announced in a broadcast last night that he had received £19,930 in offerings to help Italian Catholics “in their struggle against atheistic Communism”.
He said: “About two weeks ago, I mentioned briefly the urgent need of coming to the assistance of the Italian Catholics in their struggle against atheistic Communism. My words were a hint rather than an appeal. A flood-tide of offerings has poured, with increasing volume, into Archbishop’s House, chiefly from the city and Diocese of Dublin, from every county of Ireland, from England and Scotland, even from abroad . . .
“My message, then, to-night is but an effort to reach in particular as many of these kindly persons as is possible, in the hope that, hearing my words, they will be good enough to accept the expression of my gratitude, which I have been unable to convey by writing personally.
“In the first place I wish to thank the Taoiseach and the Government of Éire for the permission, immediately and graciously accorded me, to speak from Radio Éireann.
“It is my privilege to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every person, who has so generously answered my appeal, on behalf of the Catholics of Italy. Up to the moment of speaking, I have received and forwarded £19,930.
“That answer is not good; it is magnificent, for it represents a multitude of persons, from the President of Ireland, who, on hearing my appeal, at once sent his handsome cheque, down to the lowliest workingman who called at Archbishop’s House to give his little offering.
“There have been many contributions of outstanding liberality. Their Lordships the Bishops of the Province of Dublin, the priests and sisters at once responded nobly. Within 4½ hours of my having spoken on the first occasion, the Supreme Executive of the Knights of St Columbanus, exclusively on behalf of the Dublin members of the Order, had given me £5,000. The Licensed Grocers’ and Vintners’ Association of Dublin presented £2,000. The Ancient Order of Hibernians sent £250. Each of the Catholic Associations has been generously represented. Many individuals gave £100, even £200 out of their poverty and out of their abundance. These are striking proofs of great-hearted goodness . . .
“In this tranquil country, where we enjoy the benefits of ordered government, it may not seem to some that ‘the great hour has struck for Christian conscience’. Atheistic Communism, in this land, has not yet attempted violence: it has not openly pronounced its brutal sentence on all the principles of our Catholic faith and culture. Its agents have been content to disguise their aims under the mask of a socialism which seems to look only for fair conditions of a decent livelihood, and under the mask of a patriotism which appears to foster only the unity of our partitioned country.
“Yet, for all our tranquillity, we are not immune from the pestilence of evil ideas that must tend to translate themselves into action. Therefore, the issue now being fought in Italy is as vital for peaceful Ireland as it is for every land where the name of Christ, our God, is still revered.”
http://url.ie/5mtp