I had sold the story and the New York trip to the officer in charge of The Pointer on the basis of writing a profile of Spellman in advance of the Thayer Award ceremony. Francis J. Spellman (1889-1967) was a Roman Catholic cardinal in the diocese of New York. Incredibly, Camillo Burghese became Pope Paul V in June 1605. By 1969 a new Republican President was negotiating a diplomatic solution to the war. John J. Cavanaughthe Kennedys' spiritual advisorto the White House to hear Jackie's confession. [37][38], Additionally, Curt Gentry, biographer of J. Edgar Hoover, says that Hoover's files also had "numerous allegations that Spellman was a very active homosexual. The handbook for the cardinal was the Syllabus of Errors of Pope Pius IX, and he tolerated no deviation from the traditional Catholic However by the 1960s The times they are a changing, shouted Bob Dylan and boy was this popular mantra about to be chanted all over America! He could keep a paragraph that alluded to the "rumors," but he would have to state that the rumors had been strongly contested by many people, even though, in his research, that had not truly been the case. [10] While in Vietnam, Spellman quoted Stephen Decatur in declaring, "My country, may it always be right, but right or wrong, my country". Boston Archbishop Cushing received the purple on December 18, 1958. Spellman was at that time 77 and had been a priest for 51 years. In 1948, as a reward for enriching the archdiocese of New York, Archbishop McIntyre was made archbishop of Los Angeles. It was very low key and we all got to shake his hand before he left us. He should be selling bananas. From 1939 until his death in 1967, he served as the sixth Archbishop of New York; he had previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston from 1932 through 1939. Later he would bless air bombers with sprinkled holy water before they flew towards the Ho Chi Minah trail on a Pentagon sortie. But then the cardinal of New York City always had friends in high places, reaching all the way to the White House! [1] The eldest of five children, Spellman had two brothers, Martin and John, and two sisters, Marian and Helene. The new archbishop received the croziersymbol of the office from Cardinal Spellman. On behalf of President/Principal, Daniel O'Keefe, and the Spellman community, it is with deepest sorrow that we notify you of the passing of beloved. Submit news to our tip line. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday December 11, 2016 at the Davis Funeral & Cremation Home, 619 State Road (Rte. . dogma. Darleen S. Shreenan. Avignon and the Great Western Schism Charts. The cardinal was urged to return home immediately and the council ended without him in December 1965. This release consists of correspondence between Spellman and the FBI over many years and an. something like this happen." Illustrator Edward Sorel designed a poster in 1967 titled Pass the Lord and Praise the Ammunition, showing Spellman carrying a rifle with bayonet, but the poster was never distributed because Spellman died right after it was printed. I was afraid I would be punished or even accused of lying if I reported Spellman to the authorities at West Point. [27] In response, Spellman accused her of anti-Catholicism and called her column a "[document] of discrimination unworthy of an American mother". However, during the trip Pacelli met with Roosevelt to discuss diplomatic recognition of the sovereignty of Vatican City. When his mother died in 1935, her funeral was attended by Governor James Curley, Lieutenant Governor Joseph Hurley, and many members of the clergy, with the exception of O'Connell.[10]. Yearly: $120 a year, To pay in advance without a subscription, click here Insiders have long whispered about his legacy of misconduct and the role he played in foisting McCarricks upon the Church. Cortesi, Arnoldo. From that time onward he was in the ecumenical wilderness until he was forced to retire in 1970. The first archiepiscopal residence was located at 100 Fremont Place. Cardinal Spellman's funeral at St. Pats i.e. [22] In 1946, he received The Hundred Year Association of New York's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York". Our mission is to promote a culture of aspiration that encourages superior academic performance, leadership, and service. But while it may have seemed funny to us 52 years ago, what weve learned about sexual abuse by priests and bishops in the Catholic Church has proved that the casual groping by Cardinal Spellman that day was only a hint of what was going on and had been going on in the church certainly for decades, and perhaps for centuries. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. New York: Times Books. Cooney, John. Although John F. Kennedy was a Catholic, Spellman supported Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election, due to Kennedy's opposition to federal aid for parochial schools and to appointing a U.S. [22], In July 1947, a Jesuit residential building opened on the campus of Fordham University, Spellman's alma mater, named in his honor. When Mitchell Levitas, who was then the editor of The New York Times Book Review, received the manuscript for review, he realized it was a book that would make big news; he sent the book over to Arthur Gelb, who was then the managing editor of The New York Times. Interviews with 22 domestic workers in New York City, who work as nannies housekeepers, homeworkers, and elder caregivers. Roosevelt, Eleanor (2004). Besides being pressured to leave television, Sheen also "found himself unwelcome in the churches of New York City. Before publication, he circulated galley proofs of the book, which included several pages arguing that Spellman had been a homosexual, based on multiple anonymous sources. who is buried in st patrick's cathedral. Title Cardinal Spellman's funeral at St. Pats [i.e. The recent Salon article detailing groping allegations against Cardinal Francis Spellman, the long-serving archbishop of New York City who died in the late 1960s, couldn't possibly have come as. Spellman, a diminutive, fleshy square-faced man wearing wire-rimmed spectacles was seated in a corner of the room. but there is only one brief mention of the Messiah: Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as punishment for what he did against John, that was called the Baptist (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 18, Chapter 5). THE 3 PURLE PRELATES WERE: CARDINAL SPELLMAN OF NEW YORK, CARDINAL CUSHING OF BOSTON, actually 3 "Holy Fathers," all calling each other "Antipope," and exercising their Christian charity by throwing, Cardinal McIntyre despised the Ecumenical Movement and the "changes" from the. To the extent that the Church gets around to them, it only does so under substantial legal and media pressure. [33], In 1966, Spellman offered his resignation to Pope Paul VI after the latter instituted a policy whereby bishops retire at age 75, but Paul VI asked him to remain in his post. All rights reserved. Well, I have to suggest, doesnt that beat blessing B52 bombers well doesnt it? McDowell interviewed Cooney, and went about interviewing others who were relevant to the story, including church officials. His funeral Mass was attended by President Johnson, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Robert F. Kennedy, Jacob Javits, Nelson Rockefeller, John Lindsay, Arthur Goldberg, and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Iakovos. Many Broadway chorus boys and others, it is claimed, knew him affectionately as Franny.. Later, the three of us checked into the Statler Hilton and sat around and drank beer and laughed about it. At the cardinal's requiem mass, held at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, New York in 1967, where he reigned for nearly thirty years, the great and the powerful, as a testimony to his influence and affection, would with thousands of other mourners, pass by his raised coffin as he "lay in state.". Smiling, happy John XXIII was the exact opposite of the austere and grim Pius XII. I took my seat and got out my pen and notebook and started the interview, but before I could even ask my first question, Spellman put his hand on my thigh and started moving it toward my crotch. ------------------------------------------. allowed to attend the funeral mass for her dead husband: There Cardinal McIntyre despised the Ecumenical Movement and the "changes" from the Syllabus of Errors. Warner Books, New York, 1983. A few of us were looking for an excuse to go down to the city, so I racked my brain thinking of who I could interview for a Pointer article. Previously LBJ had declined his parties nomination in 1968 and retired to his ranch in Texas where amongst other things I remember he grew a ponytail! I do remember that he wore a Stetson hat and a long cream raincoat and was very pleasant to me. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. He also expressed sympathy for the governments of Hitler and Mussolini as opponents of Communism. On the morning after the assassination, Cardinal Cushing ordered Rev. He answered my questions lucidly and even embellished his answers with long, digressive stories. In 1939 he was appointed both Archbishop of New York and "Apostolic Vicar" in charge of pastoral services to Roman Catholic members of the U.S. armed forces, posts which he held until his death 28 years later. with the Pope. Gelb assigned reporter Ed McDowell to the story. Dame University and a longtime Kennedy family friend, knocked on the Spellman was known as the "American Pope" The monsignor grabbed his wrist and put his hand back in his lap with a whispered come now, your eminence. Cardinal Spellman opened the drawer again, and this time he handed me a gold-plated key chain depicting St. Patricks Cathedral. Georgia 30662. That wedding was attended by a host of celebrities and was of one of the highlights of the year. Premium users have access to full-length programs with limited commercials and receive a 10% discount in the store! - As a child, he served as an altar boy at Holy Ghost Church. FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN, who was Archbishop of New York from 1939 until his death in 1967, was a major figure in American political life and . Today the plan still seems to be working. Since his death in 1967 several biographers of Francis Spellman have hinted at him being a practising homosexual. Translated by William Whiston. And for Francis Spellman a priest now for over 51 years, death would reach out claim him in 1967. Junia Day, Shameless Dems Are Trying to Validate Pedophilia, Laypersons To Vote at Synod on Synodality. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. March 23, 2023 (65 years old) View obituary. He was scheduled to receive the high honor of the Thayer Award from West Point later that year, so there was a good reason to write a piece about him. Cardinals, - He gave the OK for the Gunpowder Plot, and he said that God would understand if Catholics were also killed in the blast. After the defeat of Hitler, he adopted the U.S. as his new strategical partner. [27] He eventually met with her at her Hyde Park home to quell the dispute. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Josephine adopted the name Sister Pascalina, but at the Vatican she was called "La Popessa. The Cardinal also celebrated President Kennedy's funeral Mass in 1963 at St. Matthew's Cathedral, Washington, D.C., following Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Texas. The church sent John Moore, the retired U.S. ambassador to Ireland and a close friend and confidant of several church officials, to appeal to Sidney Gruson, then vice chairman of the New York Times Co. "The Times was going to report that Cardinal Spellman was a homosexual," Moore later told journalist Eric Nadler, who wrote a piece for Forum about the ugly little coverup, "and I was determined to stop it." Suddenly it came to me. According to Signorile, the Catholic Church pressured Cooney's publisher, Times Books, to reduce the four pages discussing Spellman's sexuality to a single paragraph. I think it does. Times Books, New York, 1984. Cooney told the New York Press that the Church sent an influential diplomat to his publisher, Times Books, to make sure that the damning material didn't make it past the galleys: "In New York's clerical circles, Spellman's sex life was a source of profound embarrassment and shame to many priests," Cooney had written in the original manuscript of his book. [23] In January 1967, antiwar protestors disrupted a Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. ), The Catholic church in post-Vatican II moved dramatically to the left and welcomed Marxist ideology underPaul VI. While imperious Pope Pius dominated the world, he in turn was dominated by his housekeepera German nun named Josephine Lehnert. In 1431, Joan of Arc sided with the Benedict faction in the burning issue of who was the true Pope: Martin V or Benedict XIII. After Pope John XXIII facilitated the election of JFK and launched the Ecumenical Movement, he was also given the "poisoned chalice" and sent to St. Peter. John J. Cavanaugh to hear Jackie's confession. If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. During the third session, he had a massive stroke, and almost went to "Purgatory.". One was Cardinal Spellman. I was a junior at West Point, and one of the editors of the cadet magazine, The Pointer. PLEASE CHECK THE GIORDANO FUNERAL HOME'S WEBSITE FOR ANY FURTHER UPDATES. Western Europe was a house divided against itself during the 15th century because of the presence of 2, and even 3 Popes, reigning simultaneously. Cardinal Spellman High School (disambiguation), Ordinary/Apostolic Vicar for the United States Armed Forces, Cardinal Pacelli came to the United States, Apostolic Vicar for the U.S. Armed Forces, Food, Tobacco, Agricultural, and Allied Workers Union of America, Fulton J. Sheen Falling-out with Cardinal Spellman, Cardinal Spellman High School (Brockton, Massachusetts), Cardinal Spellman High School (The Bronx, New York City), Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History, Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States, List of Catholic bishops of the United States: military service, Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops, 10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0801438, "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - February 18, 1946", "The Powerhouse: Cardinal Francis Spellman", "Catholic News from The Pilot: America's oldest Catholic newspaper", "Francis Joseph Cardinal Spellman (1889-1967)". One of the things cadets did to compensate for this lack of free time away from the Academy was to participate in what was called club activity, because cadet clubs were permitted to take trips away from the academy to pursue activities related to their purpose. Later in the turbulent 1960s, he would again offer full allegiance to LBJ and his decisions in the disastrous Vietnam War. All of these schools are still currently open. They called the train that took him to LA, the "Freedom Train.". The bishop of Tyler, TX talks to Terry Barber. BOWMAN, Paul Edward Jr. Age 58, passed away from a drug overdose on November 22, 2021. From 1939 until his death in 1967, he served as the sixth Archbishop of New York; he had previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston from 1932 through 1939. [19] He hosted such prominent figures as Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Bernard Baruch, David I. Walsh, John William McCormack, and numerous other politicians, entertainers, and clergymen. He sent priests overseas to study Spanish, and by 1960 a quarter of all the archdiocese's parishes had an outreach to Spanish-speaking Catholics. Many still see it that way. The cardinal finally went to meet his Maker on July 16, 1979. He spent many Christmases with American troops in Japan, Korea and Europe in this capacity.[16]. All of it has been known to the leaders of the church for decades and covered up by a systematic process of moving offending priests around and intimidating victims into silence, or if necessary, paying them off. His term as archbishop of New York spanned three decades under as many popes. she By the mid swinging sixties, Spellman was now known as The Bob Hope of the clergy.Why you could even buy a dollar tee shirt at an anti-war demonstration with the words Draft Spellman Now.You could even buy a plastic badge with Spellmans War embossed on it, and I cant help thinking that Spellman loved it, he just didnt care. We couldnt wait to get them developed and have another yuk. In the autumn of 1936, Cardinal Pacelli came to the United States, visiting New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Saint Paul, MN, and Chicago. Bomb them, Spellman unhesitatingly ordered. [6] He also described Vietnam as a "war for civilization" and "Christ's war against the Vietcong and the people of North Vietnam". Remember: All must be born again(John 3:3-7). I mean, he was. In June 1963, the light changed to green for the assassination of President Kennedy. Christopher. Citing Primary Sources. The New Complete Works. He was named a cardinal in 1946. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. [37] Both Signorile and John Loughery cite a story suggesting that Spellman was sexually active and carrying on a relationship with a male member of the chorus in the Broadway revue One Touch of Venus. [9] Later that year, Spellman was charged with smuggling Non abbiamo bisogno, the papal encyclical condemning Benito Mussolini, out of Rome to Paris, where he then delivered it to the press;[3][9] he was subsequently attacked by Italian newspapers. I was able, with a few American friends, to talk to him outside the imposing UNICEF building. I took my seat and got out my pen and notebook and started the interview, but before I could even ask my first question, Spellman put his hand on my thigh and started moving it toward my crotch. Ask A Librarian service or call the reading room between 8:30 and St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York. Undine Brereton interview conducted by Christine Lewis, 2016-04-28. Spellman died in New York City on December 2, 1967, at age 78, and was interred in the crypt under the main altar at St. Patrick's Cathedral. The pope was on a peace mission to New York to address the UN general assembly. Now that the media spotlight is on abuse again, the New York archdiocese feels the need to sound more concerned. I was panicked that if I stood up and left, I wouldnt get the interview I needed for my story. Jack was shotand asked to hear her confession. friendly face disarmed the critics of the Papacy, and helped to send JFK to the White House. 5:00 at 202-707-6394, and Press 3. Gotfryd, B., photographer. [22] However, in April 1963 Spellman brought to the Second Vatican Council John Courtney Murray as a peritus (expert) despite Cardinal Ottaviani's well-known animosity towards him. Cushing later defended Jacqueline Kennedy after her marriage to Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Jackie was forgiven in advance by Cardinal Montini on the premise that the coup d'etat would be a success. Born on May 4th 1889 in Whitman Massachusetts, the young Francis would be noticed by the local hierarchy and dispatched to Rome for further priestly studies at the prestigious American College. However during the Second World War Spellman, in his new capacity as Chaplain general to the American forces, travelled widely, often visiting dangerous military theatres of action in Europe and the Pacific. [4] William Cardinal O'Connell, who had earlier sent Spellman to Rome, took an apparent dislike to the young priest. The cardinals believed that by having a President named John, and a Pope named John, it would hasten the day when all the world would be under the Papacy! He was also an avid reader and enjoyed playing the piano. Politicians crowded the front pews of St Patrick's Cathedral. Cardinal Spellman High School is the premier, independent, co-educational, college preparatory, Catholic high school in the New York Metropolitan area. However, the final published version removed this material, replacing it with two sentences: "For years rumors abounded about Cardinal Spellman being a homosexual. I got off a couple of questions and was scribbling down his answer when I felt his hand sliding up my leg again. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Price lists, contact information, and order forms are available on the the Prints and Photographs Reading Room. Cadets working on the staff of The Pointer could take what were called trip sections to sell ads, or in my case to interview people for articles for the magazine. Recently, Pope Francis implied that the abuse of "nuns" by bishops and priests is a serious problem, which sounded like an attempt to deflect attention from the much greater problem of gay predation. the Library of Congress because of rights considerations, but you have access to larger size images on This page was last edited on 15 April 2023, at 20:27. . [10] He received his consecration on the following September 8 from Pacelli (wearing the vestments Pacelli wore when he was consecrated by Benedict XV),[3] with Archbishops Giuseppe Pizzardo and Francesco Borgongini Duca serving as co-consecrators, at St. Peter's Basilica. Photo agency: Pictorial Parade. March 12, 2023 (55 years old) View obituary. He wasnt a doddering old senile fool, either. Monthly: $10 a month "Spellman, Francis Joseph", "New book on Cardinal Spellman stirs controversy", "Spellman leads crusade against communism", Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Archdiocese for the Military Services of the United States, Apostolic Vicar for the Military Services, Cardinal-Priest of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Francis_Spellman&oldid=1150011775. [10], Spellman was an outspoken supporter of the Vietnam War, to the extent that the conflict became known as "Spelly's War" and the Cardinal as the "Bob Hope of the clergy". He was determined to make LA one of the richest diocese in the country, and replicate the "miracle" he had performed in New York. The groping took place in his private quarters behind St. Patricks Cathedral in Manhattan in the presence of two West Point cadets and one Monsignor who was introduced to us as the Cardinals personal assistant.. His funeral took on the proportions of a state event. Suddenly the cardinal opened the drawer in the side table next to him and took out a gold-plated tie clasp emblazoned with some sort of Catholic symbol and handed it to me. I had sold the story and the New York trip to the officer in charge of The Pointer on the basis of writing a profile of Spellman in advance of the Thayer Award ceremony. He was the military vicar of the United States! Sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is a joke no longer. Title Cardinal Spellman funeral [St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York] Names Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer Created / Published He succeeded the late Cardinal Patrick Joseph Hayes, and was formally installed as Archbishop on the following May 23. When I moved to New York in 1970 and came into contact with the archdiocese of New York working on stories about the churchs real estate, I heard from several priests I befriended that they still talked about Spellman in the New York church, and that his nickname for decades had been Mary. That a man as powerful as Cardinal Spellman would be given the feminine sobriquet Mary within the church is all the evidence you need that his proclivities were well known by his fellow priests and bishops, and that incredibly, their reaction was to treat it like a joke. Duplication Services Web site. Most thinking people believe that the assassination of President Kennedy was a conspiracy involving the Pentagon, the CIA, FBI, Mafia, Fidel Castro etc., etc. Barbara Ellen Wilks interview conducted by Sarah Filkins, 2020-03-10. [21] As archbishop and a military vicar, he would have greater freedom than official diplomats. Whatever the cost, in the end, he reasoned, America could and would win. With me was a classmate who was one of The Pointers photographers, and a second guy who was scheduled to make sales calls later that day and the next to sell ads for the magazine. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. On mount: #A. Archbishop Cushing was not allowed to vote in the October 1958 conclave, but the new Pope made him a cardinal in December of that same year. "Papal Secretary of State Coming Here; Rome Speculates on Subject of Mission". Spellman, perhaps in open disgust at so much of the sweeping liberal Vatican II church reforms, began to promote a hawkish tone concerning the Vietnam War. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. (One also thinks of Cardinal Cody, who also was able to cover up so much of many misdemeanours during his long tenure in Chicago). In return, he would be invited by LBJ for military briefings and a five-star lunch at the Pentagon. There was an out-of-body aspect to the whole thing. An intimate of popes going back to Pope Pius XII, whom he had befriended when he was Archbishop Eugenio Pacelli in the 1920s and serving as Papal Nuncio in the Vatican, Spellman was the most powerful Catholic figure in the United States, and one of the most powerful in the world. John Cooney published a 1984 biography of Spellman entitled The American Pope. Murray's work helped shape the council's declaration on religious freedom. [8] After translating into English two books written by his friend Borgongini Duca, Spellman was made the first American attach of the Vatican Secretariat of State in 1925. His pet obsession was Communism and he was determined to wipe Russia off the map. For Spellman, this must have seemed a wonderful gesture from his friend in Vatican City. "[16], Journalist Michelangelo Signorile describes Spellman as "one of the most notorious, powerful and sexually voracious homosexuals in the American Catholic Church's history. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. ", On October 9, "La Popessa" gave Pope Pius the "poisoned chalice" and sent him to "Purgatory.". The attempted groping all happened in plain sight, with Spellman's personal assistant in tow, to keep the groping from going too far. [31] The play's producer, Herman Shumlin, responded by calling Spellman's words a "calculated threat to really drive a wedge between Christians and Jews". Reference staff can Everyone who loved her was very concerned about her state of mind. Alternatively, you can purchase copies of various types through It failed because "Oswald" was still alive, and the Pentagon couldn't blame the assassination on the Russians. Cardinal Spellman High School Niagara University Boyd-Horrox-Givnish Funeral Home Wednesday, March 29, 2023 Add Photos Add a Memory Dennis James Farrell Dennis Farrell's passing on Wednesday,. - Submit news to our tip line, Pope Wants the Catholic Church to Return Stolen Art. [25] The strike was supported by such figures as the religious activist (now Servant of God) Dorothy Day and Ernest Hemingway, who wrote a scathing letter to Spellman.[10]. One interesting item in his clerical CV would be his willing role in 1931, at the suggestion of Pacelli in helping to smuggle from Rome to Paris, the encyclical Non-Abbiamo Bisogno,penned by Pius XI as a criticism of fascism. For an exhausted LBJ and the diminutive cardinal from New York, time was also catching up with both of them. Either way, today the American gay and lesbian fraternity claim the late Cardinal Spellman as one of their own! [11] Borgongini-Duca designed for him a coat of arms incorporating Columbus's ship the Santa Maria. [4], During a trip to Germany in 1927, Spellman established a lifelong friendship with Archbishop Eugenio Pacelli, who was serving as Apostolic Nuncio. Other materials require appointments for later the same day or in the future. His father was a grocer whose own parents had emigrated to the United States from Clonmel and Leighlinbridge in Ireland. However, he did appreciate the strategy behind the smiling, happy Pope John XXIII. "She said that she had enough sleeping pills to do it," recalled Roswell Gilpatric, one of Jackie's closest confidants. The most infamous English king named Richard was "Hunchback" Richard III, who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.