Letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(14/24) (Most Secret)

Presentation of Credentials

I was received by His Holiness Pope Pius XII, with the customary ceremony, on Wednesday, the 12th June, 1946, at 10 a.m. 'L'Osservatore Romano' of the 13th June, of which a copy is enclosed, gives a close resumé of my speech and a full description of His Holiness's reply. The English translation and the Italian text of my speech are enclosed, as well as an English translation of the Holy Father's reply.

2. Soon after my arrival here, I asked Monsignore Montini, Substitute for Ordinary Affairs in the Secretariat of State, whether I might make my address in Italian. He immediately replied that it was an excellent idea - that, indeed, it was the natural language in which to address the Holy Father. Fortunately, the delay which intervened between my arrival here and my reception gave me a certain amount of time to work up my Italian, and I was prepared, not only to make my speech in Italian, but to make myself easily understood to the Holy Father and the Vatican officials. From the congratulations which I have received, especially from the Italians, but also from our own people here, it is clear that this step has given great satisfaction.
3. During the private audience, which lasted about twenty minutes, the conversation took the following lines:-
   The Holy Father began by making enquiries about the Taoiseach and his family, and He asked me to convey to the Taoiseach, Mrs. de Valera and family the Apostolic Blessing and His fatherly encouragement to continue their noble Christian life, which was an example to the world. He then went on to say that, if statesmen would follow Mr. de Valera's example in public and in private, the solution of the world's problems would become much easier. I told Him that the Taoiseach and Mrs. de Valera had asked me to convey to Him their special homage and good wishes. The Holy Father enquired for the President¹ and asked me to convey to him, through the Taoiseach, His heartfelt good wishes and blessings. He then spoke with great feeling about Ireland's position in the Catholic world, and, following the reference in my speech, He mentioned by name the Cardinals of Irish origin created at the last Consistory. I used the opportunity to say how pleased the Taoiseach was about the appointment of Dr. D'Alton to the Archbishopric of Armagh and to express the hope that we should be given a Cardinal at the next Consistory. The Holy Father eagerly answered at once that there was no doubt whatever about that point and that I could tell Mr. de Valera that we should most certainly have a Cardinal at the next Consistory. (Here He said something which I shall have to reserve for a verbal report, not merely because of the very great secrecy involved).
4. It was clear to me that the Holy Father had been told by each of the new Cardinals of Irish origin how much Ireland had contributed to the greatness of the new Catholic Church which is growing up in America, Canada and Australia. He was genuinely enthusiastic in all He said about our country, and I could not help feeling that we have opportunities at Rome at this moment of our history which we never had before and which may not come again. He spoke about the dreadful condition of affairs in Europe, especially the persecution of the Catholic Church by the Russians, or their agents, in the Baltic countries, in Poland and in Yugoslavia. He confirmed what I had already been told by Monsignore Tardini (Secretary of Extraordinary Affairs in the Secretariat of State), that the situation of the Catholics in these countries was grievous beyond description. He referred to the insinuation that He had made an 'eve-of-election' speech on the 1st June. He had not, He said, mentioned either Republic or Monarchy; He had simply warned the peoples of France and Italy of the evils of corruption and of their duty towards God and towards Christian civilisation; any sort of lie about the Head of the Church was good enough for Moscow. They had even accused Him of consorting with Hitler during His period as Nuncio of Germany; that was an absolute falsehood, as He had taken the greatest care to avoid any but the barest courtesy relations. The Church had now become the bulwark of Christian civilisation, and Moscow constituted the greatest danger to the Church and was its most determined enemy. The Holy Father was chosen as the principal defender of the Church and, therefore, of Christian civilisation, and it was His strong determination to fight Moscow's influence at every opportunity and in every part of the world. That was the most appropriate attitude in reply to Russia's persecution in all countries occupied by her.

   I took the opportunity to mention Poland and to ask Him, for the guidance of the Taoiseach, what attitude He was adopting towards the Warsaw Government; I told Him that rumours had reached us that the Holy Father was thinking of making a concordat with Warsaw and of recognising that Government, that the private audience He had recently given to a certain Polish Prince had given the impression that the Holy See might recognise the Polish Government, and that, indeed, at the present moment, the Warsaw Government was sending out feelers to the Irish Government with a view to establishing diplomatic relations.

   The Holy Father replied that there was no question of making any agreement or concordat with Warsaw; that Government had been most unfriendly in its general attitude, had violated the concordat and had instructed its representatives abroad not to recognise the Nuncios as deans of the Diplomatic Corps or to have any dealings with them. He hoped very much Mr. de Valera would not establish official relations with the Warsaw Government so long as that Government remained a mere offshoot of Moscow.²

   I suggested that He might like me to talk the matter over fully with Monsignore Tardini. He said that I should do so.

5. He asked me to thank Mr. de Valera again for the food and money sent by the Irish Government to aid the Italian people. He then passed on to talk about the very great help received from the American Catholics, and it became clear, as He went on, that the Holy Father (as is true of the Vatican as a whole) is beginning to regard us as more and more closely identified with the Americans, and less and less with the British. It was also clear, from what He said, that the Americans are assuming far greater importance in His eyes and that the British - though still important - come a long way after the Americans.
6. On behalf of the Taoiseach I asked the Holy Father about His health, and I humbly suggested that He seemed more vigorous and youthful than ever. I asked Him whether He intended going to Castelgandolfo for the summer. He said it was quite impossible, owing to the terrible state of Europe that He, as Head of the Church, should appear to be taking a holiday. In any case, He said, He was a Roman and could stand the Roman climate well. He advised me, as a newcomer, to leave the city during the period of the great heat, and he showed his personal interest in our mission here by asking whether we had yet selected a house for the Embassy. He said He felt that our Government could be of great help to the Holy See in the new era that lay before us.

   I told Him that it was Mr. de Valera's earnest desire that we should be allowed to help in whatever way seemed best to the Holy Father. I repeated, as simply as I could, what I had said in my speech that our people all over the world regarded Him as a real Father, and He could feel quite sure that any request He might make to our Government would receive enthusiastic consideration.

7. The Holy Father spoke about His daily audiences, how He saw hundreds of people, sometimes thousands. He met soldiers from all over the world, and He was impressed by the very great number of soldiers of Irish origin who came to see Him, whether they were in the American, Canadian, Australian or British armies.

   I told Him that my Government had learned that these men went back to their adopted countries, or came home to Ireland, with renewed feelings of loyalty and enthusiasm towards the person of the Holy Father.

   He ended the conversation by assuring me once more of His good wishes for the Taoiseach and the whole people of Ireland and of His most earnest desire that Ireland should become more and more a centre of Christian civilisation and missionary zeal.

8. Before and after the audience with the Holy Father, I had the opportunity of talking to a great many Vatican officials. I was very much struck by the anxiety which they felt, and openly expressed, about the future of Italy. They regretted profoundly the departure of the Monarchy and the approaching establishment of a Republican Government, which they regarded as a most unwise experiment, especially at the present time. They were unanimous in the opinion that the British could have made an effort to postpone the elections and the referendum for a few months, when, beyond any doubt, opinion would have swung over completely in favour of the Monarchy. All the evidence seems to confirm the view.