Letter from Frederick H. Boland to Joseph P. Walshe (Holy See)
(Secret)

When I told the Taoiseach some time ago that Monsignor Panico was coming to Europe and intended to visit Ireland, he was very worried. He knows all about the difficulties there have been between the Apostolic Delegate and the Hierarchy in Australia - Dr. Mannix in particular. The Taoiseach said at the time that he hoped that, if Monsignor Panico came to Ireland, he would not ask to see him personally. But what worried him was the thought that, if Monsignor Panico came, it would be impossible to avoid extending to him a certain amount of official courtesy and hospitality, and the Irish members of the Hierarchy in Australia - like Dr. Mannix, Dr. Duhig¹ and others - might find it difficult to understand why the Irish Government should go out of its way to honour a man whose anti-Irish prejudices are known and who has treated distinguished Irish prelates in Australia so badly.

The apprehension which the Taoiseach felt on receiving the first news of Monsignor Panico's intention was enormously enhanced when we heard from Dr. Kiernan a few days ago that the Monsignor intends to travel direct from Australia to England and to cross to Ireland at once for the purpose - according to his own statement on his Visa application form - of 'discussing with the Taoiseach and the Nuncio my mission in Australia'. The Taoiseach is so deeply disturbed at this news that he has asked me to write to you specially about the matter.

That Monsignor Panico should come direct from Australia to this country without going first to Rome is surely in itself a very strange procedure. One would have imagined that his first thought would have been to report to the Holy Father after so long an absence in Australia. But his idea of discussing with the Taoiseach his mission in Australia is, to the Taoiseach's mind, an extraordinary suggestion. The Taoiseach feels that, if he were to receive Monsignor Panico for the purposes of such a discussion, he would be guilty of grave discourtesy, not only to the Holy Father and the Vatican, but to the Australian Government and the Australian Hierarchy. Monsignor Panico's mission in Australia is no concern of the Taoiseach's. What the Taoiseach fears is that the Monsignor, having got himself into difficulties entirely of his own making, is coming to Ireland for the purpose of trying to enlist the Taoiseach's interest in a situation in which the Taoiseach does not wish, on any account, to get involved. If this is Monsignor Panico's idea, however careful the Taoiseach is in speaking to him, there is no guarantee that the Monsignor - who, apparently, has no discretion whatever - will not endeavour to use the fact of his being received officially in Ireland and meeting the Taoiseach to strengthen his hand in dealing with the Irish prelates in Australia who are such good friends of ours. We suspect he is not above twisting even the most cautious statement into endorsement of his own attitude and actions.

The Taoiseach cannot for the life of him see what Monsignor Panico wants coming to this country at all, and considers the Monsignor's declared intention of discussing with him his mission in Australia as really quite outrageous. For the Monsignor to come here before going to Rome is discourteous to the Holy Father, and for him to suggest that the Taoiseach should discuss with him the work of the Apostolic Delegation in Australia is wholly irregular and shows that the Monsignor is a person of no discretion whatever.

In the circumstances, the Taoiseach would be glad if you would discuss the matter with Monsignor Montini and ask him kindly to arrange that Monsignor Panico should abandon his intention of coming to this country during his visit to Europe. It is really not fair of Monsignor Panico to put the Taoiseach in so difficult a position merely for the purpose of mending his own fences. As Monsignor Panico proposes leaving Sydney for England on the 12th April, it would be necessary for the Vatican to communicate with him at once. Dr. Kiernan states, however, that the Apostolic Delegate in London will be kept informed of the Monsignor's movements, so that, if the Vatican did not contact him before his departure, they could communicate with him on his arrival through the Apostolic Delegate in London.

We informed both the Nuncio and the Archbishop of the news of the visit which we had received from Dr. Kiernan. The Archbishop told me that the Nuncio was by no means pleased at the intelligence and is looking forward to the possibility of a visit by Monsignor Panico to Ireland with nothing but misgiving.