Letter from Charles Bewley to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)

Sir,

As the Secretary of State will not return from his holiday until next week, I called on Mgr. Pizzardo. After thanking him for procuring an audience with His Holiness for the Minister for Local Government and Public Health,¹ I asked him whether any further decision had been come to with regard to sending a Nuncio to Ireland. He said that the matter is now being considered by the Pope and added that there might be difficulties on account of the fact that the See of Armagh was not in the Free State, and possibly an Apostolic Delegate might be sent. I expressed the greatest surprise that such a suggestion should be made at this stage, considering the fact that we had been promised a Nuncio months ago. I also pointed out that Nuncios were frequently sent to Countries such as Poland and Lithuania where the dioceses were not coterminous with the frontiers. I reminded the Monsignor further that both the Government and the People of Ireland had welcomed the sending of a Nuncio, that a residence had been offered him, and that the popular reception would be enthusiastic, but that the sending of an Apostolic Delegate would be regarded as a slight and that the Irish people had deserved better treatment. Mgr. Pizzardo said that he had seen the Proposal to send an Apostolic Delegate discussed in some paper (whose name he could not give me). I observed that it could not have been in any of the reputable Irish papers as I should certainly have seen it, and that the suggestion could only emanate from someone who wished to make trouble between Ireland and the Holy See, and said that I would report the matter to my Government in order to ascertain their exact attitude; whereupon Mgr. Pizzardo said 'Ne faites pas ça, je vous pris. Je l'ai dit seulement pour causer'.

I asked when, in that case, we might expect any definite information about the appointment, as there had already been considerable delay. He said that the delay was useful to enable the Bishops to get accustomed to the idea, and added, 'C'est de la psychologie'. I said that while I recognised this, I was satisfied that the Bishops, with perhaps one or two exceptions, were either resigned to or anxious for the Nuncio, and asked whether, even if the appointment was not made at once, an announcement could be made as to its date. He would not, however, make any definite statement upon this point.

My impression is that during the summer the Holy See has been supplied by the Irish College with the stock arguments about the division of the country, and that at present the tendency is to take the line of least resistance. I should like, therefore, to know if there is any particular argument which I might with benefit address next week to Cardinal Gasparri, and also to be informed whether the Minister when in Rome a week ago had any conversations on the subject.

Information on the attitude taken up towards him by Mgr. Curran, if he visited the Irish College, would also be useful.

As regards the suggestion of an Apostolic Delegate, it seems to have been put forward with the object of seeing how it would be received. Realising this I thought it right to express myself as forcibly as possible consistent with due respect to the Holy See. If the Secretary of State returns to the proposal, I should like instructions exactly what to say as to the attitude of the Government if an Apostolic Delegate were to be forced on them contrary to their desires and to the undertaking given in June.