Religion: Vatican Voices

For nearly two decades the Roman Catholic Bishop of Detroit has been Most Rev. Michael James Gallagher. Born in Auburn, Mich, of Irish parents, “Mike” Gallagher was educated for the priesthood in Limerick, Ireland and Innsbruck, Austria. In the years following the War, Detroit’s shepherd organized no new parishes, gave the University of Detroit a new 96-acre campus and plant, raised $9,000,000 for Sacred Heart Seminary, invited a dozen new religious communities to live and work among Detroit’s 600,000 Catholics. Yet the total of all these worthy deeds has brought the white-thatched old churchman less fame outside his diocese than the fact that he happens to be the ecclesiastical superior of Rev. Charles Edward Coughlin.

Last month Bishop Gallagher sailed from Manhattan on the Rex, for Rome, Vatican City and Castel Gandolfo to make the visit “to the threshold” of Mother Church required of all bishops every three to ten years. With him was his friend and close colleague, Bishop Joseph Schrembs of Cleveland. Ship newshawks discovered these big-city Bishops,immediately asked Detroit’s what he thought of Father Coughlin’s calling President Roosevelt a liar (TIME, July 27). Bishop Gallagher, whose countenance, as that of the Archangel Michael, adorns the political priest’s Charity Crucifixion Tower near Detroit, replied:

“Father Coughlin is entitled to his own opinion, but I do not approve of the language he used. … I approve of his general activities and his radio talks. . . .”

Few days later, while in the U. S. Father Coughlin was offering a weaseling apology to President Roosevelt, U. S. newshawks in Rome began to hear what sounded to them like “high prelates close to the Vatican,” talking anonymously like unseen antiphonal voices in a church choir.

A Vatican Voice: The radio priest’s action caused a painful impression here. We have received thousands of letters on the subject. But the Holy Father does not desire to take action on the matter unless in conjunction with the Bishop of the diocese. Bishop Gallagher is coming on his own initiative, to explain his ideas in regard to Father—how do you say} Coshlin? Cooglin?*

Arriving at Rome, Bishop Gallagher told newshawks: “I have no complaintagainst Father Coughlin. . . . The head of all priests in the diocese of Detroit is myself. It must therefore be for myself to make observations about Father Coughlin, not the Vatican. …”

Another Vatican Voice: A transatlantic telephone call took place between Father Coughlin and a Vatican official. If, after a private warning to Father Coughlin, it becomes necessary to transfer him to another diocese, the Holy Father would prefer to make the transfer himself rather than take any action which might reflect upon Bishop Gallagher.

Bishop Gallagher, in Vatican City: “Rome holds me responsible for Father Coughlin’s activities. I explained to Monsignor Pizzardo [political adviser to the Pope and Secretary of the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs] and we agreed, that the misunderstanding arises from the fact that many are not acquainted with canon law. Actually, Monsignor Pizzardo thinks the uproar regarding Father Coughlin represents a good joke, sponsored solely for political purposes.”

A Vatican Voice: The Holy See is urging Bishop Gallagher to advise Father Coughlin to restrict his radio speeches to religious subjects during the American election campaign. The Vatican does not wish to jeopardize its good relations with President Roosevelt, who, it is understood here, has promised to establish a U. S. legation in the Holy See as soon as possible.

Bishop Gallagher, last week after a twelve-minute audience with Pope Pius XI at Castel Gandolfo: “The Pope did not mention Father Coughlin. . . . The Holy Father hopes . . . that America . . . may decide her controversial questions by ballots and not by bullets.”

Another Vatican Voice: This means the Pope will take no action. The Vatican is confident that Bishop Gallagher is able to handle the situation.

Bishop Gallagher: “In talking with prelates who asked what all the hullabaloo was about, I gave them a pretty picture of all that Father Coughlin was doing. But some objected, There is a spot on your picture. He called the President a liar.’ Then I would tell them, ‘We have erased that blemish.’ I wiped that slate clean before I sailed for Italy. I urged him not to use expressions such as calling the President a ‘liar,’ because it failed to show respect for an office which deserves _______respect. After I had discussed this with Father Coughlin he apologized to the President. I sent him word from here to continue his work so he might not bemisled by misrepresentations which have been published concerning the purpose of my visit here.”

Bishop Schrembs: “Father Coughlin is really fighting for the preservation of American democracy, which I am sure will successfully withstand European surges toward Communism and toward Fascism. . . . Father Coughlin’s stand on money is in accordance with the Pope’s encyclical Quadragesimo Anno. If you read that you will find it more radical than Father Coughlin himself.”

Bishop Gallagher: “Bishop Schrembs and I … have been advised to cease talking.”

A Vatican Voice: The Vatican now considers the incident closed.

*Well-known is the difficulty Italian prelates experience with English and Irish names. The late great James Cardinal Gibbons used to tell how Pope Leo XIII called him “Jibbons.”