The Archbishop and Italian Communism 1947/48
Archbishop McQuaid organized funds for post war relief in various European countries, especially in Italy, sending, clothing, footwear and food, and he arranged that cost of shipping the relief goods would be borne by the Irish Government. Monsignor Montini, the future Pope Paul VI, replied in 1947 thanking him for the unselfish generosity of the Catholics of the Archdiocese of Dublin.
In a speech in Rome on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the Holy See, the current Archbishop of Dublin Diarmaid Martin said:
"Archbishop McQuaid worked hard to arouse the interest of Irish public opinion in the fight against communism in Europe in the late 1940s, when after a communist take over in Central and Eastern Europe there was the fear that a similar possibility could not be ruled out even for Italy itself. Professor Keogh has illustrated the offer of the Irish government to go so far as to offer hospitality to the Pope should he feel it necessary to leave Italy. On 11 April 1948, Archbishop McQuaid made a personal appeal on Irish state radio, with the full approval of the Irish government, to provide funds to help defeat the communists in the upcoming General Election in Italy. Archbishop McQuaid send over £20.000 on that occasion and the total sent from Ireland was up to £60,000. In replying, Monsignor Montini noted how much the 'spirit of truly Christian solidarity" had been a "profound consolation and encouragement to amidst the sorrows and anxieties of these difficult times'."
Read more about this topic: John Charles McQuaid
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