Francis Spellman

2.1. Childhood and Education

Francis Joseph Spellman was born on May 4, 1889, in Whitman, Massachusetts. His parents were William Spellman, a grocer, and Ellen (née Conway) Spellman. William's parents had immigrated to the United States from Clonmel, Ireland, and Leighlinbridge, Ireland. Francis was the eldest of five children, with two younger brothers, Martin and John, and two younger sisters, Marian and Helene. In his childhood, he served as an altar boy at Sacred Heart Church.

Spellman attended Whitman High School, a public school, as there was no Catholic school in Whitman at the time. During his high school years, he enjoyed photography and baseball, playing first base until a hand injury led him to manage the team instead. After graduating from high school, Spellman enrolled at Fordham University in New York City in 1907, completing his studies in 1911. Following his graduation, he decided to pursue the priesthood.

He was sent by Archbishop William Henry O'Connell to study at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy. Despite suffering severely from pneumonia, he refused to return home and successfully completed his theological studies. During his time in Rome, Spellman formed friendships with several individuals who would later become cardinals, including Gaetano Bisleti, Francesco Borgongini Duca, and Domenico Tardini.

3.1. Ordination

Francis Joseph Spellman was ordained a priest on May 14, 1916, at the Sant'Apollinare Basilica in Rome by Patriarch Giuseppe Ceppetelli.

3.2. Vatican Service and Diplomatic Role

Following his ordination, Spellman returned to the United States and was initially assigned to various pastoral positions within the Archdiocese of Boston. However, Archbishop William Henry O'Connell, who had sent Spellman to Rome, reportedly held a dismissive view of him, describing him as a "little popinjay" and remarking, "Francis epitomizes what happens to a bookkeeper when you teach him how to read." Spellman's early assignments were considered relatively insignificant.

With the outbreak of World War I in 1917, Spellman attempted to enlist as a military chaplain in the United States Army, but was unable to meet the height requirement. He also applied to be a chaplain in the United States Navy, but his application was personally rejected twice by Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Eventually, Archbishop O'Connell assigned Spellman to promote subscriptions for the archdiocesan newspaper, The Pilot. He was subsequently appointed assistant chancellor of the archdiocese in 1918 and archivist in 1924. His career took a significant turn in 1925 when, after translating two books by his friend Francesco Borgongini Duca into English, the Vatican appointed him as the first American attaché to the Vatican Secretariat of State in Rome. During his service in the Secretariat, he also collaborated with the Knights of Columbus in managing children's playgrounds in Rome. On October 4, 1926, Pope Pius XI elevated Spellman to the rank of privy chamberlain.

In 1927, during a trip to Germany, Spellman forged a lifelong friendship with Archbishop Eugenio Pacelli, who was then serving as the apostolic nuncio there. Spellman translated Pius XI's inaugural broadcast over Vatican Radio into English in 1931. Later that year, amidst the rise of Benito Mussolini's fascist government in Italy, Spellman undertook a clandestine mission: he secretly transported the papal encyclical, Non abbiamo bisogno^Italian (meaning "We do not need"), which condemned fascism, out of Rome to Paris for its publication. He also served as secretary to Cardinal Lorenzo Lauri at the 1932 International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, and played a role in reforming the Vatican's press office by introducing mimeograph machines and initiating the issuance of press releases.

4.1. Auxiliary Bishop of Boston

On July 30, 1932, Pope Pius XI appointed Francis Joseph Spellman as an auxiliary bishop of Boston and titular bishop of Sila. Prior to this appointment, the Pope had considered him for the bishoprics of Portland in Maine and Manchester in New Hampshire. Spellman received his episcopal consecration on September 8, 1932, from Archbishop Eugenio Pacelli (who would later become Pope Pius XII) at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Archbishops Giuseppe Pizzardo and Francesco Borgongini Duca served as co-consecrators. Spellman holds the distinction of being the first American to be consecrated a bishop at St. Peter's Basilica. For his new role, Borgongini-Duca designed a coat of arms for Spellman that incorporated Christopher Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria, and Pius XI bestowed upon him the motto Sequere Deum, meaning "Follow God."

Upon his return to the United States, Spellman initially resided at St. John's Seminary in Boston. He was later assigned as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Newton Centre, where he successfully eliminated the church's $43,000 debt through diligent fundraising efforts. When his mother passed away in 1935, her funeral was attended by numerous prominent figures, including Massachusetts Governor James Michael Curley, Lieutenant Governor Joseph L. Hurley, and many members of the clergy, though notably not by Archbishop O'Connell.

In the autumn of 1936, Archbishop Eugenio Pacelli visited the United States. While ostensibly a visit to various cities and a guest of philanthropist Genevieve Garvan Brady, the primary purpose of his trip was to meet with President Franklin D. Roosevelt to discuss American diplomatic recognition of Vatican City. Spellman played a crucial role in arranging and attending this significant meeting, which took place at the Roosevelt estate in Hyde Park, New York.

Spellman also cultivated an early friendship with Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., who would later become the US ambassador to the United Kingdom and the patriarch of a prominent Catholic family. Over the years, Spellman officiated at the marriages of several Kennedy children, including future Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Jean Kennedy, Eunice Kennedy, and future Senator Edward Kennedy. During Pacelli's visit to the United States, Spellman, along with Kennedy, attempted to curb the inflammatory radio broadcasts of Reverend Charles Coughlin. Despite the Vatican and the apostolic legation in Washington desiring an end to Coughlin's broadcasts, his superior, Bishop Michael Gallagher of Detroit, refused to restrain him. However, in 1939, Coughlin was ultimately forced off the air by the National Association of Broadcasters.

4.2. Archbishop of New York

Following the death of Pope Pius XI, Archbishop Eugenio Pacelli was elected as Pope Pius XII. One of Pope Pius XII's initial actions was to appoint Francis Joseph Spellman as the sixth Archbishop of New York on April 15, 1939. Spellman was formally installed as archbishop on May 23, 1939. During his early tenure, he was painted twice in 1940 and again in 1941 by the artist Adolfo Müller-Ury. He also initiated the first regularly scheduled Spanish-language masses in the archdiocese at St. Cecilia's Parish in East Harlem, reflecting an early outreach to the growing Hispanic Catholic community.

In addition to his duties as the diocesan bishop of New York, Pope Pius XII also appointed Spellman as the apostolic vicar for the U.S. Armed Forces on December 11, 1939. In this capacity, he frequently traveled to visit American troops stationed abroad, celebrating many Christmases with them in places such as Japan, South Korea, and Europe.

During his extensive tenure in New York, Spellman's significant national influence in both religious and political spheres led his residence to be known as "the Powerhouse." He frequently hosted a wide array of prominent figures, including clergy, entertainers, and politicians like statesman Bernard Baruch, US Senator David I. Walsh, and US House of Representatives Majority Leader John William McCormack. In 1945, Spellman established the Al Smith Dinner in Manhattan, an annual white tie fundraiser dedicated to supporting Catholic Charities.

He became a close confidant of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. During World War II, in 1943, Roosevelt dispatched Spellman on a four-month diplomatic mission across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, where he visited 16 countries. His dual role as archbishop and military vicar afforded him "greater freedom than official diplomats" in his engagements. During the Allied campaign in Italy, Spellman acted as a crucial liaison between Pope Pius XII and President Roosevelt, working to declare Rome an open city to protect it from bombing and street fighting.

5.1. Creation as Cardinal

Pope Pius XII elevated Francis Joseph Spellman to the rank of Cardinal-Priest of Santi Giovanni e Paolo during the consistory held on February 18, 1946. According to historian William V. Shannon, Spellman held views that were "deeply reactionary in his theology and secular politics."

As a cardinal, he participated in the 1958 papal conclave that ultimately elected Pope John XXIII. Spellman was reportedly dismissive of the newly elected Pope, allegedly remarking, "He's no Pope. He should be selling bananas." In 1959, he served as a papal delegate to the Eucharistic Congress in Guatemala. During his journey, he made a stop in Nicaragua where, contrary to the Pope's instructions, he publicly appeared with Anastasio Somoza Debayle, who would later become a dictator. Following the death of Pope John XXIII, Spellman again participated in the conclave of 1963, which resulted in the election of Pope Paul VI.

5.2. "The Powerhouse" and National Influence

Spellman's extensive influence in both religious and political matters led his residence to be known as "the Powerhouse." He frequently hosted a wide array of prominent figures, including clergy, entertainers, and politicians such as statesman Bernard Baruch, US Senator David I. Walsh, and US House of Representatives Majority Leader John William McCormack. In 1945, Spellman established the Al Smith Dinner in Manhattan, an annual white tie fundraiser dedicated to supporting Catholic Charities, which continues to be attended by prominent national figures.

He maintained a close relationship with President Franklin D. Roosevelt. During World War II, in 1943, Roosevelt dispatched Spellman on a four-month diplomatic mission across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, where he visited 16 countries. His dual role as archbishop and military vicar afforded him "greater freedom than official diplomats" in his engagements. During the Allied campaign in Italy, Spellman acted as a crucial liaison between Pope Pius XII and President Roosevelt, working to declare Rome an open city to protect it from bombing and street fighting.

Spellman was instrumental in the 1956 appointment of William J. Brennan Jr. to the Supreme Court, an action he later expressed regret over. Justice William O. Douglas notably stated, "I came to know several Americans who I felt had greatly dishonored our American ideal. One was Cardinal Spellman." Later, Spellman acceded to President Lyndon B. Johnson's requests to send priests to the Dominican Republic to mitigate anti-American sentiments following the American intervention of 1965.

The historian Pat McNamara highlighted Spellman's progressive outreach to New York City's burgeoning Puerto Rican community, noting that he sent priests abroad to study Spanish, and by 1960, a quarter of the archdiocese's parishes had established outreach programs for Spanish-speaking Catholics. As a cardinal, Spellman oversaw a massive expansion of Catholic infrastructure, constructing 15 churches, 94 schools, 22 rectories, 60 convents, and 34 other institutions. He streamlined all parish building programs under his direct control, which allowed him to secure more favorable interest rates from bankers. He also convinced Pope Pius XII of the necessity to diversify the Vatican's investments internationally, moving away from its Italy-centric portfolio after World War II. For his astute financial management, he was sometimes referred to as "Cardinal Moneybags."

6.1. Anti-Communism and McCarthyism

Francis Joseph Spellman was a fervent anti-communist. He famously declared that "a true American can neither be a Communist nor a Communist condoner" and emphasized that "the first loyalty of every American is vigilantly to weed out and counteract Communism and convert American Communists to Americanism." He openly defended Senator Joseph McCarthy's 1953 investigations into alleged Communist subversives within the federal government. In 1954, Spellman stated that McCarthy had "told us about the Communists and about Communist methods" and that he was "not only against communism-but... against the methods of the Communists."

As early as 1954, Spellman began warning the Eisenhower Administration about the advance of communism in French Indochina. He had met Ngô Đình Diệm, who would later become the president of South Vietnam, in 1950 and was favorably impressed by his staunchly Catholic and anti-Communist stance. Following the French defeat by the Viet Minh at the battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, Spellman actively urged the Eisenhower Administration to intervene in the conflict.

When the United States formally entered the Vietnam War in 1965, Spellman became one of its most vocal and unwavering supporters. His strong pro-war stance led to protests; in December 1965, a group of college students demonstrated outside his residence, criticizing his suppression of anti-war priests. Spellman spent Christmas of 1965 with troops in South Vietnam, where he famously quoted Commodore Stephen Decatur, declaring, "My country, may it always be right, but right or wrong, my country." He further characterized the Vietnam War as a "war for civilization" and "Christ's war against the Vietcong and the people of North Vietnam."

His fervent support for the war drew significant criticism. Some detractors mockingly referred to the conflict as "Spelly's War" and called Spellman the "Bob Hope of the clergy." One priest accused him of blessing "the guns which the pope is begging us to put down." In January 1967, anti-war protestors even disrupted a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Spellman's unwavering support for the war, coupled with his opposition to church reform, significantly diminished his influence within both the Catholic Church and the nation. The illustrator Edward Sorel designed a satirical poster in 1967 titled Pass the Lord and Praise the Ammunition, depicting Spellman carrying a rifle with a bayonet. However, the poster was never distributed because Spellman died shortly after its printing.

6.2. Stance on Civil Rights and Racism

While Francis Joseph Spellman had expressed personal opposition to demonstrations during the American Civil Rights Movement, he notably declined J. Edgar Hoover's requests to publicly condemn Martin Luther King Jr.. Furthermore, he provided funding for a group of New York priests and religious sisters to participate in the historic 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. Spellman also voiced his opposition to racial discrimination in public housing. However, he was critical of the social activism pursued by certain priests, including Daniel Berrigan and his brother Philip Berrigan, as well as the young Melkite priest David Kirk.

6.3. Political Engagements

Francis Joseph Spellman was actively involved in political discourse, often taking strong stances on issues affecting the Catholic Church. He vehemently denounced the efforts of US Representative Graham Barden to provide federal funding exclusively to public schools, labeling it "a craven crusade of religious prejudice against Catholic children" and calling Barden himself an "apostle of bigotry."

In 1949, Spellman engaged in a heated public dispute with former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt after she expressed her opposition to federal funding for parochial schools in her syndicated column, My Day. In response, Spellman accused her of anti-Catholicism and characterized her column as a document "of discrimination unworthy of an American mother." The dispute eventually led to a meeting between Spellman and Roosevelt at Hyde Park to resolve their differences.

During the 1960 United States presidential election, when Democratic Senator John F. Kennedy, a Catholic, ran for president, Spellman surprisingly endorsed his Republican opponent, Vice President Richard Nixon, who was not Catholic. Spellman's opposition to Kennedy stemmed from the latter's stance against federal aid for parochial schools and his opposition to the appointment of a U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Kennedy aide David Powers recounted that Kennedy, puzzled by Spellman's stance, asked, "Why is Spellman against me?" to which Powers replied, "Spellman is the most powerful Catholic in the country. When you become president, you will be." Spellman's endorsement of Nixon effectively ended his longstanding relationship with the Kennedy family. In contrast, for the 1964 United States presidential election, Spellman supported President Lyndon B. Johnson, whose legislative initiatives, such as the Higher Education Facilities Act and the Economic Opportunity Act, had significantly benefited the Catholic Church.

7.1. Censorship and Moral Criticism

Francis Joseph Spellman was a vocal critic of various films and plays, reflecting his conservative moral views and the prevailing concerns about censorship in his era.

He publicly condemned the 1941 film Two-Faced Woman, starring Greta Garbo, labeling it "an occasion of sin... dangerous to public morals." He also criticized Garbo herself for her alleged lesbian and bisexual morality. His condemnation of the 1947 film Forever Amber was so strong that it prompted producer William Perlberg to publicly refuse to "bowdlerize the film to placate the Roman Catholic Church."

In 1948, Spellman described the Italian film The Miracle as a "vile and harmful picture... a despicable affront to every Christian." He similarly denounced the 1956 film Baby Doll, starring Carroll Baker, as "revolting" and "morally repellent." When The Deputy, a play addressing Pope Pius XII's actions during the Holocaust, premiered on Broadway in 1964, Spellman condemned it as "an outrageous desecration of the honor of a great and good man." In response, the play's producer, Herman Shumlin, characterized Spellman's remarks as a "calculated threat to really drive a wedge between Christians and Jews."

8.1. Role and Views on Reforms

Francis Joseph Spellman actively participated in the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) from 1962 to 1965, serving on its board of presidency. A theological conservative, Spellman held concerns that the Vatican was appointing a disproportionate number of liberal clergymen to the council's commissions. He notably opposed the Council's reform that introduced vernacular language into the Mass, asserting, "The Latin language, which is truly the Catholic language, is unchangeable, is not vulgar, and has for many centuries been the guardian of the unity of the Western Church." Despite his theological conservatism, he supported ecumenism on pragmatic grounds.

In April 1963, Spellman controversially brought Reverend John Courtney Murray to the Second Vatican Council as a peritus (expert), a move made despite the well-known animosity of Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, the secretary of the Holy Office, towards Murray. The apostolic delegate to the United States, Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, attempted to silence Murray, but Spellman and Murray's Jesuit superiors protected him from most curial interference. Murray's contributions were instrumental in shaping the council's declaration on religious freedom, Dignitatis humanae. According to historian Pat McNamara, Spellman's support for Murray significantly influenced the drafting of this pivotal document.

9.1. Allegations of Homosexuality

Francis Joseph Spellman's personal life has been the subject of significant allegations and discussions, particularly concerning his sexual orientation. Curt Gentry, a 1991 biographer of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, stated that Hoover's files contained "numerous allegations that Spellman was a very active homosexual." In 2002, journalist Michelangelo Signorile described Spellman as "one of the most notorious, powerful and sexually voracious homosexuals in the American Catholic Church's history."

John Cooney's 1984 biography of Spellman, The American Pope, reportedly faced pressure from the Catholic Church. According to Signorile, Cooney's initial manuscript included interviews with individuals who had personal knowledge of Spellman's homosexuality, such as researcher C. A. Tripp. However, the Church allegedly pressured Cooney's publisher, Times Books, to reduce the four pages discussing Spellman's sexuality to a single paragraph. The published book ultimately contained only two sentences on the matter: "For years rumors abounded about Cardinal Spellman being a homosexual. As a result, many felt-and continue to feel-that Spellman the public moralist may well have been a contradiction of the man of the flesh." Both Signorile and John Loughery have cited accounts suggesting Spellman was sexually active, including a story about a personal relationship with a male member of the chorus in the 1943 Broadway revue One Touch of Venus.

9.2. Conflict with Fulton Sheen

A notable conflict arose between Cardinal Spellman and Archbishop Fulton Sheen, a prominent Catholic media personality. According to Catholic journalist Raymond Arroyo, in his foreword to a 2008 edition of Sheen's autobiography, Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen, it is "widely believed that Cardinal Spellman drove Sheen off the air." Beyond being pressured to cease his television appearances, Sheen also reportedly "found himself unwelcome in the churches of New York City." Spellman went so far as to cancel Sheen's annual Good Friday sermons at St. Patrick's Cathedral and actively discouraged clergy from befriending the Archbishop.

10.1. Major Awards and Recognitions

Francis Joseph Spellman received numerous awards and honors throughout his distinguished career:

• In 1946, he was awarded the Gold Medal Award from The Hundred Year Association of New York in recognition of his outstanding contributions to New York City.
• He received the Distinguished Service Medal from the American Legion in 1963.
• During his visit to Central America in 1958, he was awarded the Order of Rubén Darío, the highest honor bestowed by the Nicaraguan government. A Nicaraguan postage stamp was also issued in his honor in 1959.
• In 1967, he was presented with the Sylvanus Thayer Award by the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, becoming the first clergyman to receive this prestigious honor.

11.1. Positive Assessments

Francis Joseph Spellman's legacy is marked by significant contributions to the Catholic Church and American society. Author Russell Shaw noted that Spellman "embodied the fusion of Americanism and Catholicism in the mid-20th century." His lasting achievements are widely recognized as his personal acts of kindness towards individuals and the numerous religious and charitable institutions he either founded or substantially strengthened.

Spellman's prominence also extended into popular culture; Henry Morton Robinson's 1950 novel The Cardinal was partly based on his life. This novel was later adapted into the 1963 film The Cardinal, starring Tom Tryon in the titular role. Furthermore, in July 1947, a Jesuit residential building on the campus of Fordham University, his alma mater, was named in his honor.

11.2. Criticisms and Controversies

Despite his significant achievements, Francis Joseph Spellman's legacy is also intertwined with various controversies and criticisms. His staunch anti-communism and unwavering support for the Vietnam War drew considerable public and internal church opposition, leading critics to dub the conflict "Spelly's War." His conservative theological stances and resistance to certain reforms during the Second Vatican Council also sparked debate.

Furthermore, Spellman's personal life has been the subject of persistent allegations of homosexuality. Biographers and journalists, citing sources including FBI files and personal accounts, have discussed rumors and claims regarding his sexual orientation, particularly contrasting his public moralistic pronouncements with these private allegations. His dispute with Archbishop Fulton Sheen, which reportedly led to Sheen's removal from television and ostracism within the Archdiocese of New York, also stands as a notable point of criticism regarding his exercise of authority. These aspects contribute to a complex and often debated evaluation of his impact on the Catholic Church and American society.

12.1. Final Years and Passing

In 1966, following Pope Paul VI's new policy requiring bishops to retire at age 75, Francis Joseph Spellman offered his resignation. However, Pope Paul VI requested that he remain in his post. Spellman died in New York City on December 2, 1967, at the age of 78. He was interred in the crypt located beneath the main altar at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. His funeral mass was a significant event, attended by numerous prominent figures, including President Lyndon B. Johnson, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, New York Senator Jacob Javits, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, New York Mayor John Lindsay, US Ambassador to the United Nations Arthur Goldberg, and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Iakovos.