Chapter 4
by John Gavin Nolan
As I said in my cable to Brussels we have decided not to use the papers regarding B.D. for many reasons, among them (1) That this affair will have to be fought on purely ecclesiastical and not personal grounds, as the situation has now developed (2) Also that Rome, etc., might question an attack on B.D. in this manner as devious methods on our part (3) the fact that the matter might become public property and cause trouble for us, since people could say that if we knew this of B.D. why did we, the League, continue to support him after we had this knowledge, as we did during his campaign here (4) The possible innocence of Monsignor (5) The fact that I have consulted with an eminent authority (a priest) on the matter, confidentially, of course, and that he informs me that from the ecclesiastical point of view the evidence is not sufficient, etc. etc.
In the same letter, dated 1 July, Louis Wetmore authorized Werner Stenzel to represent the Catholic Converts League in Rome in support of Father von Galen and the Catholic Union.86 The following day, Mr. Wetmore sent Father von Galen a letter of introduction to Monsignor Mariano Ugolini, the prefect of the Vatican archives and a friend of Cardinal Francis Gasquet, the English Benedictine. “This,” wrote Mr. Wetmore, accords “with the idea of the Benedictine end of the game.”87 Other letters of introduction were enclosed for Father Gabriel Horn, O.P., prior of the Collegio Angelico and friend of a Dominican cardinal “much interested in Russia” and for Father Alfred, a Passionist and acquaintance of Cardinal Camillus Laurenti, prefect of the Congregation for Religious. 88
Monsignor Richard Barry-Doyle, meanwhile, arrived in Rome 12 July, having visited Lourdes and Lisieux on pilgrimage. Bishop Calavassy and Joseph Moore had preceded him, and they were ready for the meeting three days hence. On 13 July, Mr. Wetmore received from Mr. Stenzel the following cable:
Augustine had few friends Rome stop Believe Calavassy tricky Tacci deranged soon to be replaced stop Piffl has appointed Hudal special representative for conference fifteenth stop Pope having directed Sincero organize Russian seminary we plan give our building fund to Pope at audience Sincero shall arrange propitious moment stop Shall marshal several cardinals our camp stop wish had thousand stipends for distribution stop Hope you sent me strong League letter Rome where we arrive Monday stop.89