Chapter 6
by John Gavin Nolan
The wish of the Holy Father is rather to form a permanent society somewhat like the International Red Cross or the American Near East Relief. It will be a centralized Catholic distributing agency which can materially assist the Holy See to meet the daily increasing demands made on the Holy Father for assistance in humanitarian works, in the field of education, and in social welfare work all over the world, as well as in distinctly religious and missionary activities...30
The priority of relief over reunion occasioned criticism from Father von Galen and his friends for whom the missionary apostolate came first.31
On 30 September 1926 with but minor changes, the letter went to all the bishops over the signature of Cardinal Hayes.32 The same day, the executive committee met in the CNEWA office at 480 Lexington Avenue, in New York City. Father Walsh submitted a contract he made with Joseph Moore, and it was resolved “that a drive for membership and funds be made on the third Sunday of January, 1927, in every diocese of the United States, and that Joseph F. Moore be authorized to handle the same on the terms set forth in the contract just approved.” A motion was also passed to authorize the president and secretary to open bank accounts with the Central Union Trust Company of New York and the Federal Trust Company of Newark, New Jersey, and to sign checks jointly on the same.33
On 8 October Father Walsh sent Cardinal Sincero a “progress report.” The letter, handwritten and in Latin, mentioned the psychological effect the nationwide appeal should have in promoting the association’s work, and it predicted that a million or more Catholics would be enrolled as CNEWA members. Monsignor Barry–Doyle, reported Father Walsh, had left for Athens and “would not be returning to America!” Father von Galen, on the other hand, was still in the country, though more than likely he too would be sailing for Europe in about three weeks.34