Haughey rejected proposal to stop sending official messages of congratulation to Vatican

PAPAL MESSAGES:A BREACH of protocol in 1981 meant Pope John Paul II was sent both a birthday and an anniversary message from the government, but proposals to cease sending any messages were firmly rejected by then taoiseach Charles Haughey, according to State papers from the Department of the Taoiseach.

The file, released to the National Archives, contained messages of congratulations on the anniversary of the popes inauguration from taoisigh dating back to 1948. It also showed that on three occasions, in 1948, 1951 and 1954, messages of homage were also sent to the pope on the formation of governments.

The tone of the messages changed over the years, with de Valera offering “filial loyalty and devotion” to Pope Pius XII, while Haughey offered “sincere felicitations and best wishes” to John Paul II. A temporary blip in the tone occurred in 1976, when then taoiseach Liam Cosgrave offered “profound homage” and fervent prayer to Pope Paul VI. After a flurry of messages within the department, this was corrected and in 1977 the message simply offered “congratulations and best wishes”.

The president also sent a message on the pope’s anniversary and a separate message on the pope’s birthday. But a copy of a telegram on the file, dated May 31st, 1981, from Cardinal Casaroli of Vatican City to the taoiseach’s office acknowledges receipt of the birthday greeting from Haughey, then taoiseach, a breach of protocol.

The file also shows the taoiseach’s office considered dropping the practice of sending a message to the pope on his anniversary. A note dated October 1980 said the practice was started in 1933 by de Valera and when the first coalition came into power in 1948, under John A Costello, the Italian left-wing press referred to the link between church and State in this country as being severed.

“For this reason, the Vatican suggested that the practice should continue, to show that there was no special link,” the note said.

“From a protocol viewpoint, foreign affairs say there would be no objection to discontinuing the practice; it would probably raise an eyebrow in the Vatican. As far as I can find out no other European country sends a similar message to the pope.”

Below the text, a handwritten note said there was no “compelling reason for us to recommend to the taoiseach that the long-standing practice of sending this message be discontinued”.

And a separate note in the margin, signed with illegible initials and headed “taoiseach”, said the practice was “an outmoded gesture”.

“As the president is also sending a message, the duplication seems to be unnecessary and I suggest we don’t send it.”

Below this message, in a bolder, larger hand someone had written “Send It”.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, a message of congratulations is still sent from Ireland to the pope every year on the anniversary of his inauguration.