Catholic Church. Curia Romana

Letter from Eugene A. Philbin to Theodore Roosevelt

Eugene A. Philbin praises President Roosevelt on his handling of a meeting with Monsignor Ambrose Agius. Agius will soon be serving in the Philippines. Philbin writes that Roosevelt can mask a cross-examination as a friendly interview. Philbin has met with Arizona’s Governor Alexander O. Brodie and discussed the custody case involving the wards of the New York Foundling Hospital.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-03

Letter from Eugene A. Philbin to Theodore Roosevelt

Eugene A. Philbin writes to President Roosevelt that he has met with Monsignor Ambrose Agius. They discussed a pending decision on the Catholic Church’s ownership claims to land in the Philippines. Philbin is very impressed by Agius. As his earlier suggestion for a justice opening in the Philippines was rejected by Secretary of War Taft, Philbin will submit a new recommendation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-28

Summary of letter from St. Clair McKelway

St. Clair McKelway cautions against American officials engaging in any negotiations with the Catholic Church. He does not believe that the Vatican should be recognized as a governmental or diplomatic entity.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-03-29

Letter from a parish priest to the Bishop-Administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila

A parish priest in the municipality of Mexico in Pampagna, Philippines, encloses an ordinance which states that church bells may only be rung for specific occasions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-06-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Hay

President Roosevelt asks if there is any reason why he should not congratulate the new Pontiff as suggested by Archbishop John Ireland. In a note at the bottom, Secretary of State Hay notes that he advises against sending congratulations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. J. Curran

Theodore Roosevelt was pleased by Father Curran’s letter and greatly appreciates his friendship. If he had been president, Roosevelt would have sent Father Vattmann to investigate the Mexico situation and acted upon his report. He was interested to hear from Archbishop Blenk that the general opinion was changing in support of his actions during the “Vatican incident.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. J. O’Connor

Theodore Roosevelt thanks J. J. O’Connor for the letter and appreciates his friendly words regarding Roosevelt’s article on the Mexican situation. However, Roosevelt takes issue with O’Connor’s statement that Roosevelt made a political blunder by not visiting Pope Pius X. After his African safari, Roosevelt visited Rome, Italy, and intended to pay his respects to the Pope. Cardinal Merry del Val, the Cardinal Secretary of State, made a stipulation for meeting with the Pope that Roosevelt could not visit the Methodist church and school at Rome. Roosevelt could not agree to these terms and was not received. He believes his decision was proper.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Bellamy Storer

President Roosevelt is surprised at what Bellamy Storer tells him about Denis Joseph O’Connell. Roosevelt informed O’Connell that he would not interfere in any way to help a clergyman of any denomination attain high rank in that denomination. Storer’s suggestion that the Vatican act as “umpire” in the dispute between Panama and Colombia will be considered.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Pope Pius X

President Roosevelt acknowledges receipt of Pope Pius’s letter and congratulates him on his elevation to the Papacy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John T. McDonough

President Roosevelt finds the friar question “puzzling” and would like to know what John Thomas McDonough thinks of the offer for the friars’ lands. Roosevelt wants to act with absolute fairness and is not concerned with political considerations or the opinions of “misguided” Catholics and Protestants.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James T. O’Reilly

President Roosevelt’s goal in the Philippines is “to do absolute justice to all” and will look into the conflict between Catholic factions in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John T. McDonough

President Roosevelt warns against divisions among the American representatives in the Philippines regarding the “friar business” and asks John Thomas McDonough to work towards an agreement.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Augustine McFaul

President Roosevelt defends William H. Taft’s support of the Federal Party in the Philippines. The Federal Party is anti-friar, but more importantly they are against the insurrection. Roosevelt has been accused of being too favorable to the Catholic Church and believes that Filipinos moving away from Catholicism is due to antagonism against the friars.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Ireland

President Roosevelt is concerned over rumors of a resumed “pro-Friar agitation.” Any American endorsement of the friars would greatly annoy Filipinos, alienate Filipinos from the Catholic Church, and damage public opinion in the United States. Roosevelt requests that Archbishop Ireland write to Judge John Thomas McDonough on the matter. He intends to discuss with Secretary of State John Hay a “message of congratulations to the new Pontiff.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Crane

President Roosevelt has been surprised at the Catholic hostility to a settlement of the friars matter in the Philippines. However, Filipino Catholics and American Catholics familiar with the Philippines support the administration’s actions. Negotiations with the Holy See are ongoing to determine what will be done with the friars and their land. Roosevelt insists that fair play and religious freedom are guiding all of his actions regarding the friars and the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to St. Clair McKelway

President Roosevelt has received a great deal of correspondence regarding the establishment of diplomatic relations with Rome (i.e. the Vatican). Roosevelt would like to go over the matter with St. Clair McKelway and William H. Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-21

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to St. Clair McKelway

President Roosevelt will go over St. Clair McKelway’s note with Secretary of War Elihu Root and Governor General William H. Taft. Taft wants to go straight to Rome to settle the friar question. Roosevelt considers the negotiations to be businesslike in character and not diplomatic.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Maria Longworth Storer

President Roosevelt does not need the letters, but wants Maria Storer to keep them to herself.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-02-17

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt asks Secretary of War Root if he has considered sending a diplomatic envoy to the Vatican in order to find out what the Catholic Church “is willing to do with the Philippine property?”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-11-07

Letter from James Francis Smith to Henry C. Ide

Secretary of Public Instruction Smith writes to Governor General of the Philippines Ide to address issues raised by J. J. Harty, Archbishop of Manila, in regards to statements made by government officials that go against Church teaching. Smith suggests ways in which the Catholic Church and government officials can continue to cooperate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-08