Read The Vatican Pimpernel Online
Authors: Brian Fleming
The Vatican Pimpernel (25 page)
Unfortunately, there is little detail on the Monsignor's activities in the next few months. We know that he continued to help those in need of his assistance. His situation was easier insofar as he was not in danger of arrest and execution. Now he was helping Italians and some Austrians who had fought under the German flag. When questioned by friends as to why he was helping people âon the other side', his response was simple and direct:âGod has no country'. As always, he neglected himself in the interest of others. Of course he was always particularly generous with his time when he came across a fellow Irishman. Billy Vincent is a member of the Bourn Vincent family who bought Muckross Estate in Killarney in 1910. His father presented the entire property to the nation in 1932. During the War, Billy served as a Captain in the Inniskilling Fusiliers and was wounded at a battle on Monte Spaduro. As a result, he was transferred to a hospital in Rome in November 1944. Among the staff were a couple of Irish nurses who were friendly with the young priests and clerical students in the Irish College nearby. A priest there, Fr Seán Quinlan, was also a native of Killarney, and when he heard that Billy was in the hospital, he came to visit. âI must tell Monsignor O'Flaherty that you are in the hospital because he would have known your father.'
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The very next day, O'Flaherty called to the hospital and that is when they first met. At that stage, Billy was very restricted in his movement and could only walk with the help of a cane. He was delighted when O'Flaherty offered to drive him around to see the sights of Rome.
In the next few weeks, Monsignor O'Flaherty could not possibly have been kinder to me. Every two or three days he would arrive with his car at the hospital and would take me around Rome. This was an experience I shall never forget because he knew Rome absolutely backwards and had written a guidebook on all its treasures ⦠He was so good to me while I was recovering in hospital; he gave me such a good education of not only the Vatican but all sorts of other treasures in Rome.
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In his recent recall of these events, he made no reference to the Monsignor's driving abilities. His fellow Kerryman boasted widely that he must be a great driver given the fact that his record was absolutely clear of any accident although he was driving in Rome where the worst drivers in the world were, according to him. Others took a different view and felt his accident-free record was more likely due to divine intervention. When Billy was ready to leave hospital he wanted to acknowledge his fellow Killarney man for his generosity.
I wanted to give him a present and did not know what he would like. I asked him and he said âI would like a pair of army boots like you have, if you could get them'. I looked at his shoes and they seemed to be alright and then he lifted up his foot and there were hardly any soles on his shoes. He had been walking all over Rome during the war with really only the uppers of his shoes. I was amazed. I would never have thought he had suffered in this way, so naturally I got a pair of army boots for him and he was delighted.
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Derry made Alexander, the Supreme Allied Commander in Italy, aware of O'Flaherty's work. The General called on the Monsignor to express his gratitude. He proved to be of great support in succeeding months. Derry recalls the views expressed by the Monsignor at that meeting:âHis only interest was what the Allies were going to do for the Italian families who had suffered.'
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There were many Italian prisoners of war, mainly in South Africa, and their relatives now sought out O'Flaherty as the person most likely to be able to help. He realised that securing passage by ship or indeed by air to South Africa would be a slow process but with the intervention of Alexander, he was able to get there quickly and set up a communication system designed to locate the prisoners of war and report back to their families at home. He also flew to Israel at that time and made arrangements for many of the Jews, whom he had placed in secure locations in Rome, to be moved there. The diversion of Derry to other duties means that many of these events are not recorded. It is just like the earlier period, when we know only a fraction of what O'Flaherty achieved.
Inevitably during this time, many Fascist collaborators came to trial. Two were alleged double agents, Dr Cipolla and Aldo Zambardi, the man who had first escorted Derry to the Vatican. The Monsignor testified on their behalf. As he explained to Derry, âThey did wrong, but there is good in every man.'
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Before the end of the War, the Monsignor returned home to Ireland on a visit and arranged to fly back through London in order to help one Italian family. An Italian woman in Rome, who was married to a German, had asked the Monsignor to try to locate her son who was in a prisoner-of-war camp somewhere in England. She had no idea where he was. The woman wanted the Monsignor to tell her son that his father had died. O'Flaherty arranged to have one day in London and was able to use the goodwill available to him there to locate the son, who was in a camp in Chelmsford. An official government car brought O'Flaherty there. He spent his day with the young man, as he had with so many others, engaged in the role of a pastor consoling him on the death of his father.
The
London Gazette
carries announcements on behalf of the British Government, including honours which have been awarded. Inevitably, during a time of war, military personnel feature prominently. However, in the long history of the publication which dates from the middle of the seventeenth century, the issue which was published on Friday 20 April 1945 must be one of the most unusual. Among the 40 people listed were eight Catholic priests and one Catholic Brother. The entire list was headed by Monsignor O'Flaherty who was awarded a CBE. Also honoured âfor services to the forces in Italy' were Frs Borg, Galea, Madden, Buckley, Claffey, Gatt, Lenan, Treacy and Br Robert Pace, each of whom received an OBE. Mrs Henrietta Chevalier was awarded a British Empire Medal. Each recipient, including the Monsignor, was described as âBritish resident in Rome'. As O'Flaherty was born before the Irish State was established, this is a technically correct statement of his nationality. However, it is reasonably certain that the Monsignor was not made aware of this description at the time, and certainly would not have been happy with it. Right through his life, although he was entitled to a Vatican passport, it was the Irish one he used. Honoured on other occasions were the Greek Averoff, who received an OBE, and the military personnel Derry, Furman and Simpson. Typical of his modest nature, O'Flaherty arranged for his award to be made in a simple ceremony in the British Embassy in Rome. Shortly after that he was also awarded the US Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm (a very rare award for a non-American civilian), the citation reading:
For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States in Italy between March of 1942 and June of 1944. His untiring energy and efforts, often at the risk of his own life, and his unfailing devotion to the cause of freedom were exemplified in the concrete aid given to so many prisoners-of-war.
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Subsequently, the President of Italy, on behalf of the Government, awarded the Monsignor a silver medal for military valour with an accompanying pension.
During the occupation of Rome, despite the persistent surveillance by the enemy, he spent himself courageously to assist and conceal numerous Allied prisoners-of-war and groups of patriots. With tireless energy, and paying no heed to the grave risks to which he continually exposed himself â both in his home (which he made into his operational base) and in the quarters of other resistance organisations, he distinguished himself by his brave and consistent combative action, in such ways as to give clear, shining example both of valour and of service. Singled out and relentlessly sought by the enemy, he still managed to achieve many and dangerous missions of war calmly facing the peril to his life, in order to practice at all times his high dedication to humanity and the cause of liberty.
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The Monsignor never bothered to collect the pension. As Sam Derry was to remark many years later, O'Flaherty âwanted nothing for himself'.
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D'Arcy Osborne was anxious that recognition would be given to the work of Mrs Kiernan (Delia Murphy) and indeed Mrs Kiernan's name was suggested for a decoration. However there were obvious difficulties. A British Government honour to the wife of an Ambassador from a neutral country for activities which were far from impartial could raise questions. By way of compromise, D'Arcy Osborne gave her a vase which she treasured greatly. Wherever her husband's postings brought her for the rest of her life, including Australia and North America, the vase went with her.
The ending of the War meant that O'Flaherty could resume his love affair with the golf course. Through playing golf on the course near Ciampino he became aware of a very neglected village full of people gravely stricken by poverty, who were worshipping at a tiny, half ruined church. He immediately took up the challenge and looked after this congregation for the next twelve years. His attention was to both religious and pastoral matters. He made practical arrangements, including ensuring that his contacts in Rome were used to the best advantage in order to supply this congregation with food and the necessities of life. The church was tiny, big enough only for the altar, the celebrant and the altar server. The congregation used to assemble outside. Among the congregation one Sunday, on a visit from Ireland, was his sister, Bride Sheehan. Over the years, she had endeavoured many times to give her brother money, to ensure that he had some of the comforts of life. She thought this was her opportunity and so she placed a big donation on the collection plate. Little did she realise that the collection plate, including the contribution from the locals and from O'Flaherty's friends who attended Mass there, was disbursed among the poor immediately after Mass every Sunday. When people whom he had helped contacted him from abroad as to see how they could return the favour, he invariably asked for them to send clothes to help this congregation. Regularly, parcels arrived from some of the major shops in places like London and New York and soon members of the congregation were as well dressed as any in the general area of Rome.
The Kiernans were home on holidays during August 1946. Monsignor O'Flaherty was also in Ireland at that time. All three were invited to a lunch by a Fr Campion who was then a priest stationed in Kill, County Kildare. Also invited was the young Dublin singer, Veronica Dunne, whom the priest had recognised as having exceptional talent. She came along with her mother. Fr Campion was anxious that Delia Murphy would hear Veronica singing, which she did during the course of the afternoon. All the company agreed that further training was the next appropriate step to take but the question arose as to where. At that stage, most of the major capitals in Europe had been virtually destroyed, so Rome seemed an obvious choice. Monsignor O'Flaherty offered to help and subsequently went out to where the family lived on the Howth Road and met Veronica's father. It was agreed that Veronica would undertake further training in Rome and the Monsignor would act as a guardian. Fr Campion was a renowned host but Veronica recollects that Monsignor O'Flaherty did not really eat that much. With the scarcities that applied in Rome and his generosity to other people, he had neglected himself and now found that the rich food available at the lunch did not suit him.
In September 1946 Veronica flew out to Rome, then a twelve-hour journey including various stops. The Monsignor was there to meet her and immediately made clear what was expected: âSee that plane, there. If I see you with any of those Italian men you will be going straight back.'
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Her first encounter with Roman manhood was interesting. O'Flaherty drove into the city from the airport but had to stop at a Post Office to do some business. Meanwhile Veronica sitting in the vehicle found herself surrounded by some Italian men who were hissing at her, but when the Monsignor returned, he had a ready explanation. âThey think you are my mistress.'
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Indeed, that may have been the explanation. An alternative possibility was that the Monsignor was trying to hide from her that anti-clericalism was not uncommon in Rome at that time.
He then brought her to a convent where she stayed for a few months. Subsequently he found suitable accommodation for her with a family. She remembers going around the Eternal City with him. âThey treated him like a God, not just the Romans but the American, British and French soldiers also.'
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He brought her to all the receptions and got her tickets for the various big events. The first one was a dinner for one of the senior Allied generals, which was held in a major hotel in the city about ten days after she arrived, at which an eight-course dinner was served. She found herself sitting away from the top table beside a very charming and good-looking South African major. He asked her did she like the Roman ice cream. When she explained that she had not tasted any yet, he offered to bring her out for some after the meal. So when the final course was finished she went to seek the Monsignor's permission. She noticed very early on in her dealings with the Monsignor that, if he got concerned or indeed angry about anything, his eyes seemed to widen, magnified by the glasses he usually wore. On this occasion his eyes widened but also he scratched his head in curiosity as he could not understand why she needed ice cream after an eight-course dinner. Eventually, he gave permission with the instruction that she be back in plenty of time so that he could leave her home and return to the Vatican before eleven o'clock. Unfortunately, she was late back, not arriving to the hotel until about a quarter to eleven.
âDo you realise now I will be late back to the Vatican and I will have to climb over a big wall in order to get home.' âSure Monsignor', she replied, âwith your long legs, you will be well able to do that.'
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