Mary KennyThe late President Kennedy is remembered fondly, in Ireland, as the first Irish-American President of the United States – although he wasn’t quite the first: there were quite a few Irish-American presidents before him, but they were from Ulster-Irish (generally Presbyterian) stock and that, somehow, discounted them.
But JFK was the first Irish Catholic American who was part of that diaspora which followed the Famine, and we were hugely proud of him. Ireland will always remain loyal to his memory, and rightly so.
Suspicion
It is sometimes forgotten, or perhaps not quite understood, just what a breakthrough his presidency was for a Roman Catholic.
The public discussion, in the run-up to the 1960 election, focused on Kennedy’s religion and there was widespread suspicion that Catholic Bishops would be looking over JFK’s shoulder.
Anti-Catholic
Cartoons were shown of a President at the Oval Office, with the shadow of the papal flag behind him. There were over 300 anti-Catholic pamphlets and publications issued during the campaign.
JFK’s running-mate, Lyndon B. Johnson, who eventually became president after the tragic events in Dallas, was chosen, specifically, because he hailed from Texas, and would bring in the Deep South’s vote – at a time when the Ku Klux Klan in the southern states were as opposed to Catholics as they were to the integration of Afro-Americans.
Kennedy’s opponent – who was only defeated by a whisker – Richard Nixon, was supported by Billy Graham, the powerful Protestant evangelist, who pulled in many of his peers in support of JFK’s rival.
Jack Kennedy had to emphasise repeatedly that, politically, he was an American and would always act in the best interests of the United States. He also had to issue a statement saying: “I believe in an America where the separation of Church and State is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be a Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners how to vote.”
Fifty years after President Kennedy’s assassination, we can now say that relations between Catholics and Protestants in the United States are infinitely, incomparably better. Prejudices have largely receded. Christians work together on a whole range of issues, and Evangelical Protestants have been energetic and supportive on the pro-life questions.
Model Catholic
So things sometimes turn out unexpectedly. And ironically, too. For, while Kennedy was a fine President, and an inspirational figure, I don’t think any biographer would now claim that he was a model Catholic. By anyone’s measure, he was something of a compulsive adulterer and caused his wife much pain – the discarded girlfriends sometimes felt bad about it too.
Ironically, if Billy Graham & Co. had but known it – maybe the odd bishop might have dropped by with a cautionary word about observing the Sixth Commandment.
Discussing runners and riders
I am much looking forward to President Higginsí (and Sabinaís) State visit to Britain in April next year. It will be quite something to see Londonís Mall bedecked with the green, white and orange of the national flag.
There have, of course, been informal visits previously ñ President Mary Robinson broke the ice in 1993 when she had tea with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace ñ but never before a state visit, which are not very common anyway.
I am sure An Uachtar·n will be well briefed in advance (as will QE II, by the way ñ sheís as sharp as a tack and was quick to mention, when I met her in 2011, that she had just read an article I had written), but if he wants to reach the ladyís true heart he will focus mainly on one subject of enduring and unfailing passion: horses.
Many of Elizabethís horses come from Ireland and she has a high regard indeed for the great Irish traditions in horse-breeding.
An in-depth discussion about the runners and riders at Cheltenham over the years would go down very well.
Documentary truth
It now seems that some nuns from the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary at Roscrea in Co. Tipperary are contesting aspects of the narrative in the film Philomena.
Sister Julie Rose, assistant congregational leader of the order, has said that the film ìdoes not tell the whole truth and in many ways is misleadingî. The filmmakers have accepted that ìdramatic licenceî was taken in some scenes.
A drama must always dramatise events, and movies (and plays) often distort or alter what actually happened. Another hit film Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks, is currently the subject of a $50million lawsuit on not dissimilar grounds.
I would be glad to hear from any nuns or former inmates at Roscrea on the subject of Philomena. Although a drama must dramatise, it should also make clear what is story and what is documentary truth.
Email: mary@mary-kenny.com