ADSS 1.48 Godfrey to Maglione: call for prayer

1.48 William Godfrey, Ap Del UK to Luigi Maglione, Sec State

Reference: Report 85/39 (AES 2919/39)

Location and date: London, 18.05.1939

Summary statement: Call for Prayer at Pentecost by Archbishop of Canterbury.

Language: Italian

Text:

I hasten to bring to the knowledge of your Eminence the text of a Call to Prayers for Peace, issued by the Heads of the separated brethren of Great Britain. (Enclosure 1) (1)

The appeal is due to the initiative of the Archbishop of Canterbury (2) and is signed also buy the Archbishop of Upsala (3), by the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (4) and by the President of the Free Church. (5)

It is symptomatic that the promoters of the appeal state that, acknowledging the fatherly invitation of the Holy Father, they wish to associate themselves with it.

The Press has not given great prominence to this action: only The Times devoted a leader to it. (Encl. 2) (6)

The Archbishop of Canterbury felt the need to explain the reasons for this appeal in an open letter to The Times, recapitulating its history. (7)

He seems to complain about the delay with which the Vatican replied to his approach through Cardinal Hinsley.  It is however, interesting to read how he defends the call to prayer against those who would like to see “spectacular actions” on the part of the Church.

Notes: 

(1) Text of the appeal was published in The Times, 17.05.1939. “Call to prayer at Whitsuntide. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Germanos, the Archbishop of Upsala [sic] and the Moderators of the Scottish General Assembly and the Free Church council have signed a Call to prayer at Whitsuntide”.  The text followed.

(2) William Cosmo Gordon Lang (1864-1945) Archbishop of Canterbury 1928-42.

(3) Erling Eidem (1880-1972) Archbishop of Uppsala 1931-50.

(4) Archibald Main (1876-1947) Moderator of the Church of Scotland 1939.

(5) Unknown at time of writing.

(6) The Times, 17.05.1939

(7) Letter of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Editor of The Times 17.05.1939.