Richard Cushing
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Richard James Cushing (August 24, 1895 – November 2, 1970) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1944 to 1970 and was made a cardinal in 1958. Cushing's main role was as fundraiser and builder of new churches, schools, and institutions. Unlike his predecessor, he was on good terms with practically the entire Boston elite, as he softened the traditional confrontation between the Catholic Irish and the Protestant upper-class. He built useful relationships with Jews, Protestants, and institutions outside the usual Catholic community. He helped presidential candidate John F. Kennedy deflect fears of papal interference in American government if a Catholic became president.
Cushing's high energy level allowed him to meet with many people all day, often giving lengthy speeches at night. He was not efficient at business affairs, and when expenses built up he counted on his fundraising skills instead of cost-cutting. Cushing, says Nasaw, was "fun-loving, informal, and outgoing. He looked rather like a tough, handsome, Irish cop and behaved more like a ward politician than a high church cleric."[1] His major weakness in retrospect was overexpansion, adding new institutions that could not be sustained in the long run and had to be cut back by his successors.[2]
Early life and education
Cushing was born in City Point,
Cushing received his early education at Perry Public Grammar School in
He entered
Priesthood
On May 26, 1921, Cushing was
Episcopal career
On June 10, 1939, after Bishop
As an auxiliary bishop, Cushing continued to serve as director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, and was also named
Archbishop of Boston
Cushing was named the third Archbishop of Boston on September 25, 1944, following the death of Cardinal O'Connell and honoring his earlier request that Cushing succeed him. During Cushing's tenure, Boston would see the excommunication of Fr. Leonard Feeney for repeated refusals to be summoned to Rome. Feeney refused to back down from his position, although it has been reported that he was ultimately reconciled with the Church before his death.[11]
Cushing, a member of the
After the death of Pius XII, Cushing published a moving tribute to him.
He was one of the
After the first meeting between Church and Freemasonry which had been held on 11 April 1969 at the convent of the Divine Master in Ariccia, he was the protagonist of a series of public handshakes between high prelates of the Roman Catholic Church and the heads of Freemasonry.[23]
The Boston Globe reported on June 5, 2002 that Church documents released the prior day show the Boston Archdiocese had knowledge of sexual misconduct by several priests who were allowed to remain in active ministry despite complaints. The documents show Cardinal Richard Cushing, who led the Boston archdiocese for 25 years until 1971, approved the moving of at least two priests into new parishes during the 1960s despite allegations of sexual misconduct.[24]
Biography of Pope Pius XII
In 1959, Cushing published his only book, a biography of the late
Second Vatican Council
At the
We must cast the Declaration on the Jews in a much more positive form, one not so timid, but much more loving ... For the sake of our common heritage we, the children of Abraham according to the spirit, must foster a special reverence and love for the children of Abraham according to the flesh. As children of Adam, they are our kin, as children of Abraham they are Christ's blood relatives. 2. So far as the guilt of Jews in the death of our Savior is concerned, the rejection of the Messiah by His own, is according to Scripture, a mystery—a mystery given us for our instruction, not for our self-exaltation ... We cannot sit in judgement on the onetime leaders of Israel—God alone is their judge. Much less can we burden later generations of Jews with any burden of guilt for the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, for the death of the Savior of the world, except that universal guilt in which we all have a part ... In clear and unmistakable language, we must deny, therefore, that the Jews are guilty of our Savior's death. We must condemn especially those who seek to justify, as Christian deeds, discrimination, hatred and even persecution of Jews ... 3. I ask myself, Venerable Brothers, whether we should not humbly acknowledge before the whole world that, toward their Jewish brethren, Christians have all too often not shown themselves as true Christians, as faithful followers of Christ. How many [Jews] have suffered in our own time? How many died because Christians were indifferent and kept silent? ... If in recent years, not many Christian voices were raised against those injustices, at least let ours now be heard in humility.[25]
He was deeply committed to implementing the Council's reforms and promoting renewal in the Church.[26] In an unprecedented gesture of ecumenism, he encouraged Catholics to attend Billy Graham's crusades.[27] Cushing strongly condemned Communism, particularly the regime of Josip Broz Tito in Yugoslavia.[28]
Due to advanced illnesses Cushing's resignation as Boston's archbishop was accepted on September 8, 1970. Upon his resignation, Senator Ted Kennedy stated: "For three-quarters of a century [Cushing's] life has been a light in a world that cries out for illumination. He will never have to account for his stewardship, for if his goodness is not known to God, no one's ever will be."[29]
Death
Less than two months after his resignation, on November 2, 1970 (the feast of
Miscellaneous
- Cushing was a member of the NAACP.[citation needed]
- Cushing founded the Missionary Society of St. James the Apostle in 1958 to "serve the needs of the poorest of the poor in South America".[33]
- Cushing wrote the foreword for the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition of the Bible, and gave his imprimatur to the Oxford Annotated Bible.
Legacy
- In 1947, founded St. Coletta by the Sea (now the Cardinal Cushing Centers in his honor) with sponsorship from the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.[34] The organization, now Cardinal Cushing Centers[35] continues to support developmentally disabled individuals ages 6 through the life continuum with campuses in Hanover, Massachusetts and Braintree, Massachusetts and community homes throughout the South Shore of Massachusetts.
- The now-closed Cardinal Cushing College, a women's college in Brookline, Massachusetts, was named after him.
- In 1950, Richard Cardinal Cushing founded the Bon Secours Hospital, now Holy Family Hospital and Medical Center, in Methuen, Massachusetts. Through his guidance and leadership, the hospital has become one of the top Catholic hospitals in the state of Massachusetts
- Emmanuel College's Cardinal Cushing Library Buildingis named in his honor. The building houses the campus' library, a lecture hall, and various classrooms.
- Boston College has two buildings named in his honor: Cushing Hall, a freshman dormitory on the Newton Campus as well as another Cushing Hall, the home of the Connell School of Nursing.
- St. John's Seminary (Massachusetts)has their third theology classroom named after the Cardinal: The Richard Cardinal Cushing Classroom.
- The main student center of Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire is named the Cardinal. The Cushing houses, among many other significant groups and offices, the Meelia Center for Community Service, a service outreach organization in the greater Manchester area.
- In 1961 in Santa Cruz (Bolivia) he left funds for the construction of two schools: The Marista and another that at the beginning was the Cardinal Cushing Institute and then in 1969 the Colegio Cardinal Cushing administered by the religious of Jesus Mary. He was part of the US campaign in the region Santa Cruz, which included propaganda, repression and the use of the Christian faith against the indio peasants. Cushing held a Eucharistic congress on August 9, 1961, and inaugurated the Christ the Redeemer statue.[36]
Works
This is an incomplete list of the various writings of Richard Cardinal Cushing:
- Answering the Call, 1942
- Soldiers of the Cross, 1942
- Native Clergy are the Pillars of the Church, 1943
- The Missions in War and Peace, 1944
- Grey Nuns: An Appeal for Vocations, 1944
- The Battle Against Self, 1945
- The Guide-Posts of the Almighty to Permanent Industrial Peace and Prosperity, 1946
- Restoring all Things in Christ: The Spirit and the Teaching of Pope Pius X, 1946
- Where is Father Hennessey?: Now We Know the Answer, 1946
- The Spiritual Approach to the Atomic Age, 1946
- Notes for the confessors of religious : a collection of excerpts from articles and books on the spiritual direction of sisters prepared for the guidance of ordinary and extraordinary confessors in the Archdiocese of Boston (ad usum privatum), 1946
- The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 1947?
- A Novena of Talks on the Our Father, 1947?
- The Third Choice, Americanism : from an address against universal military training, 1948
- The Diamond Jubilee of the Poor Clares in the United States, 1950?
- The Return of the "Other Sheep" to the One Fold of St. Peter, 1957
- A Call to the Laity: Addresses on the Lay Apostolate, 1957
- Meditations for Religious, 1959
- Pope Pius XII, 1959
- Rendezvous with Revolution 196-
- Questions and Answers on Communism, 1960
- A Seminary for Advanced Vocations, 1960?
- The Purpose of Living, 1960
- The Ecumenical Council and its Hopes, 1960
- The Age of Lay Sanctity, 1960?
- Assorted Prayers 196?
- Spiritual Guideposts, 1960
- Americans Unite!, 1960
- I'm Proud of My Dirty Hands, 1960?
- Moral Values and the American Society: Pastoral Letter, The Holy Season of Lent, 1961 1961
- The Sacraments: Seven Channels of Grace for every State in Life, 1962
- The Mission of the Teacher, 1962
- The Call of the Council: Pastoral Letter, 1962
- St. Martin de Porres, 1962
- A Bridge Between East and West, 1963
- Call Me John; A Life of Pope John XXIII, 1963
- Saint Patrick and the Irish, 1963
- Liturgy and Life : First Sunday of Advent, November 1964: Pastoral Letter, 1964
- A Summons to Racial Justice, 1964
- Richard Cardinal Cushing in Prose and Photos, 1965
- Along with Christ, 1965
- "A Quiet Burial" for a Biography, 1965
- The Servant Church, 1966
Articles
- The Church and Philosophy, Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, v23 (1949); 9-15
- God's People, Review of Social Economy, v10 n1: 87-89
- The Need for the Study of American Church History, The Catholic Historical Review, v36 n1: 43-46
- Religion in Liberal Arts Education, Christian Education, v30 n1: 13-24
Works on Richard Cardinal Cushing
- The World's Cardinal By M.C. Devine, 1964
- Salt of the Earth: An Informal Profile of Richard Cushing by John H Fenton, 1965
References
- ^ David Nasaw, The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy (2012) pp 625-27
- ^ Robert Muccigrosso, ed., Research Guide to American Historical Biography (1988) 5:2466-9
- ^ OCLC 53276621.
- ^ a b c d "Cardinal Cushing Dies in Boston at 75". The New York Times. November 3, 1970.
- ^ "The Catholic Church in Massachusetts (XXI.2)". OBLATVS.
- ^ a b c d "The Unlikely Cardinal". Time Magazine. August 21, 1964. Archived from the original on August 30, 2008.
- ^ a b c "Cushing: Ecumenical Leader, Kennedys' Friend, Communists' Foe". The New York Times. September 9, 1970.
- ^ "Gate of Heaven - History". Archived from the original on March 24, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Richard James Cardinal Cushing". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
- ^ "WEBSITE.WS - Your Internet Address For Life™". www.sacredheart.ws.
- ^ "Religion: Feeney Forgiven". time.com. October 14, 1974. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ Callahan, William R. (September 1, 1948). "Cardinal Canali Welcomes N.E. Pilgrims at St. Peter's". The Boston Globe. p. 1, 5. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Hurst, Violet (August 25, 2023). "Archbishop Cushing's 1948 pilgrimage to Lourdes and Rome -- Part I". The Pilot. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Callahan, William R. (August 21, 1948). "France to Give Abp. Cushing Legion of Honor Medal". The Boston Globe. p. 1, 3. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
- ^ Callahan, William R. (August 21, 1948). "Archbishop Cushing to Give Notre Dame Cathedral Sermon". The Boston Globe. p. 8. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
- ^ Pope Pius XII by Richard Cushing, St. Paul Editions, Boston, 1959.
- ^ Boston Globe "'What Will Lake Street Think?' No Longer", boston.com, December 14, 2003
- ^ "Archbishop of Boston Honored by B'nai B'rith As "man of the Year"". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. February 16, 1956. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ a b Goldstein, Jenny (April 24, 2001). "Transcending Boundaries: Boston's Catholics and Jews, 1929-1965". www.bc.edu. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- ^ Caroll, James. (2005). What would Cardinal Cushing do?. The Boston Globe
- ^ a b Lester, Thomas (March 22, 2024). "Cardinal Cushing's 1961 Good Friday Sermon". The Pilot. Vol. 195, no. 12. p. 13.
- ^ "The Cardinal and Jackie", time.com, November 1, 1968.
- ^ Sandro Magister (August 19, 1999). "Tra il papa e il massone non c'è comunione" [There is no communion between the pope and the Mason] (in Italian). L'Espresso.
- ^ "Boston Globe / Spotlight / Abuse in the Catholic Church / Scandal and coverup".
- ^ Oesterreicher, pp. 197-98
- ^ TIME Magazine. The Unlikely Cardinal August 21, 1964
- ^ Time magazine. Big Man in a Long Red Robe November 16, 1970]
- ^ How Are Things in Yugoslavia?, time.com, September 1, 1947.
- Time magazine. November 21, 1970. Archived from the originalon October 30, 2010.
- ^ "Cardinal Cushing Centers".
- ^ "Jewish Leaders Express Sorrow at Death of Cardinal Cushing". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. November 4, 1970. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ "Cardinal Cushing, 75, Dies Catholics Mourn Prelate". thecrimson.com. November 3, 1970. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ "Welcome to the Missionary Society of St. James the Apostle". www.socstjames.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2005. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
- ^ "Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi |". www.lakeosfs.org.
- ^ "Home". Cardinal Cushing Centers.
- ^ Marchetti, Juan Carlos Zambrana (November 2, 2019). "Bolivia. Un Cristo contra el indio". Resumen Latinoamericano. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
Further reading
- Cutler, John Henry (1970). Cardinal Cushing of Boston. New York: Hawthorn Books publishers (the major biography).
- Dever, Joseph (1965). Cushing of Boston: A Candid Portrait. Boston: Bruce Humphries publishers.
- Rabbi James Rudin. Cushing, Spellman, O'Connor: The Surprising Story of How Three American Cardinals Transformed Catholic-Jewish Relations (2011) excerpt and text search
External links
Media related to Richard James Cushing at Wikimedia Commons