From .........................THE AMERICAN POPE

The Life and Times of Francis Cardinal Spellman

By- John Cooney

Pub by Times Books, The New York Times Book Co., Inc. 1984

ISBN- 0-8129-1120-2

Some pictures and captions-

Picture- Cardinal Spellman with President Roosevelt

Caption- "The close relationship between Spellman and President Roosevelt led to Spellman's becoming a national and international power broker and to covert cooperation between the Vatican and the U.S. government in international affairs."

Picture- Cardinal Spellman with Winston Churchill

Caption- "Archbishop Spellman's influence in world affairs was enhanced by his network of powerful contacts, including Winston Churchill, who is shown here with Spellman as they cross Park Avenue to attend a private luncheon."

Picture- Cardinal Spellman putting wafer in mouth of U.S. soldier

Caption- "During WW II, Spellman visited war zones, where he blessed troops and acted as President Roosevelt's secret agent. Here he dispenses communion to American enlisted men in Italy in 1944."

Picture- Cardinal Spellman and Pope Pius XII.

Caption- "Spellman's source of ecclesiastical power was his good friend Pope Pius XII. The Pope increasingly relied on Spellman, who exhibited his prowess as both an astute financial adviser and a shrewd diplomat."

Picture- Spellman being elevated to cardinal.

Caption- "Spellman's ecclesiastical ambitions were achieved in 1946 when he was elevated to the rank of cardinal. Here he stands with head bowed in front of Pope Pius XII, who is sitting on his throne in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. Some thirty thousand people watched the colorful ceremony during which the pontiff placed "red hats" on the heads of the new cardinals. Spellman, who had become a friend of the Pope when both were Vatican diplomats, was acknowledged as being more special than the other new cardinals. He was given the red hat that the Pope himself had worn when he had been made a cardinal. Once a prince of the Church, Spellman became a leading anti-Communist who covertly helped the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. ......."

[ as if the CIA and FBI weren't serving Roman Catholic cult interest .. JP ]

Picture- Pictures of grave digger's wives, and of seminarians digging graves.

Caption- "After gravediggers went on strike in 1949 at the Church-owned Calvary Cemetery, Spellman charged they were Communists, and he forced seminarians to dig graves. The women were striker's wives who called on Spellman to assure the Cardinal their husbands weren't Communists and only wanted a raise."

Picture- Spellman with Governor Al Smith and Mayor Fiorello La Guardia.

Caption- "Spellman become enmeshed in New York City politics to such a degree that his chancery was known as "the powerhouse." Here he meets with Governor Al Smith and Mayor Fiorello La Guardia."

Picture- Spellman with J. Edgar Hoover and James A. Farley.

Caption- "Spellman is shown here with J. Edgar Hoover and James A. Farley." The Cardinal and the F.B.I. director clandestinely traded favors and relentlessly sought Communist influences everywhere.Ó

Picture- Joe McCarthy and Roy Cohn.

Caption- "The Cardinal was a firm supporter of both Joe McCarthy and Roy Cohn. Through Spellman, Cohn became enmeshed in Church affairs."

Picture- American soldier kneeling and kissing Spellman's ring.

Caption- "As military vicar of the U.S. Armed Forces, Spellman visited American military bases around the world during peacetime as well as wartime. He attended Pentagon intelligence briefings, discussed military strategy with generals, and became a figure of awe to enlisted men. The Cardinal closely identified his [Roman Catholic] Church with U.S. military ventures and became a symbol of American military might. During his many trips abroad, Spellman gathered intelligence for the U.S. government and assisted the C.I.A. and F.B.I., and upon his return he was debriefed by the U.S. State Department and other agencies. His patriotism ultimately led him to break with the Vatican."

[ as if the RC cult did not gain from RC influence over the CIA and FBI ]

Picture- NYC Mayor Wagner kneeling before Spellman.

Caption- "In New York City, Cardinal Spellman's political power seemed boundless. Here Mayor Wagner kneels to kiss the Cardinal's ring while the Rev. Laurence J. McGinley, president of Fordham University, looks on."

Picture- Spellman performing first marriage of Edward Kennedy.

Caption- "Spellman performed the marriage ceremony for three of the Kennedy children, including Edward Moore Kennedy's marriage to Joan Bennett on November 29, 1958. Spellman and Joseph P. Kennedy formed a close relationship based on the political and financial favors they did for one another and their efforts to bring closer rapport between the [Roman Catholic] Church and the U.S. government. They were active supporters of Senator Joe McCarthy, and it is believed that they tried to make McCarthy President of the U.S."

Picture- Spellman, between JFK, and Nixon.

Caption- "Spellman stands with presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon at the 1960 Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner. While Kennedy battled Protestants opposed to his candidacy, most of the [Roman Catholic] Church hierarchy, including Spellman, clandestinely opposed him as well. Spellman feared being displaced as the most important American Catholic."

Picture- Spellman and Nicaragua's Somoza family.

Caption- "Spellman with General Anastasio Somoza and his wife and son at St. Patrick's on Easter Sunday, March 26, 1967. Pope John had asked Spellman to refrain from appearing publicly with the Nicaraguan dictator, but the Cardinal did so anyway. As a further slight, Spellman had both his and the Pope's picture grace Nicaraguan stamps."

Picture- Spellman and pope Paul VI, and warmonger cartoon of Spellman.

Caption- "Spellman's hawkish stance toward American involvement in the Vietnam war brought picketing demonstrators to his residence and the cathedral and a decline in his moral authority. Pope Paul VI sought peace, while Spellman rattled his saber. Finally, Spellman ruptured his relations with the Vatican."

Picture- Spellman with Ngo Diem

Caption- "The Cardinal's Vietnam involvement started in the early 1950's when he met Ngo Dinh Diem, then a layman at a [Roman Catholic] Catholic seminary in New York. Spellman helped propel Diem into the leadership of South Vietnam but broke with him before Diem's assassination. He did not, however, lessen his support of the war effort."

Picture- President L.B. Johnson at Spellman's funeral.

Caption- "When Spellman died on December 2, 1967, President Johnson lost one of the most ardent backers of his war policy. Johnson's arrival at the funeral was secretive for fear of demonstrations."

[ this book also confirms Spellman's friendship with OSS director "Wild Bill" Donovan [OSS later became the CIA]]

No mentioned in this book of Spellman's close association with Henry Luce, the founder of 'Time' and 'Life' magazines.