Episcopal Chairman, Correspondence. PART 1 , 1946-1960

Correspondence 1946-1955 with Bishop F.A. Henshke, Episcopal Chairman of the N.C.R.M. Archbishop Mannix, President of the Episcopal Committee of Catholic Action to Bishop Henschke, 22 May 1946, communicating decisions concerning the future operations of Catholic Action Movements taken by the Episcopal Committee in Melbourne on 29 April 1946 and ratified at the General Meeting of the Hierarchy in Perth, on the relationship between the Episcopal Committee on Catholic Action, the Episcopal Chairmen of the various Movements, the National Secretariat of Catholic Action and the executives of the Movements (the N.S.C.A. advising and recommending, doing administrative work of the Committee but having no legislative power); the delineation of spheres of Catholic Action Movements (Y.C.S., Y.C.W., N.C.G.M., N.C.R.M.); the relationship between Catholic Action and the Industrial Movement and other organizational matters.

Included is a copy of a letter from J.B. Montini to Bishop Henschke conveying the Pope’s appreciation of his efforts in respect of N.C.R.M.

Correspondence of B.A.S. with Bishop Henschke, from March 1947 concerning meetings, staff and other N.C.R.M. matters.

Sept. 1955 – 1960. B.A.S.’s correspondence with Henschke.

Re the Convention to be held in Canberra, 1956, B.A.S.’s talk there (the same as the Yass talk), Archbishop O’Brien’s views and the problems they raise for B.A.S.; Henschke’s opinion and advice; a reference to Fr. Lane’s report concerning the S.S.M.; Henschke’s tribute to B.A.S., thanks for founding the Movement, believing mistakenly (from incorrect minutes) that he was making way for Bill Crowe, 15 March 1956; B.A.S. on the manner of handling the situation, 12 April 1956, and reply. Henschke’s health, Bishop Brennan’s cheque, and credentials for B.A.S. to attend the World Congress of the Lay Apostolate in Rome in October as a representative of the N.C.R.M. (June 1957); Henschke’s notice to priests of Rural Sunday, 18 May 1958 (the Bishops’ decided 8 years ago that the Sunday within the Octave of the Feast of the Ascension be observed as Rural Sunday) and sending information concerning the Rural Movement for use on that day. Henschke to Crowe, 26 May 1958, re the letter from Maitland and being “blackballed” there; notes re Bishop Henschke Appeal contributions; letters re Convention and other matters 1958-1959; copy of letter from Archbishop Mannix to Henschke, 13 April 1959, “…as you gather at your Nineteenth National Convention to study the mutual relationship of Australia and the various Asian countries”; B.A.S. to Henschke, 24 June 1960, accepting his invitation to continue to act on the National Executive of the N.C.R.M.. Letter to Crowe, confirming his verbal appointment as National Secretary, 4 May 1960, certified as correct by Crowe, 10 July 1961 (original and copy, signed and countersigned).

F. Henschke, Episcopal chairman, Wagga, 24 June 1960, to National Executive. Re his appointment of W.E. Crowe as National Secretary following B.A.S.’s resignation, which he finds contravened Section 7 (c) III of the constitution saying that the National Secretary of the NCRM shall be elected annually by the National Executive”. After thought and consultation he advises that the Section should be deleted as invalid since as a Catholic Action Movement the N.C.R.M. exists only by the will of the Hierarchy on whose behalf the Episcopal Chairman acts (suggests a preamble to express this); it was he who appointed Mr. Santamaria as the first Secretary of the NCRM, that only after a number of years was the National Executive formed to advise and help: in the beginning he was appointed by the body of Bishops as National Secretary of all Catholic Action Movements and when the National Secretariat was abolished and each Movement had to find its own staff, Henshke, according to his prerogative and responsibility as Chairman of the NCRM asked Mr. Santamaria to accept the position of Secretary of that particular Movement. Nevertheless, since this is an organisation of lay people, he suggests that a layman should act as chairman in the absence of the Episcopal Chairman and the Secretary being most closely in touch with the Movement and what is to be discussed at a particular meeting, he asks Crowe to preside at Executive Meetings in his absence, a minute secretary being appointed for the meeting. [After each point “note” appears written in the margin; also “Reply, W.E. Crowe, National Secretary, 14 June 1960]. This letter and Henshke’s reply has note attached: “New file – National Secretary – appointment of”.

The following was found loose and has been added to this file to which it relates. It is marked: New file – National Secretary – appointment of.

W.E. Crowe 14 June 1960 to Bishop Henschke, forwarding National Executive agenda for meeting 29 June and bringing an item on NCRM Constitution to his notice relating to the position of National Secretary from which B.A.S. was resigning. Bishop Henschke, Episcopal Chairman, made it clear at the 1960 Convention that, acting on behalf of the Bishops, the Episcopal Chairman only had the power of appointment to the position of National Secretary, the Chief Executive Officer. Section 7 (c), III in stating that “The National Secretary of the NCRM shall be elected annually by the National Executive” should be deleted as ultra vires. In recent years the Chief Executive Officer has presided at National Executive meetings, for some three years Crowe taking the chair for B.A.S. at the latter’s request. Crowe asks Bishop Henschke to define the position in respect of the National Secretary, nominate his representative to act in his absence from National Executive meetings and suggests that he formally invite B.A.S. to continue as a member of the National Executive to serve in a general consultative capacity, so that these matters be placed beyond dispute.