Robert I. Gannon

I was, I think, looking for a justification for reading the english language classics when I picked up this book. In the spirit of the times, there was a good deal of the attitude of "Burn it down and start over!" I think that amplifies about once every thirty years to a serious groundswell. I suppose it has a use in driving the current crop of producers to get their new stuff recognized. This jesuit gives some of the reasons for maintaining the idea of cultural continuity. As I age, I am more in agreement with his arguments. The prose is clear, if not sparkling.… (mere)

1364 The Cardinal Spellman Story, by Robert I. Gannon, S.J. (read 31 Oct 1975) This was written before the Cardinal's death on Dec. 2, 1967, but illness was catching up with the Cardinal already by the time it was written in 1961. However the fact the book was written while the Cardinal was alive makes the book poorer in more ways than simply that it does not cover his whole life: it is so complimentary--there is not one word of criticism. And the author is a poor biographer. Yet I could not help enjoying parts of the book. As usual, the early life was the most interesting. Spellman was born May 4, 1889, graduated (after a public school education) from Fordham in 1911, studied at the North American College in Rome, was ordained in the Church of the Apollinare in Rome on May 14, 1916, was appointed (back in Massachusetts) an old people's home chaplain, then was second assistant at All Saints, Roxbury, Mass., then promoting the diocesan newspaper for 4 and a half years, then assistant chancellor, went to Rome in 1925, in 1931 was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Boston and consecrated Bishop by Cardinal Pacelli (the future Pope Pius XII.) Lots of interesting events, even though so official and non-critical.… (mere)