Russell McVinney
Encyclopedia
Russell Joseph McVinney (November 25, 1898—August 10, 1971) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Providence
from 1948 until his death in 1971.
, Rhode Island
, to Thomas and Catherine (née Blessington) McVinney. He was baptized at St. Mary's of the Bay Church in Warren the following month. Shortly after his birth, McVinney and his family moved to the Mount Pleasant
neighborhood of Providence
. Since there was no parochial school
at Blessed Sacrament Church, he attended Academy Avenue Grade School, the local public school. He also attended Father Simmons' School of Religion, the religious education program at Blessed Sacrament.
In 1912, McVinney enrolled at La Salle Academy
in Providence, from where he graduated in 1916. He attended St. Charles College
in Catonsville
, Maryland
, from 1916 to 1918, and continued his studies at the Grand Seminary of Montreal
in Quebec
, Canada
(1918-20) and at St. Bernard's Seminary
in Rochester
, New York
(1920-21). Following the conclusion of World War I
, he was sent to complete his studies at the American College at Louvain in Belgium
.
to the priesthood
at Louvain on July 13, 1924. Following his return to Rhode Island, he briefly served on a temporary assignment at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul
before becoming a curate
at St. Patrick's Church in Harrisville
. From 1929 to 1936, he served as a curate at St. Edward's Church and a teacher at St. Raphael Academy
in Pawtucket
. In 1935, he studied journalism
for a year at the University of Notre Dame
in South Bend
, Indiana
.
From 1936 to 1941, McVinney served as associate editor
of the Providence Visitor and did pastoral work at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul. He directed the diocesan pilgrimage to the Eucharistic Congress at New Orleans, Louisiana
, in 1938. He served as the first rector
of the newly-opened Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick
from 1941 to 1948. During his tenure as rector, he also served as pro-synodal examiner and secretary of the body of examiners of junior clergy (1943-48).
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following July 14 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops Henry Joseph O'Brien
and James Louis Connolly
serving as co-consecrators
. He was the first native of Rhode Island to serve as head of the Diocese of Providence
. During his 23-year tenure in Providence, McVinney established 28 new parishes, mostly in rapidly growing suburb
an and rural areas of the diocese. He also established 40 new Catholic schools and oversaw the construction of new buildings for many preexisting schools. In 1954, he opened Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, a hospital for the chronically ill, in North Providence
.
McVinney convoked the fourth synod
of the diocese on October 8, 1952. He founded the Sisters of Our Lady of Providence in 1955 and later the Brothers of Our Lady of Providence in 1959. In 1957, in order to accommodate the increasing number of seminarians at Our Lady of Providence Seminary, he oversaw the construction of a complex of new buildings for the seminary. Between 1962 and 1965, McVinney attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
in Rome. Following the conclusion of the Council, he created a Diocesan Liturgical Commission in June 1964 and one of the first Diocesan Ecumenical Commissions in the United States in January 1965. He also established the Catholic Inner City Apostolate in 1966 and the Diocesan Human Relations Commission in 1967.
, closed on the eve of the Second World War. In 1949, the bishops of the United States began to talk of reestablishing the seminary. McVinney, along with Bishop Matthew Brady of the diocese of Manchester
, became a forceful advocate of reestablishing the college.
When the bishops voted in 1951 to reestablish the American College, McVinney was made chair of the American College's new board of bishops. He appointed a priest of his diocese, fellow American College alumnus Thomas Francis Maloney
, as the new rector. Maloney arrived back in Leuven in spring of 1952, and the new crop of seminarians, including a number from Providence, arrived that autumn. By the celebration of the college's centennial in 1957, the American College had been significant renovated and, as a result of the 1950s vocations boom in the United States, over a hundred seminarians were living and studying at McVinney's alma mater. McVinney, present at the centennial celebrations, was granted an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Louvain, alongside his brother bishop and fellow Louvain alumnus, Fulton J. Sheen
.
. When the issue came before the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
in 1970, he called the proposal a "dangerous procedure leading to a precipitous decline" and an invitation to "weirdos."
regarding divorce
. In October 1952, he declared that Catholic lawyer
s were forbidden "under pain of mortal sin
" to represent plaintiff
s in suits for separation, divorce or annulment
of a marriage performed by a Catholic priest, unless they obtain prior permission of their bishop; that Catholics may not be present at marriages "attempted" by a Catholic before a non-Catholic clergyman or a justice of the peace
, and they must not show their approval (e.g., by attending a wedding party, giving a wedding gift); that Catholics who are themselves invalidly married may not act as witnesses, ushers
, or bridesmaid
s at a Catholic wedding; and that all Catholics are forbidden to act as witnesses, ushers or bridesmaids at weddings which are not performed by a Catholic priest.
's ban against the film Baby Doll
even in its censored
version.
, McVinney condemned contemporary morality that attempted to "ride on the coattails of democracy," and encouraged obedience to an "objective" ethical standard.
, a Jesuit
priest, for running for the United States Senate
without McVinney's permission, saying McLaughlin's candidacy "has caused a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding in this state." McLaughlin claimed that he did not require McVinney's permission to run, and that his opponent, John O. Pastore
, and McVinney were "lifelong friends."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Providence
Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The diocese was erected by Pope Pius IX on February 17, 1872 and originally comprised the entire state of Rhode Island and the counties of Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket in the state...
from 1948 until his death in 1971.
Early life and education
Russell McVinney was born in WarrenWarren, Rhode Island
Warren is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,611 at the 2010 census.-History:Warren was the site of the Indian village of Sowams on the peninsula called Pokanoket , and was first explored by Europeans in 1621, by Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, to Thomas and Catherine (née Blessington) McVinney. He was baptized at St. Mary's of the Bay Church in Warren the following month. Shortly after his birth, McVinney and his family moved to the Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, Providence, Rhode Island
Mount Pleasant is a working-class residential neighborhood situated in the northwest of the city of Providence, Rhode Island. It is bordered by Olneyville to the south, Valley to the east, Manton to the west, and Elmhurst to the northeast, and the Town of North Providence to the north...
neighborhood of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. Since there was no parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
at Blessed Sacrament Church, he attended Academy Avenue Grade School, the local public school. He also attended Father Simmons' School of Religion, the religious education program at Blessed Sacrament.
In 1912, McVinney enrolled at La Salle Academy
La Salle Academy, Providence
La Salle Academy is an independent, co-educational Roman Catholic college preparatory day school located in the Elmhurst neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island...
in Providence, from where he graduated in 1916. He attended St. Charles College
St. Charles College, Maryland
St. Charles College was a seminary college in Catonsville, Maryland, originally from Ellicott City, Maryland.- 1776:Charles Carroll of Carrollton signs the Declaration of Independence for Maryland. One of the wealthiest men in the Americas, Carroll staked his fortune on the American Revolution...
in Catonsville
Catonsville, Maryland
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:In 2010 Catonsville had a population of 41,567...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, from 1916 to 1918, and continued his studies at the Grand Seminary of Montreal
Grand séminaire de Montréal
The Grand séminaire de Montréal is the sacerdotal school of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal. The institution was founded by the sulpicians in 1840 on the demands of Ignace Bourget. A branch of Université Laval's faculty of theology was installed in the seminar in 1878...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(1918-20) and at St. Bernard's Seminary
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry is a Roman Catholic theological school in Rochester, New York. It was founded in 1893 as a seminary, and was one of the first US seminaries to accept laity. It is the official repository for the writings and papers of the noted evangelist and author,...
in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1920-21). Following the conclusion of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was sent to complete his studies at the American College at Louvain in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Priesthood
McVinney was ordainedHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
at Louvain on July 13, 1924. Following his return to Rhode Island, he briefly served on a temporary assignment at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence
The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul is a Roman Catholic cathedral at 30 Fenner Street in the Cathedral Square neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the mother church of the Diocese of Providence...
before becoming a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Patrick's Church in Harrisville
Harrisville, Rhode Island
Harrisville is a census-designated place and village in the town of Burrillville in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 1,561 at the 2000 census...
. From 1929 to 1936, he served as a curate at St. Edward's Church and a teacher at St. Raphael Academy
St. Raphael Academy
Saint Raphael Academy is a Roman Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. It was founded in the tradition of Saint John Baptist de Lasalle and rooted in the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Academy welcomes students that are academically, economically,...
in Pawtucket
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
. In 1935, he studied journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
for a year at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in South Bend
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
From 1936 to 1941, McVinney served as associate editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of the Providence Visitor and did pastoral work at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul. He directed the diocesan pilgrimage to the Eucharistic Congress at New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, in 1938. He served as the first rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the newly-opened Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
from 1941 to 1948. During his tenure as rector, he also served as pro-synodal examiner and secretary of the body of examiners of junior clergy (1943-48).
Episcopacy
On May 29, 1948, McVinney was appointed the fifth Bishop of ProvidenceRoman Catholic Diocese of Providence
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The diocese was erected by Pope Pius IX on February 17, 1872 and originally comprised the entire state of Rhode Island and the counties of Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket in the state...
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following July 14 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops Henry Joseph O'Brien
Henry Joseph O'Brien
Henry Joseph O'Brien was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Hartford from 1945 to 1968.-Biography:...
and James Louis Connolly
James Louis Connolly
James Louis Connolly was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fall River from 1951 to 1970.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. He was the first native of Rhode Island to serve as head of the Diocese of Providence
Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The diocese was erected by Pope Pius IX on February 17, 1872 and originally comprised the entire state of Rhode Island and the counties of Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket in the state...
. During his 23-year tenure in Providence, McVinney established 28 new parishes, mostly in rapidly growing suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an and rural areas of the diocese. He also established 40 new Catholic schools and oversaw the construction of new buildings for many preexisting schools. In 1954, he opened Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, a hospital for the chronically ill, in North Providence
North Providence, Rhode Island
North Providence is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 32,078 at the 2010 census.The town has the distinction of being the smallest by area in the smallest state . Though at only , the city of Central Falls is Rhode Island's smallest municipality...
.
McVinney convoked the fourth synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the diocese on October 8, 1952. He founded the Sisters of Our Lady of Providence in 1955 and later the Brothers of Our Lady of Providence in 1959. In 1957, in order to accommodate the increasing number of seminarians at Our Lady of Providence Seminary, he oversaw the construction of a complex of new buildings for the seminary. Between 1962 and 1965, McVinney attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
in Rome. Following the conclusion of the Council, he created a Diocesan Liturgical Commission in June 1964 and one of the first Diocesan Ecumenical Commissions in the United States in January 1965. He also established the Catholic Inner City Apostolate in 1966 and the Diocesan Human Relations Commission in 1967.
Reestablishment of the American College of Louvain
McVinney's alma mater, the American College in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, closed on the eve of the Second World War. In 1949, the bishops of the United States began to talk of reestablishing the seminary. McVinney, along with Bishop Matthew Brady of the diocese of Manchester
Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the region of New England in the United States comprising the entire state of New Hampshire...
, became a forceful advocate of reestablishing the college.
When the bishops voted in 1951 to reestablish the American College, McVinney was made chair of the American College's new board of bishops. He appointed a priest of his diocese, fellow American College alumnus Thomas Francis Maloney
Thomas Francis Maloney
Most Reverend Thomas Francis Maloney was a Roman Catholic priest and subsequently bishop who served as the sixth rector of the American College of the Immaculate Conception in Louvain, Belgium, and later as an auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Providence.-Early years and education:Maloney was...
, as the new rector. Maloney arrived back in Leuven in spring of 1952, and the new crop of seminarians, including a number from Providence, arrived that autumn. By the celebration of the college's centennial in 1957, the American College had been significant renovated and, as a result of the 1950s vocations boom in the United States, over a hundred seminarians were living and studying at McVinney's alma mater. McVinney, present at the centennial celebrations, was granted an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Louvain, alongside his brother bishop and fellow Louvain alumnus, Fulton J. Sheen
Fulton J. Sheen
Servant of God Fulton John Sheen, born Peter John Sheen was an American archbishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio...
.
Communion by hand
McVinney opposed the reception of Communion by hand, believing the practice violates the dignity of both the communicant and the consecrated HostSacramental bread
Sacramental bread, sometimes called the lamb, altar bread, host or simply Communion bread, is the bread which is used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist.-Eastern Catholic and Orthodox:...
. When the issue came before the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
in 1970, he called the proposal a "dangerous procedure leading to a precipitous decline" and an invitation to "weirdos."
Divorce
McVinney took a strict interpretation of canon lawCanon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
regarding divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
. In October 1952, he declared that Catholic lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s were forbidden "under pain of mortal sin
Mortal sin
Mortal sins are in the theology of some, but not all Christian denominations wrongful acts that condemn a person to Hell after death. These sins are considered "mortal" because they constitute a rupture in a person's link to God's saving grace: the person's soul becomes "dead", not merely weakened...
" to represent plaintiff
Plaintiff
A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...
s in suits for separation, divorce or annulment
Annulment
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place...
of a marriage performed by a Catholic priest, unless they obtain prior permission of their bishop; that Catholics may not be present at marriages "attempted" by a Catholic before a non-Catholic clergyman or a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, and they must not show their approval (e.g., by attending a wedding party, giving a wedding gift); that Catholics who are themselves invalidly married may not act as witnesses, ushers
Church usher
In many denominations of the Christian Church, a Church usher is the first official representative seen when entering the church. The role of the usher in church is a volunteer position, and is often considered one of honor, particularly if the church or a church committee member selects an usher...
, or bridesmaid
Bridesmaid
The bridesmaids are members of the bride's wedding party in a wedding. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman, and often a close friend or sister. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony...
s at a Catholic wedding; and that all Catholics are forbidden to act as witnesses, ushers or bridesmaids at weddings which are not performed by a Catholic priest.
Film
In 1957, McVinney exhorted Catholics to follow the Legion of DecencyNational Legion of Decency
The National Legion of Decency was an organization dedicated to identifying and combating objectionable content, from the point of view of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, in motion pictures...
's ban against the film Baby Doll
Baby Doll
Baby Doll is a 1956 black comedy /drama film directed by Elia Kazan. It was produced by Kazan and Tennessee Williams, and adapted by Williams from his own one-act play 27 Wagons Full of Cotton...
even in its censored
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
version.
Morality
In 1952, at the commencement ceremony of Manhattan CollegeManhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
, McVinney condemned contemporary morality that attempted to "ride on the coattails of democracy," and encouraged obedience to an "objective" ethical standard.
Politics
During the 1970 U.S. Senate election, McVinney chastised Father John McLaughlinJohn McLaughlin (host)
John McLaughlin is an American television personality and political commentator. He created, produces and hosts the long-running political commentary series The McLaughlin Group as well as John McLaughlin's One On One....
, a Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
priest, for running for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
without McVinney's permission, saying McLaughlin's candidacy "has caused a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding in this state." McLaughlin claimed that he did not require McVinney's permission to run, and that his opponent, John O. Pastore
John O. Pastore
John Orlando Pastore was a Rhode Island Democratic Party politician who was a United States Senator from Rhode Island and the 61st Governor of Rhode Island , and was the first Italian American to hold either position.-Early life and career:Born in Providence on March 17, 1907, he attended...
, and McVinney were "lifelong friends."