Merry del Val Papers

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Introduction

About the creator

Contents

Arrangement

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Catalogue

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About the creator

Raphael Merry del Val was born in London in 1865. After studying in England and Belgium, he began seminary training at Ushaw College before transferring to the Pontifical Scots College in Rome in 1885. Following Pope Leo XIII's wishes, he was ordained at the Pontificia Accademia dei Nobili Ecclesiastici in December 1888. He entered the papal diplomatic service as a chamberlain and developed an enthusiam for the conversion of England. This led him to contribute towards the preparation of the apostolic letters Amantissimae voluntasis and Apostolicae curae between 1895 and 1896, and he was appointed apostolic delegate to Canada in the following year (1897). He was also appointed president of the Accademia dei Nobili Ecclesiastici in 1900.
Immediately following the election of Pius X as pope in October 1903, Merry del Val was offered the position of papal secretary of state and was created a cardinal. In this appointment, he not only developed a close relationship with the pope, becoming his closest advisor and counsellor, but he also courted controversy through the publication in the Socialist journal, L'Humanité, of a petition of protest against the visit of the French president, Loubert, to the King of Italy in Rome. Pius X's death in 1914 ended Merry del Val's involvement in politics but he continued to remain prominent in public life as the archpriest of St Peter's Basilica, secretary of the Holy Office, member of several Roman congregations, and papal legate to Assisi. He died in 1953 and was buried in the grotto of St Peter's Basilica at the foot of Pius X's tomb.

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Contents

Letters from Merry del Val, mainly to Joseph Broadhead, with some to George Phillips. The letters are mostly of a personal nature but allude to his role as papal secretary of state and archpriest of St Peter's Basilica, including matters of Catholic protocol, the arrangement of papal audiences, his meetings with various Catholic notables, Ushaw College during the First World War and its aftermath, discussions of appointments to episcopal positions, as well as references to various religious and political controversies, most notably involving Theodore Roosevelt. They also include 11 photographs of Ushaw College, St Peter's Basilica, Merry del Val, and Joseph Broadhead.

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Provenance

Presented to Ushaw College by Dr E. Towers, 29 January 1948.
Series brought together by Rev Michael Sharratt as part of the Old Series of documents in Ushaw College Library.

Previous custodial history

Previous series number OS/I

Conditions of access

Open for consultation.

Copyright and copying

Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from ushaw.library@durham.ac.uk and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. The Library will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material

Arrangement

The letters and other papers follow the original arrangement of the collection which is broadly chronological. The exception to this arrangement is a handful of letters added to the end of the numbering sequence at a later date.

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Finding aids

1. Card catalogue with item list
2. Transcripts of letters by Fr William Vincent Smith (UC/P45/1/93/5)

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Catalogue

UC/P17/1   10 October 1894
Letter from Merry del Val to Bishop Thomas Wilkinson: having conveyed a message of loyalty to the pope (which dwelt on Douai, Catholic heroes, Julian Watts Russell, and Ushaw's importance in Catholic life), passing on the pope's blessings and indulgences.
4f 
UC/P17/2   18 April 1900
Letter from Merry del Val to J. Broadhead: his appointment as titular archbishop of Nicaea.
2f 
UC/P17/3   7 July 1900
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for his congratulations, suggesting that the Ushaw Magazine has exaggerated his merits.
2f 
UC/P17/4   2 April 1903
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the difficulty of arranging an audience for Mr Pyke and Mr Walmsley with the pope owing to his health, rejecting the possibility of becoming the new archbishop of Westminster believing that his name alone would rule him out.
1f 
UC/P17/5   29 October 1903
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his cardinalate, believing it to be a “death sentence”.
1f 
UC/P17/6   14 April 1906
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: believing it to be unlikely that a dispensation will be given to H. Burton to say mass without a server, his inability to assist in the matter.
1f 
UC/P17/7   27 October 1906
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his weariness at the continual fight for the faith and the Church, the unlikelihood of carrying out the favour which [?Thomas] Wilkinson requires.
2f 
UC/P17/8   30 December 1906
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the misrepresentation of the Catholic Church in the English press, his belief that the struggle is for Christianity, God and religion and not for politics, his determination not to give up the battle.
1f 
UC/P17/9   27-28 January 1907
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his donation of £20 to the Ushaw Centenary Fund, his inability to leave Rome to attend the ceremony. Includes a telegram promising £20 (sent the following day).
2f 
UC/P17/10   19 September 1907
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the hostility of the French masons and their campaign of secularism, their attempts to get rid of Merry del Val.
1f 
UC/P17/11   17 January 1908
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the Ushaw College centenary celebrations and recommendations for its future, including the possibility of it becoming a pontifical college, receiving a plenary indulgence, the appointment of a professor to a monsignor, criticism of W. Ward who teaches unsound doctrines.
2f 
UC/P17/12   10 July 1908
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the pope's decision to send an autographed letter of congratulations and a gold medal for the centenary celebrations, his representation by Father Norris.
1f 
UC/P17/13   19 June 1909
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Bishop Thomas Wilkinson's death, the name of the new bishop of Hexham and Newcastle to be made public soon, keeping busy with the pope's jubilee and administrative reform in the Vatican, the possibility of Corbishley becoming the new president of Ushaw College.
2f 
UC/P17/14   26 October 1909
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the target for all attacks on the Roman Catholic Church, the ill health of Corbishley, the poor treatment of Father John Norris.
1f 
UC/P17/15   19 December 1909
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Corbishley's illness, his belief that the [Brompton Oratory] resembles a Protestant temple.
1f 
UC/P17/16   10 May 1910
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Corbishley's death, sending congratulations to Broadhead on his appointment as vice-president, the death of King Edward [VII], his belief that American opinion is on the side of the Church in the “Roosevelt incident”, his wish to retire from office .The incident involving Theodore Roosevelt relates to his rejection of an invitation for an audience with the pope on the basis that the latter would not allow Roosevelt to speak of his Methodism. This led Roosevelt to condemn both the Roman Catholic Church and Merry del Val's controlling influence in the Vatican.

1f 
UC/P17/17   28 December 1910
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: wishing him a Happy New Year.
1f 
UC/P17/18   20 April 1911
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: sending blessings to him.
1f 
UC/P17/19   1 September 1911
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the health of the pope and the press coverage of this, the increasing rarity of good priests.
1f 
UC/P17/20   27 October 1911
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the deaths of Mr Pyke and Father John, the health of Broadhead's brother, the bishop of Leeds's request for De Storp to become a monsignor.
2f 
UC/P17/21   29 December 1911
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: wishing him a Happy New Year, complaining of the extra work caused by the consistory and new cardinals.
1f 
UC/P17/22   5 September 1912
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: nostalgic for his time at Ushaw College, warning Broadhead not to show him too much respect if he visits, the prospects of the college.
1f 
UC/P17/23   24 October 1912
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his inability to relax from work, the visit of E. Pyke, Bishop Collins and English pilgrims.
2f 
UC/P17/24   25 December 1912
Postcard from Merry del Val to Broadhead: season's greetings, news of the death of De Storp.
1f 
UC/P17/25   1 June 1913
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his extra work because of the pope's recent illness.
1f 
UC/P17/26   28 August 1913
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: granting Prof Edward Towers' request for a public (not private) audience with the pope, the health of the pope.
1f 
UC/P17/27   25 October 1913
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for sending his wishes.
1f 
UC/P17/28   17 December 1913
Papal brief appointing Broadhead a monsignor, with a covering note from Merry del Val to Mgr John Prior enclosing a brief.
2f 
UC/P17/29   24 December 1913
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead on Broadhead's appointment as monsignor.
1f 
UC/P17/30   10 April 1914
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead apologising for not being able to do more for Brown when he was in Rome.
1f 
UC/P17/30a   22 April 1914
Telegram from Merry del Val to Broadhead with congratulations on the Silver Jubilee.
1f 
UC/P17/31   27 September 1914
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the death of [Pope] Pius X, his difficulty in being able to leave Rome.
UC/P17/32   27 October 1914
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: George Phillips's illness, his difficulty in coming to terms with the pope's death, beginning his work as secretary of the Holy Office, plans to visit Ushaw without ceremony.
1f 
UC/P17/33   19 December 1914
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: praying for peace, moving into his new residence with photographs of Ushaw in his room, looking forward to his new work as a distraction from his bereavement, his intention to sing mass in St Peter's Basilica on Christmas Day.
2f 
UC/P17/34   6 May 1915
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: not able to leave Rome because of the war, needs to attend weekly meetings at the Holy Office, asking Broadhead to visit Rome, Coulston's death, Francis de Zulueta has a commission in the army.
2f 
UC/P17/35   13 August 1915
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the war is a punishment for godlessness, dreading the consequences of the current way in which matters are now conducted in Rome, a query regarding the Ushaw Magazine.
2f 
UC/P17/36   26 October 1915
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for his greetings.
1f 
UC/P17/37   1 January 1916
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: sad at the war deaths, not wishing to commit himself to writing for the Ushaw Magazine.
2f 
UC/P17/38   5 April 1916
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: sending a donation for the Ushaw Magazine, speculating on the consequences of peace, expressing shock at hearing of A.W. Pugin's views on St Peter's Basilica in a new book by B. Ward.
2f 
UC/P17/39   21 October 1916
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: anxious over the Ushaw students, the unexpected arrival of Gosse in Rome.
1f 
UC/P17/40   21 October 1916
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the situation caused by the war, worries for the future, his desire to visit Ushaw.
2f 
UC/P17/41   18 December 1916
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: relieved that life is continuing at Ushaw in spite of the war.
1f 
UC/P17/42   4 April 1917
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: prays for peace, sympathises with Ushaw's war difficulties, believes that the Church's work will be heavy once the war ends.
2f 
UC/P17/43   18 June 1917
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: he has passed on a work by George Phillips defending tradition [ Loreto and the Holy House (London, 1917)].
2f 
UC/P17/44   5 October 1917
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for his condolences on the death of his father whose faith was strong.
1f 
UC/P17/45   27 October 1917
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for his greetings.
1f 
UC/P17/46   26 December 1917
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: wishing him a Happy New Year, the impossibility of returning to the old days before the war, waiting for Horace Mann.
1f 
UC/P17/47   2 May 1918
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: empathises with Broadhead's depression, his belief that the war was a punishment for godlessness, prays for Francis de Zulueta at the front, his meeting with an Ushaw student.
2f 
UC/P17/48   26 October 1918
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the death of his uncle (Torre Diaz), the prospects for the end of the war which are likely to be unfavourable for the Catholic Church, his delight on hearing of Broadhead's impending visit to Rome.
1f 
UC/P17/49   30 December 1918
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: pessimistic in spite of the peace, delighted to hear that students are returning to Ushaw, Father Leighton's visit with Horace Mann.
1f 
UC/P17/50   1 May 1919
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the rising student numbers at Ushaw, the effect of the war there, his desire to visit England.
2f 
UC/P17/51   27 June 1919
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: difficult to leave Rome, difficult to carry out ceremonies at St Peter's owing to the hot weather.
1f 
UC/P17/52   27 October 1919
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the large number of students at Ushaw, the college's compliance with the Cadet Corps, astonished that students are allowed to smoke, limited relaxation for ex-soliders would be understandable.
1f 
UC/P17/53   24 December 1919
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: season's greetings, believes that prayer is now more necessary than ever.
Written on the back of a postcard.
1f 
UC/P17/54   6 April 1920
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Bourne's mistaken belief that the prospects for religion are improving, Bishop Bidwell's visit to Rome, the flourishing state of Ushaw.
1f 
UC/P17/55   26 October 1920
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Broadhead's recovery from illness.
2f 
UC/P17/56   28 December 1920
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the poor postal system, the lack of a real peace.
1f 
UC/P17/57   21 March 1921
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Broadhead's health, the condition of St Peter's.
1f 
UC/P17/58   19 July 1921
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: does Ushaw require a bronze bust of himself by the Finnish sculptor Baron C.H. Wrede de Eliria.
Written on the back of a postcard.
2f 
UC/P17/59   27 October 1921
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for sending greetings.
1f 
UC/P17/60   12 February 1922
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Broadhead's health, at the centre of a storm raised by anti-Catholics.
1f 
UC/P17/61   15 April 1922
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Easter greetings.
Written on the back of a postcard.
1f 
UC/P17/62   15 June 1922
Postcard from Merry del Val to Broadhead.
This letter cannot be located, 5 March 2014
1f 
UC/P17/63   23 October 1922
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: advises him not to come to Rome, the health of Collins, his hope that there will be new cardinals appointed to share the work in Rome, Lloyd George's suitability as leader of the opposition.
2f 
UC/P17/64   22 December 1922
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Broadhead's health, the health of Collins.
1f 
UC/P17/65   26 April 1923
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the beatification of Pius X, the health of Collins and Prior, the upcoming beatification of the Little Flower.
2f 
UC/P17/66   26 April 1923
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his heavy workload.
1f 
UC/P17/67   24 November 1923
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the visit of the king of Spain, his concern over Broadhead's health, Prior's retirement, the British election.
1f 
UC/P17/68   29 December 1923
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Ushaw's Midnight Mass is inspiring.
1f 
UC/P17/69   4 March 1924
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: offering an ivory crucifix to the college, the death of Collins.
1f 
UC/P17/70   12 March 1924
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: possible successors to Collins as bishop of Hexham and Newcastle (J. Knuckey, Horace Mann and Hinsley), and the poor state of Hinsley's health.
1f 
UC/P17/71   21 March 1924
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: possible successors to Collins.
1f 
UC/P17/72   31 March 1924
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: unlikely to get a dispensation for Ushaw, possible to get it for the whole diocese on the feast of St Cuthbert.
1f 
UC/P17/73   27 October 1924
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the delay over the appointment of the new bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, a visit from W. Smith.
1f 
UC/P17/74   21 December 1924
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: [Joseph] Thorman's appointment as the new bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, the division of the diocese, the decision to make Lancaster a Benedictine diocese, astonished that the archbishop of Liverpool would sanction a division.
1f 
UC/P17/75   28 March 1925
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his appreciation for the Pius X window at Ushaw, his heavy workload, his concern over how the pope will cope.
1f 
UC/P17/76   12 May 1925
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his (Merry del Val's) mother's death, his difficulty in working, news that Ushaw priests are among the English pilgrims.
1f 
UC/P17/77   31 October 1925
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the International Congress of the Catholic Women's League, the visit of Bishop Thorman, his desire to attend the opening of the new chapels at Ushaw when they are completed.
1f 
UC/P17/78   24 December 1925
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the visit of Archbishop Mostyn, his opinion of Brown's painted portrait.
1f 
UC/P17/79   23 April 1926
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Prior's replacement, the progress of the campaign for the beatification of Pius X, the possibility of Merry del Val being sent to Chicago.
1f 
UC/P17/80   15 August 1926
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his role as legate for the centenary of St Francis, Broadhead's need to acquire a substantial amount of money, news of Horace [Mann].
1f 
UC/P17/81   26 October 1926
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the Assisi celebrations, being asked to consecrate Arthur Hinsley as bishop of Sardis.
1f 
UC/P17/82   28 December 1926
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Hinsley's consecration, the presence of Ushaw men at the Venerable English College, his hopes for John Barrett as auxiliary bishop of Birmingham.
1f 
UC/P17/83
Number not in use

UC/P17/84   13 April 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: undertaking the ceremonies in St Peter's, his meeting with Joe Scott, Bishop Hinsley's work, the progress of the beatification of Pius X.
1f 
UC/P17/85-87   22 July - August 1927
1 telegram and 2 letters from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his plans to visit Broadhead at Ushaw College.
3f 
UC/P17/88   12 August 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for his kindness during his recent visit to Ushaw College, Canali's impressions of the college, his Brown's poor health.
1f 
UC/P17/89   18 September 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: his arrival back in Rome, the Durham Cathedral knocker is on his study door.
1f 
UC/P17/90   2 October 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the playday at Ushaw, his regret at not seeing the college at its capacity.
1f 
This letter has a section missing.
UC/P17/91   16 October 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for the photographs of Durham Cathedral, his continual conversations with Canali on the subject of Ushaw.
1f 
UC/P17/92   17 October 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for the picture of Durham Cathedral, his friendship with Broadhead.
1f 
UC/P17/93   29 October 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for sending the photographs of his Ushaw visit.
1f 
UC/P17/94   7 November 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: thanking him for the photographs of his Ushaw visit.
This letter cannot be located 29 September 2014.
1f 
UC/P17/95   22 December 1927
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: season's greetings.
1f 
UC/P17/96-97   12 February - 5 March 1928
2 letters from Merry del Val to Broadhead: seeking information on who is to be appointed as the new archbishop of Liverpool.
2f 
UC/P17/98   3 May 1928
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the nominations [for the new archbishop of Liverpool], the new chapels at Ushaw.
1f 
UC/P17/99   6 October 1928
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Broadhead's health, the deaths of Bill Leeming and Horace, the appointment of Richard Downey as the new archbishop of Liverpool.
2f 
UC/P17/100   25 October 1928
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Broadhead's health, seeking advice on getting permission to use a portable altar.
1f 
UC/P17/101   18 - 24 December 1928
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: the Congregation of Sacraments giving him permission to use a portable altar, Broadhead's health. Enclosure:
1f 
UC/P17/103   28 March 1929
Letter from Merry del Val to Broadhead: Broadhead's recovery, his own health.
UC/P17/104   13 March 1931
Letter from Nicola Canali to William Brown: the death of Broadhead and the possible publication of his private correspondence with Merry del Val by F.A. Forbes, Rafael, Cardinal Merry del Val: a character sketch (London, 1932), and his concerns over the confidential nature of this correspondence.
2f 
UC/P17/105   5 August 1896
Letter from Merry del Val to George Phillips: advice on how to present a petition to the pope relating to making St Bede a doctor of the Church, how to get the support of foreign bishops.
3f 
UC/P17/106   29 November 1896
Letter from Merry del Val to Phillips: St Bede and the petition of the bishops gathering in Rome for the definition of the Immaculate Conception, the fact that the English and Scottish bishops do not make mention of this in their petition, the need to acquire as much support from foreign bishops as possible.
5f 
UC/P17/107   17 October 1899
Letter from Merry del Val to Phillips: the progress of making Bede a doctor of the Church.
2f 
UC/P17/108   14 October 1905
Letter from Merry del Val to Phillips: thanking him for a copy of his book The extinction of the ancient hierarchy (London, 1905), his regret at not being at Ushaw but he is happy to serve the pope as secretary of state, asks if Thomas Wilkinson wishes to be a bishop.
2f 
UC/P17/109   13 March 1908
Letter from Merry del Val to Phillips: thanking him for his article on Loreto, his opinions of the recklessness and unreliability of his opponents, the death of his Uncle Pedro.
2f 
UC/P17/110   [?March 1911]
Copy letter from Phillips to Merry del Val: an article by Fr H. Thurston relating to Loreto published in the Month which claims papal approval of an article in Herder's Konversations Lexikon that contradicts the traditional papal view.
1f 
UC/P17/111   28 March 1911
Letter from Merry del Val to Phillips: Thurston's article arguing that the approval Pius X had given Herder for its Konversations Lexikon was a general one and cannot be claimed for its article on Loreto because the pope has recently encouraged defenders of the traditional view.
1f 
UC/P17/112   18 June 1917
Letter from Merry del Val to Phillips: on presenting Phillip's book Loreto and the Holy House (London, 1917) to the pope who is pleased with the work.
1f 
UC/P17/112a   [1929]
Note by Merry del Val, written on a calling card, expressing his sympathy to Joseph Broadhead's sister on the death of Joseph
With envelope
1 item 
UC/P17/113a-k   [1920s]
Photographs used in a publication (with plate numbers on reverse):