Abstract
The first document we have is the Pastoral letter written on 10 October 1922 by Catholic Bishops of Ireland. This letter was published in the Irish times the next day. This letter denounces the anti-treaty campaign led by the IRA which is very violent. To understand such reaction on the part of the Catholic Church it is essential to bear in mind that it supported the Free State at the time of the treaty debate. In this letter, the Catholic bishops explain how appalled they are in such circumstances.
Indeed, they consider that the anti-treaty protagonists do not have the legitimacy to create such chaos in Ireland. They criticized their behaviours because they refused to respect what had been decided with the adoption of the treaty by the Dail and its approval by most people. The anti-treaty people are blamed for creating more damage in a few months than the British authorities over the past decades. Their behaviour takes part to the ‘great misfortune' that is spread in Ireland at this time. The bishops consider that ‘the killing of National soldiers is murder before God, the seizing of public and private property is robbery, the breaking of roads, bridges and railways is criminal'.
In this letter, the bishops themselves insist on the importance of their role for Irish people. They consider themselves they have responsibility to ‘teach truth in such grave crisis, no matter what the consequences.' They want to restore peace within the mainland and ask people to respect the will of God. What is interesting with this document is to see that the Catholic Church already has a very crucial political role. It supported the Free State negotiated with the British, and above all, they were in favour of peace.
