by Donald R. Fantz

The name Cardinal Merry del Val may strike in us
a faint spark of recognition.
Yet, most of us may not be as aware as we should of the life of this man
who certainly must be ranked among the giants
who helped shape the course of world events.

 

As a youngster Rafael was educated both in England and in Belgium. When he was twelve and a half years old his father was appointed as Spanish minister to the latter country. Rafael and his brother, Pedro, attended St. Michael's Jesuit College in Brussels. He had the reputation of being untidy in the keeping of his room and personal effects, a trait which Pedro later complained of even when he visited him in Rome in later years. However, he was always immaculate in his personal appearance. "His chief characteristic," Pedro writes, "was an enormous facility for endearing himself to everybody and for getting anyone to do anything for him. He was great at tennis, swimming and every kind of sport. As for pillow and water jug fights, he was very keen on them." Later a college friend wrote of him, "I never met anyone with such perfect balance of mind and soul. Though he was extremely popular with all of us at college, and wholly devoid of anything like pride, there was about him a reserve and distinction which gave him a certain aloofness. This arose, I think, from his already extraordinary power of self-mastery and his moral integrity."

From his earliest days Rafael wanted to become a priest and, except for a brief period in his teen-age years, he persisted in that desire. When he was eighteen he told his father of his decision and together they decided that he would apply to the English seminary of Ushaw, which he entered in 1883. Rafael was deeply impressed with his seminary home and throughout his life he held a great affection for it. Ushaw was known for the hardy manliness of her sons, loyalty to the Holy Father and extraordinary devotion to Our Lady. Rafael had a great love of sports. One of his fellow students says of him, "With all his cheeriness, manliness and daring, his piety, which deepened as he grew in age and dignity, was never absent." In 1885 he finished his first courses and hoped to enter Scots College in Rome for his major studies leading to ordination and a return to England, where he could assist those souls torn by the rift of Anglicanism back to the true Faith. His whole desire was to work as a simple parish priest for the conversion of souls. Rafael's father also wished him to continue his studies in Rome, as did Cardinal Vaughan, Archbishop of Westminster, to whose diocese Rafael hoped to belong. One day Senor Merry del Val asked his son, "How are you going to be a priest when you are so in love with sports and horseback riding?" Rafael answered, "For God one should and one can sacrifice everything."

In October of 1885 Rafael arrived in Rome, homesick for his "dear old place", Ushaw, but determined to devote himself to his studies at Scots College. His father accompanied him on this trip and when Pope Leo XIII learned of the arrival of Señor Merry del Val, he expressed the desire to see him and his son in private audience. On the appointed day Rafael and his father were received by the venerable Pontiff. After formal courtesies were exchanged the Holy Father asked Don Rafael where his son would study. When told that young Rafael was enrolled in Scots College, the Pope praised Scots College but insisted that the boy enter the Academy for Noble Eccliastics, the traditional center of training for those going into ecclesiastical diplomatic service. Don Rafael politely objected to this, stating that Rafael was too young and immature for such a school. The Pope still insisted, "Nevertheless, it is my wish that he go to the Accademia. I will be the father of your son." Pope Leo, who always had a reputation for acting wisely, had been keenly aware of the capabilities of young Rafael from the first moment of their meeting. And so, two days later the simple life at Scots College was abruptly changed to the more genteel surroundings of the Accademia. Here he was the youngest student and as such was given a cordial welcome by the Archbishop, who was superior of the house, and by his fellow students, all of whom were already ordained priests and well on their way in their training towards diplomatic service. Although the regular seminary lifestyle was not rigidly enforced here, Rafael was noted for his own self-discipline. His whole life seemed to be guided by a sense of unaffected mortification, directed towards one end: souls. Through it all he never lost his sense of humor or his genuine interest in people.

Pope Leo had not forgotten Rafael. 1887 was the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria. Rafael was asked personally by the Pontiff to travel in the company of other Church dignitaries to represent the Vatican at the ceremonies in London. When he accepted this trust he was immediately given the honorary title of Monsignor—one of the few clerics to receive this title prior to receiving major orders.

On December 30, 1888, young Monsignor Merry del Val was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Cardinal Parocchi the Vicar of Rome. It is interesting to note that this is the same Cardinal who had recently consecrated Father Giuseppe Sarto as Bishop of Mantua.

The earlier years of mingling in ambassadorial and court circle had made Rafael feel a revulsion of such life. He shunned social gatherings and attended them only when the cause of the Church was helped in some way. More and more he realized that he would not accomplish his ambition to dedicate his life's work to the restoration of the Faith in England. The simple life for which he yearned was replaced by one thrust upon him by Divine Providence.

He was appointed by Pope Leo XIII to be a papal chamberlain. As His Holiness neared the end of his life in 1903, Monsignor Merry del Val found himself appointed secretary of the Consistorial Congregation. He had done some heavy research for two of the Pope's encyclicals and was fast earning a name for his competence in dogma and in Latin. As soon as the great old Pope passed to his eternal reward Monsignor Merry del Val was, on July 24, 1903, placed in charge of arrangements for the conclave whose duty it was to elect the successor to the Chair of Saint Peter. This automatically made him the acting Secretary of State.

The Cardinal suffered many interior trials in his struggle to overcome himself. He constantly prayed that Our Lord would burn and cut away everything which would separate him from God. His greatest desire was to be truly forgotten. We can obtain a glimpse of his soul in the beautiful prayer for humility, which he composed and recited daily after Holy Mass:
"Oh Jesus, meek and humble of heart,	Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected,	Deliver me, O Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,	Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,	Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,	Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chose and I set aside,	Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,	Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,	Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,	Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

Those who have studied the history of this conclave will remember that one of the least likely of candidates, Giuseppe Cardinal Sarto, was suddenly placed into a leading position by the attempted veto of Emperor Franz Joseph of the election of Cardinal Rampolla, who had been the favorite of the Sacred College. When Sarto realized what had happened he begged the Cardinals not to place the awesome burden on his shoulders. "Please, please," he said, "do not think of me. I have none of the qualities necessary in a Pope. I shall have to refuse the election." When at last it became apparent that Sarto was the choice and he still refused to be considered, Monsignor Merry del Val found him, not in his cell, but in the Pauline Chapel, on his knees before the Blessed Sacrament, tears streaming down his face. Monsignor asked Cardinal Sarto if he still wished to be bypassed in this election. "Si, si, Monsignore, ask the Cardinals to do me this kindness." Monsignor Merry del Val placed a sympathetic arm on Sarto's shoulder and said, "Coraggio—courage, Your Eminence, Our Lord will help you." "Grazie, grazie," Sarto replied. Later, after continuing some hours in solitary prayer, Cardinal Sarto sent word to the conclave that he would accept the election. Monsignor Merry del Val immediately came to him and assisted him in his vesting so that as Pius X he could give his first papal blessing to the City and the world.

Monsignor Merry del Val came to visit the Pope and asked to take leave so that he could continue his previous work. The Pope asked him to stay on as acting Secretary of State until he could appoint someone permanently. On October 18, 1903, the Pope formally thanked him for the care he had taken to his duties and asked him to remain as Secretary of State. The following November 9th, in his first papal consistory, Pius X elevated Monsignor Merry del Val to the cardinalate. "I chose him," he said, "because he is a polygot: born in England, educated in Belgium, of Spanish nationality and living in Italy; the son of a diplomat and himself a diplomat, he is acquainted with the problems of all countries. He is very modest, he is a saint. He comes here every morning and informs me concerning the questions of the world. I need never make an observation to him and he knows no compromise." This was the beginning of a long relationship of two men who guided the Church through some of Her most difficult times.

To make its impact felt and to effectively fulfill the command of Christ to preach the Gospel to every creature—to win souls—the Church's influence in the modern world must necessarily be diplomatic or quasi-political as well as strictly spiritual. And so, the young Cardinal found himself using his natural abilities and earlier training in assisting the Vicar of Christ to reach as many as possible with the truth of the Divine Master. Together, these two men prayed and worked, admonished and advised, dealing with many complex problems of such countries as Spain; France, where the Freemasons had turned the French government into an anti-clerical state; Italy, where the burning questions regarding the relationship of the government to the Vatican became more insistent; Canada, where Merry del Val traveled to assist in a solution to the violence caused by the problems between the government and the Separatists; finally the major nations involved in the impending World War, where every effort was made to exert the influence of Jesus Christ into these situations.

From the personal point of view, the Pontiff and the Cardinal complemented each other perfectly. The Pope was known for his sense of humor and very often Merry del Val had occasion to witness the casual charm and lack of formality of his superior. On his own part, St. Pius X made it known that he would be lost were it not for the cooperation of his Secretary of State. Together they shared a common goal—in the words of the Pope: "To restore all things in Christ" and in the words of the Cardinal: "Give me souls, take away all else."

The Cardinal was known for his generosity. Many nights, long after Rome was asleep, he would walk the streets, sometimes in a driving rain, leaving off as quietly as possible, gifts to those who were in need. He still longed to do apostolic work, and his greatest joy was the providing and maintaining of a home for boys in the poorest section of Rome, Trastavere. He dedicated the home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Not one day passed that he didn't spend at least an hour there with his boys, teaching them their religion, overseeing their studies, listening to their troubles. He even composed music for their plays and often played the piano for them. When the great war came and his boys were drafted for military service, he kept in close touch with each of them and wrote letters of encouragement to them.

When the forces of Modernism gathered their strength for their intended final assault on the Church, it was the collaboration of both Cardinal Merry del Val and St. Pius X which resulted in the magnificent expose of this synthesis of heresies—the encyclical Pascendi, issued on September 8, 1907.

Pope Saint Piux X died on the eve of World War I, broken-hearted because of the lack of response of the nations of the world to restore all things in Christ. It can be said that a part of Merry del Val died at that time, for the Cardinal often made reference to the saintly Pope and of the grief he bore over his loss.

After the death of Pius, the Cardinal remained in Rome as the Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica. Here he attended to the Mother Church of Christendom and continued his work with the school at Trastavere. He often received visitors from overseas and maintained correspondence with them after their visits. He was instrumental in bringing many souls into the fold of the one, true Church—never by argumentation, always by prayer and gentle persuasion.

His spiritual advice always left his penitents with the sense of a greater awareness of the presence of God: "Have a great devotion to the Passion of Our Lord—with peace and resignation put up with your daily troubles and worries. Remember that you are not disciples of Christ unless you partake of His sufferings and are associated with His Passion. The help of the grace of silence was the only thing that enabled the saints to carry their extremely heavy crosses. We can show our love for Him by accepting with joy the cross He sends our way."

Let us meditate on his prayer for a sinner:

Grant, O Lord, that the silent prayer incessantly rising before Thee, that the tears shed in silence, may intercede, O Heart of Jesus, for my brother who died—died, but not bodily; his immortal soul died to the life of grace. Have mercy, Sweet Jesus, have mercy! May this soul not be lost forever. Oh, with what subtle snares the Tempter approached him with his fatal alluring deception! But my brother would not have died, O Lord, if I had been near him. But alas! the pride of his spirit compelled Thee to move far away from him. He forgot; in fact, he scorned Thy advice: 'Be ye meek and humble of heart.'

For the love Thy Mother had for him hear this, my prayer of anguish. Snatch him away from the Tempter's grasp. Save him, Lord, because he once loved Thee. Through the humiliations of Thy Passion, through Thy death on the cross, tell me, Lord, what Thou wantest of me—but give me that soul!

Through the tender compassion of Thy heart at the sight of human sorrow, let the heart pleading before Thee obtain favor, and may that soul now be won over by Thy mercy. Turn Thy glance toward him as Thou didst to Peter when he denied Thee. With that glance Thou couldst win him over because, Lord, he once loved Thee. Let us confess in his stead—he acted as a traitor. But perhaps some tender memory still lingers on in him. Reawaken it, O Lord, within his heart. Heart of Jesus, Shepherd and Redeemer, Thou who dost save and redeem, have mercy on our wayward brother! Call out to him so that he may rise from his tomb. Have mercy, Thou who has never disdained the prayer of a sinner. Hear me, too, O Lord, and call back to Thy heart the wayward brother who has turned his back upon Thee.

On February 26, 1930, as a result of an appendicitis attack, Cardinal Merry del Val died, as he had lived—quietly, alert and completely resigned to the Will of God. On the morning of July 31, 1931, a new tomb, the gift of the Spanish government, was dedicated by His Eminence, Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli. We can do no better in closing this study than to quote the words of the future Pope Pius XII:

"His whole life was always a brilliant reflection of those virtues which have always been the outstanding characteristic of the Spanish people—courage, faith, fortitude under fire, serenity in times of trouble, and unsurpassable loyalty. In the circle of these many tombs, that of Cardinal Merry del Val carries an inspiration all its own by reason of his association with the Pointiff Pius X, of holy memory, by whose side he suffered, fought and prayed so much that it was said of the Cardinal that rather than an executive minister, he seemed to be a trusted and intimate collaborator in the government of the Church. It was his thirst for souls that took him down among the poor people of Rome even when he was an eminent prince of the Church. Let all know who kneel before the cold stone now shrouding his priestly, worn-out heart just how much it was on fire with the Spirit of Christ who through His Passion and Precious Blood, had taught him the inestimable value of souls. In these words we find the summation of his mortal career as well as the pledge of his immortal glory."

Let us pray that God will raise up more and more such saints who will be instruments of the complete restoration of all things in Christ. May we not also hope that Cardinal Merry del Val may someday be raised to the altars as St. Rafael Merry del Val?

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DONALD R. FANTZ, a former seminarian with the Redemptorist Fathers, is one of the Founders of the Holy Innocents School and a member of the Society of St. Pius X Parish in Concord, California.