The Courage of His Convictions

Back in the ‘70’s feelings about the war in Vietnam were dividing the country and the church.  Fr. Robert Quirin was a dedicated pacifist.  He regularly withheld that portion of his income tax liability that he calculated would be used to support war-related activities.

One day two Internal Revenue Service Agents came into my office (I was Diocesan Business Manager) demanding that I attach Fr. Quirin’s salary.  The government wanted to be paid.  If I refused, they said, I would go to jail.

Fortunately Bishop Sullivan was in the office that day.  He told me to bring them up and he welcomed them most graciously into his office.  He listened patiently.  Then he explained to them that this was a moral question about which Fr. Quirin felt strongly.  Even a bishop did not have the authority to order a member of his flock to go against their conscience.

The Senior Agent made a foolish mistake.  He repeated his threat: If Bishop Sullivan refused to attach Fr. Quirin’s salary he would go to jail.

Bishop Sullivan thought for a moment, then said, “If I am going to jail, don’t I get to make one phone call?”  Without waiting for an answer, he called to his secretary in the outer office, “Marilyn, get me Channel 12.”  The Agent’s cock-sure manner evaporated.  All he could manage was a panicky, “Uh, Bishop, maybe we should talk this over.”

Dave O'Donnell

St. Michael the Archangel, Glen Allen