Greatness of America is in faith and diversity

These are very troubling times in the world, and situations could potentially turn ugly, whether at the hands of terrorists or dictators in Afghanistan, Iraq, Hong Kong or even once again in Northern Ireland. The political situation in much of the world is leaderless. People need to come together in prayer, civic concern and unity on behalf of our families, country and faith.

Many cherished stories came back to me the last few days attending Irish meetings in New York City, but also Sunday in St. James Catholic Church in Chinatown. Attending Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on the Holy Day of the Feast of the Assumption brought back many fond memories about Ireland’s struggle against the religious persecution and employment discrimination of Catholics in Ireland going back many years. I thought about all the stories from people like my wife’s father, who worked on the docks in New York as a longshoreman when he first came to America from Ireland, to my friends U.S. Senator Pat Moynihan, Paul O’Dwyer and ILA Union President Teddy Gleason. And at New York’s “Hell’s Kitchen” taverns and Irish clubs and church halls, where we met with Irish Northern Aid activists and patriots in the ’70s and ’80s.

At St. Patrick’s, I talked about the Hunger Strike and visiting a dying Bobby Sands. No doubt, Boston and New York City have for many decades been at the center of America’s long and proud tradition of speaking out and working for the people of Ireland. This past week in New York City, several longtime champions for human rights in Northern Ireland met to strategize about how concerned Irish Americans could once again play a constructive role in helping alleviate a dangerous political situation with the pending Brexit vote in the British Parliament at the end of October. A united Ireland has been a major cause and at the center of concern of peace-loving Irish-Americans since the struggle for Ireland’s independence from the British government and the Easter Rising of 1916. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 provided the best opportunity for a lasting peace between Catholics and the powerful Protestant majority in Northern Ireland. In my opinion, it was due largely to the political, financial and moral courage and advocacy of average Irish Americans, who forced leading American politicians to finally get involved and speak out about the injustices against Catholics in the North.

Boston in particular played a key role in Ireland’s struggle for independence going back decades. I attended numerous meetings as a boy with my grandfather from Cork. Leading Irish officials came to Boston to seek political support and they received it, which influenced public opinion in America, even when leading Irish American politicians were reluctant to get involved because the media and leading business people were afraid of offending the economic power and world influence of the U.K. But a determined grassroots movement prevailed in Boston and New York, which ultimately led to that historic U.S. Presidential Forum in 1992 in New York, when as president of the United States Conference of Mayors and ranking member of the Democratic Party Platform Committee, I along with others, was able to secure the first solid commitment that if elected, the first priority of the new president would be to appoint a “Peace Envoy to Northern Ireland.” President Clinton did support this and it led to the Good Friday peace agreement.

But my passion and determination for human rights began right here in St. James Catholic Church in Chinatown, including attending church services with my mother, Aunt Mae and grandfather, who were devoted and loyal followers of the Maryknoll Catholic order and the nuns and priests from China. We learned at an early age what persecution and the killings of Catholics was all about in China and in Ireland. It may come as a surprise to some, but the bond between Boston Irish Catholic and Boston Chinese Catholics was very strong and goes back many many years. And it was their love of Jesus and their loyalty to their Catholic faith that cemented this special relationship, which reflects their values, love of family and respect for the poor and helping others.

I again saw that loyalty on display Monday at the packed St. Agatha’s Church in Milton for the funeral of another Irishman with a big heart, Pete Nash of Kerry.

The congregation concluded in a prayer for peace in Hong Kong, and for Monsignor Kevin O’Leary, who is recovering from a cancer operation. Rest in peace Pete Nash, “Up Kerry.”