Gentle Eminence: A Life of Cardinal Flahiff by P. Wallace Platt (review)

HUMANITIES 497 an outcry against man's propensity for destruction. The cyclical arrangement complements the introspective mood in several poems, revealing Bauer's philosophical core in his mature years. Arend weaves through the poet's ongoing journey towards self-knowledge and acceptance of his flaws, as well as his tolerance, thus underscoring Bauer's deepened humanism. The critic does well in accentuating that, beyond Bauer's personal reflections, his universal observations are an essential part of his poetry. He plumbs the depths of human existence, frequently in despair, but never ceasing to express his fervent hope for a more humane world. The historic sweep with which Bauer draws the reader into his poetic realm makes humanity's shared condition searingly evident. The final chapter, primarily devoted to poetry written in English late in Bauer's life, reiterates concerns and thought patterns of earlier years. The immigrant experience, for one, is still part of the poetic kaleidoscope, although a softened, more embracing view emerges. In conclusion, while one might question Arend's choice of the word 'Protest' in the title, since there is scant evidence of writing of that nature, her study is a laudable achievement. She is never polemical in her interpretations, but elucidates through close readings the considerable spectrum ofWalter Bauer's poetry. (JOACHIM BIELERT) P. Wallace Platt. Gentle Eminence: A Life ofCardilloI Flahiff McGill-Queen's University Press. xiv, 236. $34.95 Advised by his history tutor to become a diplomat, George Flahiff rejected the advice of Lester Pearson and became a cardinal. Wallace Platt's biography is more than the story of an innkeeper's son from small-town Ontario who became a prince of the church. It describes the development of a man considered extraordinary by all who knew him, one who recognized his own worth yet was among the humblest of men. George Bernard Flahiff(1905-89), descendantofIrish immigrants fleeing famine, tended bar at his father's New Royal Hotel in Paris, Ontario. At Toronto his was a good, not brilliant career: dance halls on Bay Street and the playing field and ice rink at St Michael's distracted him. He graduated in 1926 with a degree in English and History, four months short of his twenty-first birthday, and entered the Basilian novitiate. In 1930, Father Flahiff went to France to prepare himself to teach history at the Institute of Mediaeval Studies. At Paris the young priest proved an exceptional student. Once back at Toronto he joined other young Basilians to form the nucleus of that institute then giving shape to Etienne Gilson's vision. Flahiff's articles on writs of prohibition in early volumes of Mediaeval Studies remain standard. Years later, at a reception at the provincial parliament, a distinguished medievalist asked the reviewer who the tall 498 LEITERS IN CANADA 1999 priest was. I replied, 'Cardinal Flahiff.' He said, 'Not G.B. Flahiff of writs of prohibition? I often wondered what happened to him.' What happened to him was that his quiet life as a scholar lasted only nineteen years. In 1954, he left the Pontifical Institute to become superior general of his congregation , never to return. To his surprise, in 1961, Flahiff became archbishop of Winnipeg. It was a great loss to scholarship. When the news from Rome was announced, Father John Kelly described the air as being 'blue around here.' Scholarship'sloss was a gain to the wider church and to Canadian public life. In Manitoba, Flahiff's gentle kindness commended him widely. His attraction lay in more than his easy charm. He had a simple but profound spiritual life. Among his lasting contributions in Winnipeg was the breaking down of interfaith barriers. At Knox United Church he told the congregation that he shared with them 'the central core of revelation, which is God's love for mankind .' He helped create the Assiniboia Christian Centre, where two parishes, one Catholic, one Anglican, shared facilities. He was especially popular with the Jews of his diocese. Twenty-five hundred trees were planted in Israel in his honour. Years later a Jewish friend took a folding chair to Flahiff's grave to commune with 'my cardinal.' When the Second Vatican Council opened in...