James Michael Curley Still Lovingly Remembered Long After His ‘Last Hurrah’ in 1958

Matthew McDonald penned a piece for the National Catholic Register on James Michael Curley (1874-1958), the four-term Catholic mayor of Boston, who still has friends and foes, fans and detractors in Beantown: Twice-Jailed Boston Mayor’s Last Hurrah Was in 1958, but His Admirers Still Pray at His Grave.

The article, which takes as its starting point the annual Rosary still recited at Curley’s grave (this year’s being on Saturday, Nov. 9), quotes our friend C.J. (“Joe”) Doyle a few times. Joe is a great admirer of Curley, always being numbered among the stalwarts at the grave for the annual Curley Rosary. Others include former Boston Mayor and former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, Ray Flynn, and William Bulger, former President of the Massachusetts Senate.

Curley was one of that bird now virtually extinct: A socially conservative, populist Irish Catholic Democrat, whose ideas of social justice were informed by his faith and his genuine love of the common man — not by some neo-Marxist ideology or elitist statism. If for no other reason than learning about such an historical American phenomenon, people should read McDonald’s article.

Below is an AI-produced summary of the article: 1

  • James Michael Curley’s Legacy: Known as the “Mayor of the Poor,” James Michael Curley was a four-time mayor of Boston, U.S. Congressman, and Massachusetts governor. Despite his controversial life, he remains admired for his service to the poor and Catholic values.
  • Controversial Reputation: Curley served two prison terms — once for taking a civil service exam for an immigrant and later for a mail fraud conviction. Critics accuse him of corruption, but supporters argue his good deeds outweighed any wrongdoing.
  • Achievements and Personality: Curley built schools, parks, libraries, and hospitals, and personally helped the poor. Known for his wit and stunts, he also stood up for Irish Catholics, earning their loyalty.
  • Faith and Social Justice: C.J. Doyle of the Catholic Action League credits Curley with embodying Catholic social justice teachings, describing him as “integrally Catholic.”
  • Annual Rosary at His Grave: Since 2002, admirers like Doyle and former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn have gathered at Curley’s grave to pray the Rosary, honoring his faith and public service.
  • Supporters’ Views: Larry Overlan and Robert Joyce highlight Curley’s faith, approachability, and dedication to the poor, calling him a flawed but admirable figure.
  • Ray Flynn’s Tribute: Flynn, inspired by Curley’s outreach to the poor, views the Rosary as the ultimate tribute to a life of public service.
  1. All AI-produced content on Catholicism.org is clearly marked as such and is reviewed, edited, and, if necessary, corrected, by a human editor before publication (policy implemented Oct. 15, 2024). ↩
Filed Under: Catholic America, Columns, History, Politics and Society