Michael de la Bedoyere, former Editor
of The Catholic Herald, died last Friday at the age of 73.
He became Editor of the paper in 1934 and, (apart from the period 1935-1936 when Donald A ttwater took over the editorship,) continued as Editor till 1962.
Educated at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire, Michael de la Bedoyere entered the Jesuit novitiate and took a first in P.P,E. at Oxford.
On deciding that he had no vocation to be a Jesuit he lectured at the Universi ty of Minnesota from 193031 and started his jour
nalistic career as assistant editor of the Dublin Review in 1932.
In 1934, the proprietor and editor of The Catholic Herald Charles Diamond, advertised for a young Catholic journalist who could succeed him as editor and de la Bedoyere was offered the job.
The paper had in the past appealed mainly to Irish in the North-West of England, with locally named editions, and in 1920, at the time of the black and tans, Diamond spent two months in prison for an editorial aimed against the Viceroy of Ireland. Lord French.
De la Bedoyere built up the paper's circulation to
over six figures and made
the content more intellectual. His ecumenical
approach was ahead of his
time, but the critical tone made difficulties with some bishops and parish priests
for a paper largely dependent on church door sales. Mr. W. J. Igoe, who worked for many years as
news editor to Michael de kt Bedoyere said of him "I think he was a man of great
foresight, ahead of his time. All that he advocated came about in the years after he left The Catholic Herald. Michael de la Bedoyere left the Catholic Herald in 1962, the year in which the Second Vatican Council met. Later he founded Search, a monthly which merged with the interdenominational New Christian.
Among the books he wrote were 'Christianity in the Market Place, 'The Archbishop and the Lady' and a biography of Francis de Sales, In his later years he edited 'Ohiectiona to
Roman Catholicism'. Michael de la Bedoyere's first wife died in 1959 and in 1961 he married Charlotte Halbik. He had five children by his first marriage and two by his second.
Canon Gordon Albion of St. Edward's, Sutton Park, Guildford, officiated at the Requiem and burial on Wednesday at St. Joseph's, Gerrards Cross, Bucks. Only the widow, family and personal friends were present. Canon Albion was a close Mend of Michael de la Bedoyere arit was a contributor to the Catholic Herald under his Editorship.
A Solemn Requiem, concelebrated by Archbishop Roberts, S.J., Fr, Thomas Corbishley S.J. and others, is being offered at Farm Street Church this morning.
Tributes to Michael de la Bedoyere are on Page 3 and Page 4.