On October 10, 1922, the Catholic hierarchy in Ireland issued a joint pastoral letter condemning Republican resistance to the newly established Irish Free State. The statement declared, 'A republic without popular recognition behind it is a contradiction in terms,' reflecting the Church's stance during the Irish Civil War. This intervention by the Catholic Church was a significant moral and political blow to the anti-Treaty forces, as it urged Catholics to accept the authority of the Free State government and brought considerable pressure to bear on those continuing the armed struggle.
