ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW

Chronicle (Levin), 17 August 1946, Page 8

ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW

-Prp.au A aanniritinri

STATEMENTS CHALLENGED

Bv Telearavh—

CHRISTCHURCH, August 10. "Certain statements lately appearing in the Press- about the Catholic chureli and Catholic eommunity in regard to Anzac Day, cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged, " said the Most Rev. P. P. byons, Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, in a statement issued today. "It has been alleged wholly without foundation, that the Catholic authorities seek to lessen the religious observance of this great nationai day. Notliing could be further from the truth. Year after vear on every Anzac Day right from the first anniversary of the (lallipoli landing, Catholic churches ui everv citv and town of the Dominion liave been iilied witli people thanking God for his merciful blessing upon our arins and praying for the eternai rest o. our warrior dead. Last year's celebration in Christchurch, when after attend ing mass and receiving holy conimunion at au early liour in tJieir parish churches, Catholic citizens and returned servicemeii so thronged the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament for solemn requiem luass that they could not all be accommodated, is typical of the deep revercnce with which the Catholic eommunity throughout the land 011 that day honours New Zealand 's lighting men and prays for those who have not returned. ' ' The whole of tliis important subject sliouhl not be cloudcd by irrevelencios but should be governed by sound aml recognised principles in tliis free Dominion. The sacred rights of conscience are inviolable so that citizens expect to meet no hostility and to sufl'er no penalty because of their religious beliefs. ' ' Again in tliis country where there is 110 state or establislied religion, the rights and prerogatives of all religious l»odies, wliether they be among the majoritv or among the minority, are equal. Crgauisers of anv public celebration which, for reasons of conscience cannot be attended by ail citizens, are therefore guiltv of an offence against the free and democratic traditions of this fair land. "It is adinitted, I trust by all, that Anzac Day is essentially the day of New Zealand 's armed forces though their fame and gallantry and sacrilice are honoured that day by the whole conumuiity. The Returned .Services Association which soldiers regard a.s their parliament, should therefore see that public Anzac Day celebrations are so arranged that all our fighting men may participate jiroudly and without violating their conscience. When men enlist for niilitarv service they are not penaliscd for their religious beliefs. They live logether, liglit together and it neci'ssnry H i ti logether and yct nobodv in New Zealand wouid, I think, question the long-standing policy of appointing denominational ehaplains to cater for their different religious needs. V hile on service Catholic men and any otliers who may desire it, have the rigiit under service regulations to fall out from any form of conibined assenibly or worsliip. There is also the corre>ponding nluty of Ihe commanding ofticers«to see that this right is respected. Whv tlien, oue might justlv ask, cannot the various religious bodies liold their own religious ceremonies on Anzac Day in their own churches for their own people and servicemeii, aceording to the accepted cust 0111 of the forces, so that all without exception might later unite for a purely civic. and jiatriotic assembly. At present Catholic. servicemen find themselves debarred in conscience from being with their old comrades 011 the verv day when they would inake any sacrilice to be together to recall their service days, to unfurl again their battle honours, and to salute their depart ed friends. I understand that the lirm pledge of the Returned Services Association is that the rights of all its members, irrespectivb of creed or polit'icnl belief, must be stoutly defended. Ifinust be clear tlien tliat the Association is not det'onding the rights of its f'atholic members it it eontinues to tolerate the present form of public Anzac Day celebration. Returned soldiers, to whoju justice is" so deay and for which many of their comrades 'di'ed, will do a great service to themselves and to New Zealand generallv if they insist every where on a type of celebration which can be attended by every New Zealander and which the Auckland Returned Services Association has alreadv insisted 011 for the past lifteen years. "