LABOUR AND CATHOLICS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1928, Page 3

LABOUR AND CATHOLICS

DR CLEARY’S STATEMENT

By Telegraph-Press Assn., Copyright

AUCKLAND, July 1

At St. Patrick’s Church to-day Dr Cleary replied to Canon James's statement, “That the Labour Party in voting against the Religious Exercises in Schools Bill, are obeying orders of their masters, the Roman Catholic Church. This is the price of polls.”

An emphatic denial of any such bargain, said Dr Cleary, was made on behalf of both of the alleged parties to

Tho Bible in Schools" League was offering as “the price” of support imaginary “huge electoral majorities” of seventy to eighty-four per cent. Their demand for a “count of noses” on intimate or other questions of religious faith or practice was described as “a menace to religious peace and liberty.” The Canon’s attack recalled another high-placed League authority’s announcement of a “ gloves off” campaign during the election year “ for stirring up strife in the community.” Dr Cleary repudiated any alleged bargain with any political party, claiming an intimate knowledge of official action of tlie heads of his Church in

New Zealand. Their Church stood above and outside all political parties this as a matter of long-established discipline, based on the old standing doctrinal and moral principles embodied and emphasised in Leo Xtil’s encyclicals, and in numerous other papal documents. A number of these wero quoted to the following effect: “Catholics arc forbidden to involve the Chinch in party strife on political and civil matters.” Catholic voters have “ honourable liberty of action ” and are “ perfectly free to say and think what they like, having due respect for charity and justice.” All “who represent the interests of religion in any way or degree ” are required to avoid “ even the simple appearance of holding with and favouring political parties.” An instruction dated Epiphany 1020 ordered all writers of Catholic journals to avoid political partisanship. When the speaker (Dr Cleary) was editor of the New (Zealand “Tablet” it was appointed by the Catholic Hierarchy “ the sole organ of the Catholic Body in New Zealand,” and one condition of the appointment required the paper to ’avoid either the advocacy of, or opposition to any political party. The speaker had exactly followed the Catholic principles herein, both as editor and bishop. Ho had as the official spiritual head and teacher and ruler of his Diocese, many times given instructions to his priests and people on these subjects along the Church’s lines. The present Pope, in 1923, commended him, in a letter for his strict editorial and episcopienl avoidance of party entanglements. The Catholic Church and its heads here have neither the right nor ppwer nor’desire to interfere with the free exercise of Catholic voters. They have the perfect liberty to act and think as they please in political and civil matters. Grave attacks on Godgiven sacred rights would naturally tend to knit politically divided Catholics for rightful defence, hut even when enemies sought to cripple or destroy religion in various countries, the Church had not permitted to her representatives any alliance with political parties. In regard to the Canon’s allegation of a hargan or compact for Labour votes, Dr Cleary concluded: “I speak with revelant documents and with intimate inside knowledge of our Church heads’ action in this Dominion, and I declare that liis statement is contrary to fact.”