ROTARY CLUBS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1929, Page 2

ROTARY CLUBS

CATHOLIC CHURCH OBJECTION

United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, February 23

A dispatch from Rome says that the reach between the Homan Catholic Lurch and the Rotary movement has viilened to a chasm. The Rome liowsmper Osservatore Romano attacks at engtn Rotarianism as being subsorient to the interest of Freemasonry, iii is is, believed to foreshadow the .atholic Church’s open declaration oi .var on Itotaryism. Spanish Bishops lave already prohibited lay Homan Jatholics from belonging to Rotary 'I ills.

Air H. J. Sutton, who is himself a •{oniiin Catholic, and who is the Provident of the Rotary Alovoment, lias .isited Home in order to convince the Loly Sec that its hostility to Rotarysm had been founded on a misappreicnsion, and lie thought that he had lone so, and he went tn America on he day preceding the newspaper Osiorvatorc Romano’s attack. London lotarians are surprised at the Church’s .ttitnde.-They declare that their movenent is unsectarian and non-political. Mr Sidey Wicks, a Manchester Rorarian, says: “The Roman Catholic Ahureh logically opposes any movement such as Rotary which may satisfy one’s religion nature without pinning him down to Roman Catholicism.” 1 CATT-IO I>IC 'OBJECTIONS’. ROME. Fob. 24. A Catholic attack on the Rotary Club’s movement was officially sanctioned hv the Vatican Organ “Osservatore Romano” to-day by its reprinting of an article from a newspaper that is carrying out a lively •ampaign against the Rotary movement. The reasons for tlie attack are summarised as follows: Firstly: The rotary movement is Masonic of its origins. Secondly: The close relations of Rotary with Freemasonry in many countries. - Thirdly: The Rotarv Clubs are openly anti-Catholic in some countries. ■Fourthly: The Rotarian morals aio merely camouflage for Masonic morals. A WELLINGTON ROTA RIAN’S COMMENT. WELLINGTON, Feb. 25. “We in Wellington are amazed. We find it difficult to understand such a position,” said the President of the Wellington Rotary Club (Mr 1). J. McGowan) to-day in regard to the cabled announcement that the broach between the Roman Catholic Church and the Rotary movement had widened 1 o <1 chasm. “We have Roman Catholic members in our club here, the same as have the other Rotary Clubs in New Zealand,” Air McGowan added. “In our movement here the sectarian question has never arisen, and not the slightest trouble has ever been experienced in that respect. Neither 1 (digion nor politics is allowed to enter into Rotary. We have carefully avoided its admission in any shape or form, particularly in regard .to the selection of subjects for our regular addresses. The cable message is the more inexplicable in view of its statement that the President of the International movement is a Roman Catholic.”