ROTARY’S OBJECTS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1929, Page 5

ROTARY’S OBJECTS

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copy rignt). (Received this day at 10 a.m.) OTTAWA, February 28. On the steamship Berengaria at Montreal, R. R. Sutton (President of Rotary International) gave the Australian Press Association the following exclusive statement: — ‘‘The recent attack in an article in “ Osservatore Romano ” is merely a reprint of the last article in “Civilita Cattolica,” published on 16th February. Since it was written I have had numerous conferences at home with the director of “Civilita Cattolica,” Father Enrico Rosa, S.J., and many of the highest church authorities. As I am a Roman Catholic myself. I am explaining and clarifying the doubts, and misunderstandings and presenting a formal statement that Rotary has no connection with Masonry or any other organisation; that religious and political discussions are positively forbidden and that Rotary lias no record whatever of the religious faitli of its membership.” Mr Sutton added: “That Rotary’s meetings, activities and records are public and there are no vows or secrets of any kind; that there is an absolute respect for the religious faith ol all members: that- Rotarians do not attiibute to themselves any private Inoral code nor intend to create any sect or religion, much less do anything contrary to the dogma of the Catholic (faith; that in particular with reference to some few actions or statements attributed to individual members throughout our vast international otgauisation, which are seemingly conti adictory to the foregoing, the directive authority of Rotary must declare tliw same unauthorised and furthermore deplore any act contrary to those fundamental principles of our organisation. “‘Civilita Cattolica’ will publish may formal statement in its" issue of 15th March, with its observations, which, I believe, should eud all further controversy and terminate the previous misunderstanding.”