CATHOLICS AND CONSCRIPTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1751, 25 August 1917, Page 3

CATHOLICS AND CONSCRIPTION.

The Catholic Heirarehy of New Zealand lias published the following' statement under (lie headings: —‘‘The Clergy and Conscription.— Manifesto of (he Catholic Hierarchy of New Zealand.” It is signed by Thomas O’.shea, S.M., V.G., Archbishop of Grurlyna and Coadjutor of Wellington; Michael Verdon, Bishop of Dunedin; Matthew J, Brodie, Bishop of Christchurch; William 11. Mahoney, V.G., Administrator of (he Diocese of Auckland. It reads in part as follows: —“We contend that the conscription of priests, students, and brothers would inflict upon the Catholic body hardships that the necessities of the war do not justify. Call it, by any name yon please, it is nevertheless equivalent to religious persecution. It is being looked upon as such by our people, and we will adopt towards it the same attitude that we would be compelled to adopt towards any other form of religions persecution. We are confident that our legislators, in framing the Military Service Act, did not forseo, much’ less intend, these consequences. We feel sure, moreover, that once the public realise the true state-of the case, the vast majority of our non-Catholic fellow citizens, who are just and fair-minded, will understand our altitude and sympathise with it. They will surely realise that we are not asking for privileges, but for what is of absolute necessity to ns as Catholics. Come what may, as long as (In 1 war lasts, we are bound in duty to our Catholic boys to keep up our supply of chaplains at the front. We have sent away nineteen priests to act in lids capacity, and there are fourteen at present on active service with our soldiers. In addition to this, one has laid down his life on the. battlefield, and another was so severely wounded at Gallipoli that he may neve] - again resume duty.”