FATHER HENNEBERRY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 72, 25 March 1878, Page 2

FATHER HENNEBERRY.

The Auckland Star publishes the following telegraphic letter from Kumara:— "Sir The Ilokitika Evening Star, aud other West Coast papers after it, have made statements that I condemned, at my Hokitika mission, the marriage of Catholics to non-Catholics as no marriage at [all, and that I asserted that those who have engaged in such marriages arc living in a state of prostitution The protest published by Father Martin, the pastor of the congregation, backed by the unanimous voices of his parishioners, brand those newspaper statements as mendacious and slanderous. My own teachings, which [ are those of the Catholic Church, on the subject of mixed marriages, also stamp those f press assertions as atrocious falsehoods. Any one of the Catholic clergy of Auckland can tell, without my telegraphing, what my teachings are on the subject, for their doctrines and mine harmonise. We are in the same boat, and will always fearlessly teach what the church teaches. What has perhaps given occasion to these scandalous newspaper criminations, in the matter before us, is the very strong language which I have used, and which 1 hereby emphasise, iu condemning the tendencies of the Catholics of New Zea° land to mixed marriages, against the laws andtheteachingof thechurch. Such marriages are geuerally attended with pernicious results to Catholics, especially when they are engaged iu without a dispensation, and before anyone but the priests of the church.— With great respect, yours, &c., P. Henneberry, Missionary." A Press Agency telegram from Hokitika, dated March 21, says:— Father Henneberry's remarks from the altar, respecting mixed marriages and other matters dealt with by him during his mission, are causing a great deal of ill-feeling between the Catholics and Protestants. The Rev G. W. Russell has written a long letter to the Ska on the subject, refuting a letter of Father Martin's which had previously appeared. Mr Russell was present on the occasion, and quotes Father Henneberry's remarks as follows:— " Any marriage celebrated by a non-Catholic minister between a Catholic and non-Catholic was null and void; and a marriage by a Registrar was no marriage at all; and auy Catholic marrying a non-Catholic, without a dispensation from the Catholic Church, and dying in that state, would go straight to hell." Ths Rev Mr Russell adds to his letter, " I am prepared to take an oath that those words were used, and numbers I could mention would do the same."