ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND PROCESSIONS. [From the Evening Mail, June 16.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 768, 11 December 1852, Page 4

ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND PROCESSIONS. [From the Evening Mail, June 16.]

For some time past the streets? of London have been infesTed by. a parcel of dirty people in the dress of Roman Catholic ecclesiastics. There are few of our metropolitan readers but must have come ncross some of these geutry in our most crowded thoroughfares. They generally hunt in couples. A more unpleasant sight cannot be encountered in the course of a morning's | walk than a brace' of these dirty creatures as they glide about amongst the people with downcast eyes and hasty step. Of course, the object is to familiarize the public with their presence. If Cardinal Wiseman and his Privy Council in Golden-square could once, in defiance of the English law, establish the custom, we should soon have our street crowds diversified with every conceivable costume of monkery. It is notorious that when the Roman Catholic Relief Act was passed a clause was introduced, enacting " that no Roman Catholic ecclesiastic, nor any member of any of the religious orders, communities, or societies of the Church of Rome, bound by monastic or religious vows, should exercise any of tje rites or ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion, or wear the habits of his order, save within the u;>ual places of worship of the Roman Catholic religion or in private houses." Such is the law of England, and it is perfectly well known to the persons who have for some time past set it at defiance. It cannot be said that this is an old worn out regulation such j as the one which forbade undertakers to bury the J dead in linen shrouds. The same provision was no doubt introduced into various old statutes, but when the Roman Catholic Relief Bill was passed in 1829, it was retained and solemnly re-enacted. Nor is there any reason why such a provision should be suffered to fall into desuetude. The Roman Catholic chieftains have not contented themselves with sending their noisome emissaries about the streets ; it would seem as though they had issued orders directing them to disturb the Protestant congregations while engaged in the celebration of public worship. To put the existing law in force is, then, a simple act of selfdefence. But even were it not for ibis additional aggravation, the reasons for maintaining the law in 1852 are stronger than they were for enacting it in 1529. it was supposed at the time that the presence of Roman Catholic priests — the passage of Roman Catholic processions through the public streets — might lead to a violation of the peace. The same danger exists still, and to a yet greater : extent. We do not pretend to argue the point as feeling any especial sympathy for persons whoj with their eyes open, set the law, at defiance. Still it would be a deplorable thing, and a great reflection upon those who are charged with the duty of maintaining the public peace, if, from want of timely forethought, any broil should occur in the thoroughfares of the metropolis. It would only need a brace of Passioni»ts — a rabble of little boys — and a gang of Irish hodmen, toget up a row which might lead to the most serious casualties — possibly to the loss of life. It will be seen that the Queen, by a proclamation issued yesterday, has expressed the determination of the Government to put down the nuisance. The Proclamation itself will be found in another part of our impression of this day. It is therein stated that the Roman Catholic ecclesiastics do wear the habit of their orders in places of public resort — that Roman Catholic processions, with all the pomp, pride, and circumstances usu«l on such occasions, do perambulate our streets' — that banners are displayed — symbols elevated in the public view, and that consequently the peace of the town is endangered. The offenders are solemnly warned that the law will be put in force against them to its fullest extent if they give further occasion of public scandal. We trust tbat strict orders may be henceforth issued to the police to conduct them to the nearest station-bouse. We would not — all considerations of turmoil apart — have the streets of London become as the streets of Rome, along which swarms of unwashed beings in robes black, white, brown, or grey, are to be seen passing at all hours of the day, like clouds over a landscape.. The .Roman Catholic priests must moke up their minds to submit to the same regulations as practically affect' the Protestant clergy. Although it is not illegal, ,no one ever sees a Protestant clergyman bustling about Fleet-street or the. Strand, in pudding sleeves and a square cap. There is no law on the subject, for none is

needed. ' The tacit good sense of the Protestant clergy preterits them from dragging their sacred vestments through the mvd — and even running the risk of exposing religion to contempt in tbe persons of its ministers merely on & question of ' costume. Let tbe Roman Catholic clergy follow ' the wholesome example. So, again, with the ! practice of out of door processions and ceremonials — the thing is simply impossible in England. However much tbe moderation of the bystanders may endeavour to stave off such a result, the' moment would surely have come when a shower of black mud would bate expressed tbe state of publi* opinion upon this feature of " Papal Aggression." Much more' is this likely to be the case if the processions are absolutely directed as hostile movements against the tranquillity of a body of Protestant worshippers. It has been reported to us that in the immediate neighbourhood of Orchard-street, Portraan square, a platform is erected on which, from time to lime, copies of the Protestant Bible are committed to tbe flames. We warn the promoteis of such proceedings, as they value their own" safety, to hold tbeir bands while it is yet time. [The following is the Proclamation referred to above.] " Whereas by the Act of Parliament, passed in the 10th year of the reign of his late Majesty King George IV., for the relief of his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects, it is enacted that no Roman Catholic ecclesiastic, nor any member of any of the religious orders, communities, or societias of the Church of Rome, bound by monastic or religious vows, should exercise any of the rites or ceremonies of the Roman Cathclic religion, or wear tbe habits of his order, save within the usual places of worship of the Roman Catholic religioi), or in private houses ; and whereas it has been represented to us that Roman Catholic ecclesiastics, wearing the habits of their orders, have exercised the rites and ceremonies of tbe Roman Catholic religion in highways and places of public resor*t, with many persons in ceremonial dresses, bearing banners and objects, or symbols, of tbeir worship, in processjon, to I tbe great scandal and annoyance of large num. bejs of our people, and to tbe manifest danger of the public peace ; and whereas it ' has been ! represented to us tbat such violation of the law i has been committed near places of public worship during the time of diviue service, and in such a manner as to disturb the congregations assembled therein, we have, therefore, thought it our bounden duty, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, to issue this our Royal Proclamation, solemnly warning all those whom it may concern, tbat, whilst we are resolved to protect our Roman Catholic subjects in the undisturbed enjoyment of tbeir legal rights and religious freedom, we ire determined to prevent and repress tbe commission of all such offences as aforesaid, whereby the offenders may draw upon themselves the punishments attending the violation of the laws, and the peace and security of our dominions may be endangered. Given at our Court at Buckingham. Palace, this 15th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1852, and in the loch year of our reign.