VATICAN AND MALTA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 730, 1 August 1929, Page 9

VATICAN AND MALTA

INFERENCES BY LORD STRICKLAND DISPUTE CONTINUES (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) LONDON, Tuesday. The “Daily Telegraph’s” correspondent at Vatican City says be has been informed that high Vatican circles condemn Lord Strickland, Prime Minister of Malta, for a communication from him concerning the dispute with the Vatican. This letter is described as offensive and inaccurate. It is understood that Cardinal Gasparri will reply to Lord Strickland.

There was a sensational sequel en February 28 to the alleged interference of, the Prime Minister of Malta, Lord Strickland, in disciplinary matters at the Franciscan monastery- Father Carta, Italian superior of the Franciscans, ordered Padre Micallef. one of Lord Strickland’s prominent partisans, to leave Malta. Thereupon the padre appealed to the Prime Minister, who countermanded the order on the grounds that an Italian subject had no right to deport a British Maltese. When Father Carta reported the incident to the Vatican, it excommunicated Padre Micallef. The Roman Catholic archbishop of Malta also issued a pastoral stating that disobedience of the laws of the Church were punished under the sacred canons w ith excommunication. This was regarded as an indirect reference to Lord Strickland, and the Maltese Roman Catholics asked if he had automatically excommunicated himself.

The Italian newspapers violently attacked Lord Strickland, declaring that he was a Freemason and was persecuting the Italian Maltese. On July 26, amid prolonged Ministerial cheering, a vote of confidence in the Government in connection with the dispute with fhe Vatican was carried by 17 votes