CARDINAL MORAN AND IRISH AFFAIRS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 298, 12 September 1888, Page 4

CARDINAL MORAN AND IRISH AFFAIRS.

Rj-cr.vr cablegrams from London show that Cardinal jSloran is visiting in li eland the most distinguished prelates of the lloman Catholic Church, and those who aie reputed to entertain the most advanced opinione n national questions. Just on the cv of the Caidmals departure tiom Sydney lie had occasion, it will be remembered, to di-pute the impression that somehow appealed to hti\e gained ground in the colony as t) the weakness of his sympathies with some portions of the programme ot Irish lLiorm. This he did m what was considered a mo-t fiank and courageous mannei, to the evident satisfaction not only of his own people but ot no mconsidei able number oiiiome llulesympathisers outside the Church of which his Eminence is the highest repiesentathe in these parts. So much imporcance was placed on his utteiances on the lush difficulty that the S\dney newspaper leports were copied in many of the leading English and Irish papers, as well as m several of the Continental journals. When Caidinal Moian \\a~ leaving for Rome there wa.s a consideiabie amount of speculation in certain chcles wit.h let-pect to the probable nature of his leception at the Vatican, his independent statements on the natural struggle in Ireland ha\ intj pieceded him. It is now no seciefc that the reception which he expenenced at the hands of the Pope wao of a most fiiendly kind — "peeuhail\ aflectionate ' one report has it. Accounts fiom Rome by the last mail state that everything was done to mark the sense of honour enteitained for his Eminence, and it i-> a fact not without significance that " I/Osservatoie Romano," the authorised journal of the Pope, published in its columns a long and detailed report of the demonstration in Sydney in connection with the Cardinal's departure, special pi ominence being given to the meeting in St. Mary's Cathedral, at which Mr Dalley was the principal speaker. The Roman organ refers in complimentary terms to Cardinal Moran, while Mr Dalley's speech reviewing theCaidinal's work and containing personal refeiences to the Pope are reproduced at length, being done into "choice Italian," an almost unprecedented pro eeeding, we understand, on the part of " L Osservatore Romano." With regard to the object of Cardinal Moran's visit to Rome, though no positive infoimation has come to hand, it is believed that important negotiations have been entiusted to him by the Pope, and that he has been commissioned to go to Ireland with a view to bringing about a, better understanding on Irish national affairs between the Papacy and the bishops of Ireland. Letters have been received in Sydney of a semiofficial kind in which the nature of the Cardinal's mission to Ireland and England is hinted at and an opinion expressed that he will succeed in establishing religiopolitico matters on a better footing in the interests of the Home Rule party. It is pretty generally acknowledged in Roman Catholic circles that Cardinal Moran stands in highfavour ab the Vatican, exercising, perhaps, moie influence than any other Eng-lish-speaking prelate, and by most Catholics he is at the present time regarded as having — it he is equal to thesituation — a commanding opportunity of rendering a great and timely service, both to the Irish Nationalists and th« Empire, in assisting to bring about a satisfactory settlement of the demand for Home Rule. In a communication received from the Cardinal himself he expresses his desire to start back to Sydney after once more visiting the Pope in October next.