FATHER CRONIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1919, Page 7

FATHER CRONIN.

BISHOP BRODIE'S ACTION ' CRITICISED. ' ._ Christehurch, Feh. 28.' In connection with the expulsion of Rev. Father Croniu by Bishop Brodie, the -former says the Bishop's: procedure seems to him an abuse of power. "The important inference," said .Father Cronin, "that I draw is that his Lordship, is as much opposed to tlje prejiibition. .movement as I am to .the drink traffic. My sole offence is that I have thought fit to espouse publicity for what I am convinced is. a good and '..righteous cause. On becoming a Catholic priest I did not sacrifice my civil rights. . In working for.the temperance movement lam convinced that 1 1 am; doing, theibest possible work in which I could be- engaged under present circumstances. In doing this work T am neglecting, no ecclesiastical duty, and- surely ■ Bishop Brodie, who disclaims authority "over me, would! not question that iact. ■ (A previous telegram published said: Action has been taken by Bisliop Srodie in refusing to re-adniitj' Father Cronin. formerly of Darfield attd .Ross; into the Roman Catholic diocese, of Christehurch, as the direct result of the attitude of Father Cronin in visiting-Christehurch without his permission and taking an active part on behalf of prohibition in the present campaign. In addition, Bishop Brodie has stated that Father Cronin's action has not the approval of ecclesiastical authority.)

I THE REV. FATHER CRONIN'S SPEECH. The Rev. Father Cronin w.ia one of the speakers at a lar.we gathering at the Colosseum in Chriatchureli on Monday erening in furtherance of the Prohibition civmpaion, Yr W. T). Baylev, the Canadian .orator, -lieing -also a speaker. The Rev. Father Cronin.was accorded a most nearW 'reception. Tins was, lie said, the"|)esld;c)ngregfttion.that he had eeen for a lonjj 'ijtpifa ] : (Laughter.) He

explained that lie stood there because lie lived in a free country and because he had very strong ideas on the question that had to be answered on April 10th. Whose authority had ho to come to Bpeak? He had Ma own. He alone was responsible. He had the opportunity to know, in the towns of Lancashire, what the drink could do. That lutd been enough to make him a Prohibitionist. He believed that there was a common impression that 'Roman Catholics were against Prohibition. He belioved, too, that there was sometlung in that. Why? Because of the false impressions cireu-' Mod by the other side. He himself had been rather shy of tjiia movement in the past, until he had the guarantee of the Act that wine for sacramental purposes would not be interfered with. To a Catholic the Mass was sacred, so he had to be careful there. But a Catholic was quite as free as any other man. beyond the one matter' of sacramental wine, to vote as he pleased on this matter. Prohibition was not antiCatholic. On that he thought that he could not do better than quote the Rev. Father O'Callaghan. who was for seven years president of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America- Father o : Callaghan had been intimately associated with the leaders in the Prohibition movement for a long time, and he was absolutely convinced of their good faith. "They wish to abolish the beverage use of alcohol, and they say so," Father aCallaghan said- "They do not desire to interfere with the sacramental me of wine, or with any man's religious beliefs. This is their declaration, and they are honest men, who are to be believed. The liquor interests of the country flatter and fawn upon the Catholics, telling them that they (the Catholics) are liberal-minded as compared with other religious denominations and telling them also that it is the desire of the Prohibitionists to abolish the use of alcohol for all purposes, including the sacramental use. Many of the Catholic leaders fal! victims "to this flattery and to their fears. OfVrs, who are in the pay of the liquor interests, use their influence to spread abroad false impressions of the motives and aims of the Prohibitionists. And so the falsehood i= disseminated. That is why Catholics think that Prohibition is anti-Cath-nlir\" "And." said Father Cronin, "my opinion is that the same reasons hold good here." He would challenge or de'y anyone to say that a Catholic was not free to exercise his vote as he pleased when the sacramental wine was assured him. To the Catholics Father Cronin appealed to consider the gravity of the position Thev were free to vote as they liked, and if they did not vote drink out, the community would be quit? justified in blaming them for their failure