BISHOP CLEARY

New Zealand Tablet, 4 June 1914, Page 35

BISHOP CLEARY

AND A CHAPLAINS’ ASSOCIATION. ’ t m INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.

In connection with, the large military camp recently held at Hautapu, near Cambridge (Waikato), arrangements were made by Bishop Cleary and the Auckland branch of the Catholic federation for the supply of a large marquee for Mass for the Catholic troops on the Sunday, and for social purposes during the continuance of tne camp. A duly credited Catholic Federation official abcompanied the marquee. On his arrival'in camp he found other religious bodies’ marquees blown down and damaged by a storm. The Catholic marquee? 1 was in perfect order and capable of accommodating 700 men. The Catholic Federation official and Dean Darby report that they separately arranged with the cam]) officials for the erection of'the Catholic marquee for Mass on the following (Sunday) morning, and secured definite promises that this would be done. For some still unexplained reason, however, the marquee was not erected then ; and the Catholic Federation official reported to his branch that, failing to secure its erection at any time, he returned with it to Auckland, after it had been lying for five days in camp. This unexplained default of the camp authorities was made the subject of sharp strictures by Dean Darby, which were widely published. Both at the camp and in the Auckland Star of May 12, the Dean made it clear that his whole and sole cause of quarrel was the failure of the camp officials to erect the Catholic marquee, which resulted in the Catholic troops being deprived of Sunday Mass. On the following day (May 13) the Auckland Chaplains’ Association, a .mixed religious body, published in the same paper (the tickland Star ) a strongly-worded condemnation of the Dean. The Association represented the Dean as heartlessly and selfishly quarrelling with the camp authorities for failing to re-erect for Mass the damaged C.Y.M.S. marquee, blown down by the storm— a matter on which the Dean had no difference of opinion whatever with the camp authorities. This was made abundantly clear his statement published the J ay before the publication of the Association’s curious error as to the cause of the trouble, and its somewhat vehement judgment thereon. The following correspondence on the matter has taken place between his Lordship the Bishop and the Chaplains’ Association Bishop’s House, Ponsonby, Auckland, May. 13, 1914. The Rev. Secretary, Auckland Chaplains’ Association. Dear Rev. Sir, — have read in the Auckland daily papers a report of a recent meeting of your Association, together with an official letter sent therefrom for publication. Both report and letter pass a definite and strongly-worded judgment on the action of a Catholic military chaplain (the Very ‘Rev. Dean Darby), in reference to the lack of facilities for Mass at the Hautapu camp on last Sunday. I refrain from expressing any opinion on the merits or demerits of the incident in question, as the full facts from both sides are not yet before me. At the same time (judging from both the meeting apd the published letter of your Association) a number of facts are before me which were apparently not within the cognisance of your Association. ' . My aim in writing this/letter is, however, to touch upon, a matter of much , more permanent interest than the Hautapu incident, which will, doubtless, be forgotten in a few days, leaving the parties to the passing misunderstanding , (or whatever it may have been) better friends than before. My object is to ascertain if it isjf a rule or practice of your Association to act as a Court of Honorto try, and to pass judgment in form upon, members (and even absent non-members) of, your 'Association, and to give such judgments to the world ■ through the public press. . j

Of course, I fully recognise the right of the Defence authorities, and of the proper military officers, to condemn any act or default of' military chaplains . that may, contravene the legitimate usages and regulations of camp life. Thus far, however, - I have had no communication whatever from them on the subject in question. But 1 am at present unable to recognise any such authority as being vested in a private organisation such as yours. 1 should feel it my duty to reprimand any Catholic chaplain under my jurisdiction who would thus sit in judgment upon a chaplain of another faith. And I am unable even to surmise the nature and source of the authority under which your Association has (so to’ speak) court-martiailed (in his absence), and published an adverse judgment upon, a military chaplain who has never been a member of your Association ; who, in spiritual matters, is (both in and out of camp) under my jurisdiction (not under that of your Association) ; and who, in regard to military regulations.and ordinances, is subject only to the control of the military authorities legally constituted and empowered thereto. These have the amplest powers to enforce discipline; and they are abundantly able, to defend their honor if it be questioned or impugned. As for your Association, it was not even mentioned by the parties to this passing dispute. Its standing as a court in the matter is, therefore, not at all clear. In the event of your Association affirming the possession of such powers of acting (so to speak) as an ecclesiastical court-martial, it will bo my plain duty to insist upon the immediate resignation, therefrom, of all Catholic chaplains deriving spiritual jurisdiction from me. If, furthermore, it should appear that such powers have been conferred upon your Association by virtue of any military order or regulation, I shall take the earliest opportunity of notifying the Defence Department that no Catholic chaplain will attend any camp in my diocese until such order "or regulation has been rescinded. When your Association referred (in a certain unhappy context) to Dean Darby and ‘ his mass,’ I feel sure that it intended no slight to the most sacred act of worship of Catholics. But the expression, in its setting, has given much offence to many of my priests and people. In any case the Association’s idea might have been, with advantage, expressed in somewhat different terms. - Awaiting the favor of an early reply, I remain, dear Rev. Sir, very faithfully yours, * HENRY W. CLEARY, Bishop of Auckland. Bishop’s House, Ponsonby, Auckland,. The Rev. Secretary, May 21, 1914. Auckland Chaplains’ Association. Dear Rev. Sir, —Nine days ago I mailed to your Association a letter of inquiry on a matter of some present and permanent interest and importance. Thus far, I have not been favored with acknowledgment of receipt of my letter. Will you be kind enough to let me know (1) if my letter has been received by you, and (2) if your Association will do me the favor of considering its contents at their earliest convenience? As your Association has already partly stated its position on this matter in the press, I claim—accord to your Association— right to publish my letter and any further correspondence that may arise out of it, at any time, and at any stage of the correspondence that each party may deem fit.l remain, dear Rev. Sir, faithfully yours, . , ~ , * HENRY W. CLEARY, ’ ‘ Bishop of Auckland. The Manse, - Devonport, May 22, 1914. : To the Right Rev. ; : Bishop ” Cleary, D .D, ’ Dear Sir, —I am sorry for the delay in answering > your letter, but it was unavoidable.

• You are quite right in inferring that the Auckland f-r Chaplains’ Association is an organisation having no legal standing in the Territorial Scheme of Defence. ;£'-it was formed to facilitate the religious work of . the M camp, and to provide a channel of yommunication with k the military authorities instead of leaving each Church >,J to make its own approach and arrangements. It thus % aimed at serving the authorities and. the Churches. This it has don© very considerably. You are surely not serious in speaking of ‘ an D ecclesiastical court-martial ’ or * passing judgment upon ’ " a chaplain. The letter issued made a statement of facts overlooked by Dean Darby in his somewhat exS; traordinary sermon at - Hamilton, and offered an ~explanation for public information. The Dean omitted to mention matters of previous arrangement, and implied that provision for the morning service was deli- . berately neglected. As Secretary to the Association 1 had arranged with the Y.M.C.A. authorities to give the use of their marquee as at last year’s camp, and had informed the chief of staff of the time and place of service, so that notification could be made to the troops. All this Dean Darby ignored : which was not courteous, to say the least. ' ‘ When the devastation wrought by the storm broke ' up the plans formed, during Saturday the Y.M.C.A. Secretary tried his best to get into touch with your -chaplain, but without result. Father Ormond’s name had gone in to the authorities, and no notice had been given of a change ; consequently no one could tell the Y.M.C.A. Secretary to whom he might apply. Had a letter been sent a good deal of feeling might have been saved. For instance in connection with the casual camp now ending I wrote to the Commandant asking if a mess tent could be provided for the morning service for your men on the 17th, and when Father Or- ‘ mond sent word that he couldn’t go to camp, but that Dean Darby would officiate, I wrote at once intimating the change so that no hitch could occur. We have always found the military authorities . ready to facilitate our work in any way possible without respect to Church or creed, and we thought it only right that should be stated. The Dean’s sermon at Hamilton practically affirmed discrimination, and we felt that was a matter on which our testimony ought to be given. I trust this explanation will make the situation clearer. An appeal to the public had been made, and the letter issued aimed at giving fuller information. I shall be only too glad if in any way I can be of use to the chaplains of your Church in the exercise of their it; duty.—l have the honor to be, very obediently yours, I VO. E. BERTRAM, ' Hon. Sec. Akd. Chaplains’ 'Assn. Bishop’s House, , . I Ponsonby, Auckland, May 23, 1914. The Rev. Secretary, Auckland Chaplains’ Association. . ; - Dear Rev. Sir, —Your letter raises three points : V jv ‘ 1. The arrangements made by your Association in regard to Mass at the Hautapu camp p. 2. The circumstances which made it impossible for ' Dean Darby to celebrate Mass there on a certain Sunday ; . ... VrV 3. The matter of your Association’s published •. condemnation of Dean Darby, a priest and official of V my diocese. 1. I learn from your letter that your Association appointed a Catholic chaplain from Auckland to attend the camp, and that, furthermore, you decided the particular place (the C.Y.M.S. marquee) at which he should celebrate. ■ Neither of these arrangements had ■ the sanction or approval of the Catholic ecclesiastical authorities. On the contrary, the priest appointed to* the camp by your Association had his work fixed ’■•'in Auckland city for the whole period of the I camp, ' . and Dean Darby (Hamilton) was deputed by me- for V; the Sunday work at the camp; long before your Association took this matter out of my; hands. , Moreover, it V; is new ■; within the knowledge of your Association ; that,

in. accordance with an - arrangement made by me, a very : large marquee was in the camp, and ready for erection, for the use of the Catholic soldiers on the Sunday and- during the remainder of the camp period. I am unable to depute to your Association authority to move any priest of this diocese from his appointed Sunday and week-day duty without my knowledge and sanction : and, as a matter of principle, any such arrangements made by any outside authority are sure to be cancelled by me. ’2. Your Association passed, and published, two judgmentsone upon a matter of fact, the other upon a matter of opinion, reflecting unfavorably upon a fellow-chaplain. Dean Darby. You. passed judgment as to the reasons why the large body of Catholics in the Hautapu camp were left without religious worship on the Sunday. Moreover you passed and published that judgment without properly investigating the facts. Had you made due inquiries, you . could easily havediscovered the following matters, of which you took no account: (a) The large Catholic,Federation marquee was lying in the camp for five days ; (b) it was- noterected ; (c) no official explanation has yet been given as to the. causes of its non-erection ; (d) 1 ? the duly accredited Catholic Federation official who accompanied the marquee reported to his executive that, despite repeated efforts and promises, he was unable to secure its erection at any time; (e) a number of Catholic soldiers have declared that they received no intimation regarding the arrangements for Mass in the camp. ’ I express no opinion regarding statements (d) and (e), beyond the fact that these statements have been made. I am merely pointing out that here are five capital facts which your Association failed to consider when it passed its hasty judgment on the .question of fact, and published it through the press. ' Your Association accompanied this ex-parte judgment with a most unfortunately worded reference, which many of my priests , and people have taken as (in its context) a slur cast .upon the most sacred act of Catholic worship. Is your Association’s silence on. this matter to be interpreted as consent 3. No exception whatever could be taken to your Association expressing its appreciation of the courtesyextended to its members at the various military camps. Unfortunately, your Association went out of its way to pass, and publish, an adverse judgment, in form, upon a matter of opinion—namely, the propriety or otherwise of the action of )Jean Darby in regard to the causes which prevented him ministering to the spiritual needs of Catholics in the Hautapu camp. It now appears, from your letter, that this action of your Association was not authorised by any military order or regulation. It was,- therefore, purely officious. It was aggravated by the following circumstances: (a) Dean Darby received no notice of your Association’s intention to try him; (b) he got no opportunity to call or tender evidence on his own behalf, or to examine or cross-examine witnesses; (c) he was condemned in his absence, on ex-parte evidence (as shown * above), and publicly pilloried in the press, contrary to the fundamental principle of justice which requires a fair hearing of the other side. Moreover (d) : your Association thus judged and pilloried him in connection with a matter of spiritual ministration. Yet, in such, matters. Dean Darby is under my jurisdiction, and not under that of your Association in any matter whatsoever, civil, military, or religious. The- whole tenor of your Association’s letter is an implied claim thus to pass and publish judgment upon military chaplains of various faiths—absent and- unheardwhether members or non-members of- your Association. I greatly regret this attitude: in view of the great utility of such an Association when working along, legitimate lines. In the circumstances, I have; with much regret,, to notify Catholic chaplains under my jurisdiction that they cannot remain members of y your Association until its attitude on the’‘.matters: complained of in this paragraph- is; substantially ' altered. —I remain; dear Rev. Sir, very faithfully yours, 'V ! © HENRY W. CLEARY, -V, ; •' •A./ ; f£ : . Bishop of Auckland. ' ....