CARDINAL MERCIER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 64, 16 March 1915, Page 8

CARDINAL MERCIER.

TREATMENT BY THE GERMANS. HIS LIBERTY CURTAILED. (By Telegraph. —Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. Some weeks' ago __ a" _' London cable teessage stated that the German authorities denied that the Cardinal Bishop of Malines had been imprisoned by Germans, as asserted by the Belgian Government. A \Yelliiij_xon resident in direct communication with France fc-ts received a letter written by Cardinal Mercier whilst.in prison. It was written in Latin, and wa,s smuggled into Amsterdam, whence its deliverance to tbe addressee was made easy.

The letter, which is dated January 10. is addressed to the parishioners of tbe diocese of Malines, and it refutes, with no uncertainty, statements from Berlin and Brussels that tne writer did not have his liberty interfered with. Tbe following is a translation of the letter: I '"You are, no doubt, cognisant of tbe communication made by the German Government to the daily Press of Brussels, wherein it stated that the Cardinal Bishop of Malines has not been restricted in his liberty, or in exercise of his episcopal duties. This is far from the truth. On the evening of New Year's Day and on the following day German soldiers forcibly penetrated into the presbytery and seized my episcopal letter, upon -which, after perusal, they made a report to the authorities. They lave now prohibited the parish priests from reading it to their parishioners, threatening them in case of disobedience ■with penalties most severe on their parishes and on themselves. Three day 3 ago, at six o'clock in the morning, I •was ordered to appear in the forenoon before the German authorities in order to give an explanation concerning my pastoral letter to .priests and their pariShfflnera. On the following day I was forbidden to assist in the religious ceremonies in the cathedral of Auvers.. Moreover, authority was refused mc to i travel in order to visit the other bishops of Belgium. .ryour rights and mine have been violated. * As a Belgian citizen, as your pastor, and as a members of the Sacred 7 College of Cardinals I protest .most emphatically against the violation af those rights. Whatever interpretation others have put on my letter it is proved by experience that it has not caused "any semblance: of rebellion.. On the conffariZTit Sas help tSTcato" my people: -.BelgianSt" I coirgratulate yon pn doing your duty."