ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14660, 8 May 1913, Page 7

ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD.

HIS RETURN FROM THE OLD WORLD.

IRELAND AND THE CHURCH IN FRANCE.

(SPECIAL TO "THE P11E8S.") v WELLINGTON, May 7. < After an absenco of seven mouths, ' spent chiefly in America, Europe, and i the United Kingdom, Archbishop Red- i wood returned to New Zealand by tlio i Ulimaroa to-day. His Grace is in ex- ( cellent health, and told a "Post" ro- i preventative that with tho exception of a brief illness in Rome, ho had had a very enjoyable trip. Detailing some of his observations, his Grace expressed great pleasure at the conditions he found existing; in Ireland. Under the new land laws, the tenants, who are purchasing their holdings, are effecting improvements to a very considerable extent, and are to all intents and purposes, freeholders, swing that the interest they pay is much less than the rent they pafd formerly, and that in about thirty vcars they will hold tho foe simple of* the land. There is apI parent a hopefulness which lias not been observable for very many years. Regret is still expressed at the num!ber of people, particularly young people, who are leaving the country every year, chiefly for America, lhe i tide* of emigration has fallen soinc;what. though it is still Very high, but ' it. is anticinatod that when Home Rule becomes an established fact, as there is every reason to expect, it will be very shortly. Irishmen will stay in Ireland and assist in the development of their I own country. I As to Home Rule, his Grace rei marked that what was being said about the attitude of Ulster was a,< pack of nonsense. Half the population of Ulster was composed of Catholics and Homo Rulers, and at Home people laughed at the kind of stuff that was cabled out to New Zealand on the subject. His Grace was in the House of Commons, sitting alongside Sir Joseph "Ward, when the Home Rule Bill was carried, and tho next morning ho was entertained at breakfast by the leaders of tho Irish Party at "Bellamy's." They were, he said, loud in their praises of New Zealand, which, in proportion to its population, had contnbutod moro than any country to the Home Rule funds. Speaking of the Church in France, his Grace said that the practice of religion had reached a higher stage in Franco than at any time during tho last half century, perhaps during tho last century. Since tho Church had become free and unhampered by the Concordat, it was enabled to have Bishops properly chosen by tho Holy See, independent of tho Government. Its clergy were independent of the Government, and the Church was self-£,upporting as in New Zealand. It also established its own seminaries, and in some parts tho change effected was simply marvellous. In Paris and tho suburbs, under tho Concordat, there were not enough clergy, and the people wore becoming almost pagans, and tho State refused to establish new parishes. Since tho Church had been free, the authorities bad established seventeen or eighteen new parishes, besides a largo number of sub-parishes, and a wonderful revival of religious fervour had taken place. In ono place tho Priest found only a shed. in which to celebrato Mass. Before long he built a fine church, and had a congregation of thousands. Generally the • Church was bringing back tho working classes of the cities, but in tho country districts, where the people are moro ignorant, progress is slower. As to the ' religious orders who wero expelled from France, they are practically doing the same work as before, though their existence is not officially recognised. In Brittany, his Grace went, on to - say, the Catholics havo built their own schools, and are emptying the Government schools. The Government has provided a number of books for the 1 use of the children, which practically teach atheism. These havo been con- ' doned by the Bishops, and now the Go--1 vernmpnt cays that the schools are to i be closed if these books aro not read. To that end, it is proposed to pass a Bill making it an offence to resist the odict of the Government in this respect; but the Government has been plainly told that if such a measure passes, it will not be obeyed. Every ' Catholic will refuse to observe it, and ' It will bo inoperative. 1 Tho Church m tho United States, his 1 Grace went on to say, was in a very ■ flourishing condition. In fact, it was the only religion that had any great > influence. "That shows," he ro- • marked, "that the Church flourishes . whero she is free."