THE SPANISH QUESTION

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22196, 13 September 1937, Page 6

THE SPANISH QUESTION

TO CHS EDITOB 0» THE Sir—My answer to “Interested” is that I have sent a registered letter to Father Juan Garcia Morales, Madrid. together with cutting from “Tho Press.” The letter was registered on Saturday, March 20. last, at the Rangiora Pest Office, where any of your readers are free to verify my statement. 1 So far I have received no answer and I am not going to manufacture ono to please anyone. However. I wish to enlighten your correspondent on certain points which are known to me, not by reading or by hearsay, but by personal experience. First, there is not one single priest in the Continent that is not suffering under the calumny of immorality, as exemplified of late in Germany, but as long as these priests do not come into political conflict cither with the officials of the Church, or with any political satrap of the locality, they are safe from victimisation. However, if these priests become a force not approved by the high hierarchy, then a campaign pf scahdalmongcring is unleashed against them to destroy their worjt. Every priest in Italy who fought Fascism was destroyed by calumny, if not by a dagger or open persecution. I translated Father Garcia's broadcast to the Pope because everything in it was true, and this applied not only to the official Church in Spain, but also in Italy. Why did not my opponent try to disprove the assertions of Father Morales instead of maligning his character. Let me assure “interested” that if the Vatican had not supported Mus- 1 solini in Italy, thus leaving the Italian I Catholics at the mercy of pirates and i gangsters, and also supported Franco's revolt in Spain, the world would not he to-dav in such a peril of war. and the Catholic Church would not be ( going through such trials, the result , of which no one can foretell. These are facts which are of greater interest to the readers of “The Press” * than it Father Morales is guilty of cer- ' tain charges. Even if he were guilty ' let me remind all his detractors of : that famous dictum of the Master: “Let '■ him who is without sin throw the first 1 stone.”—Yours, etc, 1 UMBERTO COLONNA. t September 12. 1937. 1 ( TO THE EDITOH Or THE TRKSH. Sir, —I quite agree with your cor- ; ’ respondent. “Interested,” when he says it is time for Mr Colonnn to give ! your readers .some “definite informa- i tion” that would vindicate the charac- ! ] Icr of his- hero—tho unfrocked priest, t Garcia Morales. I am afraid your j readers will have to wait a very long - time. Disreputable characters like Garcia t Morales are heroes in tho eyes of those - who hate tho Catholic Church, be they i Anglican clergymen, college dons, ( journalists, or newspaper correspond- i onts, who are led, not by a love of \ truth, but by political expediency. The r capitalist press presents a distorted ] picture of the Spanish struggle, fnv- t curing the cause espoused by the Communists, and discrediting, wherccver possible, Franco and his forces. Why? Because English politicians are afraid for England's prestige and commercial advantages in the Mediterranean. That seems to them a more proximate danger than Communism. And the capitalist press obediently r builds up support in world opinion 1 for what seems the present political i advantage. It is for this reason that : the capitalistic press so often misre- ii

presents issues on Catholicism. It will misrepresent almost anything should the expediency of the moment require it. And so will any newspapers published by any parties or systems in which the "prudence of this world" only is accepted as a standard. , The materialistic outlook, whether of " capitalism or Communism, has little in common with any idea of moral obli- " gation.—Yours, etc., 5 (REV.) P. J. COONEY. • Lyttelton, September 11, 1937.