Church Adviser Resigns

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32068, 16 August 1969, Page 1

Church Adviser Resigns

(New Zealand Press Association} AUCKLAND, August 15. One of three advisers to Archbishop J. M. Liston on the setting up of a Roman Catholic diocesan commission of the laity in Auckland, Mr M. E. Casey, has resigned, for personal reasons.

Mr Casey who, with his-: wife, has been active in the! 1 Roman Catholic lay life of jAuckland for may years, declined tonight to elaborate oni the reasons for his resignation. I. Mr Casey took part in a; demonstration outside the! bishop's residence at Pon-! sonby on Sunday, August 4,i' called to protest to Arch-; bishop Liston about the dis-> missal of the Rev. P. F. Mur-; ray as editor of the Roman I Catholic weekly, “Zealandia." . Speaking during the demonstration, Mr Casey appealed * for a “channel of communica-1 tion” between the hierarchy! and the laity in Auckland. On appropriate occasions, he said, it was the right and duty of the laity to tell their bishop their views on matters in which they sincerely

and honestly felt they could offer him advice. Telephoned in Rotorua tonight, he said he had sent his letter of resignation to Archbishop Liston several days before the demonstration. The Archbishop accepted the resignation in a letter received by Mr Casey on Thursday. Mr Casey, an Auckland lawyer, said the three advisers— Mr P. Tenn, Mr P. Sheahan and himself—were to advise Archbishop Liston on the best methods of establishing a commission of the laity in Auckland. He had served in I this capacity for about a year.