Bishops criticised for silence

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32461, 23 November 1970, Page 14

Bishops criticised for silence

Criticism of Roman Catholic bishops in New Zealand for not speaking out against the imprisonment and torture of Christian youth leaders in Brazil was applauded at a protest meeting in Christchurch yesterday afternoon.

The speaker, Mr J. P. Kennedy, the editor of the Roman Catholic newspaper, “Tablet," said that in Brazil, the world’s biggest Roman Catholic country, young Christian workers were being tortured and imprisoned for opposition to a Government which kept the majority in grinding and desperate poverty.

Christian-leaders throughout the world were protesting at the brutality of the Brazilian Government, which was promoting a swing to communism. He deplored the failure of Roman Catholic Bishops in New Zealand to be more outspoken against the Brazillian establishment.

About 250 persons, including Roman Catholic nuns and members of the Progressive Youth Movement, took part in an orderly protest march to demonstrate support for Christian youth leaders recently arrested in Brazil.

After several peace songs at Latimer Square the marchers moved off along Worcester Street, Manchester Street and Armagh Street to Cranmer Square. The procession stretched almost a block.

At Cranmer Square the marchers were addressed by Father P. Crawford, the chaplain of the Roman Catholic Young Christian Worker movement, which organised the march, and Mr Kennedy/

Mr Kennedy said it was most important that people throughout the world raise their voices against what was being done to man in so many countries. In Brazil the only freedom many enjoyed was the freedom to starve.