MALTESE RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 73, 19 December 1929, Page 11

MALTESE RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY

REVIVED BY ARCHBISHOP

ATTITUDE OF BRITISH MINISTRY

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

Malta, December 17,

The Archbishop of Malta, addressing parish priests and superiors in the religious orders, revived the recent religious controversy. He declared that the Malta Government’s protest aiming at the refutation of Cardinal Gasparri’s pronouncement was based on secret documents which were copied and given ■to the newspapers. The reply had not reached the Vatican, because the British Government, judging it indecorous, had not thought it proper to transmit it to the Pope. Another document presented to the British Cabinet a few weeks ago met a similar fate for the same reason. It was thus clear that the British Government did not support the so-called defence of the Maltese Ministry. He added that the Pope said that a certain Cabinet Minister was not persona grata and had refused to receive him, despite considerable pressure, and “he will not receive him, unless he repents. Anyone regarding the Government as right in this issue is not a good Catholic, and is subject to canonical penalties.” PREMIER’S REPLY (Rec. December 18, 11.20 p.m.) Malta, December 18. The Premier of Malta, Lord Strickland, replying to the Archbishop of Malta, denied that the British Government had refused to support the Government’s communications to the Vatican because of alleged indecorousness. He had never sought an interview with the Pope, although the Foreign Office urged him to do so. He -added that Ministers’ relations with the Apostolic delegate during the latter’s visit to Malta were most cordial. He was certain no condemnation had come from the Apostolic delegate. The aidememoire which condemned the Government was the work of partisans, who carefully cultivated and deceived the Vatican’s envoys.