PRIEST APOLOGISES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 118, 14 November 1929, Page 9

PRIEST APOLOGISES

SPEECH AT THE CONGRESS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 20th September. The proceedings of the Catholic Congrem were marred by an utterance by Father Owen Dudley. Speaking at a meeting of the Catholic Council for International Relations ho said that until there was a corporate reunion among Protestants themselves, there was little hope of winning them over as a whole to the Eoman Catholic faith, but there was liopo of gaining individual converts. "We are at the present moment receiving ' converts from almost all denominations and sects," he added. "As people realise that Protestantism is dying they must instinctively turn to ' the ever-growing Catholic Church. The •Church of England, the National ' Church, is fast becoming a farce. Numerically we have just as much right to be the national Church. The Church of England will soon change to a sect, and even possibly to an insect." Father Dudley described Dean Inge and Bishop Barnes as "very ignorant men." '' They are ignorant of the first things they, as professing Christians, should know. They are ignorant of theology and the Christian religion," he said. . These men are modernists, and modernism is one of Catholicism's greatest enemies. They are blinding multitudes to the revelation of Christ, blinding them with their modernism." After almost a week this strange outburst had a remarkable sequel. .So far as it is possible to learn, no public protest was made, but yesterday it was announced by tho Eoman Catholic . Archbishop of Liverpool that the chairman of tho Executive Coniinitteo of the Council for International Eelations ' had received the following letter from Father Dudley:— "I notice that I am reported rs having referred to Dean Inge and Bishop Barnes as 'ignorant men' in my address at the sectional meeting- yesterday (Saturday) of the Catholic Council for' International Eelations. "I was speaking of all the modernist leaders, and instanced three by name amongst them. I referred generally to the ignorance of the modernist leaders of the theology which, in the Catholic Church, we hold to be the science of the revealed truths of God. "If, by using the expression 'ignorant men' I may, by any chance, have given offence to members of the Church of England, then I regret having done so, and must humbly . withdraw it, wishing at the same time it to beclearly understood that I was not referring to lack of scholarship on the part of those named. t /'I also regret, the use of tho word insect' and of any expression which may have unwittingly wounded the feelings of non-Catholics. "As you know, my speech was delivered in compliance with a request received by me at a lato hour that I would take the place of another speaker who was unable to be present." The Archbishop states that "the remarks of the Eev. Owen Dudley were not endorsed or approved of either by the Catholic Council for International Relations or by the Congress Committee."