CATHOLIC BISHOPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 53, 30 August 1940, Page 9

CATHOLIC BISHOPS

GERMAN REPORT

DR. LISTON'S COMMENT

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The cablegram from London stating that the Berlin news agency alleged that, the German Roman Catholic Bishops on August 24 decided that special ceremonies of gratitude to the German troops and of loyalty to Hitler will be arranged after the final German victory was referred to Bishop Liston, Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland.

"Such an utterance would be quite out of line with anything that the German Bishops are known to have said since the outbreak of war," he remarked. "They have been exhorting their people to trust in God and to bear their hardships patiently, but the note of exultation over military successes, or the justice of Hitler's cause has been wholly absent. This is markedly different from their attitude in the last war.

"Another thing that makes one doubt the truthfulness of the report is that the bishops would be most unlikely to talk about victory at this stage; they would have too much sense," Bishop Liston added. "They ara endeavouring to hold their people together, no doubt, in the hope that when the war is,over the Church may be a stabilising influence and may be able to help in bringing about a better order of things. "It is worth noting that for some time past the Nazi Government has forbidden the publication of Papal encyclicals or even bishops' pastoral letters and their circulation in printed form, although they may be read to congregations in-church. This throws still further doubt on the matter."