ROTARY AND ROME

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6865, 21 March 1929, Page 7

ROTARY AND ROME

OPPOSITION NOT YET MODIFIED. ANNOYED BY PREMATUKE PUBLICITY. United Press Association —By Electrie Telegraph—Copyright. Received Wednesday, 10 p.m. NEW YORK, March 19 The New York Sun’s Rome correspondent says the Roman Catholic opposition to the Rotary movement has not been modified by Mr. Sutton’s visit to Rome. This correspondent was so informed to-day by Father Rosa, editor of ."Civilita Cattolica.” Father Rosa is especially annoyed by the articles which said that Mr. Sutton’s visit had averted the Vatican order for Roman Catholic laymen to withdraw from the Rotary movement as the clergy were previously advised against membership. Father Rosa, in an interview with the correspondent on February 15th Indicated, his willingness to publish rectifications of his charges if the investigations substantiated Mr. Sutton’s claim. Father Rosa made it clear to the correspondent to-day that the publication of tho retraction which Air. Sutton forecasted for Alarch 15th had not appeared and such publication may be a long timo coming. <f l am much annoyed,’* said Father Rosa, "by the excessive claims made in the press by Air. Sutton, who had agreed to say nothing publicly of the conversations ho had with me or with the cardinal or other Vatican personalities. Because of this behaviour of Mr. Sutton tho Civilita Cattolica deemed it wise to publish nothing for the present. This does not exclude our recognition of the good faith of Roman Catholics belonging to Rotary. If we publish Mr. Sutton’s statement of Rotary principles it will be at the moment we consider opportune and not when he announces it. Nothing is more absurd than the press allegation that Mr. Sutton avoided the order for the laity to leave Rotary. Had the Vatican thought such a step desirable it would have decreed it regardless of Mr. Sutton’s notion or counsels. 11 To sum up tho Roman Catholic /ositien towards Rotary is unchanged.”