Bishop Liston On Soviet Persecution

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7197, 21 April 1930, Page 2

Bishop Liston On Soviet Persecution

ANTI-GOD CRUSADE “NO ONE CAN REMAIN INDIFFERENT” “No one can remain indifferent to this menace,” said Bishop Liston in the course of a circular road on Sunday in all the Roman Catholic churches in the Auckland diocese, on the subject of the anti-roligious campaign in Russia. “Men can see,” ho said, “that the Soviet Government hopes to do away with the child and the family, with education, moral and religious traditions and, consequently, with the mighty edifice of Christendom which has been a-building during 20 centuries, and under the shelter of which we are living. “Our Holy Father, Pope Pius XI, speaking, wo may be sure, with the fullest information, has recently raised his voice against the ‘horrible and sacriligious outrages perpetrated daily against God and against tho souls of innumerable people in Russia who are dear to our hearts',” his lordship said. “Blasphemous ‘anti-God' campaigns regularly recur at Christmas and Easter. These outrages, coupled with the official proscription of tho practice of religion in a whole series of Soviet decrees and a campaign of infidel, propaganda, are all part of a deliberate antiGod crusade, which is directed against all Christians and Jews, and aims at tearing out from the hearts of tho people all belief in God; they are to livo and die without Christ, without God. It is beyond doubt that many of our fcllow-Catholics have suffered imprisonment or death and tha* many bishops, thousands of priests, manks and nuns, and large numbers' of the members of the Orthodox Church have been done to death for their faith. “Small wonder that the Pope has uttered more than one lofty protest during tho past eight years, and now calls upon the Catholic world to prayer for tho victims of this detestable persecution. Small wonder that tho Christian conscience throughout the world is disturbed, and that leaders of religious bodies have joined in statesmanlike denunciation of those iniquities. Men have hitherto looked on at the Russian scene as upon some drama unfolded on tho moving film, carrying away with

them some general impression. Now its meaning is becoming plain. All that Christians and believers in God value and love is to bo swept aside. What can follow but tho ruin of tho greatest institutions of tho civilised world, the family, private property, justice, charity, morality and religion? No one can remain indifferent to this menace. “Let us all listen to the appeal of our Holy Father and turn to God in prayer, reparation and intercession; prayer both for tho rulers of Russia that they may bo turned from their evil ways, and for the tormented and tortured sufferers that they may stand fast in tho day of trial. I ask the priests, religious children and people of this diocese to give special heed to this appeal during Holy Week. Tho Pope's prayer is: ‘SaviouFof the world, save Russia”; let us make it our own. Ho has seen persecution cease in Mexico and some measure of religious freedom restored; now may the world soon witness peace in Russia.” During Holy week, especially on Good Friday, prayers will be offered in tho Roman Catholic churches for the cessation of persecution in Russia. •