TROUBLED EUROPE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 June 1939, Page 8

TROUBLED EUROPE

IMPRESSIONS OF ARCHBISHOP O’SHEA A NINE MONTHS’ TOUR POSITION OF CHURCH IN GERMANY iUni>«<l Frew Aasociattonl AUCKLAND. 9th June. Troubled Europe with ever present prospects of war breaking out. England in a state of tension. Germany with religious fredom becoming more and more restricted :.nd Italy anxious because of its tie-up with Germany, all these factors were presented before tha eyes of Archbishop O Shea. Metropolitan of New Zealand during a nine months’ tour from which he returned ;by the Monterey to-day. The Archbishop talked with the peoples of these countries and had interview's with the British Prime Minister.

Mr Chamberlain, Pope Pius XII. also the late Pope and Cardinal Faulhaber, Archbishop of Munich and leader of th* Catholic Church in Germany. Tho»* interviews have left an admiration for Lord Halilaxx and that admiration was shared by the Pope. The Archbishop paid a tribute to tha New Zealand High Commissioner, Mr iW. J. Jordan, who arranged the interview with Mr Chamberlain early this jvear. when he conveyed Mr Chamberlain's congratulations to the new Pope. ' Shortly after his coronation Pope Piu» XII referred in complimentary term* to Mr Chamberlain and inquired after 1 Lord Halifax, both of whom had had audiences with the Pope. "It is a good thing they arc the lead- ; ers of the British people in the present state of the world,” His Holiness said .to Archbishop O'Shea. “They are the ! forces for peace in the w'orld.’ The Pope added that another war would mean the destruction of civiliiaI tion. THE NEW POPE Archbishop O'Shea said that the new I Pope impressed not only by the force jof his intelligence, but also by the I charm of his manner He was a man of heart as well as of head. He was ' highly regarded by all who were privileged to meet him. He spoke about ten languages and his extensive know- | ledge of world affairs, gained by wide i travel, made him a most interesting j conversationalist. ! In Italy the position of the Church -wan better than before. There was no interference by the State The people !did not want war. Some anxiety ex- ! isted because of the political tic with j Germany j "In Germany the position ol the Church is not good.’ said Archbishop | O'Shea with a grave shake of his head, j “Cardinal Faulhaber is rather pessij mistic. He thinks things will gel steadily worse.’* The Archbishop said the Cardinal's 1 residence had been stoned because he i believed in being friendly to the Jewf and had defended them in persecution. He had met the Cardinal later in Rom* (and had heard further facts to support his pessimistic view. Things had been I getting steadily worse since the Austrian coup In Bavaria 4000 nuns had been turned out of schools and hotj pitals. Many Lutheran loaders had

also been brdly treated. Few people in Germany W'ould discuss the position because of fear