ROMAN CATHOLIC EXCLUSIVENESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11580, 19 February 1901, Page 3

ROMAN CATHOLIC EXCLUSIVENESS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—"Justitia" kindly quotes a part of the Coronation Oath, presumably as justification for the exclusiveness of the Roman Catholic Church. The quotation given defines the position taken by Protestants on those theological questions which the Church of Rome will not permit to be questioned, and in the dark days of old world use the secular power to uproot heresy and heretics. In the same paper that "Justitia's" letter appeared, the report of an interview with Archbishop Carr was given. In that report it is stated that " the principle of private judgment is contrary to the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church." And thus is the fettering process continued and justified. Protestants have more just cause of complaint against the tendency of the Roman Catholic Church to a divided allegiance between the Pope and the reigning Sovereign of our Empire than that insinuated by " Justitia."

Take, for instance, this from the Bishop's oath of obedience: "I, A.8., elect of the Church of A, from henceforward will be faithful and obedient to St. Peter the Apostle and to the Holy Roman Church, and to our Lord, the Lord N., Pope N., etc., etc. I will help them to keep' and defend the Roman Papacy, and the regalities of St. Peter, saving my order against all men. Heretics, schismatics, and rebels to our said Lord, or His foresaid successors, I will, to my power, persecute and oppose." True subjects of the British Government have a saving clause in this addition to the oath: "I will observe the foregoing oath in proportion to my conviction that it eontains nothing adverse to my fidelity to the King of Great Britain and his successors." The elastic nature of the condition is noticeable.

While there are thousands of Englishspeaking Roman Catholics who own spiritual allegiance to that Church, and yet maintain their loyalty and devotion to the Empire as they give, and ever have given, abundant testimony, yet it is generally admitted that an Englishman does not make a good Catholic. To all intents and purposes the Church is foreign to British sympathies and instincts. . • „ Both in England and America there is a strong feeling finding expression amongsi, the Catholics of those countries against the foreign character of the government of the Church, and resentment that so many foreigners are amongst its clergy. In this respect they differ wholly from the Anglican, Presbyterian, or Methodist Churches. Recently, a correspondent pointed out the anomaly of the teaching of Roman

Catholic schools largely in the handi of foreigners. My contention is, that notwithstanding the different conceptions of religious truth, os citizens of an Empire that permits to the full religious tolerance, itself by the way a cause of offence, although enjoyed to the full, the representatives of the Roman Catholic Church in this colony should have united in the citizenship mourning celebrations of our late Queen, if they could not the religions. If they could not do so because of their religious convictions, it shows that in countries enjoying religious liberty they are like tho proverbial square peg in a round hole,—* 1 am, etc.. Englishman