"WAR UPON RELIGION."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19625, 2 May 1927, Page 6

"WAR UPON RELIGION."

THE POSITION IN MEXICO. GOVERNMENT DENOUNCED. PERSECUTION OF CHURCHES. STATEMENT BY BISHOP LISTON. The pretence that Mexico's rulers are enlightened and progressive statesmen, waging a holy war against superstition and priestly arrogance, deceives only those who wish to be deceived," said Dr. Listen, Co-adjutor Roman Catholic Bifhop of Auckland, at "11 o'clock Mass at St. Benedict s yesterday, when dealing with the present situation in Mexico. "The cable messages which have been received from that country are wholly unreliable," the bishop declared. "They are sent out by a Government that has exiled or imprisoned nearly all th« bishops, put to death many priests, men and women, confiscated all Church propeity, closed all Catholic churches, hospitals, orphanages and schools, and, in the Bolshevist manner, is making war upon religion." It was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for e cablegram unfavourable to the Mexicar Government to leave that country, th< bishop, said The statement that the vie tims of the recent train outrage were, re turning from Holy Week ceremonies ii Mexico City discredited the whole story Since last August there had been n< public services in any Catholic churches ii Mexico, and since January the priest: had been forbidden by law to say Mass even in the privacy of their own homes Again, if the Government had incontest able proof that the bishops were respons ible for the murder of 100 people, whi be content with exiling them ? Why no court-martial and shoot them T Government by "Avowed Atheists.' 5 In Mexico, Dr. Liston continued, thi Catholic faith, brought there by thi Spanish missionaries three centuries ago lived to-day in the hearts of 98 per cent of the people. But political power wai in the hands of avowed atheists, who wer< enforcing the Constitution of 1917, whicl the London Times had described as "re fleeting the views of a very small minority of the people." Neither at the time of it: framing, when 30,000 out of 15,000,00 C voted, iior since, had any Mexican Gov. ernment dared to submit this Constitu tion fto the judgment of the people. B* virtue of this document, now rigidly ap plied and supplemented by convenient laws, there were no churches in Mexico These laws did not afiect the Roman Catholic Church only; they were directec against every form of religious worshij without discrimination. A religious body could not acquire oi hold any real property, church buildings schools, hospitals, orphanages, or residences for its ministers, the preacher said. It had no legal status in the Courts, The Government assumed the dominion and administration exclusively of all pro- * perty hitherto held by religious bodies. If a religious body of any kind merelj used a building, it was assumed that it claimed ownership, and the Govern' ment could confiscate the property. If a minister of religion rented a homo foi himself, ii might be seized and confiscated, and property belonging to the relatives of a minister might also be confiscated. "In a word." said Dr. Liston, "all religious property belongs to the nation and it is used for whatever purpose the Government decides." Restrictions Upon Clergymen. Further, tko law provided that nc clergyman but a native-born Mexican might officiate in any act of worship, "H we had a law like that in New Zealand, ine Bishop of London could not have preached here recently, nor Gipsy Smith," said the speaker, who added, "hundreds of, non-Catholic ministers now working in the Dominion would have to retire. On the other hand, the Mexican Government will not allow college for the training for the ministry of nat've-fcorn Mexicans.' So that no life should be left in the unhappy Mexican churches, article 13C of the Constitution allowed each State to determine how many ministers of religion should be tolerated within its borders. Bishop Liston continued. In the State of Yucatan, six priests were considered sufficient to minister to 300,000 Catholics, and the State of Tobasco had limited the number to zero. The preacher asked what would the 330,000 Presbyterians of New Zealand do if the Government allowec them six ministers and exiled, imprisoned and defrocked tho rest? Articles 10 and 13 of the Constitntion al.'io forbade, under severe penalties, al] criticism by ministers, in public or private, and by religious and secular papers showing a religious bias, of the Government and even of the privato acts of public officials. Tho Universal, the greatest daily newspaper of Mexico, was drivea recently to publish, for the satisfaction of its readers, the explanation that it could no longer print news or comments on tho religious question, an if it did so it would be suspended under the new decree. A Bolishevik Cabinet. Dr. Liston added that one incident proved bis point that the Calles Government of Mexico was Bolshevik. Last August, ho said. President Calles received a telegram of congratulation from Charles E. Buthenberg. known as "the masterBolshevist in America," pledging the support of himself and fellow Communists in the United States aeainst the Catholic Church in Mexico, This was the same Ruthenberg who died two months ago in the United States, and whose ashes were transported overseas, at the request r>f the Soviet. Government of Russia, to he placed in the Kremlin at Mos»">w, along with tlio ashes of the great leaders of Bolshevism.