CATHOLIC FAITH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21967, 26 November 1934, Page 12

CATHOLIC FAITH

DEFENCE OF LIFE CHALLENGE OF "RUSSIANISM" JESUIT PREACHER'S VIEWS St. Patrick's Cathedral was crowded both at the 11 o'clock Mass yesterday and at the evening devotions when addresses were delivered by Father C. C. Martindale, the distinguished Jesuit preacher. In the evening, many were unable to gain admission. Father Martindale's discourse in the evening was based on the words, "What think ye of Christ?" and he emphasised the uncompromising attitude of his Church against birth control, divorce, euthanasia and sterilisation. "There is only ono option before tho modern world," he said, "and that is the Catholic faith or Ilussianisin. By Russianism, J mean the mechanisation of man and the complete subordination of the individual to the State. In that theory tho individual and his lifo do not count at all. They must be not only subordinated, but they must bo suppressed in favour of tho State. No rival authority to the State is to bo tolerated. God is a rival authority, so is conscience, so is the home, and so, of course, is anything like an authoritative Church. Other Options Negligible "Tho other options which are being offered to mankind are negligible. They will not come off. Nothing will happen to them. They are intermediate smudges." Christianity without Catholicism was more and more being seen to bo im- • possible, Father Martindale said. Catholics were always to bo found on the side of life. It was they who had been against contraceptives, the three results of which were to fill the pockets of thoso who write about, them and manufacture them, a wholesale explanation given to the unmarried and tho emptying of whole countries, such as France. France was left in a panic lost it should bo invaded, for it had no men with which to resist invasion. Consequences Unknown Regarding the crime of abortion, tho law regarded the uuborn as a living person who had his rights, and it was safeguarded in many ways. A distinguished English doctor had told him ho had yet to find ono doctor who would profess to know what the sciem tifie consequences of sterilisation were. If they did profess to know, they were charlatans.

Another instance in which Catholics ivoro louiul on the side of life was their stand against the uso of euthanasia for infants which the State did not want, or for the aged and sick. They should observe that non-Catholics were on the side of killing. Catholics stood for the inviolability of marriage tics, and to thoin divorce had no meaning.

In closing, Father Martindale said that, while he regretted not having seen moro of tho mountains, lakes and streams of tho Dominions, his chief regret was that ho had not been able to see more of its people.

At the close of the devotions, Father Martindale met members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He will address members of the various branches of tho society this evening before he leaves by the Aorangi for Sjtlney.