CATHOLIC "INTOLERANCE.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18294, 11 July 1921, Page 8

CATHOLIC "INTOLERANCE.”

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—ln your issue of to-day Mr Wilkinson seems to doubt the voracity of my statement regarding the tolerance shown by the Catholics to the handful of Protestants in the south-western districts of Ireland. Mr John Knox was district inspector of the K.I.C. in Oughterard, Galway. The family consisted wholly of girls, the eldest on the verge of womanhood. Yet tho tolerant father, a devout Catholic, allowed his wife to teach the children the Protestant faith, and escorted her each Sunday to the door of tho Anglican Church, after which he resumed his journey to the Catholic Church. So much for Catholic intolerance. I well remember tho Anglican minister's glebe house catching fire. There wore no fire brigades in those days. Nearly all the male Catholic men, myself amongst them, ran fully two miles on foot to extinguish the fire. So much again foe Catholic intolerance. My most intimate companion was a chemist who did not forget to display his orange lily on tho 12th July. Still, that never impaired our friendship. The Wesleyan missionary invaded the Western districts, preaching in public places, and through paid canvassers throughout the country districts where the inhabitants were entirely Roman Catholic. Yet I never knew of an act of hostility shown them. Again, so much for Roman Catholic intolerance, as alleged. If I am nnablo to convince Mr F. Wilkinson I shall, if ho desires, subscribe to tho foregoing on oath, although a J.P., with the view of convincing the sceptical.—l am, etc., Michael Joyce. Hampden, July 9.