CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT REUNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2151, 16 May 1895, Page 11

CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT REUNION.

CARDINAL MORAN INTERVIEWED. Cardinal Bloran, when interviewed in Sydney regarding the proposals in England for the reunion of the English and Roman Citholic Churches, said :— " Some time ago I read a statement by same leading Proteitant dissenter in England who, in discussing the question of reunion, said he could only imagine it ' as the union of a boa constrictor and the rabbit that be was about to swallow.' Such is not tbe union that Catholics would wibh to invite their Protestant fritnda to. We invite them to come to their Father's house, and to be the most honoured and the most jirivilfged among the children of their Father. The Catholic Church showed this true spirit of reunion when it confeired its highest honours on such men as Newman and Manning. I think that there is a slroDg probability of many High Churchmen of England reuniting in this way. The two points on which they generally consider the church has fallen away fioni Ub primitive tenets are the infallibility of the Pontiff and the honour paid to the Blessed Virgin. As a matter of fact, these tenets are rejected only on Recount of misrepresentation of tfce teaching of the Catholic Church in their regard. The church d- es not hold the Pope exempt either from moral or doctriual errois ; but th^t, as head of the church, he is directed by God, and cannot lead the faithful into doctrinal error. With regard to the Virgin, no Catholic 3 are so reprobate that they think of offering her divine honour, Rud we only regard her wibh special honour as the most privilged of creatures. Ihen of course the question arises as to whether the Pontiff could make concessiors to tfao?e who desire to be reunited to the fold. If there be a question of compromise in teaching of tbe divinfc faith,

tbe Catholic Church con never make any such compromise ; but in all disciplinary matters, and all things which ore of human origin, there is no church so free as the Catholic Church, and it depends on the wisdom of tte Sovereign Pontiff to make such arrangements cf discipline as are befaL suited for each race and country. When asked whether Buch a question as celibacy of the cl«rgy would not come within the category of arrangements of this kind, the Cardinal replied: "I am confident that no change would bo made iv tho discipline of the Wentem church in that regard. Of course the discipline in the Eastern church, in the Greek Church, 13 quite distinct, but whilat theie ia no possibility of the di-tcipline of the Western church being changed in regard to the celibacy of tbe clergy, special concessions might be made to enab'e those already married in the Angb'can Church to continue in tho sacred minibtry. Thifl has often been done in the Eastern church. If the Holy Father considered it prudent it is quite within Ws province to permit it again to the dignitaries or clergy of the l J rote3tant church. Finally, no change is probxble regarding the Latin liturgy, though a coccef sion ie possible in the reading of the Scriptural portion in English."