ANGLO-CATHOLICISM

Southland Times, Issue 20011, 27 October 1926, Page 7

ANGLO-CATHOLICISM

WHERE DOES IT LEAD? ATTACK BY EX-PRIEST. Lecturing under the auspices of the Protestant Political Association, the Rev. John Enright (formerly Fr. Andrew of the Passionist Fathers, Adelaide) spoke on “Pages from My Life’s History” and "Where Does Anglo-Catholicism lead?” to a large audience in Victoria Hall last evening. Mr W. Agnew presided and in introducing the speaker stated that the large gathering demonstrated two facts—htat the association wab still alive in Invercargill and that the subject matter of the address was something which appealed to the Protestants of the town.

Mr. Enright first remarked that this was his second visit to Invercargill, the former occasion being about 22 years ago when he came as Father Andrew, C.P., on missionary work from his monastery in Adelaide. This time he came as the Rev. John Enright (his own family name), a Protestant minister seeking as far as in his power lay to extend the Kingdom of God. “I am not, however a sectarian,” said Mr Enright, “and I don’t countenance religious bitterness.”— (Applause). Proceeding he dealt at length with his decision, taken 19 years ago to secede from the Roman faith and his subsequent fight with the powers of the Church, maintaining that he had ever carried out the fight wtih honour, both he and his family e entually emerging not only victorious, but with clean hands, clean hearts and clean reputations.

Before d. aling with the second phase of his address, the subject of AngloCatholicism, Mr Enright stated that he was always glad to have not only Protestants at his meetings, but also Roman Catholics and Anglicans. The Romans he could teach, the Anglicans hp would warn and the Protestants he could urge to carry on in striving for the ideals of the association. It was true, he continued, that at the present moment the Anglican Church was headed along the road that led straight to Rome and Anglican prelates were heading themselves and their congregations for Roman supremacy. He explained that under various reformation enactments the Church of England banned completely Roman Catholic doctrines and practices in favour of a wholly •apostolic form of worship. Anglo-Catholic hierarchy to-day, however, tended in a contrariwise direction to those enactments and was leading towards disloyalty, insurrection, revolution and disruption. The speaker contended that °*ot-estant succession to the throne was endangered by this movement for, by going over to Rome, AngloCatholics were strengthening the chances of the restoration of the Roman Stuarts and the downfall of Protestant George V. Anglic ns, he urged, would therefore have to look closely to both spiritual and domestic affairs for some measures would have to be taken. He appealed to the manliness and honour of Anglo-Catholics and suggested that they do one of two things—either retract from the position to which they were moving or go over honourably and openly in the eyes of God and mdn to Rome. He could assure that the old Church of England of the Reformation would give them every satisfaction and indeed the future of the British Empire depended upon the Protestantism of its State Church.

Mr. A. Ashman, Taranaki organiser of the P.P.A., also spoke briefly urging enthusiastic support for the association and the meeting closed, as it opened, with the singing of the National Anthem.