MALTESE CONTROVERSY

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1929, Page 11

MALTESE CONTROVERSY

ARCHBISHOP’S ALLEGATION ‘RELIGIOUS QUARREL REVIVED GREAT BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE ‘MINISTRY NOT SUPPORTED’ By Telegraph—Frew Assn.-Copyright. Malta, Dec, 17. The Archbishop of Malta, addressing parish- priests- and superiors in religious orders, revived the recent religious controversy. He declared that the Malta Government’s protest, aiming at a refutation of Cardinal Gasparri's- pronouncement, was based on secret documents' which were copied and given to the newspapers. Ths reply had not reached the Vatican because the British Government, judging it indecorous, had not thought it proper to transmit it to the Pope. Another* document presented to the British Cabinet - a few weeks ago had met with a similar fate, for the same reason. It was thus clear that the British Government did not. support the so-called defence of rhe Maltese Ministry. • “The Pope said that a certiin Cabinet Minister was not persona grata and refused to receive him, despite considerable pressure, and Ire will not. receive him unless he repents,’’ said tne archbishop. “Anyone regarding the Government as right in this issue is not a good Catholic and is subject to a canonical penalty.”

LORD STRICKLAND’S DENIAL NO INTERVIEW WITH POPE ASKED WRITING OF ARTISANS. BLAMED. Rec. 11.20 p.m. Malta, Dec. 181 Lord Strickland, replying to the Archbishop of Malta, denied that the British Government had refused to support the • Government’s' communications -to the Vatican because’ of alleged indecorousness. He had ;never sought an interview with the Pope although the Foreign Office hail urged him to do so. .The Ministers’ relations . with, the apostolic -delegate during .the latter’s visit to Malta were most cordial, Lord Strickland added. He was certain no condemnation had come from the. apostolic delegate. That which condemned the Government! was the work of artisans who carefully deceived the Vatican’s envoys. ... . . ;•

LORD STRICKLAND 'INTERFERI’S.” ORIGIN OF THE CONTROVERSY. There was a sensational sequel on February 28 to the alleged -interference of the' Prime Minister of Malta, Lord Strickland, in disciplinary matters at the Franciscan Monastery. Father Carta, Italian superior of the Franciscan:'; ordered Padre Micallef, one of Lord Strickland’s prominent partisans, to leave Malta. Thereupon the padre appealed to the Prime Minister, who countermanded the order on the grounds that ah Italian subject had no right to deport a British subject. When Father Carta reported the incident to the Vatican it ex-communi-cated Padre Micallef. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Malta also issued a pastoral stating that disobedience ..of the laws of the Church was punished under the sacred canons with ex-com-munication. This was regarded as an indirect reference to Lord Strickland and the Maltese Roman Catholics asked if he had automatically ex-commuui ; cated himself. The Italian newspapers violently attac Lord Strickland,- declaring that he was a Freema.-'*m- andwas persecuting the Italian Maltese. On July. 26, amid prolonged Ministerial cheering, a -ote of confidence in the Government in connection, with the dispute with the- Vatican, was carried by 17 votes to 12.

Lord Strickland - tabled . three, documents. The first was a memorandum by eye-witnesses submitted to the -Vatican, declaring that Malta was subjected to despotism, .and that Lord Strickland. disregarded Catholics’ rights; -.He claimed to represent British prestige, but. was really • damaging the ■ Empire’s interests,, arid had aroused serious. discontent. The second was Cardinal Gas-, parri’s letter , to the British Minister at the Vatican, saying that Lord Strickland was- not persona grata at the Vatican, as he portrayed himself to be. The Vatican entirely -supported the bishops of Malta-against Lord . Strickland, .and invited the Minister to inform the Bn'; ishr Government in . the~ hope that ■ the Government would disavcw Lori Strickland. The third document was Cardinal Gas.parri’s letter to Lord Strickland explaining that the Pope had not refused to grant bin; an audience in November, but considered the moment inopportune. f

Lord Strickland also alluded to .a letter which Cardinal Gasparri recently wrote to the bishops of Malta, urging them to continue to oppose Lord Strickland, who was behaving in a manner prejudicial to ' Malta’s Catholic traditions. Lord Strickland stated that the ministers would reply collectively. He added that he was a descendant of those who had cruelly suffered in England for their religion, but only by following their own judgment politically could Catholics , continue to be the King's Ministers.