RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1931, Page 9

RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

ATTITUDE OF THE CATHOLICS SPONSOR OF BILL SURPRISED. STATEMENT BY BISHOP LISTON. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. H. Holland, M.P. (Christchurch North), who is in charge of the Bible in Schools Bill, eaid he was at a loss to understand a statement by Bishop Liston. The hoax -> of the Roman Catholic denomination, Archbishops Redwood and O’Shea, had stated only three weeks that the opposition of the Roman Catholic Church had been withdrawn in consequence of an amicable agreement which had been arrived at. Mr. Holland said he knew of no further development in the matter. Evidence had nrl been lacking, he added, that the Catholic community was strongly in favour of religious instruction in schools, and Bishop Cleary had stated over and over again that irrelimoue education was to be condemned. ° Similar evidence had been given before the select committee of the House by the late Father Gilbert, of St. Bede's. Mr. Holland pointed out that the promoters of tlip Bill were acting with the full acquiescence of Archbishops Redwood and O’Shea as heads of the Roman Catholic denomination, and their legal adviser was thoroughly satisfied about the matter. When Bishop Liston’s statement was referred to Archbishop O’Shea the Archbishop stated that he had no pomment to make, having made his statement on the subject a few days ago. .

Men to-day, Rifihop Liston said at Auckland, were being led in wrong directions by a group of pernicious theories which taught that the State was supreme in spiritual as well as temporal matters. It was, said that men must determine the things of the State by thei/ own inferior light, without from above. It w&s- also 6aid%hn.t the State was come thing apart from the spiritual world; that it could not recognise eternal values; that it could not admit religion to the schools because it wuld cause trouble and the State was not concerned with the religious life—if apy—of thq children. The Church might be useful, but it must always be subordinate to the needs of the people as dictated by the State. These errors, said the bishop, were accepted in various European countries, and partly in New Zealand. The State was free and untrammelled in dealing with all the temporal affairs pf man as, for example, with the legal relations between men, with taxation and' defence. The Church had much to say to kings, to armies, and to those in schools because it would cause trouble teaching of Christ to impart and the laws of° Christ to proclaim. It was no matter for surprise, but rather to be expected, that there should be conflict between the principles of the Church and those of a pagan State. Such a conflict had been in progress for many years in France, more lately in Russia, and now it was to be found in Italy. “We in New Zealand,” remarked Bishop Liston, “are living in a fool’s paradise if we do not recognise the changes that are taking place in the world of thought, bringing with them new customs, traditions and beliefs.”