PRESENT-DAY DANGER

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1934, Page 2

PRESENT-DAY DANGER

FUTURE OF NEW ZEALAND.

WRONG DOCTRINES PREACHED. “If the Australians continue to have no children, there is no chance of Australia remaining non-Japanese, and if it does become Japanese or Malay or something else, so will you,” said Father C. C. Martindale, the eminent Jesuit preacher, in an address at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland, prior to sailing for Australia by the Aorangi. The address was arranged primarily for members of the Holy Name Society, but there was a large attendance, the cathedral being filled almost to capacity, says the Auckland Herald.

In denouncing contraception as the most selfish “racket” known, Father Martindale said that, if New Zealanders and Australians were going to kill themselves off, the outcome was clear on the surface. The sale of contraceptives was backed by men who cared nothing for the future, but were interested only in making money. In a young country like New Zealand, there should be no need to speak about such topics as the crime of abortion and the “racket” of sterilisation, but nevertheless there was the need. Men on board ship had nbt much good to say of the morality of the port of Auckland, and he urged all Catholics to act as apostles in a country where wrong doctrines were being preached even by university professors. Moreover, there was a Maori population of 60,000, and just in so far as false doctrines caused them to become repaganised, so was trouble being prepared for both whites and Maoris. Unless strong Christian doctrine was preached among the Maoris, much misery was being stored up for all. To illustrate three spheres of activity in which Catholics should endeavour always to be prominent, Father Martindale referred to the lives and work of three priests, all friends of his, whose deaths had occurred recently. One was Father Lester, founder of the Knights of the Blessed Sacrament, who, stood for the spiritual and supernatural aspects; the second was Father Pope, an enormously wealthy American, who abdicated fortune and devoted himself to study and teaching, and who represented thinking activity; and the third was Father Collingridge, who lived and died in Southern Rhodesia, and stood for missionary activity. Spiritual, intellectual and apostolic work were essential at present. It was not possible for everyone to be a deep reader, but it was the duty of a Catholic to have at least as good a knowledge of his religion as he had of his job. There were societies to encourage reading and study, and these should be places of formation to help mould men who would save the country from the evils by which it was threatened. “If you do not change this country, it is going down hill,” Father Martindale added. “I cannot honestly see anybody but you to save it”