CATHOLIC ATTACK ON ROTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18200, 26 February 1929, Page 9

CATHOLIC ATTACK ON ROTARY.

A Lively Campaign. THE REASONS SPECIFIED. (UnitaJ Prey-a Association —By Elsowla T*l wan*i —Oonrriirbt.) (Received February 25. 5.5 p.m.) ROME, February 24. The Catholic attack on Rotary was officially sanctioned by the Vatican organ, “Osservatore Rama no” to-day, by the reprinting of “an article from the newspaper which is carrying out a lively campaign against Rotary. The reasons for the attack summarised are: (1) Rotary has Masonic origin ; (2) the close relations of Rotary to Freemasonry in many countries; (3) Rotary is openly antiCatholic in some countries; (4) Rotarian morals are merely a camoutlage for Masonic morals.

THE CABLED STATEMENT.

CAUSES SURPRISE IN WELLINGTON By Telegraph—Preaa Association. WELLINGTON, February 25. “We in Wellington are amazed. We find it difficult, to understand such a position,” said the president of the Wellington Rotary Club (Mr D. J. McGowan) to-day, in regard to the cabled announcement that the breach between tho Roman Catholic Church and the Rotary movement had widened to a chasm. “We have Roman Catholic members in cur club here, the same as have other Rotary Clubs in New Zealand.” Mr McGowan added: “In our movement here the sectarian question has never arisen, and not the slightest trouble has ever been experienced in that respect Neither religion nor politics is allowed to enter in Rotary. We have carefully avoided its admission in any shape or form, particularly in regard to the selection of subjects for our regular addresses. The cable message is the more inexplicible in view of its statement that the president of the international movement is a Roman Catholic.”