CATHOLIC REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19238, 27 November 1930, Page 5

CATHOLIC REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS.

MR ALLSOP’S CRITICISM OF ISLAND MISSIONS. (Special to the “Star.”) AUCKLAND, November 20. “ I was amazed to read Mr G. W. Allsop’s scathing indictment of the missionaries in the Tongan Group,” says the Rev Father M’Grath, S.M., of the Marist Mission House, Mount Albert, in a letter received from him this morning. Father M’Grath says that he has forwarded Mr Allsop’s comments to the Right Rev Dr Blanc, S.M., Vicar Apostolic for the Marist Missions in Central Oceania. “ I may say that this is a mission particularly dear to every Catholic in so far as, while yet part of the vicariate which had our own Kororareka for its centre, it was sanctified by the martyrdom at Futuna of Blessed Peter Chanel, one of the original Marist Fathers,” states Father M’Grath. ~lt was founded in sacrifice by Bishop Pompallier, the first Bishop of Auckland. Dr Viard, the first Bishop of Wellington, was also one of the pioneers of this mission, and such was his zeal for the natives that he had to leave them by stealth to take over the see of Auckland during Dr Pompallier’s protracted visit to Europe in 1546. Mr Allsop would have us believe that names like Chevron, Chanel, Pompallier, Viard and Bataillon have becdme a . pale memory amongst their successors in central Oceania. “Miss D. E. Ferguson, in her reply to Mr Allsop, refers to the invasion of the other sects fifty years after the establishment of Methodism in Tonga. If by sects she means religious denominations it is necessary to correct this statement. Father Chevron arrived in Tonga from Kororareka in 1842. The Catholic missionaries who have come under Mr Allsop s lash consist of fourteen Marist fathers, six native priests and thirty-four sisters (Marist sisters and sisters of the Third Order Regular of Mary). The Third Order Sisters are the same who have won the wholehearted approval of the Dominion for their devoted work for the lepers of Makogai One of these sisters has left ‘ the lap of luxury,’ and is at present a patient in the Mater Hospital. Few will feel gratified that this victim of missionary zeal is at present our guest to receive first hand a New Zealander's view of her missionary order. “ Mr Allsop makes no qualification in his denunciation of the Tongan missionaries. With regard to stagnation and salaries let me say that there are 10.156 Catholics in the vicariate under Dr Blanc’s pastoral care. Last year on this mission twenty adults and 421 children were baptized, seventy-four marriages were solemnised, 320 candidates received- confirmation and over 200000 Holy Communions were administered. I challenge Mr Allsop to prove that any Marist missionary under Dr Blanc’s administration is in receipt of a salary in excess of £4O a year.”