The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1913. THE NEED OF THE HOUR

New Zealand Tablet, 5 June 1913, Page 33

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1913. THE NEED OF THE HOUR

S'* In the sermon which appears on page 15 of this issue the Very Rev. Dean Regnault sets forth, in admirably concise and pithy form, a series of facts which are particularly timely and apropos to present con'M<CA fa ditions in New Zealand. He passes in swift review the recent history and present * position of Catholic activity— inactivity —in England, Europe, and America; and his wide reading and gift of plain and simple exposition enable him to present the facts in the most direct and telling fashion. The facts themselves are sufficiently striking and their significance is so obvious that they practically point their own moral. That moral is the urgent necessity resting upon Catholics to take a firm stand when their interests are threatened, and when the persecutor and the oppressor are abroad in the land. As Dean Regnault’s narrative shows, the peace-at-any-. price party never have achieved peace, but have only brought upon themselves further persecution and enslavement. The converse, happily, is also true. God helps those who help themselves. As Bishop Cleary aptly remarked on a recent occasion; Those who are willing to be door mats will find plenty of people ready to wipe their feet on them, and those, who are willing to be sheep will find plenty of people ready to fleece them.' On the other hand, as history everywhere shows, where Catholics firmly claim and boldly stand up for their full rights as citizens and taxpayers they secure a far greater measure of justice and liberty, and both they and their Church are respected. * The need of the hour, then, in this country—in the face of the present attack on the consciences and on the pockets of Catholic taxpayers prompt and

energetic activity in the matter of Catholic organisation. On the Bible-in-schools side an official is paid nominally, at least—a high salary for the express work of organising their forces with a view to political action; and, as will be seen from the quotations which Ave make elsewhere from a Marlborough paper, the methods by which this political action is being engineered are, in some instances at least, by no means honorable and above board. This organisation and action must be met by counter-organisation and counter-action and in the very near future it will be necessary for the Catholic body to make its position clear, and to speak in the most forceful, effective, and representative manner that shall be possible. To this end it is desirable that the work of completing the organisation of the Catholic : Federation should be carried out with the least possible delay. Already in the north organisation is well advanced; and in the Archdiocese and Dioceses of Auckland and Christchurch not only have parish committees been generally established but diocesan councils have also been duly constituted. In Otago, however, there are still one or two parishes where committees have not been appointed, and in other cases the existing committees have not yet elected representatives to the diocesan council. We can only hope that this gentle reminder will help those concerned to realise the desirableness of expediting matters, so that the Federation, may be placed on a fixed and definite footing, and a representative, regularly elected Dominion Executive may be established at the earliest possible. When the machinery is ready, and in working order, it will be found that there is ample and urgent work waiting to be done.