CHRISTCHURCH CATHOLIC CONGRESS

New Zealand Tablet, 16 November 1916, Page 17

CHRISTCHURCH CATHOLIC CONGRESS

MR. D. L. POPPELWELL'S ADDRESS. The addresses which you have already heard this evening have placed before you the Catholic position and given an outline of Catholic disabilities. To me has been allotted the duty of pointing out the remedy for our grievances. The first step that I recommend to you is ' join the Federation.' In the first place, a few words concerning the aims of the Federation may not be out of place. The present age is essentially one of organisation, and every group of persons having ideas in common make a point of banding themselves together with a view to furthering their common interests. This is a state of affairs peculiarly characteristic of to-day. We have trade unions, labor unions, employers' federations, sports' protection leagues, anti-gambling leagues, prohibition leagues, moderate leagues, and Bible-in-schools leagues, not to speak of anti-conscription leagues, and a thousand and one similar organisations. Many of these are banded together for mere aggressive purposes, namely*, to wrest from the community in which they live some right which they conceive themselves to be entitled to, while many, on the other hand, are merely defensive institutions intending to preserve the rights which the group has already acquired or which some other body is endeavoring to wrest from them. Many parties are, I fear, even striving to obtain that to which they are not justly entitled, merely relying on their strength in numbers and upon their organisation for success. In order to meet unity with unity and protect ourselves against aggression by majority, the Catholics, a few years ago, determined to establish a Catholic Federation. In doing so we are not seeking any advantage over our neighbors, but are simply defending ourselves from a tyrannous majority and striving to bring about those reforms which are for the good of the whole community. We seek no rights, we ask no privileges that we are not prepared to concede to all other classes of the community. The ideal which the Federation aims at is an organisation in which the whole of the Catholic body, both priests and people, can be joined together in order to express with united voice our opinions upon the various topics of interest to us as a class. The idea of such a union is not new. Long before steps were taken in New Zealand, Catholic Federations were brought into existence in England, America, Germany, in Australia, practically in every country in which Catholics were in a minority. It is of course only in case's'in which we are in a minority that any great necessity arises for united action. In every place where Catholic Federations were started they were a great success. Not only does such a body enable us to better voice our opinion, but it ajso enables an interchange of ideas between different parts of the Dominion, and above all it awakes in the minds of our people a consciousness of their power when united. It produces a strong class consciousness which is a powerful deterrent to any attack by those opposed to us. With the constitution of the Federation you .are already acquainted. The main object of those who framed it was to form a governing body thoroughly representative of every part of Catholic life in the Dominion, and at the same time to retain that essential unity in parishes and dioceses and that more important unity between the priests and people which is essential to the success of any Catholic movement. The Catholic Federation is not a political organisation in any sense. It does not seek to touch politics at all except where politics interfere in any way with Catholic matters or with the

civil or spiritual rights of members of the Catholic body. It strives to bring within its membership people of all shades of political opinion. The only bond of unity that it asks' for is a whole-hearted . desire on the part of its members to further the objects of the organisation, which will invariably i be found to be for the common good of all Catholics without respect to their political views. The last available statistics show that there are over 140,000 Catholics in New Zealand. Of this number about 70,000 are adults, the remainder being children of various ages. The Federation aims at enrolling within its numbers every Catholic in the community. The annual subscription is a nominal one, being only one shilling for adults and sixpence for children under eighteen- years. If the institution succeeds in enrolling even the adult section of the Catholic community, it will become, a body sufficiently powerful to demand those rights which are essential to our freedom as citizens and taxpayers in the community. It is not my intention to-night to deal" with those questions affecting the future which are now agitating the minds of Catholics; but I would like to point out that so long as we are called upon to play our part on the battlefield —and I am proud to say we have always done our share in that respect —so long as we are called upon to contribute to the taxes of this country, then so long we will claim our full rights as citizens, and our full right to a share of public expenditure in connection with the educational and other social advantages of the community—the right, the privilege, and the duty of all classes to share equally and fairly in those privileges which the State bestows upon its citizens. Having now given an outline of the constitution and outlook of the Federation, I will enumerate a few of its activities. It has defeated the iniquitous proposal of the Bible-in-schools League ; it has improved the position of Catholic scholarship winners in respect to holding their scholarships at Catholic secondary schools: it has secured the right of certain Catholic secondary schools in respect of University bursaries; it has brought about a much-needed censorship of picture films; it has established women's hostels in the principal centres ; it has made provision for the protection of Catholic waifs and strays; it has established labor bureaux : it has made provision for looking after and "assisting Catholic immigrants ; it has already been a convenient means for the distribution of Catholic literature throughout the Dominion, and has done a great deal for the comfort and spiritual welfare of our brave Catholic soldiers, both in camp in New Zealand and elsewhere. Better", however, than all these, it has awakened a strong Catholic spirit in our community: it has given our people confidence, and as time goes on, with the united support of our people it will do infinitely more than it has been able to do in the past. The Catholic Federation has become a success. It has been specially blessed by the Pope, and I ask that every Catholic priest and layman in the community join it. The help of the clergy as leaders is all important. Just, in proportion as our priests take an active interest in the different parishes, so will you find the Federation flourishing in those centres. The lay members of the Federation can also do great work in connection with this movement. They can induce their fellows to join. They can point out the value of the Catholics sticking together as a body, and of allowing no side issues to take their attention off those matters essential to the interests of the whole Catholic body of New Zealand. I therefore appeal to all here present to join the Federation. In every diocese in the Dominion active steps are now being taken to increase the membership, and I feel that this diocese will not be behind the others in respect of its Catholic activities. If by the end of our present year, which expires in June next, we shall have, doubled or trebled the membership of the Federation, then we may look forward to notable success in the future. There is a legal motto which reads: Vicjilantibus non dormientibus equitas subvenit — assists the alert, not those who sleep on their rights. . So it is with M«; If we fail to assert ourselves we will be out

of court. Only if we are vigilant in looking after, our own interests do we deserve consideration. , Every branch of the Federation should therefore be a centre of Catholic activity. Nothing reflecting on Catholic matters should be permitted to pass in the public press l without answer. Lectures should be given to branches by those competent to do so, explaining the. purposes of the Federation and keeping its objects before members. This gathering will do much to help things along within this diocese. The keen interest taken in the matter by your beloved Bishop and the fine example of leadership shown by him cannot but bear fruit; and I trust that a friendly rivalry existing throughout the various dioceses in the Dominion may result in a great fillip being given to the whole organisation and a corresponding benefit to the Catholic body throughout New Zealand.