RETURN OF MOST REV. DR. KELLY, ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY.

New Zealand Tablet, 23 December 1920, Page 17

RETURN OF MOST REV. DR. KELLY, ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY.

His Grace the Archbishop of ; Sydney, accompanied by the Right Rev. Monsignor Coonan, P.P.,V.G., returned to Sydney on Tuesday the 7th inst., after his visit to Rome and Ireland. ■■ A great • concourse of clergy and laity, met his Grace at y the .-Central Railway Station, and cheered lustily as the Melbourne express drew in. -His Grace, looking . well after his trip, found some difficulty 'in , proceeding through the crush of people, who desired to kiss his ring, as he proceeded to the handsome limousine which was piesented •to him -by the laity. As the car drew out of the station; hearty cheers were given for the Archbishop and Monsignor Coonah. ’ ' Having arrived at St. . Mary’s Cathedral, a solemn “Te Deum ’ was sung by the students of fit. Patrick’s College, Manly, after which addresses were presented by the clergy and laity." • ■ " M t In the . course of .his., reply, coming to the question of Ireland, his Grace stated that the Bishops were not concerned with Republicanism, or Nationalism, or any other ism.:■ In' these things, keep the law of God, and, privately, keep your own opinion. We recognised that the Government of England had spoilt opportunity after opportunity of giving to Ireland those political privileges rightly claimed by other nations. Moreover, that members of the Cabinet bad taken part in preparing rebellion against Acts of Parliament m case the majority of the Irish people secured what they had a perfect right to get. Now, the Irish people had assumed a. different'attitude, and established their own views in practice. Sixty thousand soldiers, and they have been increased,' were sent to Ireland. Raids have been made everywhere, and wholesale arrests have been made without trial. The Bishops were unanimous in saving; that all these things were to he regretted, and the blame is to be laid at the door of the present British Cabinet, on account of their deliberate, actions during the past lour or five years. But they must pray against anger, hatred and . ill-will, for they were Christians. God knows what is host. The Pope’s View. The Vicar of Christ lias said that it was quite right for any nation to seek to lie, delivered from the despotism of any other nation, and have their own Government to promote peace and prosperity by lawful means under God’s law. Ireland was .suffering for justice’ sake. If they gave the people of Ireland their just rights, then there would ho pence. Concerning the' attitude of the small minority of the people «f Ireland, what would, he said if the Catholics ol Australia, totalling one-fourth, insisted upon imposing their wills upon the rest of the people? That was taking place in Ireland. & His Visit to Ireland. His Grace then dealt with his visit to Ireland, and explained that ho stood at the graves of his father and mother, and ol many of his old companions. For' three months’he bail met old friends, in Wexford, Enniscorthy, and Kilkenny. He saw the old roads, the old streams, the old trees and green holds and people asked him “What he thought about Ireland And some said, “I am Had you are here to see what an alien Government is doing?” Continuing, his Grace explained that lie had an interview with In' I rime Minister. They were formerly acquainted, and p "0 s la V to . I , ’; l Y e another opportunity of meeting the fiemior. It did him good to hear my views. The provocation m Ireland was terrible, hut tho country was well nfiboN “ f lO pa .; s iak ? to ° m «ch with their headlines . those outrages in Ireland. There were outrages in Enuscortliy and I nil my where his Grace visited the people, i, «; ,ll »eaks came like a. clap of thunder upon the people I he Volunteers were organised, and had their own courts which the people preferred. They had their own police dokm lfVp and th v Volunteers seemed to secure wonderful late thf regarding certain events. His Grace then related the execution of % man who impersonated a priest sioiml " Also’ f S’ ma ° n f r rom P risoners through the confessxonal. Also the case of another man. who was shot as a spy. In general, the Archbishop said, that secret organisaSreu re rr, t<h<i liW ? o< l' Wi are.Cl.ris children of God, are ready to make sacrifices for the of thei; lives Th genera + ". in Inland think nothing ofi Then Ines ,f they were to give them for their native