Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1921-02-07
Irish Catholic Clergy
DenOunCe ReprisaIs
Lenten Pastoral Letters Were
Read by AHthe Ulster Cath
olic Bishops-Acts of Wan
ton Oppression.

Belfast. Feb. e.-The Lenten pastoral
letters read today by all the Ulster Cath
olic bishops were devoted to the serb
GUS situation existing in Ireland. That
Of Cardinal Logue pri.nate of all Ire
land, dealt at great length. with the sit
uation. The cardinal declared tiiat he
never had written under feelings of deep
er anxiety or with a more vivid sense of
his responsibility in the dark prospects
for The country's future
The cry OF suffering Ireland despite the
efforts to smother It by propaganda. said
the cardinal. will re-echo through CEN
turtles, marking out sorry place IN his
tory Tor the present rulers. There has
been no word Of conciliation, but repres-
| sion pure and simple such as has been
| unknown in Ireland since the days of
| Cromwell"
! Cardinal Logue proceeded In scathipg
terms to- denounce' the policy Of the gov
| erTVnent, which he said had robbed II Of
\ all sense OF sacredness of human life
and extinguished the instintive horror of
/ bloodshed. He declared that the So
lcalled official reprisals were acts Of wan
ton oppression and injustice; that men
i guiltless Of any overt act against law
| and order were dragged out at dead Of
night and shot under the eyes Of their
families; that prisoners were. shot in
lorries under the plea of attempting to
| escape, though they were surrounded by
armed men easily able to restrain them.
! Poor people. who instinctively run to
cover when they see the formidable ior-
rieS approaching are shot at sight-Such
is. the value set on life by those commits
stoned as guardians of the peace and Of
the security Of, the people.
Even religion has not been spared.
Sacristies Of churches have been raided
l
shown to sacred vessels and vcstments
Churches have been surrounded by arm
ed men while. people attending mass
were held. up and searched as they left
church OF course nothing was found ex.
cept prayer-books and rosaries. Catho
!. lies do not go armed to hear mass OF
prepared to commit crime"
(: The cardinal protested in equally Wig
orous terms against raids on convent
, and the throwing Of the sisters into con
J sternation.
I ut will not be inferred" the pastora
continued, that 1 overlook or condon
extremist crimes. The lying in wal
: and. shooting of policemen or soldiers |
: not an act Of warfare, but is plain rnur
der and will entail punishment for mus
der here and, if not repented and atone
= for terrible punishment hereafter n
3 reason adduced nor any end, howeve
a noble, could justify it."
Referring to the Intellectual peace ne
gotiations, the cardinal said that the
= left the suspicion that they were "a mer
e device Intended to mark time and amus
: the public until the country is.beaten ha
: and Is despairing ana prepared to sui
nit to any terms the rulers may Git
tate, ana even to swallow the nausecu
e pill Of partition"
d The pastorals Of the bishops attacke
o lawlessness. eondemning the governner
y forces and the "ginmen" alike. IF
bishop Of Cork in his pastoral favore
acceptance Of the partition act as tn
: stepping stone to obtain other conce:
h sions
IS WAS the proclamation/6f an. Irish r,
s public by the Sim Fein members of ral
lament after the last election suiIicler
to constitute Ireland as a republic, az
d cording to church teachingsT' asks BisN
D. op Cohalan, bishop. of Cork, and he ar
Of swers his own question in the negativ