Evening star., 1926-09-23
CATHOLIC OFFICIAL
ANSWERS MEXICAN
Charge of Prieto, Acting Con-
sui General, Called False
by w. F. Montavon.

William F. Montavon, director of
the legal department of the National
Catholic Welfare Conference, today is
sued a statement charging NJ. G. Prize
20, acting consul general Of Mexico in
New York, with deliberate misrepre-
sentation of the facts" in connection
with the latter's recent attack on
he Catholic Church in Mexico.
The consul general had taken ex.
reption to a pastoral letter which the
Catholic prelates of this country de-
cided to address to the Catholics of
Mexico as a result of deliberations Of
the church officials at the conference
here last week.
Addressing his reply to The Star.
Mr.. Montavon said:
This statement of the consul gen
aral is full of Misrepresentation
which justify us in challenging the
sincerity and good faith of the author.
THE consul begins with a defini-
ton of tyranny which no American
IAN accept. 1t is historical with
iberty-loving people that there is no
tyranny worse than the tyranny of
bad law
Constitution Not Peoples. d.
The consul speaks of the consti
tuition of Mexico as an expression of
The sovereign will of the Mexican
people 1t Is notorious that the con-
Stitution to which Gales refers for
authority Is not in any sense an
expreSsion Of the will of the Mexican
people This Constitution was adopt
d at Queretaro in 1916 by con-
stituent convention which derived its
auth, rity directly and solely from
.At Il l,ta
liaggers and not from the Mexican
people. That constitution is not an
lmendment of the Constitution of
1857. nor of the reform laws of 1874,
Aor was II adopted in accordance with
he constitutional law of Mexico.
THE consul says the bishops have
never stated that the acts of Gales
re extra legal In their joint pas
oral of July 20. 1926, the bishops
Of Mexico make the following state
ment: The law promulgated on July
! violates the rights of the church
as well as the natural rights of man,
which are the foundation and life of
civilization and of religious liberty.
md is. therefore, in the opinion Of
'minent authorities, fragrant viola
ion of the constitutional laws Of
Mexico
I'm seeking the amendment of the
constitution and the repeal of these
unconstitutional laws, the bishops and
= 'atholics of Mexico are not arrogat-
ng to themselves any right which
ioes not belong to them as free men,
ven under the constitution of Mexico
Not only has the government Of
Mexico interfered with the admins
ration and organization of the church,
out 1t has interfered, in spite of what
f,-it ha
functions of the church. In a Joint
pastoral dated April 81. 1926, the
bishops of Mexico make the follow
.ng statement:
THE government of Mexico has
leg1slated even to the extreme of sup.
pressing two dioceses of the republic.
There is question of actually prohibit.
ing some prelates from residence in
heir sees. the homes of others have
oeen taken and their persons molested
Marriage as Condition.
1T is desired to reduce the mum.
Der even of the Mexican priests to an
absolutely insufficient degree: steps
ire being taken to eliminate them all
" placing humiliating and impossible
'ondltlonS upon them; for instance,
he condition which has been imposed
some places, and which is not re-
iufred of any man in any other coun-
ry, namely, the condition of mar
iage.
An attempt is made to reduce vo-
ations by closing seminaries, or MAX
ng their existence difficult
Private Catholic schools have been
losed or official and completely anti
Constitutional conditions have been
imposed on them.
''Self-sacriticing virgins have been
thrown into the streets while they
vere devoting their lives TO the care
# helpless children. of the aged in
iim and of the sick
catholic citizens have been pre-
ented from exercising their civic
lights and the discharge of public of
ice to which they had been elected,
md they have been prohibited from
ne peaceful manifestation of their
deas and the lawful exercise of their
iGht to protest.
We have been deprived of our
hurCheS.
The consul general seems TO hold.
he opinion that the only inalienable
lights which Catholic in Mexico may
rave is that the priest be not driven
from the place of worship
The Catholic people of Mexico and