RE - ROOF NOW
• WEAR THE LATEST
MEN'S FASHIONS NOW!
with
HARD BURNT CLAY ROOFING TILES
• PAY IN EASY INSTALMENTS • OPEN A CREDIT SERVICE ACCOUNT AT . .
OFFICIAL
ORGAN
OF
THE
ARCHDIOCESE
No. 3068. Perth, Thursday, January 31, 1963.
Official Religion Query Refused
OF
PERTH
602 HAY STUET
(Registered at the G.P.O., Perth, for transmission by post as a Newspaper.)
Price 9d.
The Town Hall is oppob;te
Teachers Taught On Catechism
LONDON. — Both the British Commonwealth Office and the Malayan High Commission in London declined to discuss reports that the proposed new Federation of Malaysia would adopt Islam as its national religion. The projected federation, which ultimately intends to become another independent state member of the British Commonwealth of Nations, is being formea of the present British Asian territories of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo and Brunei. According to CathoAMMKNOMP......11MID • • 411=0.1111111111.4.1.1
.411.1.001.....E.
First Meeting V ATICAN CITY: THE CO-ORDINATING COMMISSION SET UP BY HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN X XIII TO KEEP THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL'S INTERIM WORK RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND PRODUCTIVELY HAS HELD ITS FIRST MEETING. The meeting on Jan. 21 marked the beginning of the interim work of revising and Oitnpressing projects to be brought before the council whin it reconvenes September 8. A communique of the council press office said with this meeting "the counciliar work, which took a moment of rest for the national holidays, picks up its full rhythm again, although in a method and form different from the period of October-December, 1962."
Decisions taken by the meeting will be communi-
cated to the 10 council commissions and the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity which are carrying on their work during the ninemonth interim, it was reported. A nnouncement of the coordinating commission's creation was made December 6, t wo days before the council's first session closed. Six Cardinals form the commission under the presidency of Amleto Cardinal Cicogriani. Secretary of State. The commission's secretariat is made up of the council's secretary general, A rchbishop Pericle Felici. and the five council undersecretaries.
tAi•
lic sources here about 57 per cent of its population would be non-Moslem. Islam is the state religion of Malaya, the dominant partner, though barely 50 per cent of its people are Moslems. In Singapore they are about 15 per cent, in Sarawak 28 per cent, in North Borneo 38 per cent and in Brunei 49 per cent. A lready some discrimination against Christians operates in Malaya.
•
%, •
,
• • FOUR of thc 500 teaching stream
A Malayan High Commission spokesman in London said that the intergovernment committee working out the constitution of the new Malaysia under the chairmanship of Lord Lansdowne, British Minister of State for Colonial Affairs, was "still discussing" the matter. He refused to make any speculation on the subject. The British Commonwealth Office said the same thing,. also refusing to make any further comment. It pointed out that a joint statement by the British and Malayan governments issued last August made provisions for the federation units "which would cover such matters as religious freedom.-
into
to
Trinity
College on last Tuesday morning to attend the annual Con-
• Christian radio programmes are strictly rationed by the state broadcasting corporation. • Christian schools have to allow Moslem teachers. — paid from public funds — to give Moslem instruction during school hours to Moslem children, while the teaching of Christianity must 1N, , done for nothing or paid for by the Chris(ians themselves. • The Malay constitution provides financial help for Moslem institutions and Mosques. T he British and Malayan g overnments are now working or, a final agreement about federation and, according to Catholic sources, the British authorities are f avourably disposed to the Malayan request that Islam be made the established religion.
Sisters
ference of the Asso dation of Religious Sisters. About fifty Brothers were also present to hear a lecture given by Father John F K elly, Director of Education in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Father Kelly, pictured with Monsignor Bourke ( left), Diocesan Director of Education, spoke on the new Catechism, which will be used this year throughout Australia. Father K elly had a great deal to do with the compilation of the new Catechism and his lecture proved most helpful on its use and techniques by the teachers. The conference concluded on Thursday. January 31
VIOLENCE REGRETTED :NO APPROVAL Israel's Minister for Religious Affairs has denounced the use of violence by ultra -Orthodox Jewish youths against Christians early in January, but mode it clear that he is against mission activity. Zerah Warhaftig. a mmher of the National Religious party, said in Jerusalem that he does "not consider violence the proper way to combat mision activities." He added: "Even though it is well known that the Israeli public does not look favourably on missionary activity of the sort that takes advantage of poverty and backwa dness in slum areas, the struggle against such activity need not and
cannot take the fo:m of violence. The establishment of youth centres, such as is being done by the Keren Yeladenu (an anti-Christian organisation engaged in youth work) is a mare constructive and effective way."
"Leaked To Press" Meanwhile, a report on missionary work in Israel prepared by the Ministry for Religious Affairs and calling for restrictive legislation has
been leaked to the Press. The proposed law states that all activities of Christian institutions and cle:gymen must be restricted solely to Christians.
Under the proposed law— called the "Freedom of Worship Act- —any Christian clergyman or layman who gave a Bible to a Jew could bf. cony! tcd -if proselytism and gaoled for up to two y ears. Observers here think it is impossible to get such a law passed by the Knecset (Parliament), however, since it is being strongly opposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fear of adverse foreign reaction. Wa rhaf1i g's comments were were made following the January 3 in6cient in \‘.hich
Bur
some fifty Orthodox Jewish y a ouths smashed the windows of a Finnish Protestant school and the nearby Zion Christian Mission. and insulted and spat at Catholic Sisters. The Israeli government has expressed its regret for the incident, apologised to the Finnish government and arrested nine of the youths involved. Police •have been put on guard outside all Christian institutions in Israeli Jerusalem. The incident has become a topic of widespread comment in the Israeli press, with most papers voicing sharp criticism of Christian missionary efforU. • NEXT WEEK: The problearns of Christians in the land where Christ was born.