U John Street
AA&
No. 2131:
Perth
0
Challenge to
the religious newspapers BRISBANE: Religious newspapers should accept the challenge to expand their readerships, Archbishop Rush told religious journalists from around Australia lost week. "The
religious Press
reaching only
a
small
percentage of practising Christians and they are only a small percentage of the total number of
nominal Christians," he said.
"Many of us may take for granted that this is a sad fact of life that we must live with.
"I am
not convinced
that this is so. I think we can be doing more than we are doing to extend our readership." Archbishop Rush was addressing at least 40 editors and representatives from Catholic and other religious newspapers at the annual conference in Brisbane of the Australian Religious Press Association."
"THANKLESS" JOB He was one of five heads of Churches who answered journalists questions on the role of the religious mess at the conference's opening session. Archbishop Rush said that he saw the purpose
of the religious Press as "reflecting very faithfully the life of the local Church", so that those readers whom it reached would in turn do some of the work of evangelisation. Dean
Ian George, Anglican Dean of Brisbane, said that religious editors were in one of the most thankless positions in the Church, because they were forced
to stick to the Church's party line.
INVESTIGATIONS "This is one of the great tragedies of the Christian
Church that we are so incapable of being
open
to
genuine
criticism." He said that he would like to see investigative reporting in the religious 'Press.
"I
know this is expensive and requires a special range of skills, but there must be in the -Australian' Churches people who could be used in a freelance cap -
acity to do this effect-
ively." He said that there were a number of concerned Christians who would like to know the facts about such matters as Rhodesia and Airier generally where there were conflicting reports. Archbishop Rush said' that he felt for editors of religious papers when, they had to deal with controversial matters. "I am not talking about such matters as Rhodesia, and other
worldwide situations, but rather of those petty disputes that go on within a community," he said.
"It seems to me that sometimes in an effort to be open, editors/ bend over backwards in their efforts not to censor and they can publish criticisms that give a completely false picture of the situation.
NATIONAL CENTRE? Archbishop Rush said that some editors had at the top of their list of priorities the setting up of a national information centre. "I throw out the question: if a national information centre is too much to hope for at the moment might it be possible to have interchurch' information centres in the States? He said that there was
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room for much greater communication between the religious Press and the other media of communication. USE OF THE VISUAL
l`r-
"Our religious Press generally goes its own sweet way without having very much contact with those engaged in
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radio and television." Dean George said that there should be much greater use of the visual in religious communica-
tion.
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(CONTINUED PAGE 8)
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(SEE ALSO PAGE 3'
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NEWSPAPPY
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LONDON (NC) The murder of Mr Airey Heave, the Conservative member of Parliament (and subsequent shootings) has reminded the British electorate in a particularly gruesome wav
that Northern Ireland Ind its complex probThe late Mr Neave almost certainly would have
become Northern Ireland secretary in a new government in the event of his party's victory at the polls on May 3. The danger is that angry British reaction may play into the hands of the pro-
In lin. :
EFFECT OF Jai: PROBLEM IN
lems cannot simply be forgotten.
is
BOX SO PERTH ABERDEEN
PERTH THURSDAY , APRIL 26 , 1979
N. IRELAND
30 Cents
would give the people of Northern Ireland some hope of living together in peace. Such
a
policy, requiring
flexibility on the part of all parties concerned, is also opposed by the IRA. The killing of Mr Neave may also strengthen demands for reintroducing capital punishment, at least for killings committed by
terrorists. Hanging as a punishment for murder was abolished in 1965. But efforts already are ulfer way to introduce thorities into adopting crease for a hard-line mil- the death penalty. harsher and more repres- itary approach to the threat It could return to the sive measures in the hope posed by the IRA without legal code just as the much these would foster support worrying too much if legal criticised Prevention of Terfor the IRA among the corners are cut as long as rorism Act, with its powers Catholic population. they bring results. of detention aimed at IRA
Aon onolysis by ROBERT NOWELL of NC News.
Because
of
repressive
suspects, was rushed Irish Republican measures during the past 10 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT? Nor is there likely to be through Parliament after a Army (IRA), which claim- years, the spectacle of Brit series of in bombings 1974. ed responsibility for killing ish authorities as recruiting much concern for working (SEE ALSO PAGE 5) Mr Neave, who died on agents for the IRA has be- out a political plan which
visional
March 30 when a bomb exploded in his car. One aim of the bombing was to make the British so fed up with the Northern Ireland situation that they wash their hands of the whole business. But there is still widespread recognition that any eventual British decision to withdraw should not be carried out in such a way
come a reality. But the assassination has had a negative effect for toe
Put
bombers.- It has diverted public attention from the unpleasant revelations about added ill-treatment of suspects
The
shortly
in
Northern Ireland. bombing occurred
after
journalists
were allowed to see the H block at the Maze Prison in Long Kesh, Northern
to increase the violence. Ireland, where political prisoners are held. IF BRITISH LEFT . . . Successive British gov- "ILL-TREATED" ernments have reiterated PRISONERS pledges to respect the wishThe tour supported es of the majority of the Northern Ireland population claims by critics of the prinot to be forced into union son that conditions ate poor with Ireland. Many people and prisoners live in squalin Northern Ireland feel or. Prisoners in H-block are violence would be used against them to force union protesting against a government policy of not ofif the British left. The population of Nor- ficially recognising them as thern Ireland is generally political prisoners. Other Press reports have divided on religious lines with the Protestant majority indicated ill-treatment of wanting continued British IRA suspects at interrogarule while the Catholic tion centres. The sympathy that was minority complains that Catholics are the objects of slowly building up for priState -tolerated discrimina- soners may now be forgottion and violence. ten. Violence The British attitude is against Catholics has spawned support more likely to be that IRA for union with Ireland and suspects deserve all they get and that if prisoners sympathy for the IRA. want to wallow in their NEGATIVE EFFECT filth they should be allowed Another aim of the to get on with it. bombing was to goad au Public support could in as
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