POSITION PERFECTLY CLEAR AND.. LOGICAL
HE Mayor of Newport. (Councillor W. F. E. Smith) has effectively
all$11ered tlou,e WIR) criticised liii ii 101' 110t. taking part in the drumhead service held on jubilee day. lininedittely after he had taken the salute and prior to the commencement of the service in the athleltc grounds the mayor and mayoress left Iheir seats the grandstand, disrobed in the committee-room below and returned En tile town lad I. Protests were made by the Dean of Monmouth, the Rev. J. 1.. r'hillips, and by a representative of the Nonconformists.
The Mayor's Stand
s niayor when interv tem id subse
quently said that hi position -was perfectly clear and logical. II clhirch that was The catholic chlirch," lie said, by 1.11r11, that he taught a. lillhloll claims to le, dcicirine. ion I that he promised I., o it Ii Ora( 0 h111e10 lter ill tenth if. the coil Si' time. Consequently, believing that and believing in the doctrines of the Catholic Church, I cannot take part in the service of that I cl take an,ottheri,1,d, einjoientrinoal oud roll. I did but as a Catholic I could not stay for the service." Asked if lie might not have obtained a dispensation, the mayor said: "No; the Catholic Church does not grant dispensations in such matters. The only exceptions for to-day were the Lord 'Mayor of London and the Duke of Norfolk." Wlitai it was pointed ma that two (ottn...illorA \vim are Catholiccrernaiiirid I lin-High 1111. Illo! Wayriyi .1" 1 ccuinut puTely, a matter for their own consciences."
Asked about the Doan of Monmouth's point that lie hail not given those who ‘VP111.1 conducting the service any notill. cation of his Intention, although tie, as mayor, had invited them to take part, thn Mayor said: "I acted cis the figurehead, and as far as I could take pai't I did so."
Archbishop's Statement
The ArolthiAop or Cardiff (Mgr. Francis Mostyn) said dispensation was riOt granted to permit the attendance of Catholics at the services or oiner (heloomthathills. In l.rindan,be said, " the lord mayor attends services only because he is the lord mayor-, and even ti-op li■ s is a resiNetiltr. ie o .c.s. Newport. pointed Out that there has been quite a recent pronconlyernent by the hi-hips and they do not approve III Catholic mayors and officials taking part in non Catholic services. They w.a,scfa,undi,iiffneorie.illsinulailtitie,:, deela r Pit 1.IILIt \\h ell the King was but implied that iitherw-ise they did not he at4hdrt„crii'eltirdi:.:i"i-ianstlirotrilt.layntrtil c: ni y IporNov Pv Cal of his loyalty and Courage in doing so."