CATHOLIC ACTION IN MALTA President's Protest

Sin,—Before taking up their pen to write about our affairs, basing their contentions on what they heard from what is here well known as a source of propaganda pure and simple, both Father Hughes and Lady Winefride Elwes would have been better advised to have become acquainted with the main lines of the controversy that raged here a few years ago. They would thus have had a background of knowledge whereby to test the motives of those who have succeeded in inoculating them with all kinds of suspicions regarding the activity of the clergy and of those who are working within the ranks of Catholic Action.
The way these two well-intentioned and otherwise unusually experienced writers have been imposed on should serve as a warning to future visitors to Malta, who may easily be caught in a mesh of propaganda carefully laid out for them by people who arc not by any means representative of
Catholic Malta. Nothing but harm can come to Malta from this and similar attempts to revive a past controversy, now especially that the old wounds of bygone animosities have almost healed.
The Church in Malta is deeply concerned to bury the past and, thank God, her charitable efforts have been nearly crowned with success. The only help English Catholics can give us is not to play into the hands of those whose predominant motive, whatever it may be, is certainly not a religious one.
It is as clear as day to any Maltese that both Father Hughes's and Lady Wincfride Elives's letters have been inspired by contact with the same source of purely political propaganda; and in Father Hughes's case, this has resulted in airing views that would be nothing but astounding for Ifthem. there was the slightest justification
From casual visitors to our Island we are accustomed to expect misunderstanding, but Father Hughes is, I am sorry to say, the first and only Catholic: priest who has so lightly ventured such statements as that " a little clique firmly entrenched in the ranks of local Catholic Action are dubious in their loyalty to the British Flag," or that Catholic Action is being used " as a spearhead to foster anti-British feeling in the Island."
I am sure Father Hughes scarcely appreciates the truly astounding import of the accusations he so ingenuously repeats. If, as a result of hie visit to the Island, the shadow of such a suspicion really crossed his mind, orif his letter has served to sow any such suspicion in any reader's mind, the only advice I can think of is to beg him to refer himself for enlightenment to one of the many English Catholic priests who, having lived in Malta for more than the short time Father Hughes could afford, are in a position to counter such extraordinary credulousness.
HERBERT GANADO
(President, Catholic Action). Valetta, Malta.
Maltese Piety
Sia—May I say that nothing was further trolls my intention than an insult to the Maltese clergy, who I know are most zealous and devoted to the spiritual Interests of their parishioners.
I found the piety of the Maltese people In Holy Week most edifying. I must honestly say, however, that I did get the Impression that in their desire to safeguard the morals of their flock, the clergy issued warnings to guard against some of the English, to which the Maltese possibly gave too wide an interpretation.
As an English Catholic who admires Malta, my only desire is to see an ever closer and happier collaboration between the English and the Maltese.
WINEFRIDE ELWES
[This correspondence is now closed, but a letter from Professor Aquiline on ie k.l Maltese language will appear next