New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-27

of every kind from the Emperor doxa 10 tue
Baron and simple knight, protested sgalns' ii St
various times. The Sovereigus claimed TO be
lords paramount Of ecclesiastical enfeof nenssr
snd often even claimed the righI to impose taxes
upon them. These contestsiions between The
State ana the Pope, often bad bloody Issues and
Occssionei accommodations OF Sovereigns aud
eIpul.ions Of Pops from Rome; sometimes even
personal cssiigstioDs. IS in the case of Pope Bon
ifsce Gaetano. The Baron and master claimed
the right of control over the parish properly, aad
be, not the Bsbop or the Pope. disposed of the
liyipes By q right called that OF Preseafl Or pre-
seItaiion.
This conflict lasted Tor centuries, more or less
vehamently. The Reformation eur!,ied some
whst tie arrogant professions Of toe Papacy and
OF the superior clergy; but il required the Preach
Reyo ution to reduce them to more definite and
tOlersble proportions. From tina. period the si
ministrat0n OF the church property In Europe
has be en- regulated either according TO the origin
al deed or grant or according 20 laws prev ailing
In the country, snd the rights Of the community
where the church is situated. But we must not
forget that in all Europe such parish property
never was invested 10 bishop, and that the real
usufructuary was the ourate, under 4 certain con-
troll Of the civil power, acting in the character of
general government, or IN that Of the lord Of
the manor or as a community. Very rare sad
exec tional are the doceses ia Europe where the
bishops have a right to the revenues OF parish
I churches, or receive portion of them; but even
in such the property is not invested il their
sees or persons.
! The French Revolution cOnfscated for the
! beDei. OF the nation tie whole church property.
! Years sfterward the Code, as well as The Con-
cordat between Napoleon and the Pope, regulated
TIE relations Of the Clergy to the State. The
church property was not restored. bat the parish
church jointly with the commune forms q legal
/ corporation, and as such can possess property;
| only, however, ubder permission of the civil
power. McDasterie. and converts, being uh-
authorized cOrporitons, cannot possess real es-
tate. In each parish, along with the curste, eH-
lets board, selected by the civil authority from
the community. This board, called generally
Ia FaJJigue, acts collectively with the curate ani
civil administrative authorities. The Project,
the Minister, and the Council of State, confirm
the dtcsioue Of the parish authorities, and settle
Disputes if any arise between them.
A somewhat similar reform took place ia Por-
tUesl, by royal decree dated May p, 1874 and
in Spain by one of March 9, l-37. In Spain,
however, a part of the Church property not sold
at that time was restored 10 ISIS. In Italy, with
the exception of the Papal States, the secular
clergy is mostly salaried by the State, aud par
isles generally do not possess property. Tne dis
pute how raging In Piedmont chiefly relates TO
the property Of converts and m)nas.eries.
In Germany the absorption by the State or
by the nation of all church property was agssted
in several States after 1880. and more generally,
bat still Intellectually attempted during the Reyo
! luton of I-l-; subsequently, the respective Gov
ernments effected some thorough reforms. Where
] the parish church has any kind of property, the
community conformity with the eurate, and not
with the bishop, has the management Of il. la
Baden, Bavaria W0rtemberg, aud Hesse Darn
.tadt there xist special boards, all ofthemas well
as the curate under the ex ,lusiye control of the
city auti oriies. The bishop of the diocese has ia
these matters only secondary voice and inhu
enc. Ia Poland, where the bishops are saaried,
Mile the chapters and parish churches still pos.
SEES considerable movable property it is invest
ed in the churches aud not in the persons of Gu
rates, ard still less in that of deans or bishops.
| In each parish there EXITS board, called the
supeILte ndence Of the church, composed of the
cura,e, the lord of the manor as presiding officer,
and some other mt mbers OF the parish.
| Iu all the Roman Catholic States OF Europe
therefore, as well as 10 Protestant ones haying
| Catholic subjects, the cigil Government. having
absorbed the bulk Of individual and often Of COM
muDal rights is considered their representative,
oversees all the Churches. I. interferes and
nedates in cases Of misunderstanding between
tie paTish priest and tie Pensioners. There
tie priest or curate cannot dispose of the Church
property without the permission Of the civil
! authorites and the advice of the special CON-
uunal boards. Acco ding to the opinion preya.
lent in Europe all Church property is considered
as belonging to the nation.
1t is, therefore, sn uBju.tifabe assumption,
either by law or precedent for any Bishop to
transfer the title 10 Church property to himself
aud thus 20 wrest it from the control and the
hands Of the community or parish. No less IN
usual and contrary to the laws Of all Catholic
countries IL ite disposal by the exclusive will Of
the Bishop, Of the revenues Of such parish prop
erty.
When during the Crusaies, the Popes claimed
from the Bishops and the Clergy part Of their
revenues, the Litter grumblsd and submitted to
it with very bad grace, still recognizing the