The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-05-28
The Catholic Church I'm Spain.

The Pensamiento of Madrid thus de-
scrlbes the state of the Spanish clergy /:
The clergy Of Spain have been brought
into the most wretched, the most unjust,
the most abnormal condition, that can
possibly be presented by Catholic nation.
When the fatal time arrived, and it became
necessary that Concordat should he sign
ed between the Church and the Revolution,
between the victim and the executioner,
the Church, always wishful for peace,
waived the rights which she possessed over
the property of which che was being plum
dered, on condition of recovering in part
that liberty which is requisite to enable
her to teach the peoples. aud awaken the
spirit Of the Gospel in their hearts. From
that moment liberal Governments, whether
of the goa head OF moderate kind, looked
upon themselves as the legitimate owners
of 1.-THE wealth which they had fcccibly
wrested from the Church, without, how
ever, performing their part of the agree
ment by consenting to the restoration of
the Religions Orders, and the re-estabiish-
ment of seminaries, and by allowing the
bishops full liberty to guard purity of doc
trine and education, in conformity with the
solemn covenant that had been made with
the Holy See. They considered that they
had carried out the COncordat on their
part by paying the endOwments agreed
upon for the maintenance of the clergy,
but they cut them down at the same time
to the very lowest figure. Among nations
which, like Spain, have tbeen visited by
the Revolution, the clergy and religious
worship are maintained lin virtue Of con-
veptions made with Rome) by allowances
granted under the head of indemnity.
Among nations where all recognized reli-
gi0ns are equal in the eye of the law, the
Church manages ecclesiastical matters at her
own discretion, appoints her own ministers
to their various pUsts, and fixes the salary
which the Faithful are to pay them for
their support. A similar usage prevails,
more or less modified, in Protestant coun-
tries, and even in Turkey. In missions In
savage lands the expenses of public wor-
ship are provided for by the proselytes to
tile Fa tn, and by tho Propagandist Socie-
ties Of Europe aud America. Spain is the
only country in which the clergy are
obliged, in order to support life, to resort
to labOrious Occu patiOns which debase their
sacred Office, or else to abandon their
parishes for want of the means of subsist-
ence. The dignitaries Of the Church do
not even leave enough to defray the cost OF
their obsequies. Tie bishops see them
selves compelled to seek an asylum among
their relatives, after selling the furniture
of their palaces bit by bit. The Peniten-
tiary of the Cathedral of Toledo, the see
of the primates of Spain, recently died in
such utter poverty that it was found neces-
sary to have recourse to the liberality OF
some of his friends in order to pay for the
usual Masses for the repose of his soul.
Catholics should bear in mind those heart
rending details they should not lose
sight of the features of this distressing
picture, and they should ask themselves
whether their feelings of gratitude towards
their jealous pastors, their feelings OF
common humanity will allow them to suf-
fer such a state of things to continne."