, 1875-06-06
CHURCH AND STATE


Reply OF tho Prusstnu Catholic B1ah-
ops to the ministerial xleacript.
nEPLY or TEE B1suopa
PARIS, May 20.-Tha following are the psin-
cipal passages of the reply OF the PrnssiAn Bish-
ops to the Ministerial Reecript of thu ath Of
April:
The Nay laws contain + whole series Of provisions
which condct with tbs existence and constitution IT
tha Church founded by Christ, rob it Of tho tndo-
pendence which God dezigasd for It. and convert It
INTO marc State institution. That in other German
OF foreign countries whole seres Of laws systematic
LILY destroying the iudeI endeneo Of the Church is
willingly recognized. and even obedience nworn to
them, by Catholic priests and authorities, ia to
unknown fact which has been frequently assorted, ir
dead but never has been, End never will be, estab-
Ashed. We bare nevor denied, but rather have IL
v ions contained in these ecclestasco political aws
to which an understanding between Church aud Stats
might be. and On v.riona occasions in German
and foreign 8tates has actually beon, arrived
at. We Ehou1d have h.iled with JOY orer.azes to
Euch understanding, aud VIZ should still joyfully
welcome anything Of tic kiud- As long, however
ure tho existence OF the Church. and destroy it's Di~
Enely-tntcnded Independence, al understanding and
possible, even with ths exttenest compliance on tho
part Of tho representatives Of the Church. . Il
cannot be denied that in the recent elesascn pot-
ical lava there IRE many proVisions by wach the dis
Remtnson Of Divine truth ia 1t leass indirectly fur-
hidden under certain ctrcumstance4- Thus the Royal
Upper Tribunal las declared presching in church,
spiritual exercise Of o:nce IN tho s+ase Of
the My Ars, punishable Nth inc,
faP5i.onmsn r. 1s as 'nteInen and haash1sn M
authorization Row, vs. tha: authorization depends
% conditions vhlsh seriously impair tho Independence
OF tha Church, and CANNOT, therefore, bo compiled
with without violation Of COINCIDENCE tess laws con-
tain provisions which in certain xnouut to
prohibition to Preach the Gospel aceorus to ecelesi
sstea order. So nso With the administration u the
The Laws ., the State aspenda pend iFsa On tss
good p.easueo.' - regards the laws in question: We
rateod voice sazinst thea tn full accord with al
faithfu! Catholics In Prussia and the whole world long
before a.5 verdict them from pep&l See had
that number Of ths clauses uero izreso1eila-
bic with tho existence Of tho Catholic canrrh
saa. saa Ti Ia our tSs thu sts M
show fA, or or Eberauty towards tho Catholic Cnurcn
by the d9tations In question, but merely performed
strict undertaken according to cited
presaon Of Prussxn Minister Of State under pledge
Of tho honor Of Prussia Thu rcscrit appeals finally
to those Bishops who in 1870, before the PRONUNCIATION
ba 1usda cxrial out Of in Certain quarters against tho
Church, and the question il asked tbeul whether
from the present confusion and st1no by the faithful
sud firm ustosancts Of their CONVICTIONS. Ne
reply that, a1te< tho deeiaion Of the G:unsn-
icsl Council. fer Oh DishoCs fo- every Catholic
Christian, the truth expressed by the Council IL q
dogn1atic article Of faith Il il supposed therefore,
that might lsfs refused so6nikaon to ths decree,
Catholic fttn- Ws czn1ot alEo omit aayin8 that the
attitude aud conduct Of she BishoIA IN question at the
tDuhc W2a QAltA inherent to Nhak Ii stated IN tho
ministerial document. No Prus4lau Bishop had Any
ide1of predicting such circumstances the present
consequences Of tho Vatican decrees Tho dccrees haye
IN altered the relations Of tneChurch 10 ths State
aud have couseGueutly, g:un occasion for the bill
referred to in memorial nBou1yo Of indescTE4
bio grief and trouble One proof Of this IS that, In
other countries, radical cantnu& OF Switzerland
and thu Grand Duchy Of Badeu excepted, sush
troubles aud strife in Pruat1a have not happened
afhr The Vatican Council Nobody, moreover. who
tha Dew laws in ba Vatican Decrees- Even his E1cel
bismarck cnnnot have done Tor otherwso he would
not have declared In the Chamber ct Deputies tbs
3Yh Of january, 1874 with regard to tke decrecs Of
the Vatican Council that every dogma beloved by
millions Of citizens be sacred in e3os Of every
citizen &nd Of the Government In conclusion,
mark that the Ba1ne Bishops who in 1850 drew
ton to the danger Of capital Icing mnde
out nf the Vatican Dsceeas predicted three
years later, with enu2l conscienGoukness
and candor, the present melancholy position Of ths
Prussian FaIteFind the necessary consequences Of
the legislation Of ,853 Together With all the PltsAn
Bishops they expressed earnest desire TO avert
thou, and to retain the existing relAonA well ordered
by Constitution aud aaw which had uu then In Prux
formed the basis Of peaceful coexstcEce Of the
"a rious confessions, and Of happy understanding
between te State aud Church AUthossfcs- Had those
requests and representations been considered, tho
country would not be suffering under the mela7-
choy circumstances deplored BY the Government and
oy for the removal of which dai]y supplc4ts
Sod With urgent prayers firmly convinced that tho
Holy SEQ would never be 1ndispossd " Easet al Ta2
demands of tho Government.