The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-02-25
Persecution of Catholics in Ger
many.

The Duke Of Norfolk has addressed the
following letter to the eultor Oh the Lon
don Times:
sig: VIII Won allow me to call attention
70 tbe ureseut condition of the Catholic
clergy in Germany? n committee, consist
iun i Iord petre Lord Arundel of Ward
nt.r Lord Howard of GiUssop, Lord EIuly,
Mousirnor Patterson, the Rev. IL. j. Cole
ridge Mr.. T. W. Lilly and myself, has been
engaged for some months in making inqui-
rics on the subject, and we are now in a po-
sition to state the following facts
Efrst-By the law of the 22d of April last
an animal sum of between 9l3j,0O0 and
eIJ0, 000 has been withdrawn from the Cath
Ollie Church in Prussia
.Second-This sam. the due payment OF
which had been sUlemnly guaranteed by
coucortats between the Prussian Govern
rnent ard the Holy See, was by no means
state Subsidy to the Catholic Church, but an
allowance made in consideration of seques-
trated ecclesiastical property of fa- greater
animal value.
7hird-The number of priests whose in
come is thus stopped, either wholly or in
part, is about 10, GEO.
Fourth-The only terms on Which the cleT-
Cy are entitled under the law of the I'D of
April to claim the resumption OF the pay
ments thus stopped are by entering into
written engagement with the Government TO
''obey the laws of the state, among which
are the "Falk" laws.
FIrri-rhe Falk laws are simply fncom-
patible with the practice of the Catholic re-
ligior, providing rs they do, inter ala, that
the ed ducation Of the clergy shall be conducted
in state universities in which anti-Christian
principles are openly taught; that no disci-
binary powers shah I've exercised III Prussia
by the pope, and that bishops may be de-
posed by the sentence of a purely civil court,
the Roval Gerichtshof. The clergy have
therefore been called upon TO choose between
bpggary and apostasy. They have chosen
beggary.
SiyHt-But this is not all. In manv in
stances the exercise of purely spiritual func-
lions has been punished as a criminal offense;
the ordinary public worship of the Church
the administration Of the sacraments, even
the burial of the dead, have been treated as
crimes Six bishops and very large num-
ber of priests have been deprived of their
personal liberty. Some are confined with
and treated a. common criminals, and thou
sands of the faithful are without pastors and
spiritual consolation.
SerenHt-Nor is il possible for the CathO-
lies OF Prussia to do much for the support of
the impoverished clergy who as yet have not
been thrown into prison. 1t was stated in
telegram which appeared in your columns
on the 1Oth of May last That 'orGers had been
sent TO the district administrators according
to which collections made, without the sane
ton of the Governor of the province, to
compensate Catholic priests for the penalties
punishable by law" We are in possession
of evidence that in many provinces the order
is being enforced, and that in the poorer
parishes-espacia!iy in rural oDcs-ihe clergy
sutf.riug the greatest privatiOrs, which
their people are unable to relieve. A very
high authority states that in the lioccses of
Trevcs. Hildeshem, Limburg, Fulda and
Culm it ia utterly impossible for the faithful
to support their priests, aud any protest hy
the laity, through tho public press or other
wise, against the policy of the Government:
is repressed by fucssaud imprisonment.
In such circums' ances il appears to us that
an appeal may confidently be made on behalf
of those sufferers for conscneuce sake. AC-
knowledgcd TO be men of exemplary lives
and entire devotion TO the duties of their sa-
cred caliins-the only crime alleged against
them heiug their refusal to submit To the
dictatiOn of the state in matters of religion
they are entitled, rs IL seems TO MS, to the
respect compassion and active sympathy of
all true Englishmen. / am, sir, your nbcdi-
ent servant. NORFOLK, +. NJ.
Norfolk House, St. James Square, S. w