The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-02-20
THE DISTRESSED CLERGY IN PRUSSIA
LETTER FROM THE DUKE OF NORFOLK.


The following from the Duke of Norfolk
appeared in the London Times of January
25th:
Sir,-Will you allow me to call atten-
ton to the present condition of the Catho
lie clergy in Germany A committee con-
sistiug Of Lord Petre, Lord Arundel of
Wardour, Lord Howard Of Glossop, Lord
Emily, Monsignor Patterson, the Rev. II. j.
Coleridge, Mr.. T. w. Allies, John Young, ir.,
Mr.. J. II. Pollen, Mr.. w. s. Lilly, and my
self, has been engaged for some months 10
making inquiries on the subject, and we
are now in position to state the following
facts:
al. By the law of the 22nd of April last
an annual sum of between E135, 600 and
$50 600 has been Withdrawn from the
Catholic Church in Prussia.
"2. This sum, the due payment of
which had been eolemuly guaranteed by
Concordats between the Prussian Govern
ment and the Holy See, was by no means
u State subsidy to the Catholic Church,
but an allowance made in consideration of
| sequestrated ecclesiastical property of far
| creator annual value.
| 80. The number of priests whose in
come is thus stopped, either wholly or in
part. is about 10000.
"a. The only terms on which the clergy
are entitled under the law of the 22nd of
April to claim the resumption of the pay
ments thus stepped are by entering into y
| written engagement with the Government
to "ohcy the laws of the State,n among
which are the 1" Falk laws.
IS. The Falk laws are simply incom-
pRtible with the pratice of TIE Catholic re-
ligion, providing az they do, inter ala. tn at
the education of the clergy shall be con-
Quoted in State UniversIties in which anti
Christian principles are openly taught !;
81 oiv>liv hall -.
cised in Prussia by the Pope and that
Bishops may be deposed by the sentence of
| a purely civil court, the Royal Gerist shof.
| The clergy have therefor @ been called upon
to choose between beggary and aposJasy.
| They have chosen beggary.
"6. But this is not all. In many in
stances the exercise of purely spiritual
functions has been punished as n criminal
| offence; the ordinary public worship of
the Church, the administration of the Sac
Taments, even the burial of the dead, have
been treated as crimes. Six Bishops and a
very large number of priests have been de-
prived of their personal liberty; some are
confined with and treated as common
criminals, and thousands of the faithful are
without pastors and spiritual consolation.
Nor is it possible for the Catholics 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 winch appeared IN your columns
on the 10th of May last that orders hs d
been sent to the district administrators &C.
cording to which collections made, with
out the sanction of the Governor of the
province, TO compensate Catholic priests
for the penalties inflicted upon them con-
stitued offences punishable by law, We
are in possession of evidence that in
many provinces the order is being enforced,
and that in the poorer parishes especially
in rural ones-the clergy are suffering the
greater privations, which their people are
unable to relieve. A very high authority
states that in the 6inceses of Treves. Hi.
desheim, Limbarg, Fulda, and Cuim it is
utterly impossible for the faithful to cup
port their priests, and any protest by the
laity, through the public prees or otherwise,
against the policy of the Government is re-
pressed by fine and imprisonment.
In such circumstances it appears to us
that an appeal may confidently be made on
behalf of those sufferers for conscience
sake. Acknowledged to be men of exem-
plsry lives and entire devotion to. the
duties of their sacred calling-the only
crime alleged against them being their re.
fusai to submit to the dictation of the
state in matters of religion-they are en-
Titled, az it seems to us, to the respect,
compassion, and active sympathy of ali
true Englishmen.-I am, Sir, your ODE.
dent servant,
NORFOLK, E. NJ.
Norfolk House, st. James's- square, S. w.
A nV.NTr