The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
The status of Catholics in France.

Since the return Of Republican majority
TO the new Chamber Of Deputies, nothing
has awakened more interest in France than
the impending election of senators. The
event will have not only a political but n
religious significance. On the one hand, the
monarchical element is in danger of over
throw in its last stronghold ON the other.
GAMBErTA and many other leaders Of the
Left have declared the time has come To
annul the privileges overly or tacitly con-
coded to the Church of Rome in violation Of
the letter OF the statutes. On this issue the
contest mainly turns and it is worth while.
therefore. to point out the precise status OF
Catholics before the law in republican
France.
Two facts which are frequently overlooked
lie at the root of this whole question. First,
the legal relation Of Church and State in
France at the present hour is substantially
identical with that established by the Con-
cordat of 1902. Secondly, rs regards the exc
cutiOn OF the law, very much more favor has
been shown to the Catholic Church under
the Scptennate than under the Third Empire.
Notwithstanding his interference on behalf
of the Papacy's temporal power, NAPOLEON
Ill could not forget that he was the sue
cessor OF the author of the Concordat and
he maintained most ofits provisions against
aggression on the part Of religious bodies.
For instance, his Government forced the
lay society Of ST. Vincent de Paul to dis
persc, opposed the publication Of the Syl-
labus, and took action in the civil courts
against the Bishops who had published it
without permission. On the other hand,
4
bly,, In 1871, until It's dissolution, none of the
Ministries of the Right carried ont against
the clerical party the restrictive legislation
of 1902 They allowed letters Of the Holy
Father to circulate without hindrance, and
religious congregations, whether authorized
or not. to be vastly multiplied Moreover
the Assembly was induced to pass a meas
ure giving the priesthood access TO the mill
tary barracks at all times in peace as we'll
as war, and to remodel the law about at
tendance at public worship in such way as
| to give new power and influence To the
| clergy. Finally, il restored a law abro-
gated by the Third Empire under
which the Bishops obtained n dom-
mant influence in the Council Of Public In
structon, and were enabled to fashion the
education OF French citizens Yet, although
the conservative Assembly did SO much
for the Church, there was much that
it left undone. II infringed, but it did
not annul, the Concordat dictated by the
first Emperor and the legislation left unre-
pealcd is to the full as restrictive, should
| the Executive call 1t into exercise, as the
famous laws passed by Prussia upon the de-
mand OF BISMARCK. This is why the enc
mics OF the Church are content TO appeal to
existing statutes, and to clamor for their en-
| fOrcement.
Take, for instance, the action Of a Repub-
lican Sub-Prefect two or three weeks ago.
Two Dominican monks of the Carpentras
monastery, on returning from "a journey,
were accosted by policemen, who demanded
their passports. Their prior wrote letter
Of remonstrance to the Sub-Prefect, who
replied that he had not the honor OF know
Ing the Superior of the Carpentras Domini-
cans, that order not being authorized in
France. The official went ON to say that the
Dominicans occupya house where, contrary
to the penal code, more than twenty persons
habltually meet for religious objects, and
that. whenever the police thought proper 10