The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-12
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE
PHILIPPINES

The demands of the Roman Catholic
Church and brotherhoods In the Philip
pines, as stated in dispatch from Manila,
are utterly inadmissible and should not be
entertained for a moment by the gov
eminent. The Journal pointed out some
time ago that this was sure to become
an embarrassing question before long, and
events are proving it to be so. 1t was
inevitable that 1t should be so, owing to
the entirely different relations Of the Span
ish and the American governments to the
church and their different methods of
the Spanish system the church and the
state are practically one. the line Of de-
narration between them being scarcely de-
Enable, while under the American system
church than 1t has with the hardware or
dry goods business. 1t will be hard to
make the Catholic authorities in the Phil
ippines understand this. For generations
past they have enjoyed grants. concessions,
privileges, immunities and special legisla-
ton under which they have built up a
government within government and ex-
ercised a degree of control over the civil af-
fairs and personal and property rights of
the people that could not exist under and
would not be tolerated by the United States
government. Perhaps under the treaty
they may be permitted to retain posses
sion Of the property they have acquired
in the islands under the Spanish system,
but they certainly should not be permitted
to continue the methods by which they
have acquired IL.
The whole question has been brought to
the front by the arrival at Manila of
Monsignor Chapelle. the papal delegate.
He is clothed with full power to represent
the church. and it was said before he
had left the United States that he had
also been made acquainted with President
rangement or agreement that he makes
will necessarily bind the United States gov
eminent, but he may be of service in
bringing the church authorities In the Phil
situation. A dispatch from Manila says:
1t is asserted on high authority that
Archbishop Nozaleda contends, in his in
terviews with Monsignor Chapelle, the
papal delegate. on behalf of the Roman
Church and the brotherhoods that the
titles to all property held by the church
and the brotherhoods In the Philippines
should be recognized; that the existing re-
ligious orders should continue to admins
ter the parishes; that other parishes should
be established under the same control. and
that the parochial control OF cemeteries
should continue. He also lays stress, in
his contentious; upon the Importance of
allowing the church to administer its own
affairs without state interference, upon
the necessity of regime that will guar
antee the liberty of the church, upon the
desirability of European clergy. the es-
adjustment of new college for the in
struction of native priests, and the contin-
uation of indirect contributions for the
maintenance of churches and clergy, and
on the expediency of maintaining the sys-
tenn Of parochial fees, including revenues
from births, marriages, funerals. dispense
lions and apostolic indulgences. In addi-
ton, Archbishop Nozaleda advises the con-
tinuation of the churchs control of pawn
shops and certain designated hospitals and
schools, together with the establishment of
a special form of parochial administration
exacted by the actual conditions in the
Philippines.
These contentious on behalf OF the
church show a queer commingling of &C.
clesiastical and civil functions. and in
clude some demands which cannot possibly
be granted. The vested property rights OF
the church in the Philippines are pro-
tected by the treaty with Spain. and 1t
goes without saying that all denomina-
lions will be protected in the free exercise
of their religious and church functions.
but the government should make 1t under
stood as soon and plainly as possible
that the era of the exercise of civil func-
tions by the authorities of any church is at
an end.