The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-01-25
France and Its Faith.

which admitted censure only of those
conspicuous in the enforcement of the
Law of Associations and helped to fix
in the mind an erroneous idea of re-
ligious persecution. In their condem-
nation of the Waldeck- Rousseau min
istry American Catholics forgot that
they were indicting the republic itself
along with the electoral system of rep
Presentation. In swallowing the charge
that the Free Masons, drunk with in
| fidelity, were alone responsible for
banishng the religious orders from
| France, they were crediting a society
numbering not more than $4,000 of
which not over 5000 are active MEM
bers, with debauching the religious
sentiment of 100000 of French Cath
olics. Sober reflection at once discov-
ers the absurdity of such a PROPOSE
| ton, and even the most pious of Cath
olics, those whose thoughts are drawn
to the cloister as often as they dwell
upon the world are forced to this ques-
ton: IF $4,000 male members of re-
ligious orders are driven out of their
native country by 5000 Free Masons,
what is the matter, and with whom?"
The Holy Father has discovered the
cause of this religious commotion in
France and he has spoken to the bish-
ops of that country in tones that they
can neither mistake nor disregard. He
has told them that they must get out
of politics. For years they have been
preaching a crusade against the re-
public and have encouraged the good
people of France to hope that they
could and would be redeemed by rails
ing the standard of the Cross and all
who believed in God to rally around it.
The Church was made the recruiting
ground of the new army of liberation.
The priest was to be Frances political
redeemer. For years this has been the
refrain of all the missions, all the Pill
grimages, all the great popular devo-
tons of France.
The Western Waterman, edited by a
priest CRev D. S. Phelan), explains
the existing conditions along with their
contributory causes. Father Phelan
says: when the late law against the
orders was passed it was confidently
expected that the people would rise
up and overthrow the government. The
two armies were face to face and
collision seemed inevitable. But the
expected uprising did not occur; the
people supported the government very
generally; the orders took their de-
parture without any very great man
of grief on the part of the
people; the crisis passed over as if the
affair were a spinsters' quarrel Re-
ligion as a war cry failed to arouse the
even of the Catholic
and the campaign of religious
frenzy ended ingloriously.
'SThe union of all the Catholic ele-
ments in the party known as the Ma
tionalists brought about the union of
all the factions opposed to the Church.
The Socialists were held together by
the fear of the clericals. All shades
of Republicans blended into one deter
mined opposition to the revival of the
political power of the priests. If the
present Socialistic Republic were ever
Overthrown it would not be by the men
who received their cue from the sac
risty. Far-seeing Catholics mad their
eyes opened to that fact at the last
election and have sought a new align !
ment of the religious forces. The Holy |
Father saw it. and his late instructions !
to the French clergy are the result. !
Frenchmen may fight the Republic, but
they must do it no longer behind the |
of the Church,
The French people are not opposed |
to religion. They love the Church. They |
nave no thought of renouncing their
'aith as individuals or as a nation. But |
hey fear and hate the monarchist in |
,assock: the Royalist in mitre and the |
Bourbon under the cowl. They fear |
hem more than they do the Socialist; |
hey hate them more than they do the
lew or the Protestant. AS long as the |
church remains in politics in France,
80 long will the cross be dragged in
he dust of defeat. There is absolutely
10 hope of reform until the clergy give }
Up once and forever all idea of political
supremacy in France
That is strong language coming from
| priest, but it is the right way to put
problems to the Catholic
public. Catholic sentiment in this coun-
ry is strongly rescntful of priestly am
'ition in politics. 1t will not tolerate
beyond the priests right to
Xercise his privilege as voter and ex-
ress himself as an American citizen.
With scarcely an exception the rule of
on-interference in politics by the AM
rican Catholic clergy remains I'M
'roken to this day. All the same, the
'atholic Iaity may learn a lesson from
Trance.
1t is needless to disagree with some
f our contemporaries who paint the
nalignity of the Waldeck- Rousseau
in carmine We are
eady to believe, when proof is fur
lished. that the Free Masons of Amer
ca are different from their brethren in
france and that an estrangement ex-
SITS between the order here and the
rider in France because of the infideI-
" OF French Masons. We are willing
admit the charge of infidelity
gainst them, but does history prove
hat infidels are the most malignant
ersecutors of the Church? What
oes it tell US of Cromwell and other
tanch Bible pirates of the Reforma- {
ion?
We believe all that has been said
gainst the French ministry upon sub :
tantlal evidence. We have no love for