The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-25
CUT OFF FROM ROME
How a Minneapolis Priest Interprets
Opposition to Catholics in
France.
He: Beliyes France Wants to Estab.
lish a Church Independent
Of Rome.

= ne ultimate establishment or a, national
French church independent of Rome is the
aim of the French government in it's pres
ent movements against religious orders.
"That is my opinion declared to-day,
a Minneapolis representative of the
French clergy. II believe it sincerely.
But it's been years since left France.
I do not know all the circums tances of
the persecution now. in progress, and I
don't want to have my name appear in
connection with a statement that can
not absolutely prove. It might be un-
just to the French people, the French
government, the French religious
But you will see how it will all come
out. Since 1882 they are prosecuting
Catholics in France. At first the congre-
orders that carried on a prosperous bust
ness, such as the Carthusians of La
Grande, Chartreuse, who manufacture
the famous l1queur; and now 1t Is the
preaching gorders,-Capuchins, Passionists
and others. Next 1t will be the regular
parish priests. . .. ~.' -.
s'For the present the government makes
no charges against the village cure. He Is
an honest man, they say, a good citizen.
I He is doing his duty in obedience in the
concordat by which the French govern
ment and the vatican are maintaining the
religious establishment in France.
ut is only. the orders that should be
+
ernment says that these orders are secret
enemies Of France, that they are attack
/ Ing the republic, that they are plotting
! to bring back the monarchy, the bourbons.
.But once let Premier Combes+ or his
successors finish with the orders. and he
will turn against the priests. The cure
will be regulated or expelled:
| - '.And' wlay:77 Are any of the French
priesthood: Of the French religious at
tacking the republic?' Where are the
proofs? The government does not show
| them. It cannot. There are no proofs.
yesterday the chamber of deputies
votes against those brave missionaries,
the Capuchins, and voted against the Eng,
! lish Passionists who conduct the principal
! church in Paris for American and Eng
lish Catholics Premier Combes insisted
/ that there is no place in modern society
for the religious congregations that the
aim of the monks seemed to be-note
| the uncertainty-'seemed to be to lnstlll
a hatred of republican IDEAS
I mot long ago it was the, Carthuslar
monks who were described as public enc
mics. Yet there are no men in France
more harmless, more benevolent, more
self sacrificing. They. conduct no schools
they do not preach; they live wholly tc
themselves. Indeed. the mother house
La Grande Chartruse, near Grenoble, Is
I high upon a mountain, almost inaccessl-
BILE. But these monks do made and sell
the ,Charteuse cordial. They have large
revenues. Nevertheless they pay an i'm
mense taxi believe it is about 100000
a year-and all their profits they devote
ITO maintaining hospitals, orphan asylums
| homes for the poor. In what way are
! these monks that pass their lives In pov'
| erty and prayer the enemies Of the people
whom they succor? How will France be
better off when the Carthusans close thei1
| hospitals and their asylums?: Z ~, go
EFT Is not the French people who are
| to blame. In my opinion the. government
is controlled by the foreigners, the social
lists at PaIls. Not long ago the. socialist:
proposed d pension system. The govern
ment said it had not enough money. Blu
some one pointed out that the religion:
congregations might be confiscated anc
| that their revenues would afford a pension
fund. So it is. These people envy tht
property of the church. envy her inde
pendence, envy her abilities Why are tin
| church schools disliked, in Paris? Because
pupils from the Catholic institutions art
more successful in passing the govern
naent examinations than are the pupils
form the government schools? ->*
"Yes, the government simply wishes t.
appropriate the. revenues of the churcl
and to make tools Of her ministers. Pari
I will try to destroy all connection betwee1
the church and Rome. + .-
but the Catholic church cannot b'
ruined by persecution. She is. being per
secuted now in France as her Master wal
prosecuted. She will be prosecuted here
after. Yet the people of France will neve
be persuaded that these good monks were
! not the peoples friends