The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06
POLICY OF THE VATICAN
ON FRENCH CONCORDAT
UNDERGOING A CHANGE
Holy See May Not Longer Oppose
Abolition of the Historic
Agreement.
REVERSAL OF A POLICY
That Has Been Strenuously Up
held by All Popes for Over
a Century.
Plus x AN ACTIVE MAN
His Holiness an Early Riser and
Hard Worker-TIis Only Rec
reation Is Walking.
REVERSAL OF A POLICY
Plus X AN ACTIVE MAN
sreeiaI 70 the InaIanapoIis Journal.


ROME March 5.-The prosperity OF the
Catholic Church in the United States, Eng
land Canada and the colonies has, strange
~ enough. been an important factor in
change of the Vatican policy toward France
and il is now unlikely that any serious OPP
position Will be offered TO the abolition OF
the Concordat, II the French Parliament
takes that step. The persistence of French
government officials in formulating and car
rying out measures against the church,
which eliminated IN the exclusion by law
of members Of religious orders as teachers
in the secondary schools, is the primary
cause of a total change of policy from
that followed b. preceding popes regarding
the Concordat. The great Napoleon in 1900,
entered into an agreement with the Holy
See that as compensation for the seizure
of church property in France Immediately
after the revolution. the French govern
rnent would support the church and clergy,
several concessions being made by the Pope.
This agreement, called the ConcOrdat, has
since formed the basis of tho relations be-
tween France and the Holy See.
All the popes since Plus VIII have worked
for the UNFOLDING and the exact execution
OF the provisions OF this treaty, which gave
the church in France ample support and
made the Roman Catholic Church the rec
oenized religion OF the nation. Every effort
made by French Radicals to secure the abO-
lition of the COncOrdat, efforts which have,
of late. been annually renewed in the Par
lament. has met the most strenuous oppo-
sition on the part of Vatican authorities.
who Feared that the church I'm France,
without state support, would suffer great
injury. Pope Plus X is said to hold
contrary view, for while he knows that II
state support were withdrawn the church
grave difficulty, he believes that if the Con-
cordat were abolished the French Catholics
would. in a few years. become educated TO
church support and would ultimately place
the church on the same or a similar foot
ing in the EnSiish-speaking countries
named. According 10 these views, which, IT
should be said. are not held by all MEM
bers of the Curia, the church in France. if
II no longer depended for support on the
government, would be free from some of
the burdens under which ii now suffers
because of hostile legislation
The long-delayed nomination OF a new
bishop of Southwark, TO succeed Mgr.
Bourne, who was promoted to the See of
Westminster, has just been made, and Mgr.
Peter Amigo, vicar general of the same do
cese. receives the appointment. The diff
Guilty of making an appointment was caused
the clergy of Southwark and the canons
and also by English bishops, who preferred
a man from the archdiocese. Mgr. Amigo
the personal selection OF Archbishop
Bourne, and his nomination is considered
victory for the latter.
Following the example of Leo XIII, Plus
y has issued a brief address to the Roman
Academy of st. Thomas. encouraging the
study OF Thomistic theology and exhorting
the young clergymen to follow il. The dec
laration of the new Pope surprised many In
Rome. as it had been thought that Plus X.
having made his studies in northern Italy
belonged to an entirely different school Of
philosophy. and that the strict injunctions
OF the late Pope would become obsolete. so
far as Thomisi Is concerned. On the subject
OF studies Plus y has taken another step
which viii greatly simplify the canon laws
or the church. These laws consist Of the
Decretales and the innumerable DEGREES of
the popes. contained in the hundreds of vol
umes OF the "Bullarium Romainum." ard
the study of church laws. The Pope has
now appointed a commission of five cardi-
nails. who. with the help Of clerks. will
codify all these laws. leaving out whatever
Is found TO be obsolete, so that all the laws
may be collected In a single manual. The
work will take several years. but was rem
dered absolutely necessary because OF many
apparent contradictions in the papal de-
crees. and the number of those which are
no longer in accord with the times.
Bishop MuIdoon. coadjutor of Chicago. is
20 be honored by the Pope because of his
heroic conduct on the occasion of the fire
in the Iroquois Theater. 1t is proposed TO
raise him to the dignity OF titular arch
bishop and nominate him assistant to the
pontifical throne as mark OF distinction.
Speaking of the nomination TO prelate hon
ors, II is not generally known that on the
advent OF a new Pope all papal chamber
1afns. honorary otherwise, have to be
reconfirmed in office by the neWly-elected
head of the church Orders have been is
az n M mo hall he
confirmed in his honorary title, unless he
personally petitions the Holy See through
Trustworthy representative in Rome. and
pays, on presentation OF the petition, the
usual fee OF $40. As there are about $50
combinations 10 be made. the Vatican treas
S7OOc, ''' % e'''"S' from TINS source ''
The Congregation OF the Propaganda has
established a new apostolic project in the
province of Benadir. in Africa. and has
given II in charge of the TrinitarIans. who.
I'm ancient times. had charge Of the redernp-
ton OF slaves in the same country. As slav-
cry is now nearly extinct. IL was thought
ligious order in Ire mission field for which
the new appointee Father Leander will
soon leave Rome with several other monks.
Plus Y is Just now leading a very active
life. He rises early. and after saying mass
goes to work at his desk. which he seldom
leaves before II a. m. For this reason the
daily visit OF his secretary of state. which.
under the late Pope. always occurred before
10 O'Clock. is now postponed 10 a later hour.
In fact in order 10 avoid interruption, Plus
y usually receives the secretary a the din
neT hour. the business being transacted dur
Ing the meal. TO which Cardinal del Val Is
frequently invited. The regular audiences
are now arranged for the afternoon. so that
by o'clock the Pope is al liberty TO again
lock himself up in his study. there 10 re-
main till in the evening. IL is only after
the supper hour that the Pope has any
recreation. all business is then relegated
10 the following day and he has opportunity
10 enjoy conversation with his intimate
secretaries. or his sisters. whom he often
invites 10 spend the evening az the Fati-
can. He has no regular time for walking In
The Vatican gardens but II he rises little
earlier than usual hc goes 70 the gardens
through a secret passage. OF which he him
self keeps the keys. and enjoys "a solitary
stroll through the beautiful grounds. At
times ne will sit on one Of the marble
benches and examine some papers left over
from tie preceding day. When he Is ready
u return he goes 70 the chapel accompa-
MED ~ his secretary. Mgr- Bressan. 10 say
has daily mass. OSSERVATORE.