The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-06-11
FRENCH CATH0LOCITY.

The anti-Papal attitude in the French chamber
of deputies when Premier Combes announced the
protest from the Vatican against the action of
the French president was made manifest by the
large vote of 427 out of 522 given in favor of the
minister This strong backing did not enthuse
Premier Combes, who opposed all questions of en-
tire separation of Church and State. Whilst the
measure recalling the French ambassador to
the Vatican was overwhelmingly sustained the
strange part, at least to outsiders was that when
proposal to abolish the Concordat was made it
rejected by still greater majority-507 to
1S-of these same deputies. Had the government
withdrawn its patronage from the clergy they
would be free and could be no longer expected
to do police work for the government. This free
dom would give the Church an open field and fair
play. That is all she needs to insure victory Tn
fortunately French Catholics failed to respond to
the call of the late Supreme Pontif to unite and
vote only for such men as would defend the rights
of Catholics, especially in regard to education.
Disloyalty to the Holy See and crouching, cring-
ing attitude to the State has been, since the day
of Philip the Fair the attitude of French Cath
olics. The French government is, and has been
for the last hundred years, more Voltarian than
NIlIlSGldl, IHOIe lLuuSl JudIl SdtHOIc Lie young,
active intelligence, and the rulers of France to-
day. are exclusively anti-Papal and Christian.
These were all born of Catholic parents educated
from infancy in Catholic schools, but as they reach
maturity, and their reason begins to unfold, their
religious views changed, they lose all affection
for the Church and become her sworn enemies.
What is the cause! Or are the French bishops
and clergy disturbed over the situation! 1t is j
easy to ascribe the cause to Satan, and say that
Christ predicted that "the world would hate his
followers" But France a Catholic nation, does
not come within the category of wonder not if
the world hate YOU Those who hate and sup
press religious communities are their product
This fact is undeniable, and the answer to the
question: Why are the French people so hostile
to the Church and opposed to the very seats of
learning where they and their forefathers for a
thousand years have been educated? has not yet
been answered. The French bishops have pro-
tested, but their formal protest was not needed.
Does the government wish the separation of
Church and State? The action of the deputies in
sustaining the Concordat would lead one to con-
clude the case is otherwise. There must be some
cause for this persecution and hatred. Premier
Combes knows that the French people endorse
his actions, and the endorsement of Catholic
people must be backed by some reasonable mo-
tive Have the teaching institutions been loyal
to the Republic! If so, why do their graduates,
who now distrust and prosecute them change the
entire policy of the government in regard to edu-
cations These and many other similar questions
have beeen asked, but no satisfactory answer is
given. Catholicity i'll France has had its ups and
downs, the Church has had many sebacks but
the great majority of the people are Catholic
This IS shown by their numerous pilgrimages to
shrines, but they lack that true vigorous, fresh
faith which should unite them to the Chair of
Peter, and, through Peter, to Christ Real Catholic
faith does not consist in mere outward display or
ceremony, but in loyalty to the successors of Peter
and the other apostles. In any country where this
spirit.is lacking, and the Church is run indie
pepdently Of those divinity appointed to rule and