The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-12-10
Points Out in a Clear and Concise Way the
Circumstances Which Led Up to
Rupture Between Them.
Itis the Government of France Which Opposes
the Church and Not France or the
French People.

The following is part of notable
sermon recently delivered by the arch
bishop of st. Paul at st. Patrick's
church in the city Of Washington:
"In 1901 the French revolution had
about run it's course. Napoleon, as
first consul, decided to put an end to
discord and re-establish in France
peace and prosperity. He was at once
confronted with religious question.
The French people were Catholic, yet
they had been despoiled of their
churches and a chismatic clergy had
been imposed upon them. He ad-
dressed himself to Plus VII, who, on
his own part, was only too anxious to
close up the wounds which the revo-
luton had inflicted upon the church.
Tenacious of power, the first con-
sui desired to retain for the state as
many privileges as it was possible to
secure. The guardian of the rights of
the church, Plus VII, was bound to
protect the spiritual supremacy while
yielding somewhat his temporal rights.
The result was the Concordat, under
which the French church has since
lived. The Roman Catholic Apostolic
religion the Concordat declared, will
be freely exercised in France .
The first consul shall nominate bish-
ops to episcopal sees and the apostolic
see shall install them canonically
Bishops shall appoint to par
ishes only such persons as are accept
able to the government.
Those who have acquired church prop
erty shall suffer no interference. .
The French government takes upon
itself the proper maintenance Of bish-
ops and parish priests
''The French government gained suf-
fcient control to enable it to have in
as bishops and priests only such men
as would accord with it's ideas and the
church, while yielding much of it's lib
erty, still gained in France the sub
stantial rights to live and work. So
far the Concordat.
"Soon, however, Napoleon and his
counselors imagined that too much had
been granted. One of the articles of
the Concordat was that the public wor-
ship was subject to such police regula-
tions which the government might
consider necessary for the public
peace. Under cover of this article, but
without being in any way justified by
it, the government published what was
since known as the Organic Articles
Che purpose of which was to put ex-
troardinary restrictions on the exer-
else Of spiritual power by popes, bish-
ops or priests. Among other things, it
was stated in these organic articles
chat no papal letter should be promul-
gated in France without the consent of
the government; that without this
consent the papal nuncio could not
communicate with bishops and priests
'The sovereign pontiff Immediately
as his successors have ever since, pro.
tested against the organic articles
They were simply unilateral con-
tract, having no binding force what
ever on the party of the first part
the church. AS a matter Of fact, ex.
cept now and then in special moments
of government anger or ambition, the
organic articles were dead letter
while the Concordat itself was OBJ
served by both government and
church.
''Now there is a rupture Of all official
relations between France and the vat
fcan, and the Concordat, we are told
is to be quickly abrogated by the
French government. Upon whom rests
the responsibility? Upon the French
government or the vatican? The gov
ernment says the vatican is to blame
What are the facts? Two bishops
those of Dijon and Laval, were brought
before the bar Of the vatican under
very serious charges. The vatican in