The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-12-23
POPE ANXIOUS
New Law Relating to Sep
'aration Of Church and
State in France Causes
Plus K Much concsrn
THE LOSS OF SUPPORT

~<es
IN TWENTY YEARS THE FRENCH
GOV ERNM ElNT WILL HAVE
CEASED TO CONTRIBUTE TO
CLBRGY's MAINTENANCE Ro-
MAN GOSSIP.
The address of the Pope to the car
dinals at the consistory of this week is
the main topic of conversation in Vatican
circles, principally because it shows that
the Holy See is totally opposed TO the
law of separation of church and State
in France, says "OsserYatore' in the
Newark Evening News under a
Romano date A leading prelate points
out that for years it has been felt in
some quarters that it would be desirable
for the church in France to shake off its
dependence on the State. Under the pro-
visions Of the concordat the Popes have
been harrassed by the fact that fhey
could not make make nominations to
episcopal or even paroehial positions in
France, without first having an under
standing with the government. 1t has
often happened that desirable persons
whom the Holy See wanted to appoint
could not be so placed because of objec-
tions from French officials, and, on the
other hand, unworthy persons were held
in their positions because they could not
be removed without the cooperation Of
the French Government.
Plus X. was the first Pope since the
beginning of the nineteenth century, who.
in the face of a coneordat, dared to as
sert his rights in matters of church dis
cipline by removing without consultation
with the French officials, the bishops OF
Dion and Lavel over a year ago. This
aroused French hostility In Official cir
cles and was one of the causes for the
abolition OF the French Embassy to the
Vatican, and for the introduction Of the
bill which has just become French law.
Plus x. at the time foresaw the proba-
BILE results, but his personal zeal in be-
ks-.
half of his spiritual supremacy led him
TO insist upon his rights. After the bin
of separation had been plannedn by II.
Bryant and introduced, the Vatican
authorities, up to a few days ago, con-
tinued to hope that its adoption would be
defeated, but the hope was not realized.
The Pope's disappo' o'ntment was pla n-
" shown in his address to- the eonsistory
and gloom pervades the Vatican. No one
wonders at it, The church in France has
lost the support it received from the
State, and although part win be com
tributed from the French budgef for sew
eral years in the shape Of pepsienss in
twenty years at the most the French
Government will have entirely ceased to
contribute to the support Of the bishops
and clergy. 1t is true the same condition
prevails in the United States, bat there
the Catholics are trained 70 support the
church by personal contributors, The
question now is: Wills French Catholics
rise to the situation and support their
clergy? In the Vatican it is believed that
they will, and it has been reported by
many French bishops that their people
have already pledged larger annual sums
than were received from the French Gov
ernment for support of the church.
But this is no reason why the Holy
See should not enter protest against the
laws just passed by the French, Senate.
In Roman jurisprudence it has long been
felt that what the French Government
paid toward the support of the church
was but partial restitution for the great
amount Of church property eonfiscatedat
the time of the revolution. and that such
paynletn belonged to the church by right
Modern legislators, it is held, are not JUS
tilted in suppressing payment on the pea
of separating church and State. Fur
thermore, the Vatican authorities hold
that the corIcordat signed in 1901 was a
contract which neither Of. the two par
ties to it had the right to abolish WITH
out consulting the other. Thisis the gem
eral view here, and will form the topic
of the Pope''s address when he speaks
about the subject At length. &
lust when this address viii be made II
a subject ofgsconjecture. To the cardinals
this week the Pope said that lie would
speak more fully on the subjeet at athe
proper time" This may be when the
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