Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-06-24
Settle CHURCH lands
PROBLEMS THAT BESET The
CHURCH IN PHILIPPINES
ScHisM OF AGLiPAY WHO CALLS
HIMSELF CHURCH HEAD IN
iSLANDS-TAFT's PLAN
Is WEAK,


Islands, has arrived at Manila.
Letters received at the Vatican while
Mgr Agius was still in Washington
informed the Propaganda that the
American Government had consented
to enlarge the powers Of the local
courts in the islands so that all ques-
tons regarding the ownership of
church property there may be finally
settled by the local judges. This Is
considered very important point In
favor Of the Church, which has always
contended that the church buildings
and other properties at present in the
possession Of Aglipay's followers are
by right the property Of the Catholics
In the islands, although their title was
not vested, as is the case In America,
in the persons Of the bishops OF other
ecclesiastics. but was the property Of
the congregations at large.
| As there is not a single instance in
the archipelago where a whole con-
! gregation has gone over to Aglipay,
Mgr. Agius has been instructed to
make the contention in the courts that
such property must be returned to its
lawful holders previous to the schism,
and that the rightful representatives
Of such owners are in every case the
bishops recently appointed in the is.
lands.
The schism of Aglipay, who styles
| ot no
bishop Of the Archipelago, and the
validity Of whose conservation is con.
sidered here very doubtful, has been
a thorn In the side OF the officials of
the Congregation Of Propaganda for
several months. It is thought here
property to the legitimate authorities
will be crushing blow to Aglipay's
followers, who would find themselves
without any place of worship. As
their financial condition does not per.
init them to build new churches, 1t Is
felt at the Vatican that the schism
would soon come to an end.
Manila newspapers seem to be un.
animous In denouncing the agreement
entered into by Gov. Taft and the re-
representatives. Of the religious orders
regarding the sale of the lands held by
the friars as being the result Of repre-.
sentation at the hands of the friars.
1t is well known at the Vatican that
even Catholic editors In the Philippine
Islands are angry that SO many mil
lions Of dollars should not remain In
the islands, and Gov Taft is much
criticised for his credulity in the
friars' promises. Many protests have
recently been received by the Vatican
from the islands. For this reason
Piux X. instructs Mgr. Agius to bend
all his efforts toward retaining as
much OF the money as possible for the
support Of the Church in the archi.
pelago.
AS the religious orders interested
among them the Jesuits, the Domini
cans and the Franciscans, had recently
insisted upon a prompt division of the
S5,OOO,0OO still remaining on deposit in
a New York bank among their repre-.
sentatives, Plus X. informed Cardinal
Wives Tuto, who represented the re-
!iglous orders interested, that he would
not allow the remaining funds to be
given entirely to the orders concerned,
but that at least portion of the money
was to remain for use among the do.
ceses In the islands.
The first step of Mgr. Agius on his
arrival In America was to practically
tie up the funds at the disposal of the
religious orders, which now the Gov.
eminent will refuse to pay out, because
OF the representations made by the
Apostolic Delegate, until the Church
authorities shall be in perfect accord in
the matter. Mgr. Agius has been in.
structed to make a strict investigation
as to how much of the land bought by
the American Government really be.
longed to the religious orders, and how
much was the property of the several
J parishes, as such, for the support OF
the clergy in charge of them at the
time. From his report the authorities
OF the Vacitan will be able to determine
how the money is to be divided.
1t has been determined that the
rope VIII compel the religious orders
concerned to accept his decision as
final. Under their vow of obedience TO
the the Holy See, the command cannot
be disobeyed.
the amount which Mgr. Agius shall
determine as the absolute property of
the churches in the islands will be
divided by the new Apostolic Delegate
among the four Bishops in the archi.
pelago and be applied to the support
OF the clergy until the churches shall
nave become self-supporting.
IL Is hoped to largely increase this
amount In the near future by the set.
tlement of claims now pending before
the courts In the islands for damages
done to church property at the time OF
the American occupation. While in
Washington, Mgr Agius received as.
surances that all such claims would
soon be settled. 1t Is understood here
that they will amount to nearly three
millions Of dollars.