The Irish standard., 1905-11-18
SMALL RETURNS
Property Of Religious Orders
Expelled From France
4 Bitter Disappointment to the
Combes Government.

promised immense returns lfOll lle
sale of the confscated property of the
exiled religious ORDERS has met with
bitter disappointment in the results OF
the forced sales.
It is estimated that the sale Of the
property of the religious orders in
France, which at the time the laws
against religious associations were
brought up, was estimated at about
5000, 0OO, 900, has brought very little tc
the state. All such properties, consist
ing of chapels, monasteries, converts
school buildings and private residences
were acquired either by the municipal
tiles or by private interests, and 1t is
stated on good authority the total
amount received by the state from the
proceeds of the sales did not reach the
round figure of 100000.
Several reasons are given to explain
the matter. The fact that the majority
of the buildings which belonged to the
religious orders, and which originally
cost a large amount of money, could
not very we'll be adapted to other uses
without meeting with large expenses,
caused an enormous depreciation on
their actual value when thay were
sold. A convent at Nancy, which was
assessed in the tax books at $4,000,
when sold at auction brought only
$500. Twelve religious houses in a
single French city, formerly occupied
by female religious orders, which were
assessed in the books of the municipal
ity as being worth $4,000, were re-
Gently sold, and the whole of the prop
erty brought only $4,000.
Then, many of the religious ORDERS
before they We're compelled to leave
France, mortgaged their properties for
large amounts and these mortgages
had to be paid out of the proceeds of
the sales In many instances private
parties were represented as the real
owners of some of the converts, mon
asteries, school, etc, and in these
cases the property could not be soid
without an order from the courts. The
enormous expenses encountered by the
French government for legal proceed
and real estate experts, and for the
percentages due to the temporary adj
minstrators and lquidators, have also
absorbed an enormous part of the pro-
ceedngs from the sales of the prop
critics belonging to religious orders.
Some of the properties still remain
unsold for lack of purchasers, and
matters have become worse on this
point since the Pope has ordered the
French bishops to announce that any
one acquiring the property of the re-
liglous orders without special per-
mission from the Holy See would in
cur the penalty of accommodation.
Already twenty-four French bishops
have issued pastoral letters on the
subject and it Is feared that because
future to find purchasers for the cs-
tates.
The French Benedictines have OPP
ened a magnificent establishment in
the Isle of Wight, to which place they
brought from France personal property
valued at more than $5,00O,00O. The
Reformed Cistercians, or Trappists,
who possessed large tracts We're en-
abled to dispose of some of their prop
erty to advantage before they were
compelled to go into exile.
The Carthusans, who have taken
their liqueur manufactury to Spain. are
said to have taken also with them
money and securities amounting to
more than $S.0O0,00O and are now
enjoying the advantage OF saving over
tribute to religious and charitable pur-
poses in their own country.
The Minor Franciscians are known
to have saved the entire years income
amounting to about 100000, before
they left the state. The Capuchins did
not save very much, but it is affirmed
they We're enabled to leave France with
nearly half million dollars.
The only unfortunate ones We're the
French Dominicans, who had invested
a large amount of money in Paris by
purchasing the magnificent residence
of the Duchesse Dues just before the
laws against the religious orders were
enforced and they were compelled to
go into exile.
The Jesuits are perhaps the only
members of the French religious orders
who have not as yet left France, at
least in body. They have scattered,
and they now reside two or three to-
That they have been able to send their
personal property to Rome is proved
by the fact that each of the French
Jesuits now receives from the head
house in Rome an annual pension
amounting to $500, with which they are
all enabled to continue in their church
work without materially violating the
laws against the associations
Of the other French religious orders
the Assumptionists, who We're perhaps
the richest have now a capital Of 500