The Washington herald., 1906-12-26
FEW FRENCH CHURCHES OPEN
Midnight Mass at Christmas Cele-
bration Generally Abandoned.
Faithful Admitted, but Ceremonies
Are Not PubIic-Sympathize
Makes Only Disturbance.

Paris, Dec. 25.-Christmas has come and
gone in France without the Christmas
Eve midnight mass, and personal inquiry
would be necessary to find out who felt
keenly this deprivation. Really, midnight
mass was celebrated in various places
where the faithful could assemble, just as
there is mass daily in the churches. and
the devout attended without any embar-
rassment whatsoever. but the spectacle
hunters, who have been numerically the
greatest factors in the midnight mass,
went their several ways withOu; seeming
to mind this grave change ordained by
the holy church. Devout worshipers TO
the number of 600 made their way to the
great Church Of the Sacred Heart in Mont
martre, where midnight mass was said
They were admitted through the sacris-
tan's door. Most of them departed after
the mass, but many fingered to pray for
the church's welfare and in silent adora-
ton.
This incident only emphasized the lack
Of deep interest shown elsewhere. a lack
which g0aded some OF the church papers
into "a nearer approach 70 fanatic abandon
than has been shown in many weeks. The
Authorize says fervently that next year,
when the peasants leave their cottages
and step into the cold night, they viii see
a light on a bin, light similar 20 that
of the Star Of Bethlehem. Crowds viii
gather in a barn. open TO the winds of
heaven. to celebrate a fast to which the
churches are closed.
Sadness on Every Hand:
The Libre Parole says: Sadness and
despair are met on every hand, yet at
times one utters a horrible laugh, pro-
duced almost Involuntary by a situation
which, though atrOcious, is so illogical so
grotesque that it compels a laugh. Il
seems that men going 10 the scanold must
laugh that way"
The anti-church organs, on the other
hand, speak in a quite matter-of-fact
way. The Aurore says that the abolition
of the midnight mass here is an Episcopal
lockout. with a plain purpose, namely,
there is no more midnight mass; perse-
cution is beginning. It adds there is not
a Catholic in France who does not know
if there is no midnight mass it is by the
viii Of the bishops.
The Humanite says: Behold a church.
which, when not prosecuted, persecutes
itself 1t is she who extingulshes in the
heavens the star of the wise men. She
had best have care. lest the eyes Of her
children lose their habit of searching in
the night for this light. But really. why
does she suppress the midnight mass, and
vet ordain that other masses continued
She is no more menaced on Christmas
than on other days, and she appears,
rather, as desiring to provoke agitation"
Sympathfzer Smashes Picture.
It remains for a church sympathizer to
cause the only public agitation in Paris
to-day At the corner Of the Grand
Boulevard and Rue Richelieu there is a
window known for years TO thousands OF
tourists, swellS. and Frenchmen. where
public men are caricatuTed in drawings
that are changed daily The caricature
to-day showed Cardinal Richard, with
Deputy Dennis Cohen hanging to his
shoulders in a way which offended a
Catholic journalist, Henri Bruchard
Bruchard, being apparently a prudent
man, did not act impulsively, but went
up TO a policeman standing near the win
dow, and inquired what would happen if
he smashed the window. The policeman
politely informed him that it would be
necessary to arrest him, wheTeupOn Bru-
chard violently struck the window with
his cane. and babe the officer do his
duty. After acknowledging his guilt at
the station house and declaring that he
had acted because of his conscience, Bru-
chard was liberated. He promptly wrote
a letter TO the evening papers of Amiens
In the various c0mmunes Of the Somme
new declarations have been made to the
number of fOrty-fiVe