The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-09
pIUSX. 'SREPLY TOTHE FRENCH
now ~CHURCHMEN INTERPRET
THE ENCYCLECAL.

public -DtSc OurAEes Df9Orderly OpD0-
sliIOn. Though Vatican Cannot Yield
10 IntcrTerence-Fate a FRENCH CAtho-
lies Depends on Repression Of Fanatics.
ROME. Aug. 2s.-We are ready to admit
that the decision Of the Holy See does not
agree with the oonciliatOry solution that
we favored. We had thought that the
Church might, without in any way sacri-
fclng ~ essential principles, make a trial
Of the so-called Separation law. Rome
has weighed the moral. social and political
aides Of the French situation that might
have tended to such an arrangement; it
has weighed likewise the contrary reasons,
and the hitter w prevailed.
A. supreme g Of the Church, the
guardian Of doctrine, the pilot Of the ship
that has passed far more dangerous tenn
pests, and whose course. guided by Provi-
dence, il always directed toward the future
and may wait patiently the conservation OF
centuries, the Pope has enlightenment
which we cannot have, and follows paths
OF which it is not always possible for us.
blinded as we are by temporary or local
or national circumstances, to see the end.
That one consideration should make it
EASY for us to yield submission, confidently
and loyfully. II there is any question which
Lelongs clearly to the Pope's jurisdiction
and competence 1t Ia assuredly the one
which is just decided, and / imagine that
even the free thinkers, I mean those who
are not devoid Of logic, will agree to this.
II is therefore easy to see how great was
the fault committed by the public authori-
ties when they made up their minds to i'm
pose upon the Church IN France, without
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public worship.
What are in France the public snthori-
ties il not the Deputies and the Senator's?
Lawyers, doctors, notaries, v~eterinaries,
journalists, who often have only succeeded
in entering the legislature because they
made a show OF thinking and living out
side Of Catholicism, as anti-clerioalism has
become a career. But to boast OF not being
Q Catholic, to profit by irreligion, to pro-
claim during the elections that one abom-
mates bigotry and bigots, and then to
Get up for a t~heologian or a ~canonist, to
transform the Chamber Of Deputies into a
church council and to assume to organize
of hand in accordance with ones ignor-
anoe or fancy a church organization which
the Pope, the Bishops and the whole Church
must accept, that a~ssuredly is the folly OF
o sectarian.
We shall take care for our part not to
follow even at a distance such laundering.
1t is not 80 long ago that politicians we're
fond Of repeating this formula, The Mayor
in the town hall, the teacher in the school,
and the priest in the Church." Those who
employed this against the intrusion of the
clergy into our political discussions will
permit us now to use IL in our turn against
the intrusion OF the politicians into relig-
ious affairs; and since, as a matter of fact,
il belongs to the Pope and to the Bishops,
and only to the Pope and the Bishops, to
say how religious society and life shall be
organized in France, no fault should be
found with our sacrificing our own private
views in a matter on which We could only
express an opinion, and yielding without
complaint or a~fterthought Of any sort to
the decision OF the Holy See.
In view Of this 1 must add Immediately
that in the encyclical will be found every
thing needed to calm the anxiety Of our
friends who fear hat the rejection Of the
associations for worship" by Rome may
favor the plans Of the reactionary party.
Thus, for instance. the Pope asks Catho-
lies to struggle for the Church with per-
severance and energy, but yet without
acting in a seditious and violent manner
Coming after the useless squabbles over
the inventories this phrase is significant.
1t would be lacking in respect TO the Holy
Fathers word to attribute to such advice
only the force Of a conventional phrase.
When he forbids violence and sedition he
means assuredly that people must avoid
arising bodily against the public authority;
that what is Ineligible on the part Of v
lutionaries without religion and without
hope would not be excusable on the part
Of Christians who have on their side the
right, and who, IL they will consent to take
the trouble. may some day by the mere
use Of the public freedom which has been
left to them win back the whole OF their
religious liberty.
What must be done. then, is to act on pub
lie opinion. Notice how the Holy Father
takes care to turn aside at the very be-
ginning one Of the accusations which the
enemies Of the Church will not fail to mako
In order to turn away from it the sympathy
Of French democracy.
The enemies Of the Church. he writes,
will endeavor to persuade the people that
the form OF the republic in France Is hate
full to US and that we encourage the Efforts
Of hostile parties to overthrow it. ="
These accusations and others like them,
which, az certain indications show, will be
spread among the public in order to irritate
mems minds, we denounce at once and
Indignantly as being false, and it is in
Cumbent on you, venerable brothers, as on
all good men to refute them -
1t seems to me that that Is sufficiently
clear. The Pope does not wish the Church
TO 10 accused Of being hostile to the re-
public, and il the accusation Is made-and
how can it help being made since for thirty
years past certain Catholics Of France have
unfortunately lone all they could to have
It ~believed3-if this accusation Is made, the
Bishops and -all good men must hasten
TO refute it. But they cannot refute 1t I'M
Iess they believe it and show it by their
actions and by u~ndeniably loyal conduct.
If IL should happen in the religious strug-
gle hat is about TO begin that the chiefs
Of the old parties should succeed in hav-
ing their views accepted and in putting
forward their own men; IL the official HER
archy Of the Church should lose confidence
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