The Irish standard., 1906-12-29
What Catholics Really Mean by Union Of
Church and State Clearly Set Forth !
by Noted Prelate. u
The Manhood Of the French Nation, Physic-
ally as Well as Numerically, is
Fast Dwindling Away.

Rt. Rev. Henry Joseph Richter, D. D..
Bishop of Grand Rapids, has issued
the following statement on the religious
troubles in France:
The false reports studiously sent
forth by tho French government in
order to mislead public opinion in re-
gard to the present crisis between the
Church and the state in France, and
which has been published broadcast
by the press OF this country, make it
imperative in the interests of truth,
justice and fair play, that IL clear ana
correct statement of the real position
of the Church OH this important and
historic question be laid before the pub
lie. "Audiatur ct altera pars." Give
us hearing.
An erroneous IDEA prevails in this
country as to what Catholics really
mean by the Union OF Church and
state. 1t doesrnot mean that the state
should pay the salaries of tho clergy,
Or supply the funds for the expense OF
carrying on public worship, or erecting.
or repairing churches. The Church has
always preferred to attend to these
matters herself, and only asks that the
state do not interfere.
Union Of Church and state simply
means that the state recognize God and
that 1t lend its authority and power to
the promotion OF the spiritua! inter-
ests represented by the Church: while
the Church recognizes the authority of
the state in temporal matters, and ell
joins obedience to and reverence for
such authority and its cnactmcnts in
its own sphere. The Church and the
state so hand in hand promoting the
temporal and spiritual welfare of the
nation.
Why State Pays Salaries for Clergy.
Wherever the state pays the salaries
of the clergy and supports religion
financially it will invariably be found
that this is in compensation for the
wholesale robbery Of Church property
by the state. This was pre- cininonrIy
the case in France. Before the French
revolution every one Of tho 10000
churches in France had its own c1l-
dowment, made up OF tho pious and
generous offerings of the faithful, ac-
cunulating for centuries, and quite
sufficient to defray the salaries of the
clergy, the support Of divine worship,
and the caring for the poor, the sick,
the orphan, the aged, and the afflicted
OF every class. During the bloody revo-
luton Of a century ago, the entire re-
ligious fabric Of France with its tenn
pies, it's colleges, its seminaries. it's
converts and monasteries was over
turned, and these buildings were de-
clared the property Of the state Fur
thermore, the religious, educational and
charitable endowments, having an esti-
mated value of. 4,000,000,0OO francs,
were confiscated by the state, diverted
from their pious and benevolently in
tended uses and sold at auction to the
highest bidder.
For twelve years the exercise of re-
ligion was proscribel in France.
When at length at the frenzied mad
ness that had led thousands to the
guillotine and sent hundreds of thou
sands into exile had spent it's fury, and
Napoleon had made himself dictator Of
religion for the stability of his gov
ernment, and entered into negotiations
with the Pope for the establishment of
the ancient faith, threatening all the
while to follow the example of Horny
VIII. i'll making himself the head Of Il
national church if the Pope did not
agree to his demands.
Making Of the coneordat.
The result of these negotiations
was the now famous "Concordat' of
1871 l2,, tl,a farms of this an,,%,,al