Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-14
At PARIS.

Lee. To- ne PARISH ITtStS
everywhere celebrated mass in the
presence of unusually large congrega-
ton, but the actions of the authorities
We're confined to noting infractions of
the law and citing the priests and vi
cars to appear before justices of the
peace.
Everywhere legal notices have been
served for the evacuation of the &C.
clesistical residences, the seminaries,
etc. Several of these buildings were
abandoned without further ado, but d
majority of the prelates, while fully
prepared to go, announced that they
would not depart except under pres
sure. in many parishes in Paris and
the interior Catholic laymen came for
ward today and spontaneously filed
declarations for the holding of services
in the designated churches during the
coming year. If these practices are
generally followed it indicated a gen.
eral victory for the government.
In the meantime the cabinet is pre-
pairing measures to be introduced be-
fore Parliament tomorrow The net
result of the uncompromising attitude
assumed by the Vatican in this con-
tlict with the French government
seems to be that the clergy will lose its
pension, $4,000 of which have been
granted and gazetted since the begin
ming of this year. that all aspirants 10
the priesthood will be compelled to
perform military service. and that the
taking over of the Episcopal mansions.
rectorieS, SeminarieS, etc, by the state
department and the cOmmunes will nc-
cur Immediately instead of December,
1907.
Paris. Dec. 13.-Tlrere was an i'm
pressive response this morning to the
clergy's appeal to their parishioners 10
attend the first masses celebrated out
side of the pale of the law A corre-
spondent of The Associated Press visit
ed dozen churches including Notre
Dame DeS Victories. ST. German
DAuXerrois, where the sigma! for the
Bath0lOmew massacre was given: St.
ROch. the Madelinee and St. Augustin
Everywhere it was the same story. The
front gates of the churches were clos
ed but the Catholics by the grey light
Of dawn were streaming through the
side portals. The interiors Of the build
ings We're well filled, in several places
there was music but nowhere was
there the slightest attempt to interfere
with the services or create disturb
anceS. Three policemen were station
ed outside the pOrticos Of the churches
to prevent any possible disorder while
the police officers in plain clothes who
We're on duty inside simply noted the
mira ctiOnS of the law, taking the
names of the officiating priests and APP
proXimating the number of those pres
ent. with the object of making reports
to the justices of police.
Normal charges were entered Wher-
| ever mass was celebrated except at the
churches st. Jean L'Evangile and St.
Blaise de Charonne, at Pere La Chaise,
whose Pensioners. following the en-
ample of the first mentioned church,
| made the call for application yester-
day to held services under the law Of
| 1881. The vicar of ST. Blaise de Char
onne when induced by his parishioners
to take the step said:
whatever the consequences, I re-
| greet nothing. 1 am a Frenchman above
| everything
Early dispatches from the departments
/ say tHeL "ItItNtI IIldSS WdS CeltDTdteu
| charges were drawn UP and summonses
were issued. At ChalOns the Able Renau-
din claimed that the church bells were
not rlng and that no person was invited
| to mass and that therefore the assem-
blage had not the character of a public
| meeting. whereupon he was compelled by
a police officer to inscribe his protest
| upon the summans.
| The diocesan council here last night
decided that neither the ecclesiastical
| residences nor the seminaries should be
| abandoned except before show of force.
1t is officially stated that tn eletters
Of Mgr Montagnini, the expelled secre-
tary Of the Papal nunciature here, show
that the majority of the French bishops
| favored observance of the law of 1881 and
bowed with reluctance to the Papal de-
| cree. The statement adds that inviolabil-
| ity of the diplomatic correspondence of
the nunciature was scrupulously respect
ed before the rupture between the vati-
! can and France.
| During the day summonses were issued
Continued on Page Three.)