Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-15
ENCYCliCAL PUBLISHED
rope Outlines Future Conduct of Arch
bishops and Bishops in France.

Rome, Aug. 1.-THE text OF tba
ropes long expected encyclical to he
archbishops and bishops of France ron
corning their future conduct I'm vieu. ~
the enactment of the law providing for
the separation Of church and state an
peared In the Osservatore Romano To-
uay. IL refers TO the previous encycIi-
cal condemning the general princinl.s
OF the law and says the time has now
arrived TO indicate what should be done
W ueieho AMI preserve religion in
France.
we deferred the cncyclical com
tlnues, our decision. owing to the i'm
portance Of this grave question and
particularly through a charitable feel
ing for the great services your nation,
has rendered to the church. HAVING
heretofore condemned this ubiquitous
law we examined with the gre ltest care
It's articles to see If they permitted tn,
organization of religious life in Franco
without jeopardizing the sacred prir-
ciples of the church."
After approving the recommendations
OF the French hierarchy and disapprov-
ing OF the law. the encyclcal says:
therefore,. concerning cultural as
soc1atlons such as the law prescrib,s
we decree absolutely that they cannot
be formed without a violation Of the
sacred rights which are the life itself
OF the church. Putting, therefore
ASIDE these associations, which our
conscience forbids us to approve, it is
oPPortunc to examine if some othe-
klnd Of organization. both legal and
canonical. can avert the threatened
dangers to the church."
IN" encyclical then examines the other
forms of organization. The Pope saws
mourning can cause him greater agony
than the eventualities menaciug the
church in France. and therefore Re hope;
TO ind $Gme other kind Of associations
no. cndangcring Divine rights. adding:
"Hut as this hope fails uS and the law
remains az IT is we declare 1t is not per
missiblC to try this other kind Of asso-
Citations so long as they do not establish
I'm the most legal and most positive WAY
that the Divine constitution of the
church. the immutable rights Of the Ro-
man pontin and the bishops and their
authority over the temporal affairs of the
church, particularly the sacred ptiificcs,
will DE irrevocably protected by such as
without hetraying our sacred charge and
producing the ruin of the church in
France"
The document urges the bishops to
adopt all means within the law. to organ
izc tn" forces. assuring them of the
Papa! cooperation and support.
1T is not difficult" the encyclical says,
ito foresee the determinations which the
enemies Of the church will make against
our present decree. They will seek to per-
suade the people that we do not seek the
salvation Of the church, but that the
fern of the republic in France is odious
to us. We denounce with Indignation
such insinuations as false. The makers
of this law have not sought separation.
but oppression. While affirming their de-
sire for peace they have made atrocious
war against religion. They hurl a brand
of the most violent discord, thus array
ing one citizen against another, to the
great .letrimert of public welfare. We
have supported patiently injustice after
Injustice through love of the French ma
ton and are finally asked to overstep the
last limits of our apostolic duty, and we
declare cur inability to overstep them.
Let the responsibility rest with those
whose hatred has gone to such ex-
The Pope counsels against sedtions or |
violent action ard says frmness will give |
better results than violence. United &C
ton, he says, can be learned from those |
who have imposed the stigma of this |
law upon the nation. In conclu- |
sion the cncyclical says:
I'm the hour of hard trial for France, |
II all unite III defending the supreme in
tercsts of the country the salvation Of
the church is far from desperate. On the |
contrary, it is to be hoped that her dig |
nifty will be raised to its former prosper
ous height"
TIL, document was signed Aug :.