Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-14

lie are required to organize themselves into
corporations similar to those prevailing
among Protestant churches in the United
States, called associations cultuelles," and
to apply to the government for charters
just as if they were public library asso-
ciations benevolent societies, corporate
colleges, mutual insurance companies or
other organizations that are not intended
to make profits for their members. Each
association must elect trustees or veStry-
men, as we would call them, to manage
their business affairs and, when such
officers are elected, the government will
transfer to them all the church buildings,
the parsonages and other real estate re-
CURED for divine worship and also all
the movable property, furniture orna-
ments, relics, ETC., within the churches.
All this, real and personal, is to be forever
the property of the congregation of the
parish represented by the association cult
uele as long as 1t exists
The government will not recognize and
will not transfer church property to any
Association cultuelle" that is not formed
of worshipers who have been accus-
toned to attend that particular church. and
when organized it must submit to the spir-
itual authority of the faith which the peo-
pie have, hitherto confessed. In other
words, it will not permit a Protestant con-
gregation to take possession of Catholic
church or a Catholic congregation to take
possession of a Protestant church. The
law applies to all religions, and they are
placed upon the same basis. A church that
has been used by Catholics cannot be seized
and used by any other denomination.
The Governments Purpose.
The purpose of the government is to have
religious worship continued throughout the
country as nearly as possible as it has
been conducted in the past, except that
the people of each parish are thrown upon
their own financial resources; they will re-
ceive no financial assistance from the gov
eminent; they will control their own af
fairs; they will not be interfered with by
any official authority as long as they obey
the law; they will elect their own pastors
and pay them such salaries as they please;
they will control the property they occupy
as long as they desire to use it, under .he
same tolerance that Is extended to all re-
ligious faiths and denominations alike.
The government will not interfere in any
way with the spiritual affairs of the people
1t desires to secure the same separation OF
church and state that now exists in the
United States. But it still claims the titles
to all church property and will take posses
sion of all buildings that are not actually
association cultuelle,'' In parishes where
the people refuse to organize such associa-
tons the government will appoint custo-
dams for the property.
Accepted by the Bishops.
This is the purport of the law which went
into effect on Tuesday, December II, one
year from the date of its enactment. 10
till the LIST of August last it was expected
that the church would adjust itself to the
new arrangement. A convocation of the
eighty-two bishops of France, held on the
31st of May last, by vote of SO to Is, de-
cided to give it fair trial, and adop.ed a
plan prepared by Mgr. Fulbert-Petit arch
bishop of Besancon, providing for the or
ganization Of associations cultuelle'' for
conducting the business affairs of the par
ishes without reference to the doctrines OF
the church, the canondcal law the ritual
or the form Of worship. Three months
after this plan was adopted and while
measures were being taken in nearly every
parish in France to carry it into effect
Pope Plus x published what Is known as
his "Encychcal Gravissimo," disappearing
the peaceful plan of the bishops and for
bidding the clergy and iayrnen to obey the
separation law. 1t said: Concerning such
religious associations as the law proscribes.
We decree absolutely that they cannot be
formed without violation of the sacred
rights which are the very lights OF the
church,
It naturally caused a profound shock to
the Catholic population Of France, who
compose a very large part of the republican
party, when the head Of their church for
babe them to obey the law Of their land.
Twenty-three of the most prominent Cath
olics in France, men Of eminent ability ana
unquestioned loyalty to the church. pre-
pared an appeal to the holy father begging
him to withdraw or modify his .Encyclicai
Gravissimo." They represented to him that
the great majority Of laymen, clergymen