Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-21
POPE SENDS PROTEST
Complaint Against Course of
the French Government.

ROME December 21.-The note sent by
the Vatican to all the papa1 representa-
ttves abroad protesting against the course
Of the French government after asserting
that the rights of religion have been out
ragged by the French governments action
tn preventing the head Of the church from
communicating with the French hierarchy.
and by the expulsion of Mgr Montagnini.
secretary Of the papal nuciature at Paris,
says:
THE representatives Of the holy see
abroad have also received a circular, In
which are set forth the motives for the
action of the Vatican regarding the april
cation Of the church and state separation
law of 1905. These motives are so grave
that it is evidently impossible to accuse
the holy see of intransigence or Of unjust
hostility to the French government in con-
demning the cultural associations. which
dfsregarded the essential rights which the
church derived from her constitution. such
as maintaining an ecclesiastical hierarchy,
established by her divine founder as the
basis of the organization of the church
In fact, the law conferred on the cultural
association rights which not only oeions
exclusively to the ecclesiastical authorities
in the practice Of worship and IN possess
ing and administering ecclesiastical prop
erty, but the same associations were rem,
dered independent of the eccleslasticaI
the Jurisdiction Of the lay authorities. Inc
pontiff could not approve OF such associa-
lions without being lax in his DUTY as
head Of the church and without lralpI as
upon the fundamental domestic principles
Of the church.
M. Brands Circular.
.orbe same can be said of NJ Brands cir
cular. The Holy See could not admit the I'M
Just and intolerable conditions which the
circular imposed upon the clergy IN the eA-
ercise Of their duties.
"AH this evidently shows that the Holy
See merely did its duty strictly In giving In
structions ON the subject to the French
clergy If the French government was ami
mated by calmer sentiments it could create
for the church in France situation which
at least would not injurs the essential
rights of the Holy See. which might even,
without admitting the principle OF the sep
aration of church and state, tolerate such
a situation in order to avoid worse evils, as
it did in the case of other countries"
The papal secretary of state, Cardinal
Merry Del Val, received during the day the
members of the diplomatic corps accredited
to the Vatican, and communicated to them
the text of the Vatican note. The cardinal
particularly requested the Prussian, Rus
sian and Monacoan ministers to communi-
cate the contents of the note to various gov
ernments not having representatives at the
Vatican Great Britain was the only coun-
try besides Italy to which no communities
ton was made as not having representa-
tive to the Vatican, or Vatican agent In
London.
Monsignor Falconio, the apostolic delegate
in the United States, and Mgr. Agius, the
papal delegate In the Philippines, although
not accredited to the United States or Phil
ippine governments. have been intrusted to
unofficially communicate the note to the au-
thorities at Washington and those at Ma
Mia. Mgr. Aversa, the apostolic delegate to
Cuba being accredited to the Cuban gov
eminent. will officially communicate the
note to the Havana authorities.