The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-12-14

MUST APPEAR BEFORE JUDGES

cl-rgy Appeal to Police comnaissaries,
Saying They Are Within Their Rights
In Holding Services ~ Laymen In
Many Parishes File Applications
Under New Law.
Paris, Dec. il. The ''war'' which
Premier Clemenceau promised the
church is being waged as quietly as
battle between submarine boats would
be.
Parish priests celebrated mass in this
city and throughout France before
very large congregations The au-
Hlorities did nothing more than note
violations of the law and to cite the
priests and wears to appear before po-
| lice judges.
Three policemen We're stationed ut
/ the portico of each church to prey ent
possible disorder. Within police oil
GERS in plain clothes, chosen for intel
ligenee and pIous appearance. who
could not be distinguished from wor-
slippers. took ahe names of officiating
/ priests and estimated the numbers i'll
I the congr agatio TIE ecclesiastics
/ charged with violating the Jaw have
appealed TO the police commissaries.
They admit having celebrated mass,
but claim to be within their rights.
Poiice Eject scoffer From Church.
A young man with his hat cooked on
his head walked into the Madeleine
4 while mass was being said. The con-
gregatlon became aeitated, but the
i police seized the intruder and elected
him, proving that they will permit no
such scofing intrusion.
Hostile demonstrations against gov
/ ernment officials occurred at Nantes,
Arras and Angers. The populaee of
the last named city attacked the po-
lice, and number Of persons were
hurt
In many parishes, both in Paris and
the interior. Catholic laymen came for
ward and filed applications for hold
ing services in the designated churches
during the coming year. II this prac-
tice is generally followed the govern
ment viii regard it as a victory, reliey-
ing it Of the possible necessity of clos
ing churches ana throwing on the eler-
4 gy the responsibility for disseminating
! public worship
The Official Journal announces that
only eighty of the Catholic religion as
+ sociations formed are legal, while 902
Protestant and 78 Jewish associations
conform with the law.
Abhes Appear In Court.
The abbes of the churches of ST.
Pierre du Gros Gallon, st. Augustine
and ST. Roch. who are being prosecut
| ed under the law making it an offense
to utter in places Of public worship
words calculated to provoke resistance
to the lawful authorities, appeared for
preliminary examination. They denied
having Violated the law, and their
cases were postponed. In these church
es occurred the greatest resistance to
the taking of Inventories.
Everywhere legal notices have been
served to evacuate ecclesiastical resi-
dences and seninaries Several such
buildings were abandoned, but most OF
the prelates, while fully prepared to
+ go, announced that they will not leave
until forced 10 do 50.
The government began proceedings
4 against the Sisters of the Assumption,
charging them with conducting a con
vent and school in violation Of the law
against education BY religious orders.
Their pupils are DAUGHTERS of aristo-
Gratis and Of the very wealthy.
Hope OF Compromise.
a hopeful view of the situation is
that She government intends to re-
spond to the attitude taken by the Vat
lean By Submitting to parliament a
proposition to settle definitely the stu
uation Of the church in France. Under
! this proposal the church viii forfeit alI
bsneats under the lay of 1858 but win
be provided with an opportunity to
carry on public worship III conformity
! TO the common Law. Church property
i is to be handed over Immediately to
the civil authorities on condition that
it be reserved for purposes OF worship
and the positions of cardinals and bish-
ops as foreign officials will be dealt
with later should the government ind
it necessary
On the other hand. the present re-
] suits Of the conflict seem to be that the
! clergy will lose its pensions, $500 Of
| which have been granted and gazetted
since the beginning Of this year, that
1 all aspirants to the priesthood will be
compelled to perform military service
and that the taking over Of the episco-
pal mansions, rectories, /seminaries.
etc, BY the state department and the
/ conlmunes will occur Immediately IN
stead Of in December, 1907.