The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-12
FRANCE CUTS AWAY
FROM CHURCH
Bond of a Thousand Years
Is Severed by Republic,
Amid Touching Incidents
EXPEL PAPAL AGENT

PARIS, Dec. 11-This is an historic
day for France. The struggle which
began in 1880 with the Punishment or
the Jesuits ended today with the legal
rupture of the bond which for prac-
tically thousand uninterrupted years
had united church and state BY re-
fusing to make the required deciara-
lions under the public meeting law OF
1881, public Catholic worship, except by
schismatic organizations, tomorrow be-
comes illegal
The scenes in some of the churches
were extremely touching. Not in years
had there been such an attendance at
mass. The number of women was es-
pecially large and was noteworthy as
indicating the religious indifference OF
the male population. Although seven
eighths of the inhabitants of this city
are nominally Catholics, in no parts
OF the city were the churches crowded
Even at Notre Dame Cathedral where
a solemn high mass was celebrated, the
edifice was only half-filled. The offi-
ciating clergy read the regular offices
for the week usual, without REFER
ing to their illegal status tomorrow
Nevertheless Athe depression of the
Catholics was manifest. Many women
emerged from the cathedral their eyes
pavement to discuss what to do when
the clergy are turned out OF their
churches.
But on the eve of the struggle. 1T is
becoming more apparent that both the
Government officials and higher &C.
ciesiastics are resisting the advice of
the intemperate Minister of Public
Worship BRAND announces that the
Government cannot be driven into
the trap of closing the churches" and
Cardinal Richard, Archbishop of Paris.
has strongly censured the placarding
OF appeals to the Clericals to make vio-
lent resistance to the officers
No violence" he says, but positive
resistance to the unjust law after ex-
hausting all protests at every step"
This is the disposition so far as the
higher ecclesiastics are concerned. but
their followers evidently have no in
tention to submit, and are preparing
to assume the role of martyrs, aban-
don the churches and organize private
worship.
Cardinal Richard and many Of the
bishops have already begun the re-
moval of their private effects from the
episcopal mansions and the clergy are
preparing to leave their rectories and
move into hired lodgings 1t is an
nounced that the parish priests have
received many offers of places in
which to hold religious services, but
there is not the slightest indication
that they intended to take advantage
or the sole remaining chance to retain
their churches, namely. by making the
declarations called for by the law
The Government realizes that addi-
tional legislative power is necessary
and will accordingly ask Parliament
for 1T. Receivers have been appointed
everywhere to assume charge of the
churches sequestered property.
Mgr. Montagnini, Secretary of the
Papal Nunciature here since the recall
of the Nuncio. was arrested today upon
an order expelling him from France,
and tonight accompanied by a COM
missary of police, departed for the
Italian frontier
The residence of Mgr. Montagnini
was. searched by the police. Immense
quantities of documents were seized
and taken to police headquarters.
+ A courier from the Papal Secretary
of State. Cardinal Merry del Val, bear
ing dispatches from Rome, was turned
back at the frontier today.
ROME, Dec. 1.-THE expulsion from
France of Mgr. Montagnini, secretary
of the Papal Nunciature at Paris, who
has represented the Vatican at the
French capital since the recall Of the
Nuncio, has caused not only astonish-
ment but CONSERVATION at the Vatican.
According to Vatican officials, this step
is an evident proof that the French
Government wishes not only to strike
at the church as religious institution
but to represent 1t as an enemy of the
foes.