The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-10

Effort to Prosecute Church
Meets With Firm Re
buff From the Vatican
PRIESTS TO REMAIN


PARIS, Dee. O.-Francc tonight seems
to face an alarming religious CRISIS
Last nights reports OF the ropes
eleventh-hour rejection of the Govern
ments Anal prefer under which CathO-
lie worship could be continued under
the common law, turns out to be only
too true and the deadlock now is APP
parently complete. According to the
holy fathers orders, declarations under
the law OF 1881 are prohibited, but the
parish priests must remain In their
churches until driven out by violence.
The official confirmation of this re-
port has created a sensation, both tn
Government and Catholic circles.
Cardinal Lecot, Archbishop of Bor-
deaux; Archbishop German and others,
who already had advised compliance
with the law, have hastily instructed
the parish priests of their dioceses that
their former advice is null and void,
and today In all the churches OF Paris
bishops and priests after mass read the
letter. from Cardinal Richard, Arch
bishop of Paris, communicating the de-
cision of the Holy See to continue
services in the churches, but abstain
from any declaration" and Cardinal
Richards own instructions, in view or
the order issued by the project OF the
Seine yesterday. not to permit for the
present the employment of ceremonial
draperies at marriages or funerals
CHURCH wARDENs THANKED
The church wardens, whose legal ex-
istence expires next Tuesday were
thanked today from the pulpits of the
- <,f-
fered for the protection of God during
the coming period of persecution.
.ae Government processes to regard
the action of the Pontiff as little less
than summons of theFrench Catholics
| to open rebellion, as rendering the situ-
alton exceedingly grave and possibly
entailing the most deplorable conse-
| quences.
1.-The encyclicaI is very grave said
NJ. BRAND While condemning the
law of 1905, it advises recourse to the
common law. Although the REFUSAL to
! form cultural associations was, in my
| opinion. an error and to the detriment
of the church, it was the church's legal
right to refuse. In a. spirit of con-
citation, out of respect to the con-
sciences of the French Catholics, and
in order to do nothing to disturb peace
and tranquility, the Government there
upon prescribed this easy means of
continuing worship by simple dec
! laration in accordance with the law of
| 1881. The Pope's order to the clergy
| to reject this offer practically incites
! them to violate the laws of the coun-
/ try. He no longer acts as the spiritual
| head of the church, as the canonical
| objections against me law of 1905 can
not be invoked against that of 1881.
] The Pope now assumes political lead
Iership, and the vital question is
whether the Catholics of France will
consent to follow him or not. If they
4 do the Government will act with even
greater energy because of the tolerance
| it has manifested heretofore
/ The special measures referred to by
| BRAND are those intimated by Premier
/ Clen1enceau In the Chamber of Depu-
tiles. namely to strip the clergy of
] their privileges, compel them to per-
| form military service. and, as last
| resort, to treat them as foreign SUBJ
| jects. y "a
CATHOLICS STAND FINN
| Militant Catholics are rejoicing at
the stern attitude of the Pope. A re-
| ligious organ says the faithful can now
face the future with serenity and
show the prosecutors of the church
that the daughter of eternity disdains
| the efforts of wicked men and will tri-
umph in the end"
The decision of the Vatican, which is
| in the form of answers to specific ques-
| lions, may be summarized as follows:
| Parish priests, Wears. ETC., must re-
main passive and may not cooperate In
any act of sequestration, but If the
Bishop considers that the refusal of
| the treasurers to surrender the keys
may cause grave consequences, he can
permit themt to do so on condition that
they do not sign any document conse-
/ Grating the spoliation; Bishops may au-
thorize Catholic organizations to par
| ticipate in sequesters If the refusal
would endanger positions necessary
| for the maintenance of their families.
but parish priests and other Catholics
cannot participate in acts of sequestra-
| ton in any manner unless the seques-
| tered ecclesiastical property is permit
| ted to pay rent to the public admins
] traitor, or unless the contract cannot
be broken without heavy loss; churches,
presbyteries, episcopal mansions, SEM
| inaries, etc, which are seized cannot
! be rented except in cases of absolute
necessity, and after the administrator
| has signed declaration not to attempt
I