The Irish standard., 1906-02-10
! dllllj 1 FOR | HOPE
Despite Present Conditions in
s. France Catholics
Can Find Many Things For
Which to be Thankful.

4 reviewer IN noted european PERIOD
ical:
but if Catholics have reason to re-
gret. the state Of affairs in France, they
1 have still better grounds to rejoice at
the position of the Church in the Ger
man Empire. What change since
the days of the Kulturkampf under the
Iron Chancellor? The Kulturkampf
and Its authors are gone, but the fruit
of their work remains. and is repre-
sented by the Centre party in the
Reichstag, which party in itself is
typical of the perfectly organized
forces of German Catholicism. 1t is
now the most powerful section of the
German representatives, counting 100
pledged members, and, in union with
the Alsatians, Poles, Guelfs, etc. can
command over 1870 votes on any re-
ligious question.
"The Emperor perfectly recognizes
that the Centre is the only real bull
wark against the advancing tide of
Socialism, and hence his readiness to
comply with the demands of the party.
Nor are there any signs of weakness
or decay to be found in the Centre
The recent elections in Bavaria were
a sweeping triumph for the Catholics
over the Liberals, and in Baden, too
they have achieved some notable sue
cesses. The Catholic Congress held
last year at Strasburg, was even more
imposing than before. and the utmost
unanimity marked the proceedings.
Persecution was advantageous to
Germany. 1t welded together the
Catholic forces, and we are not without
hope that it may produce the same
effect in France.
For Catholics throughout the Rus
sian Empire the recent disasters have
not been without good fruit. Re-
ligious as we'll as political liberty has
been granted by the recent Imperial
DEGREES. But in no other part Of the
Empire has the Church benefited more
than in Poland
There the freedom Of religion was
hedged round by many restrictions.
The priests We're at best only ticket-of-
leave men; they could not go outside
their parish without special permis-
sion, and reunions were almost an i'm
possibility. Religious instruction in
Polish was forbidden. and in the
schools the Polish language was ruth
lessly pursued. But the recent war dis
asters put an end to such autocratic
rule. The Russian popular assembly
is certain to he favorable to POLAND as
is shown in the resolutions of the
Zemstvos In Moscow.
The first result of the Imperial de-
crees may be seen in the territory of
the innate Ruthenians These UNI
fortunate people We're betrayed by their
metropolitan. They had been in COM
munion with Rome. but their primate
Joined the orthodox Church years ago,
and they suddenly found themselves
registered as orthodox
to the orthodox religion, their priests
were banished, their churches seques-
trated. Persecution followed persecu-
ton. In spite Of the protests of the
Holy See, but the poor, unfortunate
people refused to accept the orthodox
faith. The result was that they were
left without the sacraments of the
Church. except baptism, which they
administered themselves; they as
I. sembled In the woods or private houses
for their devotfons. They remained
devoted to Rome in spirit though
separated from 1t by force, and, as
soon as the imperial ukase appeared
they fastened to put themselves into
communication with Rome.
The result is that the Church has
gained an immense number of recruits
In the last six months; by many it Is
estimated that over half million have
declared themselves Catholics, anxious
to remain In submission to Rome.
Whole villages have turned over at
the same time. These are only the
first fruits of the new awakening in
Russia, and still more important de-
velopments may be expected lin the
I near future.
In Italy the relations between
Church and State. though remaining
essentially the same. have been con-
siderably modified. A spirit of mutual
!, forbearance and Cancellation has taken
the place Of the bitter opposition con-
seauent upon the events Of 1870.
1.-THE utter rout of the forces of
anarchy and disorder brought about by
tho union of Italian conservatives has
not been without its lesson to the
Vatican and the Quirinal. Italy has
refused to follow in the wake of the
anti Catholic party in France, but she
4 Intends to profit by it, in securing for
herself. In part at least. the French
protectorate over the Catholic missions
On the other hand, in his whitsun-
tide encyclical. Plus x urged the
* Catholics to throw themselves into the
4 social work, to form associations or
" the model Of the German Catholic AS.
~ sociations. to dispute the ground with
NJ tina ant. afhoIfc ooosou,t. -,