The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-02

Parliament's4 Action and Pope's
Encyclical All Absorbing It.. -.
Topic Of Discussion. .......
New York Herald Special Cable Service. Copy.
right, 1905 By the New York Herald. -

new YORK Herald special Canle service. copy.
right, 1905, by the New York Herald. 80"
!. Paris, Sept: 1t is now eight and
one-half months since the French par
Lament voted the law for the separa-
ton of the church and state. y This
separation has for eight and ene-half
months been the principal subject dis
cussed by the newspapers -. -. .
1t IS now twenty days since, Plus K
published his, encyclical ordering the
bishops not TO obey the law and not
to allow associations cultuelles- that is,
associations, of worshipers-to be
formed. Since then the newspapers
have discussed nothing else.
This encyclical was promised long:
ago. It was to indicate to the bishops
their line of conduct vis-a-vis the law.
The bishops met at Paris, using the,
prerogative Of which they were de-
Pp3rlved of contract. They condemned
rupture of contract. But they also
discussed the question of associations
cultuelles,' the constitution of which
is the sole legal means by which the
new church can inherit the property of
the old one. ..:. -
A Revolution. s.' -.
No doubt the associations cultu-
elles,'' introduced laically into r a
church, which has hitherto submitted
only to the hierarchy, are almost the
introduction Of parliamentarism in an
absolute monarchy: If desired to. do
50, one could scent vague flavor Of
Professionalism. -~v- ,~.,>
But what Of this? It is nothing but
the condition in $4,000 communes of a
sort of Catholic syndicate under the
cures and the bishops. The French.law
created at a single blow in France what
it cost Belgian Catholics SO many years
ago; so many sacrifices to obtain, and
that is something.
Then, in France, in order to, hold
property, there must be either indi-
vidual or an association. Where are
the individuals or associations to take
over the property Of the former church,
There are none; it is, therefore, neces-
sary to found associations provided
with what the French law calls civil
personality; 1t they are not. founded,
church, will return to the state. This
was the light in which the French bish-
ops viewed the question, and after hay
ing rejected the law in sprinciple they
gave their action to the association
cultuelle, which they preferred to call
associations. j.:
Later they even went S SO far as to
study the statutes Of these, organiza-
tions in the encyclical, arrived from
which it was seen that the pope adopt
ed the attitude of pretending to BE-
heve that the bishops would oppose
the act in it's general principle and also
on its bearing to the associations cul-
tuelles -'::si>.,.. : =:
He expressed his agreement with the
bishops in their (supposeD opposition
and joined with them IN. condemning
both the associations cultuelles and
any others that might be formed for
the purpose of applying the new law.
Another Poser. r
His attitude can only be regarded in
one Hght-in that of deliberate mis-
Interpretations of the bishops inten-
painful Impression, following as it does,
the acts published by the French pa
pers of the episcopal assemblies and
the resolutions which were taken at
them. ,-.-..:~ .:~:a :. ~
These resolutions will have to be
amended as we4 shall see when the: bish-
ops assemble again; for they are in
structed- by. the .encyclical to organize
the cult and at the same time, discharge
their duties as citizens. II j, 4 =,
They will try to accomplish this
task, but it, is doubtful :whether they
will succeed: anyhow, it is: certain
that in the immediate future we. shall
begin to see evidences Of the forlma-
tion Of associations cultuelles. -: On
the lines suggested by the bishops them
selves before >thea encyclicaI was made
known and the pope will be in the. pre-
dicament Of having either to forbid the
practice of the Catholic religion. in
France. or Of submitting to the very.
" associations cultuelles'' which he
was SO active in condemning.
Such will be the results of the separa-
tion of church and state of divorce in
which both sidessare at: fault and one
in which it is impossible to know who
was the offender and having a pecu-
liar feature present Utmost cases Of a.
'slm n la nature, namaely,;tha parties sep
than before. e ..s