Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-13
NO EFFORTS MADE
TO PREVENT MASS
Crowds Responded to CIergy's
Appeal in France.
FRONT DOORS WERE CLOSED
Worshipers Entered the Sacred Edi-
fees by Side Entrances.
CARDINAL TO ISSUE STATEMENT
Head Of Church In Baltimore Says the
Action of French Government
Is an Outrage.
CARDINAL TO ISSUE STATEMENT

40 al OutkdSC.
After a consultation with the vicar
general of the Associate Fathers OF
St. Sulplice, Cardinal Gibbons has
. finally decided to issue a statement
giving his views on the conflict be-
tween the French government and
the Catholic Church. Multitudes OF
Catholics attended the first mass in
Paris today given without the pale
of the law. In some instances there
was music in the churches, which
were under police supervision, with
the front entrances closed. Mgr.
Montagnini was at the Vatican to-
day, and made long report on the
situation in France. Archbishop
Coadjutor O'Connell of the diocese
of Boston vigorously denounced the
French government for its action be-
fore the Catholic Union.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE Nd December 13.-His
eminence James Cardinal Gibbons, will
give out signed statement tonight. It
win cover his views on the conflict of the
French authorities with the Catholic
Church. 1t has been prepared after con-
siderable pains. and a conference with
Rev. DR.. Edward r. Dyer vicar general
p. of the Associate Fathers of ST. sulplice
IN America
- The statement will, it is understood, fol-
low the lead of the holy father of Rome
His eminence refused to discuss at length
the contents of his statement this morning:
but the right of free worship it Is under
stood. will be dealt with at length, and the
question of the rights of the French gov
eminent in it's proceedings will also be
dealt with.
DR.. Dyer was in close communication
with the cardinal on the subject, and it is
known that the statement was roughly
UFdWH anu ulSCuSSeU night II COLI
sists of seven or eight pages of handwrit-
ten matter, making about 1900 words in
all. "It is an outrage" the cardinal said.
''the way in which bishops and priests have
been turned out of their homes there, and
there are some misunderstanding which
should be cleared up."
An Impressive Response.
PARIS December 13.-There was an i'm
pressve response this morning to the
clergy's appeal to their parishioners to at
tend the first masses celebrated outside Of
the pale of the law. A correspondent Of
the Associated Press visited dozen
churches. including Notre Dame des Vic
torres, st. German D'Auxerrois where the
signal for the st. Bartholomew massacre
was given; st. Roch, the Madelaine and ST.
Augustin. Everywhere it was the same
story. The front gates of the churches
were closed. but the Catholics by the gray
light of dawn were streaming through the
side portals.
The interiors of the buildings were well
filled. In several places there was music,
tempt to interfere with the services or
create a disturbance. There were three
policemen stationed outside the porticoes
of the churches to prevent any possible
disorder. while police officers in plain
clothes were on duty inside to note the
infract!ons of the law, taking the names
of the officiating priests and approximating
the number OF those present, with the OBJ
ject OF making reports to the justices of
police. Formal charges were entered
wherever mass was celebrated, except at
the churches of st. Jean l. Evangile and
st. Blaise de Charonne. at Pere La Chaise,
whose parishioners. following the example
Of the first mentioned church. made the
called-for application yesterday evening to
hold services under the law of 1881 The
vicar of st. Blaise de Charonne when in
duced by his parishioners to take the step
said:
Whatever the consequences. I regret
nothing. am a Frenchman above every
thing"
Early dispatches from the department.
say that wherever mass was celebrated
charges were drawn up and summonses is
sued. At Chalons the able Renaudir
claimed that the church bells were moi
rung. and that no person was invited t.
mass, and that, therefore, the assemblae,
had not the character of public meeting
whereupon he was compelled by polio,
officer to inscribe his protest upon the sum
mons.
At the final meeting last night of the dio
cesar council here II was decided tina
neither the ecclesiastical residences nor tn,
seminaries should be abandoned, except be
fore a show Of force.
Bound to Papal Decree.
n IL officially stated that the letters a