Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-01-12
Tmn popE,s ENCYCMcAL.


dressed by the Pope to the French
Catholics. In this document the Pontiif
asid that his chief object in addressing
the faithful in France was to comfort
them in their suffering, which he felt
deeply. There was, however, great con-
ISOLATION in the fact that the Catholics
of France were united. The French
governments declaration OF war was not
only against the Christian faith, but
against all spiritual ideas.
The French Catholics must be pre-
nared for all sorts of trials. but they were
certain of final victory. This meant the
maintenance of their union with the
HOLY See, which was of the greatest i'm
portance, as shown by the efforts of the
enemies of the church to dissolve this
union. Contrary to the statement made
on The subject, the church did not desire
a religious war involving violent persecu-
tioDs. Being messenger Of peace and
carving out her mission Loyalty, the
church did not willingly expose herself
10 war and prosecutions, as she did not
desire 10 gee her children suffer- K.
Regarding the ecclesiastical properties.
the eneyclcsl ssid the Pope had not
abandoned them The French govern
ment had imposed on Catholics OF France
An organization which the church was
absolutely unable to accept without i'm
periling her existence as a divine insti-
tuition. The church could not prevent
the unjust spoliation in progress, for as
the proposed cultural associations were
opposed 10 the hierarchy established by
Christ, the Pope condemned them, in
spite of the consequent material injuries
involved at the hands Of the government,
The encyclical says that the new bill
amending the church and state sep
aration law of 1905 was simply, so far as
ecclesiastical property Was concerned,
law of confscation, and in regard to the
exercise OF public worship, it was an
anarchical measure introducing arbitrai-
ness and uncertainty everywhere and ag-
grayating the former law. Therefore,
the Pope condemned it, The adver-
saries Of the church tried to make the
Holy See responsible for the present
situation, because they knew that their
work was not in accord with the desires
of the country.
The Pope further says: against the
rising tide of popular reprobation the
government attemps to throw the respCn
sibility on the church, its victim; but the
object will not succeed. Az for us, we
have done our duty as any other Roman
poutifi would have done it, The high
Office with which heaven invested us, as
well as our faith in Christ, determined
our line of conduct, and we could not
have acted otherwise without betraying
our conscience or breaking the oath we
took when we mounted the throne OF
st. Peter.
"There we await fearlessly the YER
dict of history, which must be that, with
our ewes fixed increasingly on the trans
cendent rights OF God, We did not intend
to humiliate the evil power nor combat
form of government, but only to safe
guard the spiritual temple of Christ. j."
"What we demanded and demand tor
the church of which France is the eldest
daugl ter, is respect for her hierarchy, the
inviolsbility of her property and liberty.
If that had been granted the religious
peace would not have been disturbed, and
the day our demand is needed the longed-
for peace will be restored.
"Assured in advance of your mag
unanimous generosity, we did not hesitate
to tell you that the hour for sacrifice had
struck, and to recall to the world in the
name of the Master of all things that
man here below must have goal above
the perishable things of earth, and that
God honored served aud loved, despite
all. is supreme JOY"
The eDcyclical concludes as follows;
'Iu full confidence that the Virgin i'm
maculate, daughter of our Father, mother
of the Word, spouse of the Holy Ghost,
will obtain for you from the most holy
and adored Trinity better days, from the
bottom OF our heart we give you, vener-
able brothers and the whole people, our
apostolic benediction. -
One of the highest officials at the Vat
! ican said:
1.-The encyclical shows that the Holy
See is fgh.ing a great decisive battle,
not only for the Cstholic Church, bat for
spiritual freedom and duty. Pope Plus
is struggling against the enemies OF
spiritual lights aud is nobly facing every
sacrifice to accomplish his duty toward
tGod In the encyclicsl the Pope
states that the minimum possible for &C.
cepting the separation of church and
state in France is separation as it exists
in Great Britain and the United States.
If the enemies of the church refuse this,
il shows that they are wrong, and that
their intentions are bad. As Plus vi.
died prisoner, and as Plus VII, also
prisoner, underwent shameful violence,
90 will Plus X. accomplish bis duty tC
the end, as all the Popes followed tht
direction of the Apostle that 1T II
better to obey God than man.
| In