The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-01-05

lteS that are sincere and not SoWn
thick with discrimination that proclaim
with a true ring all aim which is either
philosophic, philanthroplc or of social
interest will be animated by nothing
but prejudice and say, 1T is u congre.
cation; we refuse authorizations"
What happened? Nearly 500 congre-
cations submitted to the law and made
application for authorization. These ap.
plications We're supported by resolu-
tions Of municipal councils and by the
personal letters of the Bishops OF
France. The commission of the Cham.
Der proposed to reject all applications
ell bloc, but on objection the congre-
cations were divided into three classes
teaching, preaching and trading con-
gregations-and each class was pre-
sented en- bloc and rejected separately
without discussion.
Thus was consumnlated one of the
most brutal governmental crimes ct
modern times. These Brothers and
nuns. many of them old and infirm,
We're driven from their peaceful con-
vents by armed soldiers, their only
weapons being passive resistance, and
were forced to seek whatever shelter
they could get. No accusation before
any judicial tribunal, no trial, their on
ly crime being that in following their
liberty of conscience they took the
VOWS Of poverty, chastity and obed-
ience, followed their vocation of teach-
ing and doing good to the community
was put in official liquidation. Those
who desired to continue the community
life We're obliged to leave the country.
They were promised some pensions
from the proceeds, but no pensions
have been paid yet, although the liqui-
dation has been proceeding for five
years and will take some years more.
Forced sales are being made all over
France at prices that will yield MOTH
ling for the parties whose properties
t 'werr taken.
| Imagine the Legislature of Maryland
passing Il law suppressing the Chris
tian Brothers of Baltimore and the WIS.,
itation Nuns. two teaching orders i'll
Baltimore. driving them out OF their
beautiful buildings into the, streets and
7T Cf.o jy1cr S1nVs f1,nt,s
property. Can you imagine the possi-
biity OF any American Legislature do
ing anything like this? We must bring
it home to ourselves. What American
would not resist such "a tyranny if it
became necessary? Of course, it would
not be necessary. On appeal to the
courts such a law would be instantly
declared void
After suppressing the congregations,
dispensing them abroad and practically
confiscating their property, the French
Government proceeded to strike the
word God" from the official oaths and
to have all religious enblems and p1c-
lures removed from all the halls OF
justice in the land; and this, with cy-
nical indifference, was ordered on Good
Friday, 1904.
This is the prelude to the separation
bill, and in the light of the. events just
cited we may then better understand
how the separation bill will be con-
strued and enforced.
The union of Church and State in
France, which this act OF separation
destroys, was constituted, as everybody
knows by the Concordat of 1901, a
solemn bilateral contract executed be.
tween Napoleon and Pope Plus VII.
The following We're the chief provi-
sions Of the Concordat:
The State nominated the Bishops To-
the Pope, who appointed and invested
them, If they were proper persons; tho
churches and other sacred edifices were
placed at the disposal of the Bishops:
the clergy were paid certain stipends
for their support, not as gratuitous SAL
aries, but by way Of partial indemnity
for lands and property that had been
taken from the clergy during the Revo-
luton, and the properties and finances
Of the parishes and dioceses were man.
aged by certain boards or trustees call
ed fabriques for tho parishes and
menses for the episcopal properties.
The most important Of these were
the fabriques. These were what one
might call vestry boards, or trustees,
and existed practically in each parish.
They consisted Of either five or seven
persons, according to the population Of
the parish, and were generally laymen.
II seven, the Bishop appointed four
and the State three; If five, the Bishop
appointed three and the State two. In
addition to these appointees the Marie
Of the commune, if a Catholic, and the
cure Of the parish were always MEM