The Washington herald., 1907-01-08
PRIESTS join ARMY.
Not Excused from Military
Duty in France.
COMING MEETING OF BISHOPS
VIII Consider the Proposed OrganI-
zatiOn of an InterdiOcesan Denier
CuIie-CardinaI Richard Permits
Slight Augmentation of POmp at
Funerals and Marriages.

Paris, Jan. To-day is the day fixed
for seminaTists 10 report for military
duty. The pro-church papers point out
that not only students, but in many in
stances ordained priests, are included
among those thus forced to Join the colors
From the diocese Of Quimper forty-three
ecclessiastics have entered the barracks
for two years, nine of them being priests
ordained in 1903. Ali had probably served
one year. OF sixty-fOuT recalled at Nancy
fifteen are priests, and of thirty-two at
BoUTges sixteen are priests
The Bishop of Versailles order for the
organization OF a denier cutie imposes a
tax Of fifty centimes per head upon the
parishioners, and says that the richer
ones must make up the poorer's deficit.
Treasure In Seminary.
The value Of the securities found Satur-
day at Versailles Seminary proved greater
than was reported. 1t is now estimated
at 1,1O0.O00 francs. The suggestion having
been made that this sum represents the
savings of the seminary and had been
forgotten by the seminary authorities,
the bishops secretary writes explaining
that the funds were endowments by the
faithful authorized by the state, for the
support of poor seminarists. He adds:
These securities were the legitimate
property Of the church We would have
been justified in keeping them in
our possession. but as the State knew
their whole details their removal would
have exposed us 10 A lawsuit which we
would surely have lost. That is why the
bishop thought il were better TO submit 10
the inevitable"
Reports from Montpelier give the de
tails of many expulsions from the presby-
teTies There were no noteworthy Incl
dents Many Catholics are placing their
homes AT the disposal Of the priests
Meeting of Bishops.
One of the most delicate questions to be
considered by the bishops at the coming
meeting at the chateau de La Muette.
which has now been fixed for January -.
is the proposed organization of an inter
DIOCESAN denier cutie independent of the
separate diocesan denier cultes. The
trouble arises from the difficulties the
government will raise If the organiza tion
partakes in any way Of the nature Of an
association.
Cardinal Richard has decided 10 permit
slight augmentation Of pomp at funerals
and marriages. which were ordered to be
celebrated with extreme simplicity when
the separation law went into effect. Con
currently he will permit more money to
be spent for these ceremonies. This will
chiefly profit the lesser church function
aries. The present fixed rate for funerals
Of the first class is 81 francs 70 centimes.
or 81 francs - cenumes, according TO
whether there is a procession to the cem-
etery One hundred and sixteen francs IS
the maximum.
Under the new ruling the minimum viii
be 81 francs and the maximum 600. Under
the former practice the minimum was S6
francs and the cost could 60 TO over 300.
These figures refer only 10 the money
paid the church. The payment 10 the
cure is left 10 the family's generosity.