The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-03-23
CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE.
Present Status of Conflict Between the
Civil Government and the Roman
Catholic Organization.
IHarper's Weekly, March 8, 1901

EHarper's Weekly. March 8. 1901
To comprehend the present conflict
between the church and the civil power
IN France, it is needfal to recall the
changes which have taken place in
their relations since the overthrow of
the G,aciess regime. After the states-gen-
eral, which met in 1889, had been trans
formed by the fusion of the three or
ders into the national assembly, the
property of the Catholic church in
France-computed by Talleyrand, who
spoke as an expert, having been agent
general of the clergy, at 2, 100, ,000, 600
francs, the franc, Of course, having
then a much greater purcha asing power
than it has today-was taken posses
sion of by the state on the distinct
understanding that it would assume
the support of the bishops and priests,
the maintenance of church buildings
and the relief of the poor. This prom
ise the revolutionary government kept
only in the case of the compar atively
few bishops and priests who consented
to subscribe to the tscivil constitution
of the clergy. After Napoleon became
first consul. be considered it expedient
to re-establish definite relations be-
tween the state and the Catholic church,
and, accordingly, entered into the con-
cordat of 1902, whereby he recognized
the binding force of the promise made
by the national assembly, and agreed
that thenceforth the stipends of Catho-
lie bishops and priests in France
should be paid by the government, and
that buildings formerly used for relig-
ious purposes should be restored to
the ecclesiastical authorities. The Vat
lean holds that the concordat was
bilateral contract, which could only
be reseinded Or modified by the con-
sent of both parties. The majority of
the French parliament, on the other
hand, contends that the eoncordat was
of the nature of concession by the
civil power, and is, therefore, yoida-
BILE at its option. Acting upon this
conception of the states right, the
parliament passed in 1905 the separa-
tion act, which abolished the concor-
dat, and announced that, while some.
provision would be made for the ex-.
isting episcopate and priesthood, all
bishops thereafter consecrated, and al
priests thereafter ordained, would have
to rely for their support on voluntary
contributions. Church buildings aud
other ecclesiastical property were de-
clared by the new law to belong to the
state, which, however, would transfer
them, at any time within year, TO
so-ealled associations ctttt1eIIes, the
form of which was prescribed by the
statute. Pope Plus K, however, de-
eHned to sanction such associations,
and consequently, when the year ex-
pired, in December, 1906, all church
buildings were declared to be the prop
erty either of the government, as in
the case of eathedrals, or of the com
munes, as in the case Of parish
churches. The taking of official In
ventories Of church property, which
followed in pursuance of the Law, en-
countered resistance II some places,
but, on the whole, vas performed in q
peaceful and orderly way.
We're faithful Catholics, then. 10 BE-
cut OF from using church buildings
for religious purposes because, owing
10 the failure to form associations cssL-
It0eIless these buildings had become