The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-01-05

seized and used 10y any other demon
nation.
| The purpose of the government i,
to have religious worship continued
throughout the country rs nearly al
possible as it has been conducted in
the past, except that the people oil
each parish are thrown upon their
own financial resources; they will re-
ceive no financial assistance from the
government; they will control their
Own affairs; they will not be inter
fered with by any official authority
as long as they obey the law; they
will elect their own pastors and pay
them such salaries as they please;
they will control the property they
occupy as long as they desire to use
it, under the same tolerance that il
extended to. all religious faiths and
denominations alike.
The government Twill not interfere
in any way with the spiritual affairs
OF the people. 1t desires to preserve
the same separation of church and
state that now exists in the United
States. But it still claims the titles
to all church property, and will take
charge of all buildings that are not
actually used for worship under the
care OF an association cu.tuelle."
In parishes where the people refuse to
organize such ASSOCIATE the gov
ernment will appoint custodians for
the property.
This Is the purpose of the law which
went into effect on Tuesday, Dec. IL,
one year from the date of its enact
ment. Up till the first of August last
it was expected that the church would
adjust itself to the new arrangement.
A convocation of the eighty-two
bishops of France, held on the 31st
OF May last, by a vote of SO to Is de-
cided to give it fair trial, and adopt
ed a plan prepared by Mgr. FuIbert-
Petit, archbishop of Besancon, pro-
Viding for the organization of .sasso-
cultuelIe" TOR conducting the
business affairs of the parishes, with
,ut reference to the doctrines of the
church, the canonicai law, the ritual
" theform fworship. Three months
liter this plan was adopted, and
While measures were being taken in
learly every parish in France to carry
into effect, Pope Plus x. published
THAT is known as his ''encyciicai gra-
'lsslmo," disappearing the peaceful
Ian OF the bishops and forbidding
he clergy and laymen to obey the
eparatiOu law. 1t said: Concern
~ such religious associations as the
NV prescribes we decree absolutely
bat they cannot be formed without
violation Of the sacred rights which :
re the very lights of the church"
1t naturally caused a profound 1,
hook to the Catholic population of .
rance, who compose very large =
art OF the Republican party, when :
he head of their church forbade them !,
D obey the law of their land. Twen-
y-three Ut the most prominent Cath :,
lies in France, men of eminent abiI-
y, and unquestioned loyalty tn the !
nurch, prepared an appeal to the .
oily father begging him to withdraw !
r modify his "encyclical gravissi- !,
TO-" They represented to him that
be great majority of laymen, clergy :
zen and bishops were satisfied with :,
ne new law and believed that tcould !
e obeyed without impairing the spir- !
ual influence of the church, whereas, :
the law was defed and disobeyed it o
ould not only cost the church hun 4
reds OF millions of francs worth of 4
roperty, but sit will be a miracle if {,
atholicism does not lose the greater 4
nmber of the faithful" :,
The appeal set forth very frankly .
le almost unanimous belief of the n
rench Catholics that the holy ather n
is been deceived and misled regard g,
& the situation. 1t reminded him :,
lat ne had not conferred with the q
rench bishops or any other repre- n
natives OF the Catholic church in q
rance, but 'syour holiness has pre- q,
rred to follow the secret decisions G