Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-04
MAY LEAD TO VAR
Bishop Mcdonnell Discusses
Situation in France.
~
PROTEST CABLED TO ROME
Prominent Men Attend Great Gather
ing Called BY Laity. !.
QUESTION OF RIGHT TO WORSHIP
Separation Laws Are Not Separation
Laws, but speliation, It in
Alleged.
OF RIGHT TO WORSHIP

NEW YORK. February 1--WE must re-
member that Clemenceau, the man now ct
the head Of the council Of state In France,
IL one who played q part IN disorders In
France in the '70s, when the streets flowed
with the blood Of the clergy. and 1t may
be that the way to peace now may lead
through blood"
This statement was made last night by
Bishop Mcdonnell at an immense mass
meeting held In the Grand Opera House.
Brooklyn, by the Catholic laity in protest
against the attitude Of the French govern
ment toward the church In France.
Fifteen hundred persons crowded the the
alter. and as many more were turned away
a Gordon of officers around the building
before the people could be persuaded to
leave the neighborhood.
Bishop Mcdonnell Cheered.
The spirit Of the meeting was shown as
soon as the bishop entered the auditorium
and was greeted by prolonged cheering.
Supreme Court Justice William ]. Kelly
presided and about him on the stage were
Brooklyn citizens prominent in public af-,
fairs. The meeting was organized by mem
bers Of the Federation Of Catholic Socte-
ties of Brooklyn. The bishop Of the do
cese and the clergy were their invited
guests, the latter occupying the boxes.
Bishop Mcdonnell was called upon to
speak at the close of the meeting.
II shall send your protest to the head
of the Catholic Church, which is directed
against the actions Of the secular powers
in France" he said. Il need not tell the
questions involved before you at this time.
nor need I tell of the heroism Of our broth
ers in France. There must be principle
to bind men together to cause the clergy
of France to take the strong attitude that
they have in this crisis. There Is a move
ment in France today against the unity
Of our church, and an effort to turn the
loyalty of its clergy against the holy see.
"spoliation and Oppression"
'This is the questionable right to wor-
ship according to our conscience-and It Is
only for strong principle like this that men
will make the stand that they have today
in France. The separation laws are not
separation laws. but ones Of spoliation and
depression. and 1t is against the latter of
these that we protest the most.
1.-The faith that sent the early French mis-
sionaries to America is with its clergy to-
day, and there is no reason to fear the fate
of the church in France. The spirit of
the commune is again awake In france.
however. and 1t may be through blood that
peace will come"
Resolutions were adopted as follows:
1.-The Catholics of the diocese OF brooklyn
in meeting assembled. as liberty loving
American citizens In the free enjoyment of
the right to worship God without govern
mental Interference, protest against the ar
bftrary assumption OF control by the
French government over the conscience OF
her citizens.
TN common with fair-minded manhood
everywhere, regardless of race or creed, We
denounce the wanton breach Of faith and
the utter disregard of the binding obiiga-
lions of solemn compact which have cul-
minated in the conflscation of church prop
erty by the French government.
French Clergy Praised.
1--WE view with admiration the splendid
unity of the French Episcopate In its UNI
swerving devotion to the holy see, and the
apostolic heroism Of the French clergy.
prepared to face starvation rather than
compromise the divine principles upon
which the churcfs is founded.
1--WE send an expression Of loyal SYM
pathy to our holy father, Piusi X In .nis
hour when the powers of darkness are
leagued against the fair spouse of Christ.
And we earnestly pray that religious lib
erty will soon become the reality it was
when France In the person Of her noble
sons blazed a path for civilization and
Christianity through the trackiess forests
OF America and whose aid made possible
the home of freedom for the oppressed of
the world"
Supreme Court Justice Carr. the first
speaker of the evening, said:
I'VE have every interest In the funda-
mental rights that Frenchmen possess.
Most of us came from country which is
gloriously Catholic. not because of the gov
eminent, but In spite OF 1t. There Is not
a real separation law in France, and IL
there were the people would not protest
against it. What is really intended is to
remove the Catholic hierarchy from France.
The church is fighting there now for the
mere right to live"
william A. Prendergast. Joseph F. Keany
anu Edward Penney also spoke. Bishop
Mcdonnell was requested by the meeting
to cable the pope regarding the meeting
and the resolutions which were adopted.