Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-11
Pope Plus Sends Letter of Good Cheer 10 the French Mem-
 bers of Faith
MUST ENDURE TRIALS
But Victory is Sure 10 Come 10 the Catholics of France in the End,
 Saysthe ontiif--Tells Why As SociationS We're Condemned.

Rome, Jan 1.-The Osservatore Romano to-day published the text of an important encyclical addressed by the pope to the French Catholics. In 1t the pontiff said that his chief ob- ject in addressing the faithful in France was to comfort them in their
 sufferings, which he felt deeply.
 There was, however, great consola-
 tion in the fact that the Catholics of
 France were united. The French
 governments declaration of war was
 not only against the Christian faith
 but against all spiritual ideas. The
 French Catholics must be prepared
 for all sorts of trials, but they were
 certain of final victory. This meant
 the maintenance of their union with
 the holy see, which was of the great
 est importance, as shown by the eff
 forts of the enemies of the church to
 dissolve this union. Contrary to the
 statements made on the subject, the
 church did not desire religious war,
 involving violent prosecutions. Being
 a messenger of peace and carrying
 out her mission Loyalty the church
 did not willingly expose herself to
 war and prosecutions, as she did not desire to see her children suffering.
 Regarding the ecclesiastical prop critics, the encyclical said the pope had not abandoned them. The
 French uOvorpvnopt hod ;,pnoood op the Catholics of France an organiza- tion which the church was absolut g. ly unable to accep. without imperil- ing her existence as a divine institu- tion. The church could not prevent the unjust spOliation in progress, for as the proposed cultural associations were opposed to the hierarchy estab- lished by Christ, the pope condemned them, in spite of the consequent ma teriai injuries involved at the hands of the government. The statement that the latter disposed of the abandoned" properties of the church was adding derision to spolia- tion.- It was false to state that the pontiff condemned in France what he approved in Germany, as the German cultural associations were merely tolerated, although they recognized the hierarchy. which was not done under the law in France. The holy see might have tolerated an annual declaration for the exercise of public worship, although 1t did not offer legal guarantee that the exercise of public worship would be permitted, had it not been for the impossible position in which M. Briand's circu- lar placed the parish priests.
 Continuing, the encyclical said that the new bill amending the church and state separation law of 1905 was simply. so far as ecclesias- tical property was concerned, law of cenfiscation, and in regard to the exercise of public worship 1t intro duced uncertainty everywhere and the former law. There fore the pope condemned it.
 In conclusion the pope appealed to | the judgment of history, which. he | said. will recognize that the papacy | in acting as it has did SO because it l did not wish to humiliate any trivial | oficials or oppose any form of gov ernment. but defended with all its | strength the work of the divine i of the church. demanding respect for the hierarchy and the | of it's property and lib- srty." The papacy wished to remind the world that man must concern himself here below with higher deais than the occurrences of every lay life. and that the supreme, in- joy of the human soul on earth is to accomplish its spiritual iuty at all costs and thus. fin spite of