The Irish standard., 1907-11-23
Despoaed, the Church Will Finally Triumph,
Though 1t Faces Long and La
borious Struggle.
Catholics Are Practically Minority in the
Country, Which Must Be Convert
ed Anew, Says Writer.

but has no title to be there. He has
not been expelled, because it was not
found convenient; but he may be ex-
PEELED at will without any recourse at
law. All this is topsy-turvy,
but seems likely to last still some time,
and many be said to go on without too
much friction. Yet it is not lasting
system, and will be wrecked on the
question of repairs. The occupant sans
titre cannot be expected to undertake
the repairs of big church, and has
even no right to do so, and many COM
munes have no wish to see this burden
laid on their shoulders.
The Schools.
After the church, the school is the
great asset Of religious influence in a
country. On this account our balance
books show a most lamentable deficit
of late years. Our losses are considE-
able, not so much as an effect of the
separation as of the dispersion. of the
religious orders and the furious war
that has been raging against religion
all over the land for about ten years.
All members of congregations were
forbidden to teach. AS a consequence,
all the schools that were in their hands
have been closed, except. few which
the same fate is awaiting. It does not
mean that they are all closed now.
By means of secularization a
large body Of teachers was made avail
able, out of which the needs Of many
schools were supplied.
So much for the primary schools. AS
for secondary institutions, they have
suffered much and are threatened with
lard regulations and perhaps destruc-
tion. They have suffered much, not only
because those belonging to the religious
with a personnel hastily formed, but
also on account Of the prevalent state
of opinion and the fears of Catholic
parents. The wind that blows in France
now does not drive boys and young men
to the gates of our colleges. The par
ents who prepare their boys for a secu-
lar career know very we'll that if they
send them to a college under the man.
agement of priests they saddle them
18th a burden for life. He
shall be very lucky or very able if he
contrives to rise to q high position
without disowning his masters. This
explains how and why some of the bit
terest enemies Of the Church are those
that have been brought up by the
priests. They want to wipe out by Wig
orous rubbing the story that sticks to
them in the eyes Of their companions.
Enormous Material Loss.
It is known to all the world that the
material loss incurred by the Church
in December, 1906, was enormous. 1t
has been a, wholesale confiscation of
real property and money.
The suppression of the treatment al
lotted by the State to the parish priests
was a confiscation; this treatment was
an indemnification for the property
taken during the Revolution. OF course,
the property has not been given back;
the indemnif1cation has been takey
away in It's turn, so that what formerly
belonged to ecclesiastical institutions
Is all now on the side Of the State and
nothing on the side of the Church. This
suppression was in the law, whatever
the Pope might say or do.
There were two kinds Of ecclesiasti-
cal property, because there were two
institutions capable Of ownership-the
parish and the diocese. To the diocese
belonged the buildings Of many semi
naries, foundations for their mainten-
ance, pension funds, asylums for aged
priests and some estates: to the parish,
foundations for Masses, sometimes in-
vestments, lands, etc. All this has been
swept away.
Most Of the seminaries are reconsti-
tuted., but they show the scars Of the