The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-24
MORGAN CALLED
IN BY THE POPE
Wants The American Money King
To Finance Church
In France.
TREASURES ARE DEPLETED.
Catholics OF France Are Likely
To Fight Oppressive
Measures.
TREASURES
Es ARE DEPLETED

NEW YORK, April 5.-Advices from
Rome say that ]. Pierpont Morgan and
the members of his party have receiv-
eded the visits of a number of impor-
tant personages. Among the visitors
was Cardinal Merry del Val, the Papal
Secretary of State, who has called sew
eral times. The recurrence of his visits
gave rise to a suspicion that some
financial deal was being considered be-
tween the Vatican authorities and the
American financier.
1t is now asserted, with every evil
dence of authority, that such has been
the case, and that the Pope has pro-
posed to Mr.. Morgan project for the
reorganization Of the finances of the
! Church in France. Since the passage
of the law of separation the treasures
of French Catholic churches have been
| in depleted condition. There are vir-
tually no funds for the support of the
clergy, and the maintenance of the
churches themselves is most hazard
Gus.
It is said that the Church of France
has been able to withdraw some of its
funds from the eagle eyes of Govern
ment agents, the amount of such funds
being so large that if they may be pro-
perly administered they will do much
toward providing for the future of the
French Church. 1t is believed that Mr..
Morgan, at the request of the Pope,
has agreed to look efter these funds
and see that they yield as large an IN
come as possible.
Cardinal Lecot, Archbishop of Bor-
deaux France, is now in Rome, and
he has been a frequent visitor at the
Vatican. Since the death of the late
Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Richard
Mgr. Lecot has virtually been the Off
cial representative of the Holy See in
France.
This is because there is no longer
nunciature there and the Holy See
needs a representative who, if not Off
cially recognized by the Government
shall nevertheless be in a position tC
represent the Church in importan
matters. Cardinal Lecot has always
been pronounced in his opposition tt
the law of separation and other meas
ures of the French Government for tn
oppression of the Church.
A pleasant feature of Cardinal lie
cots visit to Rome was the opportun
ity which he held, few days ago, o
leading a pilgrimage of French Cath
Ollie women to the Vatican and pre-
senting them to the Pope. There wer
about $50 women in the party, and thu
Pope expressed himself as great,
pleased at their faithfulness, and mad
= each member of the pilgrimage a pres
ent of his photograph, bearing his sig
nature.
In Vatican circles the event of thi
pilgrimage is not considered lightly
for it is regarded as one of many evi
!. dences of a movement on the part o
the Catholics of France to fight the op
pressive measures of the French Gov
eminent, including the law of separa
ton. It is even said that the autho
of the law, NJ BRAND, himself ha
abandoned his former attitude, an
that this and many other things Civ
reason for hope that the situation il
the republic will soon be changed 70
the better, so far as the Church IS con
cerned. Certainly this is the prevail
ing opinion at the Vatican, where tn
authorities are doing all that lies with
in their power to obtain a suitabl
financial settlement from the Frenc
Government.