The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-03-18
WEEKLY LETTER FROM OUR
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
The Monis Ministry-Evidences of
Catholic Activity in France, Por-
tugaI, Spain, England.
Europe. March 6, 1911.

Europe, March 6, 1911.
Of course the cables have already
told you that there has been some ex-
citement in France over the formation
of a new Cabinet, and the fall of M.
Brands Ministry this week. That
these events have special significance
for the Church in France is unfortu-
nately fact. 1t might appear to most
peoples minds that our Holy Faith
had already suffered enough in that
unhappy country to crafty and glut
even her implacable enemies, the Free
masons and Jews, who now govern
France. But such is not the case.
The steadily growing tendency to or
ganization amongst the Catholics, who
have more than once flung defiance at
their prosecutors of late, the strong
action of the Bishops in condemning
several anti-clerical papers, and the
relaxed activity of M. Briand have
filled the Combist bloc with fear and
fury. Therefore NJ. Malvy Interpret
lated in the Chamber last Friday with
regard to the manner in which, he
said, the Associations Laws had been
allowed to lapse under the present ad-
ministration AS result of this the
division showed very small majority
for the Government, and M. BRAND
Immediately placed his resignation in
the hands of the President. NJ Monis
has been called to succeed him. He
is an advocate practicing in the Bor.
deaux Courts and a man who showed
considerable sympathy with Combes in
the introduction of the Associations
law. He has gathered around him a
Cabinet composed of men almost en-
tirely Radical-Socialist with the excep-
tion of M. Delcasse and M Chaumet,
the former of whom may even now
decline Office. The post of Under Sec
retary for Public Worship has been
revived, and significant fact is the
appointment of M. Malvy, who inter.
pellated last Friday, to this post OF
oppression. Another noteworthy Incl
dent is the visit of each member of the
new Ministry to M. Combes, and gen
eral opinion in France is that the
Combist bloc now rule the country
unreservedly. Apart from our natural
fears for the Church under such an
administration, we may note in sup
port of the contention that religion
makes for good government, the fact
that commercial circles are not well
pleased by the unrest created in the
political situation. "Humanitie,' the
journal of M. Jaures, is loud in its
cries for the reinstatement of all the
recent strikers, the dismissal of M
Lepine, Chief of the Paris Police, who
has shown himself we'll able to cope
with the apache type, and general
amnesty to all criminals. This ex
poses the country to new fears o1
railway strikes paralizing trade and
correspondence, and it is likely that
the moderate man will make a strong
stand against the new rule of things
Evidence Of Catholic Activity.
In this they will be strengthened by
the Catholics of France, inspired by
their brave Bishops and clergy. Tt i!
a mistake to suppose that "the eldes
daughter of the Church has who'll.
surrendered to her enemies. Only thu
other day the Bishop of Bayonne
Monsignor Gieure, wrote a spirited
open letter to the Minister of Public
Instruction anent the latest proposals
to bring in law making it an Offence
for a parent to withdraw his chile
from an irreligious school. The Bishol
gave instances of the blasphemou!
teachings inculcated into the minds
of the young in these 'ecoIe laiques,
reiterated his words of condemnation
of such establishments, and wound vi
a fine peroration by declaring tina
though the Minister might endeavo
by force to bend the Catholics o
France to his will they never wou1t
surrender their children's souls, ant
never would they obey him.
And the strongest proof of the gen
uine Catholicity of this zeal is th
devotion which inspires the people to
wards the Vicar of Christ in Hol.
Rome. The French Hierarchy hav
ordered prayers in all the churche
up to and including the Feast of 81
Joseph, patron of the Universe
Church, in reparation for the outrage
of which the Holy Father is the vic
tim in this year of 1911, the fiftietl
anniversary of the proclamation Q
Rome as Capital of United italy. !
special collection of Peters Pence vii
be made, while the clergy and faithful
will unite in offering novenas @
Masses and Communions for the ii
tentions of the Sovereign Pontiff.
children's Pilgrimage Proposed.
But the most touching of these act
of love is the devotion of the childre