The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-05-13
LETTER FROM OUR SPECIAL COR
RESPONDENT.
Provision of the Portuguese Law of
Separation Between Church and
State-Military Officer Dismissed
Holy Week Procession in Se-
VilIe-Tragedy in AndaIusian
Village on Good Friday.
London, April Is, 1911.

London, April Is, 1911.
We are back again ON the frontiers
of Spain and Portugal, called hither by
fresh moves on the part of the enemies
of the Church. At length the Republi-
can Government of the latter country
has formulated the Law of Separation
between Church and State. Several
flourishes of trumpets went before it,
and the most untruthful statements
were made in the newspapers in Portu-
gal and abroad. AS 1 told you last
week it was said that the Vatican had
advised the Bishops to accept the Law
unreservedly, and that the Ministers
actually alleged that circulars to this
effect had been sent round among the
Bishops, though this was officially de-
MED. This was an artful move to still
the fury of the country when the pro-
visions of the measure became known.
They are briefly these. Equal religious
freedom to all bodies 1--WE might add,
except the Catholic Church). Separa-
tion of Church and State. Clerical
societies must be formed to carry on
religious worship, but although the
people are henceforth to pay for all up
keep of Church services and edifices,
such subscriptions are to be supervised
by the Government, who will deduct
one-third to be applied to public chari-
ties and relief works. All priests enjoy
ing a benefce at the time the Law is
put into force, will receive pension
equal in value for the rest of their lives
to pass to their relatives at death.
There is here a gratuitous insult. for
the Government states that it will not
object to the marriage of the clergy,
and that such pensions will pass in the
event of death to their widows, or chill
dren, legitimate or illegitimate, which
of course gives the false idea that the
clergy are living lax and irreligious
lives. The new law permits five semi
naries for priests, but they are practi-
cally useless, since the Government
arrogates to itself the right of appoint
ing all professors therein and selecting
the books to be used. Moreover, no
Papal decree or pastoral letter of the
Bishops can be communicated to the
people without the sanction of the
Government.
All future appointments must also
be made in accordance with its choice,
though existing positions are not inter
fered with. No priest or religious, not
even members of the foreign orders,
may henceforth be seen on the streets
in clerical garb. Education is to be
secular, but religious instruction on
certain lines may be permitted. Lega-
cies for Masses or the up-keep of re-
ligious houses are rendered invalid.
If this does not rouse the Catholic
Portuguese, nothing will. 1t is safe to
say that the Vatican will never accept
the large majority of these abominable
and tyrannical provisions; and all who
know Portugal believe that the people
will rise en- masse in defence of the
faith which they have kept so glorious.
ly. A semi-offic icial note issued in the
early days of this week before the Law
was made public declared that the Vat
leans future policy depended entirely
upon the provisions of the Law. II
these were in accord with the princi.
pies of liberty and justice no opposi-
ton would be offered, but if not, then
the Vatican would strenuously oppose
the measure, relying on the Portu-
guese clergy and nation for support
Military Officer Dismissed.
The hatred shown to the religion OF
Christ is so clear in this Law, that ii
looks as if it were last act of spite
by desperate men before quitting the
scene. That they are still mortally
afraid of the situation, is shown by the
manner in which they have answered
the manifesto sent out all over the
country this week by Captain Conceiro
the only military officer who remained
faithful to the Royal House at the time
of the insurrection. He proposes a
pIebiscite Of the country to determine
which form of government it desires as
a whole. He adds that he is sure the
preponderance of votes will be on the
side of the Monarchy, and he appeals
to the Republic to resign Office If this
is the case, and thus save the country
from a possible civil war in the future
The answer to this document has beer
the immediate dismissal of the Cap
tain from his post in the Army, by
which the Government pretty clearly
shows that its view and his coincide
S0 far aS +hn result 0f the nlehiScite