The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-11
a@Nt ~ Z al e
GR|iE:.A.I0.|PPO.S'ITl.I||jON.
.I0CA.I H0LICISM'
Prosecutions in Portugal Arc
Most Violent in History
of Church.
THREE BISHOPS EXPELLED
Diplomatic Relations Between
Holy See and Lisbon
Practically Off,.
THREE BISHOPS EXPELLED

tspecial Gable to Tho Ttmes-Dispatch3
Rome. February I0.-As a res,,I, ~
the alleged prosecutions .aEa,ast IN.
Catholic Church In Portugal, diploma
tic relations between the Aoiy see ana
Lisbon. although they have not been
officially declared on. are TO all prac,
ticai PURPOSES. temporarily at least,
at an end. .y-
In Vatican circles II is admitted thar
the opposition, which the church ia
now meeting in Portugal is one OF tho
mont violent In the history OF Catholic.
Ism. The present acute situation MAJ,
arisen solely from the Efforts of tEs
now Portuguese government TO carry
out the law that was enacted for tina
separation Of the church and the state.
PREVIOUS to the revolution in Portu-
gal, however. tho Holy Sec had 1Gss
completed u concordut with King Man.
uci This the pope Is still cndeavorinE
10 carry out, ga, fur Us the Vatican
side OF the agreement III concerned in
order that Portugal mag have no 'op-
portunily OF saying that the Holy SEQ
was the first TO brelk the agreement
The alleged persecution of the clergy
has now reached a climax In tho ex-
pulsion from their diuceses for two
years OF three of the bishops OF Portu-
gal. including the Patriarch OF Lisbon.
whom Pope Plus hcreated "A cardinal
In pectore" at the recent consistory,
1t having been one OF the articles of
the concordat with Portugal that the
Patriarch OF Lisbon WAS always to
have Tho rank of cardinal.
In eHpeliing these three bishops, tho
government of Portugal maintains that
they have not only violated the laws
OF the new republic. but have also vio-
lated their Instructors from tho
Vatican Itself. These Instructions from
the Vatican. II is known, were that tho
bishops should do nothing whatever To
interfere With the governments car
ry!ng out OF the provisions or the Law
OF separation. The three expelled
bishops however. wrote letters TO the
clergy OF their dioccscs denounctnS the
associations for worship. which, had
been organized by the state as par OF
tho work OF separation. and II wac
this act that was declared by tho
Portuguese government to be contra
'vention not only OF the laws OF tim
state. but of the instructions of tn,
Vatican.
The situation. therefore. is especial
Is difficult for either party to handle
owing TO the fact that diplomatic re-
lations between Portugal and the Holy
SEQ are now actually: though not Of
hcially. broken. " lille the situation is
such that II will likely prove a very
difficult matter to rceume them.
Portugals population Ia largely
Catholic. and the influence of the Pope
is so great that II would be possibIn
even to cause revolution gainst a gov
eminent hostile to the Vatican, should
the church ever be disposed to go to
such an extreme. which is, OF course.
most unlikely. That Portugal appre-
ciates this ard desires to continue dip
lomatic relations with the Holy Sec
was made evident when the new gov
eminent reorganized It's diplomatic
service, The embassy at the Holy See
was instead promoted to legation OF
the first class.
Unfortunately. few months ago
Marchese di LaEoaca, the Portuguese
ambassador to the Holy SEQ, resigned.
In the face OF the strong anticiericai
policy OF tho government. 81 was
therefore impossible for Portugal 10
name new amba ssador at once, es-
, pecially when this would mean the
naming OF an ambassador of the first
; class for the first time, without Great
ing the appearance that Portugal was
little blk anxious to remain on good
terms, with the Vatican.
! The appointment of a successor was
therefore allowed to lapse. until now.
when an ambassador at Rome is bad
~ needed. II Is impossible to appoint
| one. because the Vatican would cer-
tainly refuse to receive him.
AS a consequence. at the present
time. diplomatic relations do not exist
between Lisbon and the Holy See. and
the prospect of n settlement OF the
trouble seems remote. It was never
] theless expected in Rome that Pope Plus
in the near future will avail himself
! OF whatever vigorous measures arc at
his command to force Portugal to as
sumo a more lenient attitude towards
the church. Just what. these measures
b, Will be no one has yet yentured TO
suggest