The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-10-03
is THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH RESPONSIBLE?
IGNORANCE AND SAVAGERY IN
MEXICO ARE DUE TO OTHER
AGENCIES.

large sections of Mexico frequently
insinuate that these conditions are due
to the Catholic Church, says the Cath
Ole Tribune. In reality the Church
has for fifty years or more been har-
assed by the State. A mere glance
at a long list of tyrannical laws
enacted between 1859 and 1S74-most
of these are still in force-shows
the Outstanding and civilizing eff
forts of the Church have been
thwarted at every turn. Freemasonry
and anti-clericalism are in a great
measure responsible for the back
wardness of Mexico.
We quote some of the statutes
which bear directly upon the rights
of the Church:
Law of Aug. II, 1859, Article 3-All
laws, circulars and ordinances of any
kind, established by public authority,
by last will and testament, or by GUS
tom, which require officials to attend
in body public religious functions,
are hereby repealed.
Law of Dec. 4, 1869, Article 17-Of-
fetal recognition given to ecclesiasti-
cal persons and corporations is with
drawn. Article 18-The use of church
bells is to be regulated by police or
dinance. Article 24-Public officials
are forbidden in their official capacity
to assist at any religious ceremony,
or entertained in honor of clergy
man, however high in rank he may
be- Troops of soldiers are included
in this prohibition.
Law of May IS, 1873-No religious
rite or demonstration of any kind
whatever may take place outside of
the church building in any part of
the republic.
Law of Dec. IA, 1874, Article 3-No
official, official corporation, or body
of troops may attend in an official
capacity religious services of any kind
whatsoever, nor shall the government
recognize in any manner whatsoever
religious holidays. All days, there
fore, that do not commemorate some
exclusively civil event cease to be holi-
days. Sundays are set apart as days
of rest for officers and public insti-
tutions. Article 5-No religious rite
may take place outside the church
building, neither shall the minister Of
religion or any individual of either
sex or any denomination whatsoever,
wear in public a special dress or in
in any way, under penalty of fine
of ten to two hundred dollars.
Constitution of 1857, Article 5-The
State cannot allow any contract, pact
or agreement to go into effect that
has for it's object the impairment,
loss, or irrevocable sacrifice of mans
liberty whatever the cause may be
work, education or religious vow.
Consequently the law does not recog-
nize monastic orders, nor can it per-
nit their establishment, whatever be
their designation or object. Article
Il - Religious institutions &.
shall have no legal right to acquire
title to, or administer any property.
neither shall they have the right
to acquire or manage revenues de-
rived from real estate.
Law of July II, 1859, Article 5-All
the male orders which exist through
out the republic are hereby
suppressed throughout the whole re-
public, as also all ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
confraternities, congregations or sis
terhoods annexed to the religious
communities, cathedrals, parishes or
any other churches. Article 12-All
books, printed or manuscript, paint
ings, antiquities and other articles be-
longing to the suppressed religious
communities shall be given to muse
ums, lyceums, libraries and other pub
lie establishments. Article 21-All
novitiates for women are perpetually
closed. Those at present in noviti-
ates cannot be protested.
The acts against religious communi-
ties are reiterated with parrot-like
monotony We find them repeated in
the laws of Feb. 26, 1868; Sept. 25,
1873, and Dec. 4, 1873.
In respect to the tenure of church
property, we find the following pro-
visions:
Law of July II, 1859, Article All
property which, under different titles,
has been administered by the secular
and regular clergy, whatever kind of
property it may be becomes
the property of the State.
In 1861 the government handed
over" parochial residences, episcopal
palaces, ETC., free of taxation, SO long
as they were reserved for their own
specific purposes.
Law of Dec. IA, 1874, Article s.
Legacies made in favor of ministers
of religion, of their relatives to the
fourth degree, or of persons living
with said ministers when they have
rendered any spiritual aid to the tes-
tators in their last illness or when
they have been their spiritual direc-
| tors, are null and void.
Needless to say that civil marriage
was approved in 1859, 1860 and 1874.
With the encouragement of the State
| in the administration of this sacra-
ment, it is a piece of gross impudence
on the part of the writer's who lament
the alleged 1axity of the marriage vow
in Mexico to charge the blame to the
Catholic Church.
Law Of Feb. 2, 1851, Article ALI
hospitals and charitable institutions
which up to the present time have
been under ecclesiastical authority
and managed by religious corporations