The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-10-16
PRIESTS IN WAR

A Catholic publication of Dublin,
ireland, "The Catholic Bulletin" con-
tains an article which deals with con-
scription, or compulsory army service
as it has affected the priests and other
ecclesiastics of France. The article
follows:
These stories and countless others
like them that found their way into
the papers may or may not have been
true. There is nothing improbable
about them. They are, in fact, the
kind of things we should naturally
have expected from men who stood so
loyalty together and endured with such
sublime fortitude the savage persecu-
ton to which they were subjected up
to the beginning of the war. But, true
or fictitious, it is of Importance to note
that the incidents described were cal
culated to produce in the public, a
state of mind with regard to the
Church and her ministers highly in
furious to the best interests of religion.
In some instances the stories of sol
dier-priests have been written by Cath
olics and given to the public with the
best possible motives. An honest pride
is taken in the heroism of those serv-
ants of God, and deep sense of sat
isfaction is felt at the bright prospect
of a religious awakening that is likely
to be produced by the labors Of those
who have acquired increased influence
among their countrymen. In other
cases the stories are published with
the plain business-like motive of en-.
listing the sympathy and enthusiasm
of the religious-minded on the side of
those who are giving priests an oppor-
tunity of showing how much they can
suffer. But, whatever the motive, the
effect produced is the same. The &C.
counts are so presented that people
are blinded to the fact that the impos-
ition of military service on the priest
hood is in reality gravely injurious to
religion, is, indeed, an infamy of the
darkest kind Readers come to forget
that it was prompted and Is main
tanned not by military necessity, love
of country, or any other reason that
might carry with it some shadow OF
justification, that it was callous, de-
liberate, and premeditated attempt to
strike at the foundations of the
Churchs influence. The name of God
had been erased from the children's
books. dechristianized teachers we're in
the schools, and it had been hoped,
with much reason, that the demoraliza-
ton and reduction in numbers of the
priestly workers would complete the
work of quenching the lights of
heaven.
Those who are out Of touch with the
actual state Of affairs, and are DEEPEN
dent on specially prepared diet Of
incidents for their knowledge, may be
inclined to entertain delusions regard
ing the likelihood of the Illustration Of
the designs of the enemies of the
Church. Many have gone so far as
to cite the existing situation as another
that draws good out of evil. Unfortu
nately, the French Bishops who have
the interests of religion at heart, and
who see things as they really are, have
found no grounds for such optimism
AS matter of fact, the transitory
and accidental good effects that meet
the public eye serve only to increase
the peril; for, as an eminent ecclesi
astic commenting. on this question has
said, "The devil Is never more dan
gerous than when he comes clothed as
an angel of light"
But has not the State the right tc
impose military service on the priests
of the Church just as it imposes taxes
on them and subjects them to the
other burdens that are shared by other
citizens? 1t has not. Freedom from
service in arms is one of those immu
mites or privileges that the Church
possesses as a strict right and which,
she must have If she is to fulfill her
obligations to her Divine Master.
The immunities that the Church en-.
joyed in former ages were more exten.
sive than those in force today. Some
she has voluntarily allowed to fall into
disuse; others she allows to be dis.
regarded; but the right to exemption
from military service she has never re.
lnqnished, nor could she relinquish it
even ii she wished to do so. Up to
the middle of the last century, there
existed school of thought, comprising
men who upheld the supreme right OF
the State in this as, indeed, many
other matters. They maintained that
the privilege of personal immunity
was really Of civil origin, and that
consequently without any violation OF
natural right or equity, it could be alb
Fosated by the State. This, of course
1s the present position of French
AtAefsts. For Catholics, however, the
question was definitely closed by the
express condemnation of these doc