The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-11-30
THE NEW FRANCE.

s VII AAd1J OSSdS1O1lS S11lCC IIlC zDC-
ginning of the great war the ques-
ton has been asked: What will be
the status Of the Church in France
after the war. Will the drastic
laws enacted by Masonic minor
ity stand the test of French SEN
timent and logic after the heroism
shown by priest and soldier? Or
will the people take a determined
stand and insist on the rehabili-
tation Of the old religion. The
law of separation worked terrible
havoc with the eldest daughter of
the Church. Clergy and religious
orders, Of men and women, were
driven from the homes they had
occupied for ages. The Catholic
religion was prescribed to great
extent, and all properties were at
tached to the State. 1t is a mat
ter of record that the State re-
ceived but little of the fabulous
wealth it had hoped to plumber
from the churches. The sale of
Church property was a scandal,
and, as much Of it went to political
henchmen for a trifie, but little ac-
.crued to the State as such.
Now, however, the army of
France has won the recognition of
the world: the will of the army
should be law. The army is Cath
Ollie from Foch to the last poilu
with but few exceptions. Relig.
ion has triumphed on the field of
battle, in the hospital, in the
trenches. Will religion now be
banished from the soil Of France
When the nation was endangered
the priests who had been driven
forth like criminals hurried back
from all quarters Of the world tc
help the mother-land. Twenty.
five thousand Catholic priests car.
ried arms as common soldiers
other thousands acted as hospital
attendants, stretcher-bearers, anc
orderies. Will these men now be
obliged to lay down their arms
abandon the hospitals, and take
the first boat back to the land oil
their exile on foreign shores? That
is question that awaits solution
The master genius who forced
the Central Powers to their knees
was the Catholic Foch. Petain
Mangin, Castlenau, Pau, are names
to conjure with in the annals 81
modern France. Will the govern
ment now humiliate these men by
driving their co-rehgionists into
ignominious exile? France was
ever a chivalrous nation, the lane
of beauty and courage, of honor
and devotion. Will she be forced
to witness the exodus Of her bes
blood, of her noblest sons, for
sooth, because they profess thu
faith that raised the old Franks
from a state Of barbarism to thu
highest plane of civilization?
Again. Will Alsace and Lor
raine, those re-conquered lands, b.
led in the procession of religious
exiles, and be obliged to give VI
their cherished forms of belief
Surely it is not too much to expec
the French Republic will emulate
the generous liberality and broad
lmindedness Of her older and big
ger sister, the United States. Sure
ly, what Washington and Lincol
approved for the United State
would not be out of place for tn
land of Foch, Petain and Castle
nau, the land of Clovis, Charlie
magne, and st. Louis, May tn
generosity of the French soldie
in shedding his blood be the stand
ard Of the French government il
| opening the field of religious tol
Grafton. Else must it be said tina
the Allies have fought to GUST mil
itary autocracy and to enthron
religious tyranny.