The Irish standard., 1918-11-23

dominion, or at least the protection,
of governments now and henceforth
opposed to the Central Powers. The
future of Russian Christianity is an
enigma. Anything may occur in the
next few years. A Socialist president,
with futurist cabinet, is as likely as
a cardinal at Moscow or a hierarchy
in Siberia. Asiatic Christianity will
be entirely under the protection of
the Chinese, Japanese, American and
Indian governments. The two latter
are nominally Christian.
Future Of Church With Democracy.
These figures make it clear that
the future of the Church outside Eu-
rope must be with the powers now
waging war for democracy. Austria
has never been missionary coun-
try, and her efforts on behalf of
church unity will be fully employed in
the direction of the Ukraine and the
Uniat churches, which are forming
on her borders out of the collapse
of the Holy Synod From Germany
the Church can expect nothing, for
it is doubtful if she will retain either
Samoa or the Cameroons even in the
foreign field. The failure of a great
German world-empire to realize itself
does not entail so great a loss to the
Church. To those who have associ-
ated some such empire with Church
progress on a magnificent scale it
must read in the nature of conso-
lation to know the true condition of
the Church in parts of Germany to
this day. To make statements Oh
ones own authority does not invite
credence. However, the testimony of
the Catholic Encyclopaedia and of
the Orbis Catholicus is unimpeachable,
and so we need not hesitate to turn
to their pages for information.
Amongst other restrictions, such as
the exile of the Jesuits, which has
been a severe moral and intellectual
loss to Germany, the Encyclopaedia
states that in Saxony and SAKE Wei
mar appeal to Rome is forbidden"
that in Thuringia, Brunswick and
Mecklenburg "the Catholics even re-
Gently had to submit their parochial
affairs to the authority of the Prot
estant pastors, and, in part, Catholics
even now pay tithes to the Protes-
tant pastors for this unsought-for
service. The building Of churches and
establishment of schools are also SUBJ
ject to CALLING restrictions" Wurtem-
burg and Baden do not allow male re-
ligious orders, while Saxony only per-
mits nursing sisters.
From the last edition of the Orbis
Catholicus it appears that there is not
state in Germany where Catholics
do not suffer from some disability.
Thus in Baden: although Catholics
form about three-ffths of the popula-
ton, they have been engaged since
the beginning of the nineteenth CEN
fury in practically constant struggle
for their religious liberties" In
Brunswick: ITO this day priest
saying Mass, even in private, without
the permission Of the police, is Sc
verely punished" In Mecklenburg:
even now Catholics pay tithes to
the Protestant pastors for their unde-
sired services" OF Prussia there is
this characteristic note: "The prom:
Use of 1921 to endow the bishoprics
with land has not been kept" In
Reuss: Catholics must contribute
their assessable share towards the
support of the Evangelical-Lutheran
Church and schools. They them
selves neither receive any contribu-
ton from the State, nor are permit
ted to levy Church tax" In Sax
ony, it is decreed that "only Germans
who have studied three years at a
German university can exercise eccle-
siastical functions even in private"
In spite of the Catholic millions in
Germany, their government, while it
is concentrated in Prussian hands,
can never be reck0ned one friendly
to the Church. Her tradition is Lu-
theran, and as it is her intellectual
barrage cuts of Scandinavia from
Rome. The very existence of a mill
tant Catholic party in her parliament
proves the necessity Catholics have
Of always being on the defensive.
They have never received any quarter
except what they were able to secure
by the weight of their own numbers.
To this day in Protestant parts of
Germany they are subjected to con-
ditions such as provoked the 1.-THE
War and the fight for emancipation
in Ireland. In fact, they are penal
lied.