The New York herald., 1922-12-07
Faction Breaks With Rome
and Forms French CathO-
lie National Church
SELECTS OWN BISHOP
800, Who Have Defied Vati-
can, Said to Be Nucleus
of New Institution.

Special Cable TO TIE NEW York HERALD.
Copyright, 1899. by THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, Dec. q.
The Catholic church in France is con-
fronted by factional split of the priest
hood on the marriage of priests. A new
national church, to be known as the
French Official Catholic Church, has
been formed and has selected its own
bishop in the person of Able Maxine
Ardot, who some years ago married one
of his parishioners in a village in the
Seine-et Marine district.
The first chapel edifce is now being
prepared, it is said. In this the mar
ried priests who have been prohibited by
the Vatican from celebrating masses or
other ritual will carry on Catholic doc
trines on the apostolic basis as in the
Roman church, but will no longer rec
ognize the Pope's dicta as final.
Able Ardot, il is said, is to be con-
secrated as Bishop in few weeks by an
assembly of 800 priests who have defied
who have formed the nucleus Of the new
church.
It Is estimated that there are several
thousand married priests in France. and
all are anxious to resume their holy
duties under the new regime, SO that
within a year, it Is believed, the princi-
pal cities and towns in France will have
a new national church.
THE New York HERALD correspondent
to-day had the first official interview
with Bishop-elect Ardot.
'It Is really the national church of
France he said. for we have recog-
nized the separation law of 1905. We
refuse longer to admit that Rome can
dictate whether priests shall marry. for
we are convinced that married life en-
ables one to come closer to the members
of the church because we are better able
to share their joys and troubles.
I'VE have not asked Rome to permit
us to marry. We simply married and
then told Rome what what we had
done. and II the door has been closed
to US by the Roman church we have
found a new door OPEN"
Then as he drew his wife toward
him the Bishop-elect pointed to the
ring on .ner finRer, saying. we are
married and proclaim 1t openly. There
is nothing to be ashamed Of They
have failed to get me to divorce my
little helpmate. Divorce will not be
tolerated by the French official Catholic
Church except for the gravest substan-
tiated reasons"
Able Ardot was born in Rozoy-en-
Brie in the province OF Sein-et- -Marne,
forty-t three years ago. After graduation
from the Seminary of st. Sulpice at
Paris he was ordained a priest I'm the
Cathedral at Meaux in June. 1903. After
eight years in the parish OF La Croix-
en-Brie he married Mile. Lucia Lelong
member of his parish. to whom he
had administered the first communion
The church refused to permit him to
continue masses but he was not ex-
communicated.
Able Ardot then formed an associa-
tion for the aid OF brother priests in
the same predicament and they said
masses in private homes instead OF at
public affairs.
This movement by married pries,c
now has become international and un-
doubtedly will spread to the United
States said Able Ardot THE Bishop
of Prague sent congratulations AMI
pledged the sympathetic support of the
Czecho-Slovak Church, which has jtst
been communicated by Rome. Swiss
Catholicism and married priests also
are supporting the movement"