New Britain herald., 1923-02-19
CATHOLICS ENTER
 MEXICAN POLITICS
AntasOnism to Obreson Is Now
 Real and Apparent

|
 Mexico City, Feb. i9.-The obre' gon administration has dehnitel, broken with the Catholics in Mexico and an antagonism that has been
 more or less submerged during the past two years Is now real and ap- parent. The expulsion of Monsignor
 Ernesto filippi, apostolic delegate, for his alleged participation in an
 open air religious ceremony con
 trary to Article 24 of the Constitu-
 tion of 1857. has provided the issue
 upon which the liberals and conserv-
 atives have come to open disagree
 ment which many observers believe
 is prophetic of a bitter struggle for political supremacy.
 Even the friends of President Obre- gon admit that his order for the ex- pulsion of the papal nuncio as a per nicious foreigner'-he is an Italian was prompted by political expedi- ency. It was a smashing. direct blow, they say, to check the 1nfiu- ence of the Catholics as a political body, not as a religious organization. All quarters construe the act as an indication of fear by President Obre- gon and his advisors that the once powerful Clerical party is again on it's feet and in motion to grapple for leadership with an administration, which although more lenient than some of its predecv ssors, is funda- mentally opposed to the church. And Obregon expelled the monsignor, per- sonal representative of Pope Plus in Mexico, although the latter was and is his personal friend and was many times a guest at the presidential resi- dence.
 Agrceably Surprised.
 Smarting under years of repression dating back to the reform days of President Juarez. the Catholics were surprised shortly after President Obregon took office, two years ago, to find that a great degree of religious freedom was to be per- mitted. Numerous churches long closed were reopened; parochial schools were again started; priests and nuns appeared on the street in clerical garb, a thing unheard of in the time of President CarranZa. President Obregon, reiterating his policy of freedom, often was church | visitor on the occasion of some spe- cial function. The first lady of the and, Sra. Maria Tapia Obregon, is a levout Catholic and is prominent in he charity work of the church.
 But year or so ago there were | -umors of activity in Catholic ranksi not all of which was of a religious character. Reports were circulated ,f we'll laid plans to contest in the elections. The Catholic or Clerical ,arty, which boiled only a compara- lively few votes against Obregon, was 'evived. Catholics as such contested or seats in congress. Newspapers old of anti-government propaganda icing spread in the interior by priests md during the past year a dozen or nore have been expelled, giving ome substance to reports of their Monsignor Filippi arrived rom Rome and the clergy of the re- ublic were mobilized to spread the octrines of the Vatican. Many per- OIS III tnC dSSCfI tuCy | lso mixed in politics.
 Monsignor Filippi.
 The foreign secretary explaining i , Cardinal Gasparri, papal secretary . state, the reason for the expulsion , sserted it was because under Mon , gnor Fiippi's direction the clerical ements were organizing politically, C yen contrary to Christian precepts. Z When Monsignor Filippi presided 2 an outdoor religious service held anuary II near Silao, Guanajuato, ' le government realized the law had zen vioaltcd and that an opportunity 2
 make an example of the highest mixing prelate in Mexico was off, red. The monsignor was immedi- ely ordered expelled and was given hours to quit the republic. The ,ostolic delegate denied there was l intentional violation of any fed al or state law. and asserted his I lllingness to submit to any and all WIS of the nation. Without oppor- nity for defense he was told tol r ave--and he did so without pro- g st. o
 Received Homage. h During the last three days of his fl ly here, the monsignor received the m mage of virtually the entire Cath cl C population of the republic. Hun bi eds stood for hours in front of his use in futile effort to see him. b, legrams, letters and formal pro- 'ts arrived by the thousands. The CT tholic faithful of the nation, unit tr
 in the open for the first time in tn thy years were not afraid to show le sir sympathy for the prelate and re sir bitterness against the govern
 mt Thousands were at the rail- ta y station to say farewell to the stl