Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-22
Church and State.

Inc world Will rejoice that the gov
ernment Of Mexico and the Catholic
Church have reached q settlement
While the controversy between. state
and church. In the Southern republic
has existed for nearly three quarters
Of century, with periods Of apparent
peace interspersed, the absolute break
between the two occurred July 81, 1926
During the three intervening years
Catholic Church services conducted in
Mexico have been In secret; there have
been no public services. TO q popuIa :
ton very largely Catholic the condi-
lions existing have been particularly
distressing.
The open split, which occurred be-
tween church and state three years ago
and resulted In q withdrawal OF many
Catholic prelates and priests from the
country, is tracesble directly to the laws,
drawn up by former President Gales
in June, 1925, and which became eff
fective on July 81 of that year. The
effect Of those laws was 10 restrict the
ministry to native MexicanS, TO forbid
religious instruction in public schools
and private primary schools, to prevent
religious. corporations" from establish
ing and directing primary schools, and
to subject all private schools to govern
ment supervision. Monastic orders were
prohibited, religious confraternities and
converts were dissolved, ali church
buildings were put under government
supervision and church property was
taken over and placed in charge Of a
caretaker. Earlier the government had
provided that q minister To exercise
his functions as priest or clergyman,
must register In his municipality. It
was this order by the government par
ticularly which made 1t impossible for
the church and the state to reach any
agreement ap to the present time.
These restrictions placed upon the
church were protested vigorously by the
Catholic prelates. Acting on the Pope,s
approval they closed their churches
throughout the country on Sunday, July
81, 1925. A pastoral letter was issued
declaring that the new laws were
persecution"
The serious differences existing be-
tween the church and state since the
closing Of the churches are said 10 have
been the basis OF revolutionary at
tempts. although the prelates have de-
MED that they sponsored these insur-
rections. The settlement of the diff
ferences, now announced in Mexico
City, may so far toward bringing peace
10 hand which has been torn by I'm
ternal discussions for many years.
The basis of the settlement entered
into allows the Catholic hierarchy to
designate those priests who are to
register in compliance with the laws Of
Mexico. This concession on the part
Of the government removes the chief
stumbling block which has prevented a
settlement In the past. The contention
OF the church has been that unless the
Catholic hierarchy designated the priest
TO be registered, the government would
be placed in direct charge of the
spiritual functions Of the church itself;
that the government under such condi-
lions might register persons as priests
Of whom the church herself dissp-
proved: The newly announced settle
ment also permits religious instruction
within the churches themselves, all
though Il is still not permitted in the
schools, as specified in the constitution
Of Mexico. A third basis of settlement
reserves the right TO Mexican Catholic
prelates to apply for modification of the
constitution ut any time in the future.
which is the same right granted al
Mexican citizens.
President Portes Gil and the Cath
Ollie preiates met for discussions of the
differences between church and state
as o result of public statements made
by both in May, expressing q hope that
some settlement could be reached. The
declare tons issued simultaneously by
the President Of Mexico and the senior
member OF the Catholic hierarchy in
that country today were regarded as
.harbineers OF happier and more secure
times in Mexico.