FRANCE AND THE POPE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11012, 9 July 1901, Page 5

FRANCE AND THE POPE.

CONDEMNATION OF THE RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS' BILL. , " United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received Judy Bth, 8.51 a.m.) ROME, July 7. The Pope, in a letter to the SuperiorsGeneral of Religious Orders and Institutions, strongly condemns t4»e Religious Associations' Bill recently approved by the French Parliament, declaring that the Church's rights had been deeply injured and her power of action greatly impaired.

From the time when the Religious Associations' Bill was first introduced, Pope Leo has not ceased. to enter his strongest protests against the measure. On one occasion in an interview he complained strongly of the attitude of the French Government, which lie accused of violating the Concordat by measures tending to restrict the liberties of the religious orders. Tine latter would, therefore, be obliged to seek refuge against such iniquitous treatment by establishing themselves in countries which, though having no Concordat with the Holy See, are liberal, such as Great Britain and the United States. His Holiness believed that the suppression of the congregations would be fatal to France, who owed her position in the Levant and in the Far East to her quality of protectress of the Christians. The Pope further said on this point that he had only recently been again begged by the head of a powerful State to permit that no account should l>3 taken of this claim of France in the East -and the Far East. But although compensation for compliance was offered to the Church and to the Holy See, the Pope desired that the right of France should remain intact, since he held it to 'bs indisputable, and also because Franco had never allowed it to lapse. His Holiness feared that if France suppressed the religious orders, her rivals would not hesitate to adopt a contrary policy, in ordar to take her place towards the Christian communities in the East and th Far East.