CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13357, 11 December 1906, Page 5

CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE.

THE POPE'S FINAL DECISION ASSOCIATIONS MUST NOT BE FORMED. By Telegraph.— Pre** Association.—Copyright. (Received December 10, 9.15 p.m.) London, December 10. The Paris correspondent of the Times says that there is grave news from Rome regarding the Church and State question in France. The Pope, he says, forbids Catholics to comply with the law by the making of even one annual notification regarding assemblies for religious worship, on the ground that those gatherings cannot be regarded as public meetings. The Vatican, the correspondent adds, obviously has been misinformed regarding the state of opinion in France on the question. The TJltramontanes themselves express surprise at the Pope's order and the fear is expressed that the prohibition will encourage the tendency to Gallicanism. The Government was never more determined to yield nothing in matters of principle to the exigencies of the Holy See.

The Separation law in France comes into operation to-day (December 11). The bishops and clergy, under instructions from Rome, have neglected to form tit? associations required by the law to take charge of the Church property. Having thus failed in compliance, all "these properties, represented as worth £16.000,000, will pass under the control of the State for distribution to the communes at the end of the present year. The only effort made to form public worship associations has come from a body formed in September called "The League of French Catholics." A month ago it, was stated that this league had formed three hundred associations. The reference to Gallicanism in the cablegram bears on the fact that there is a movement to form a Catholic Church in France, not ruled directly from Rome. There is to be passive resistance to the law, and it is expected that when the State takes possession of the Church properties there will be disorder in many parts of France.