FRANCE AND THE VATICAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13673, 16 August 1906, Page 7

FRANCE AND THE VATICAN.

THE POPE'S ENCYCLICAL.

Press Association—By Teicgraph—CopTriglit.

PARIS, August 15.

(Received Aug. 15, at 9.47 p.m.)

The Pope's encyclical to the French Bishops has been published in Paris. It deplores the corning trials, arid vigorously denounces the separation Law. which it states is not one of separation, hut of oppression and civic discord. The Pope rejects public worship associations, which he declares are impossible, and advises canonical associations instead until the. latter are legally and irrevocably made to embody the divine and immutable lights of the pontiff and the bishops as constituting their authority over a church property anil edifices.

The Pope urges the bishops and French Catholics to employ all tho means which the law recognises its being within the rights of all citizens to organise, worship, and struggle vigorously in defcnce of their religion without recourse to : sedition or violence. Hp predicts a 1 reaction which will result in the rescinding of the laws. The Temps says The encyclical will grieve all friends of religious peace, and the Vatican's intolerance will bear its fruits. This is a. country of common sense, desiring, above all, a calm." The Temps will not admit the present-decision as the result of a truly Christian and reasonable inspiration. A paradox is that the temples offered by the State are refused by the religious authority. ROME, August 15. (Received Aug. 15, at 0.47 p.m.) The Pope, in receiving a Prussian minister at the Vatican, incidentally regretted that the action of the French Government had rendered it impossible for the Church to avow a conflict with the civil authorities.