FRANCE AND THE CHURCH

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13348, 13 December 1906, Page 5

FRANCE AND THE CHURCH

CHARGES OP REBELLION AGAINST THE LAW. . ' POPK'fi REPRESENTATIVE EXPELLED. YOFNO ECCLESTASTJCS TO JOIN THE ARMY. United Press Association— % Electrit 1 Telpgrnph.— Copyright.. , Paris, December. 12. M. Briaind < (Minister for Public Worship) is preparing a Bill to assimilate lofract'ory priests with men who, unA r the existing law,, are liable .to forfeiture of their French nationality for serving- a foreign Government will' out authorisation.- , - The Public Prosecutor opened an onquiry into invitations 1 tp> rebellion against the law, when three priests from Paris pulpits announced they had Papal instructions to introduce their own -impassioned oomimmtaries. The judicial authorities regarded: 'Monrsignor IVFontagni, th« Pope's semiofficial ropresontative since the Nuncios wore recalled, as the accomplice of the three priests and the Pope's mouthpiece in ignoring the law of l r< 92, hemceihis residence was searched., i Documents including ,a letter intended for Cardinal Merry del Val, -the Papal Secretary, were seized. An explusion order was sirbs-aquiently served o n Mowsignor M'on'tagni, who was conducted across the front- ' if-r last night. M: Briand is preparing Bills providing for the withdrawal , of pensions from, clergy convicted of infringing the law, also to abrogate a yearns grace regar<Jing the s -liquadfcti6n of c ptobl'ic establishments of Catholic worship sequestrated in tli© absence of pub'liq worship associations. Moreover, 5500 young: ecclesiastics' are to be summoned to join the Army in January., unless they produce certificates from public worship associations entitling i) cm to exemptions.

STATEMENT BY TOE PREMIER. PEACE Oft \VAB? \ Rpcoivod December 13, P. 37 a.m. : Paris, December 12. The Premier, M...,Cleme.nceau, v in tha Chamber of Deputies, replying to a question, said Monsignor jJI-ontagni, the late Nucio's auditor, would not have been disturbed i£ he ihad restricted himself to the duties of enstsidian of the Nunciature's documents, but he had trnaismrttdd Cardinal Merry del Val's instructions, to the bisihops to violate, tho law, a nd Lhjs was >a matter it was the duiy ot; the Government not to 'tolerate. Til". Briand bad offered the Catholics common law, .modified to suit them. Many bishops and priests had been instructed to conform thereto, but, Seeing peace ahead, ami .not wanting t>Re law, they sought strife. v He, ad<ied<: "If they make war against the law the Government will make war agajinst them. The Government fired the. first gun ; still there' is? time to avoid a battle if 'the enemy so desire. The Government are inexorable on the quostk>n oi the in-dependonce of civil society." The Government's acts, said the Premier, weivj legal, %ut energetic Catholics s-ho-uld think of the future of their faith. The Government offered liberty of public! meetings, "if they wish' for .peace it is 'possible ; if they : want, war they can Jhavo it/" . Before le spok-e^ two-thirds of the Chamber . -cheered =iM. j • Ole-menceati heartily. V . \ . , , T)w» Vatican contends that ihe i^ro-. posed regime . offers n,o • security, . for. the future. „'„', .{ - The Pope' is said have ' exclaimed?; "Nothing 'wIH stop . V s — neit'lier persecutJio'nj '"nor" ni'aH^dolm^-fc'dm protecting our religion. ' ! Dur cause is God's." •-- ; "' .■ ' ' •> All the Paris churches have made declaration?, under .the •Public Meetings Act, which' legalises religious worship.- ;■>!.•• r /^ • • p The police seized a ma_ss,{ bf , diplomatic cprrespondenqp ; at» Mopsjgo-tor Montagni's ' . residence , • compromiMiig some . of the . deputies ; also^.syjtnpathiftfnjj letters, fronj. .English, "and Irish l>3shaps. - r ,\ ;-", i >.'...,