FRANCE AND THE HOLY SEE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 14, 25 July 1884, Page 27

FRANCE AND THE HOLY SEE.

The relations between the French Government and the Holy See h» JSES ? y ri? rg -° 8er e IOUB modifi ° at i°n now that the Papal Nuncio hasrcturnel to Pans after visiting his archdiocese of B^nevento In? I*? 7 We f* aad Eaßter " Mgr " di Beade was received by the Hoi, lather on his way to Benevento, and it is more than probable that the secret instructions published by the Matin are substantially wxvl ' Ia * vv . l r rs ? H1 take P la <* with M. Jules Ferry and M. f n S e \- MmlSte J-°u f ?üblic? üblic Jnst ruction, without counting the IZ P wh ? W f °% Tv 1C o th « Ambassador of Leo XIII. will have with the President of the Republic. The first part of the instructions in question refers to the nomination of French Cardinals and tbe moral obligations towards its Catholic subjects, which every French Govern-rwJ^-t m vi e l What may be its fom ' lakes upon it with the Concordat That great contract between France and Catholicism can never be abrogated lawfully. The repudiation of it would be the beginning of the separation of Church an-l State. The Ferry Cabinet will do well to remember that the indemnities to the Cartl w° t Fraac u e . ar . e P art and Parcel of the Concordat. The whole budget of worship is an act of inadequate restitution for confiscated S!S C i .P^P^ty made by Napoleon I. to Pius VII. and to the a^n£ Catholic Church. The Pope refer* through his Nuncio to the ?h£?s * ar t l - aal ' wl " ch naturally requires more outlay than tnat ot a simple bishop. The slender allowance made cannot," therefore be taken away without injustice. If such a measure be adopted, the French Church will necessarily find itself deprived of one of its greatest privileges— the complement of members of the Sacred tfilffh P° BeQ i-° m Episcopate. Nobody would regret this more toan the Pope himself ; but Mtgr. di Rende is instructed to say that conciliation must be limited to questions of secret principle and not allowed to aggravate the already harassed position of the French bishops and their flocks. It is probable that the information of the same paper is correct when it states that His Excellency is charged with the mission of calling attention to the aggressive action which characterises aU dealings with the French Catholics, and especially with the helpless and depeadenb poor. The abolition of military TKIh SS t t > aB ,- aoW JT- f « llowed by a similar step in the hospitals, lhe substitution of hired nurses for the Sisterd of Charity has according to the testimony of even free-thinking doctors, quadrupled the expenses of the establishments, and caused innumerable scandals. Ihe sick and dying are deprived of the sacraments, and every effort ls .™« to efface the character of a Christian deathbed. These acts of highhandedness aw not calculated to draw the millions of French 1C8 !? a i/!fK PubliO xy hlc ? tbey canaot hel P stigmatising as too ready to attack them. Notwithstanding this provocation, assurances are given that the Holy See will always endeavour to control all expressions of anger against the Government; and reference is made to the simons delivered during the Leuten season, which were full only of exhortation? to practise Christian virtues, and to lead the lives of good citizens. Leo XIII. also declares that he and his representatives have never identified themselves with pretenders, whether impenal or royal. The French Churoh only asks for liberty to continue its sacred mission. The crowded churches and unconquerable fervour of the faithful, show that Catholicism is not onlj the S° n l b f the popular form of religion. The bishops of the S.nnf p tt C v h - iag - proofa thafc there i 8 nothing antagonistic to gfnmna Republic institutions in the Church of God. Lastly, the ereneh ; Government is reminded that a victory of right against might has always been gained by Catholicism. Au honest and faithTLn,lv anCC v? l , th "^ be the best earnest of prosperity tor the liepublic, whilst a policy of persecution can only damage it, whilst *n»rrV° P.™" 1 .. a B a JMtan organization, one «f whose maxims, apart from her claims t j Divine guidance, is "Pattern gui ceterna " bo solemn a warning as this, coupled as it is with the exposure of secret societies, issued by the Vicar of Christ, must produce fruit wherever there is good faith. But it is evident that neither M. Jules JJerry nor his anti-religious Cabinet will listen. The Republic will be irreparably damaged by the revolutionary party, who only look upou that form of government as a prelude to anarchy. But the words of the Pope will be remembered wnen too late, unless a reftction begins in favour of common-sense. Catholic France ha-, after all, notbm? to fear, for it has passed through darker davg triumphantly.— Liverpool Catlwlie 'Ames.