CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE WHAT A NON-CATHOLIC PAPER SAYS

New Zealand Tablet, 15 November 1906, Page 11

CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE

WHAT A NON-CATHOLIC PAPER SAYS

Misleading— not to say malevolent— cable-messages regarding the present coniiict between Church and State in b ranee keep coming -week by week • through the submarine wires from anticlerical agencies in Paris. Our - secular papers also publish from time to time' com- ' men ts that are frequently extracted ,from scarcely less bigoted and untrustworthy sources on 'lihe" other' side of the straits of Dover— stfch as,. for, .instance, the 'Daily News 'lie organ of English Nonconformity, "which has manifested throughout a bitterness against t'hV.Cat-holic ri> Ur 1 C - h , ln France as intense as that- of- • the iniidel-Paris Matin whose echo it is>-upon> this question.' In the circumstances, we have deemed it desirable to reprint hereunder a thoughtful, faix-minded r and generally very ' well-informed editorial, article, by a '.nbn-CaUiblic ,pen ' that appeared some time ago in that well-known Lonl , aTfoUotv?'- ' SaUraay Review-'. The article runs 'j; t , ? I}G apal Encyclical uuon J,he French .Separation ' " .Law is a brave and uncompromising challenge. For this reason it has caused no -small amount of irritation to that large section of opinion both in' France and .iine- .: land which consciously or • unconsciously holds that it is ■ the 'wISd 7 dUty ° f tkC ChUrCh t0 m^ ke its -P eace wiih ' This Erastlan and unchristian temper is Ilwf bane s of - religion alike nr England arid itr France, for in - both • countries it- makes Caesar supreme over the/Faith Its English Erastianis'm ayows the State to 'legislate on matters pertaining to "the - Sacraments, and endows laV if»nK + With lhe power of the ke y s - ■ French Erastianism at once more logical and more brutal, leaves dogmatic details alone but makes the will of -ail atheisthe Churcn Suprome in ihe ' internal, administration of'^ So it comes about that the sort of French Catholic who m days past chiefly, supported the Concordat on the giound that 'it -subjected the Church to the State - rwi en ? 171 P 2 llied ' that : the P °V e sh ° uld advise the "hJi i ° c ymler S o temporal and .even religious loss for vne sake ot ~ '. --_ - • , A Fundamental Principle ' ' of. Christianity.- So-. -keen 'is the . vexation ' which exists +\J? W- am ?- °f- J&ese-Labdiceans, * that Pius KMX M who •S-l+i ii S i st^ n d on a principle- that Is- recognised quite ' as strongly by^Calvinists-'as. by -Catholics, is one -mo- ... ; mentr. denounced: r-as an.- ..fcH tramontane -dreamer anditne;.. 'sSov ; ;?>h d^f'V ll > c - rVcUm - of s ome deep ;ikid cW . 1r tyjfrh ****>.*&* >ot modern Liberalism," 'Gar^ ' dinal Merry 1 delValf 1 It 4 jus'fcillcatibnVere' heeded Uov" £apal.action, be- foundin these' criticisms'. Upon 11) in1 I) in • c ,■.' P.& ,>(•)/ ' ;>{;v :,, <£,! ,- <, S 'pnr.p W^ P «^ S^ .f^n^CathoUcs,; insist "on "subservC " „ence m, matters, spiritual ..to, an.atheistic'StateJaTis «ime fe a P.rotes^ against theij ''"cowardice. Tlie biify sub--' f jeet for; regret. y«ha% , tUe'^fMest'lias beexr-'dfelSyed sa*ihe French a ?t a f°"if ** P* ,*&>*& fa i& reia%ns with,, ' : &&* a s >t - iiSt i a ter <^d.'.stood j,more on, .principle'^ and less 1 SiAgS2i?y«- ?of (we quo J te tHe J wor^ of it£ h ■ Encyclical) supported ' injustice r oii injustice in" its 'love

l -.the : piqud ;- French, nation ' ; if it had not sacrificed ■ilOi 10 *W>sHftl ."^eire/jts 'aM libertTes"-' of ''the'-ClifircK* to <J& i|^M™?A,J^ -eorsican autocracy; this fErastian heresy ou v , • neVel< ' Uootwom Frenclh soil v and, French -?-Cathohcsywould ,«ot t ,yto.^.ay. be, % tremblii}g )bef ore .; \ "'", '"',' X i!^-^^i^ ecutin S : -aTia' Intolerant '.-Faction;;^ , [„. \i :' Tl je ; Eincyclicari;he : bravesr^hiifg r in^tiiufk t? thWtfs>fias r !!-& ~ F^ n( ? : S° hf f he '^"atietfi*! sinceithe^aay -,-wJben S ii,?s* hurledJ^e ScivH- co^titutaon^.pf ,the clergy i h-'/ 1 h * faces ," of -..tlie;me n , 0 i : t . he F.ir.st^ev6liition, should siferald v .th^wii,of,.a new-era, in tlJe annalfof Pr&ch v.Sa^Sj I ?, l^' an/era'in-wliigh We Chufoff will'': abandon r.J5 c - hasrbeen^her- Nigh-Win ,he-past,^and^selr.Tip ; ;^again&t %h& Jaoo-bin's^enthusiasm for the\ tyrannical Staie^^e. -^h.rist>iair's .zeal/jor^li;gion and . ordered liber tyf J One tiiuig'is certain.----' 'The . tjurch r can; not lose more by an- appeal to principle than '! fl G llif pi?f by -^ l:;i K^ c ,#vg asti an comprbmises '"*- + w '4he?-Eiicyclicar "'i are.. O f Jl^ssuinterest - tfabn ■- thef^nnciple-^tli^t itf ?pr«plaims.u.fThe -|P.op&^ .. has - foreseen an,d; v i:efutecl>in charge .that -in^re- ;'> £ H»J»S A 9/,^ c P.g» ls e • the^'.ass.dciatioiis^cult^elies ' - c Ke^is ■'■ "ffiS^^-v m/'S*- '£^ t ? n ** thair^hr^Chilfcft^re- .- - a fL- •}?.. some-othero^co'untries/o 'sit -:-1s: t«teuea that on ' '• ban«nrcaP:principle S ethere,>i^i«, : ,ob|eQUon She7'em- ;- -ployment of_laymenra S ,.the^rus,tees of o .eccles£st^af pro- . u ;perty... In- England M and,.in, other' CQuntries^' J bef ore nhe ■ the , lait^\ as > iria"ivid.ua TlsT Is Wv V as : "-¥orDorate bodies, exercised ebnsiderabltf -powers Preference to the- fabrics;, andv temporal « possession- ot . the .-, Church as. -the^ cornxnonrlaw-ioppwers^jol o T ur. ;churchw.ardens ,tesl 'My-.- In s;^e Catholic, ; .ChuXclT in -Africa *%oW' a similar, state of things^; exists, aW • ec-cWsia&icaAs'o-ciations of a 'hW^chaxacter* ar£ Allowed in-' Germany These precedents, heweve^ha^e:., little .application to .the state of things .Tcontenjp^te^by.the Taw. -That 'law,., proposes,,, to ..transfer Church property" .to- ' asso'Dia-- , ,taons : legally establishe^in v 'don ? formity- : wii'h 'tHe^geVeral ; reguUtrbiis of ' the^forrir.' of •wdrsffip^whio^ther desifen -to ■ -maintain.*- 'The '* function of -^'deciding .-wnethef , a^oar- • ticular-,assbciation-4a.115,., within.-., this ..definition jjmiak „. to the. ?,CouneiLj,ol . State a ...bd.dy '.wjiich \i' s in- great the .creature pP tlie ,executive : 'fo 4 r' the r time- be- , In the • Seha'te i t-^'was'V admitteci^tha't- the'-d^^^ pYov&l by ! the' "blslfop.* oft'* tKe:;.associatton wouM>' m@£ ■ necessarily^ prevents its recognition ,;by. the Council tii^ !j otat^. I j..(,The l jfactUjby : . the. .way . law °*§^*- ,. ;l ' S'ets- ! up -Such ; =a. Secular; andJPartisan't'Fjgibtt^ft^fe ■ to decide^ oii grave Vucieioris of- 'IstitK ; a proof that' French Republicanism,-. while^;pij^i n g the • Uiurch of- all" State." aid," intends.,,to~ preserve, and, ex--.a-gerate. the, worst features 0f',.;&6 of the , Bourbons,, and^ Bonap j artes.]f""This*ißyhceptV)n' > -of associations of layiiten for ecclesiastical -purposes -responsible to- a ;Lo.ufl<sir • of -State : ' and vbf ; ttaQ .bishop '-is absolutely -'un-Catholic. 'JVhen- as^.m medieval. Ene--,-land ,pr. modern- America : tli?-.,laity,, M "^te.7trusied r with - F^S?. l^* ll .l lunctlo.ns, , they are^ b'ouhtf' to'"' act in , obedience to the 'Bishdp '2nd 'tb'^the 4 ecclesiasticair? law We- have ; said^ that- the =pr indite of the lassociations is un-Cathohc^; no small proportion . of would repudiate it as anU-Ohristian. Strange as it" may seem to s the ordinary Pro rertant, the Pope is to-day fiehtmg .with far better justificatio^aM, s .-Ja^greater r .mod- . eration . : the .very* war. that ChalmerV^anF '«fce 6 other J ( ! '^.Crowii' Rights" of Cnfist.-^^ '^> : -. Such as^ociati^nslas^ttHe x'ay^prpposes are'intolerable,, and- the Pope -wiseTy refufes^tf oconsider^0 consider^ any scheme for v their modification.' »:-Uni<JatholicTasii rthese associations may seenx.to-,us, far^ top. : Catholic to suit the taste of M. Clemenceau and hiV 'friends • consequently v to- -suggest plans for their modification would be ldle^'At.riiie-samer.Ume the Pope gives the t French Government to understand that on certain ' terms an understanding is ; possible.' As we. read the " Encyclical : 4t , docs,., not/ seem .ihat the. Papacy, makes .impossible, Remands. , 4II : that! Ijhe- 'French - State a. n . e ed do is to. .arrange with the Pa'pacyffor 'a°"conces- ; sion to the French "Church" or: a " similar statfeito that - , ( nL Uch^ Mr ; S ladS^ oftoi allowed.fto .lhe: iristt^Afigiican) -MChurch-jat.tJie Aime. i .of. i -il;s,disestab i lishmeiLt 1 >Gn these -. ..terms,. . it „ .seems,, there ..may, be ..religious "pekce in - ?SW. ; .v^ *SS e y-are refused I ,^ the &sffiffolis& of the - . t «;sturbance/ arid - that^iibfay^follow ' ; Win rest 1.~l .~ solely on the ' Republic - 1 "0- ■>(>' bvj- rAn'ju.r?~ ♦.{,- tf/'inelanchply.featurfi -^ A^ Unhappy .-istQi;y *Je^act. n lhatf,£ngl^.,gympa'thy is 'generally ciffin J - 3^ < fA ft^g^ristiaii J sWe j . MH* fact tKe rf Pofe' is in vi&£&'.XW.&* injured' 'partyS' antf f ;%l thfe^case the cause for -which : Ke, is' 'fighting is- the'^jsaufier bfAOhristendom. <j - s ■' '- ;.» . „-,-, „, . JV .* „ , l -^" llOL

The men who rule France to-day^make'jio x coriceaL-\. meniP' of- "-their— ' ~ -'-?"*;-"- vr.'z.?^"-: - . . -: -j. - v .. - — , . Hatred r and -.'Contempt .for-.Christiani'Jby^'i - - and its Founder, v-' You r are< like' Jesus Christ," 'said' 1 M. Qlemenceau;. to M/'daures" >the ' 'other day )J 'Whb ; ' .thought .He^was going'- to I'set^ft.e"- world' ; riglit '"-'witfi ' Has -theories ;', : and'; Who only;, succeeded iri ; conjuring ;: up ? " ! an era of j violence --"and- -'blood: '-> Less- - violent iv. tone', 1 ' "but -. eyen^more' -illuminating;-'^ was - r the' : deblara'trbh made'" a few. .days ago: by?. M. Aristidefßriarad,' Minister' -of 1 ' Justice ; an*- Education, to a k *congress7 J bf'teaohers at ; Amiens, for ; . he told- them > that \the time - had- come' 'to ' • rootf up.,'£rom , theiminds of children -the- ancient" faith -which had .served -its- ■time%id'ato 'replace it- with " : the .light rot -Free -thought ■:>>'.'. h faiut en'.^'^finif/ !; avec- * l'idea Uhretienne. '- c (It-ifis _,timc to' J" get ritf of -the Chris- - tian^idea : ) ■ : The English :t press < in* < : general - - suppresses such -, interesting .exhibitions of ' the' altitude "of French--' Republicanism, to.- Christianity; * which;* did' space permit; -" we could multiply.:, <ad nauseam' from 1 the- speeches' ofthe "' present day rulers iof - .-Fraihce.' \- ■ We> • have no v concern' 5 ' 1 here., with,. -the .political- policy 'q£ tliese anti-Chostian " statesmen. They are, • for :iwhat^'reason : we "will not 1 in- " quire, apparently . anxious -to '^-'cultivate- friendly 'relations' with' ><rreat .Britain; • rr^i-^--.: "*■'. " •"."!*-■ : ' •''.' .'> Were,, Englishmen a" little- >inore~t logical, they' 2 wou3d ' see the absurdity oE -''allowing: :this ".^absolutely ■ irrelevant J fact to affect their -judgnieiit-"of--the' struggle; between" ' Church and State in France. There is no question here of differences bet'weeiT-^Vnglicaivism ' and Catholicism, or indeed between Catholicism ■ and Protestantism. The Pope._ iii .is ; -$ '* FighT^ngnT^fßattfetdf^Christen^om^' " ! The secularist will, "of v cp.ursQ, «be^joa. .the side of the French Government against the Church ; so will the narroAv and paltry-~iype; of^Hrotestantism :th^t' can see no good in any, form of religion, but jits own. • This sort is quite C9nten r t,._that,.therp\ shall „. be^no Christianity at all so- long- as "there -"is no Rome.' But the sober, moderate < English Christian can not possibly doubt, with which .-sidei his\ .sympathies, will ,be'.-' Especi-i ally- if he be a Conservative engaged; : during the' last few months .in denouncing, our Government's, Education - Bill as an .attack on .^religion, he— can I not- for ' very shame approve a policy on the other side-.of' the- Water ' which magnifies a z every vice .h« had been objecting - to. in the , education ■* and-, ecclesiasticar policy '•■ of the Government here. A "century; ago, 1 when- 'Eng-' lish Protestantism and -English r^politicians "'still had some regard for the common heritage and .the common" good of Christendom, .English 1 . opinion-", in * "the n&jestic tones . of Burke, .held , up_the .^sacrilege and athfiism of "• the first 'Jacobins, -to the - scorn » and- detestation - ofEurope. ._ -■ ..-.•,'.. :,->'. . />'. •. - lt