The Catholic Press in France

New Zealand Tablet, 10 March 1910, Page 390

The Catholic Press in France

That the atheistic press is a mighty ' power in France is sad but nevertheless true (says a writer in the Dubuque Catholic Tribune). The Matin has a daily circulation of / 00,000 copies, the Journal has 850,000 copies, and the Petit Parisien prints 1,350,000. Of course this gigantic output is circulated not only in Paris but also in the Province as well as abroad. For example, every day a whole car-load of copies of the Matin is sent to Belgium from the North Depot. The few figures given above show clearly enough that the anti-Catholic press is far superior to that of the Catholics. We are not justified, however, in condemning. the Catholics of France indiscriminately on that account, nor can we accuse them of neglecting the Catholic press. It is true that many good but indifferent Catholics daily put down their five centimes for the Matin , the 1 etit Parisien, the Journal, etc. But there is a large number of Catholics who are well aware s of their duty toward the Catholic press, striving so hard to remain in existence, and who help it with their subscriptions and financial support. • '■ In Paris there is a Catholic printing and publishing company, which was founded by a religious Order, and is called ‘ Maison de la bonne Presse.’ It was surely not perchance that this religious Order, the Religieux de I’Assomption, was the first to be sent out of the country by the Freemasons, when the struggle against religious Orders began. When the printing-house of the Order was placed under the hammer, it was bought up by a staunch Catholic, Paul Feron Vrau. To-day over 1.0,000 local committees, which are spread all over France, as well as about 50,000 agents see to the distribution of its- newspapers, pamphlets, and other printed matter. They also provide for correspondence, announcements, etc. Through these newspapers, reviews, etc., over a million Catholic families are instructed in Catholic ideas and views, and the Catholic public is kept in touch with the battle that is carried on against the Faith. About 400,000 copies of the Croix de Paris and the Croix are sent out every day. Besides this the publishing company annually sells about 500.000 pilgrim calendars, 150,000 copies of the Sunday Chats, and 50,000 copies of the Croix Illustree. Besides the above-named papers, Paris sends out the Univers, which is well edited and very effective in its struggle against Atheism. Saint Maixent (Deux-Sevres) publishes the ‘ Maison de la bonne Presse ’ for Western France. This company publishes a Sunday paper of 100,000 copies every week, and sells about 200,000 Catholic calendars annually. France also has a paper, Le Peuple Francois, which takes up the social questions of the day. All these newspapers and reviews have made it their aim to defend the Catholic faith. There are also papers that respect Catholic convictions and defend them from time to time when Atheism attacks the Church. Such are the Echo de Paris, the Eclair, the Libre Parole, the Autorite, and the Gaulois. They circulate about 200,000 copies. Many papers of the Province also take the side of the Church with courage and determination. Since 1905 the Catholic Press of France was independent of the Bureaus of Dispatches of Havas, Wolff, Reuter, Stephani, etc., which were far from enthusiastic for the Catholic cause. In that year a Catholic Bureau of Dispatches and Information was erected at Paris under the title of ‘ Agence de la Presse Nouvelle,’ which cost about 250.000 dollars, and supplies over 100 Catholic newspapers with information and news. ' Paris also has a news bureau for. religious and social questions, the Agence Cite, the Agence . des Journaux Unis, and a weekly correspondence. They are all enlisted for the Catholic cause. May they, in union with the Catholic press of France, be successful in saving the former Daughter of the Church from religious death and eternal ruin!