CHURCH AND STATE IN PORTUGAL

New Zealand Tablet, 6 July 1911, Page 1233

CHURCH AND STATE IN PORTUGAL

THE CLERGY AND THE SEPARATION LAW While the Portuguese people, denied all means of expression since the Catholic and independent press was first muzzled by suppression and then effectually strangled by the wrecking, of all its offices, are biding their time and multiplying their acts of religion (writes the Lisbon correspondent of the Catholic Times), the priests have already in great numbers protested their loyalty to their Bishops, affirmed their repudiation of pensions, and proclaimed their union* with Rome and the supreme head of the Church, from which their enemies would first cut them off in order the more easily to destroy the severed branch. As a matter of fact, mere passive resistance all over the country would suffice to make a dead letter of the famous- law. The dictators would have 'been wise to have remembered the lessons of history-even of those prehistoric times which preceded the oth of. Octoberand to have realised the danger to a regime newly founded, more upon luck and treachery than anything else, of so marking the camps that while the existence of the nation is endangered by their want of administrative talent ‘and the corruption which they so bitterly: descried when it was practised by their opponents, religion and the old regime are becoming synonymous terms. Pens, Patria, ltd, is a battle-cry that has b'een raised lately, and that not once or twice merely. v On every hand one hears the quaintest stories in this respect, incredible under any other regime but that of the sublime dictatorship of the Provisional Republic of Portugal. No wonder that the clubs greet the new decree with telegrams of congratulation and rockets. The gigantic thievery of everything from soul and conscience, dignity and liberty down to the chairs in the churches and the candles in the sacristy, is after their own hearts. The rest of the nation reserves its flags, which are being bought in large numbers* and its rockets, of which a generous provision has been laid in—for another occasion. Commenting on the fact that north, south, east and west the clergy at their meetings are expressing their loyalty to the Holy See and their determination to reject the pensions with which they were to be bought, a Republican paper says; ‘ All the worst for the Holy See and even worse for the Portuguese clergy. The expressed pretension of opposing a law 'of the Republic’— The Republic has apparently not yet learnt t(ie difference between a law and a dictatorial decree‘the Government will know how to meet .with the most absolute disdain. And this will represent the last word hut one of the new institutions. The Portuguese clergy certainly, we hope for their own sake, do not wish to hear the last word.’ ' _ One wonders what the terrible last word will besomething with boiling oil in it doubtless to make the punish-

ment fit the crime. Meanwhile there are people misguided enough to believe that the Republic is not very far from the last word which it will get a chance of uttering. It is. true that the prisons are et large enough to accommodate a few more manifestants like those of Santarem, who, oh being graciously allowed to hold the May devotions which had been at first forbidden, added to the priest’s Vivas for God and Our Lady others for the King, and persisted in raising - them the whole-night through, till a large force of police arrested the leaders, including, of- course, the priest, and sent them off to, Lisbon. Still there is a limit to their power of . endurance and even to the number of gaolers available. There is also a limit to the patience or those who see their most sacred rights trampled Under toot and their country hurried to ruin by a handful of unintelligent fanatics. There is v more . than one sign to show that this limit is all but reached. -