The Religious Persecution in France

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 16, 18 April 1907, Page 30

The Religious Persecution in France

The ' Croix ' of Rheiins^ has just published " an amusing story of the first ~ infraction of the law prescribing ' Associations Cultueiles ' in France. The Church of St. Clement in Cherbourg— the owners- of which date back" their title one thousand five., hundred years— not having been transferred to an Association, and its use for service being therefore forbidden, Cherbourg's' famous police commissioner, M. Ducreux, who deserves to be called 'the sleepless eye ' of the new Church law in the north of France, was from the iirsjb on the alert; Before - dawn of the day on which the law came into force he betook himself to the Church of St. Clement, and was surprised to find quite a sprinkling of the faitMul in the dark aisles and pews of the church. Unobserved he loined them, and soon saw the sacristan light the candles and a priest, preceded by a server, asceiud the altar, steps to celebrate Mass, as had been the prac.l 06 °A .' tnat Si)ot fo£< flftee u hundred years. Eager for the distinction of spying out what probably would be tne First Infraction of the New Law in the whole of France, M. Ducreux watched" the priest moving to and fro in the nickering candle-light. Stealthily he wrote in his- note-book the names of the priest, the server, and others present. After Mass he left unobserved to prepare for the prosecution of the priest ; but, fearing the parishioners, he put off the arrest. After nightfall he presented ' himself with some officers at the house of Canon. C: Laisney, the p&rislr priest, and demanded an interview. ' Monsieur le Cure ' he began ' I have conscientiously assisted at Mass today. Very good ; but what procures me the honor of your visit at this hour ? ' < Your Reverence will perhaps conjecture : I have an order for your arrest.' Indeed ! And - why should 1 be arrested ?' /Because Monsieur l'Abbe you said Mass this morning in St' Clements Church.'- 'Are you quite certain?' 'Entirely ; i S a W you myself. Beside^ I have witnesses.' Jin 7 h° U are - + e v ntlrel 5r5 r , certain, Monsieur, proceed. We T 7l }Lt SS the u matter Accordingly Canon cfeuv mm * rched t0 the magistrate's .office; M. Dua?d^ r P fevS' g^ he^ Way --. There he made his and lefened to the witnesses whom he- had previously summoned. • But' the priest suavely pi«vioubiy Pleaded ' Not Guilty,' and quietly handed the magistrate a card bearine the w a n m ?fc ReV - ? eo ' J - Blat ter, of Chicago. S ' The worthy commissioner,' he said, ' probably refers to this American priest, who certainly said Mass this morning in &t. Clement's. He has embarked on the "America" for New >ork.' This statement was corroborated by all the witnesses, and the server stated that he had £Sf M l t<he • s S ran S er . 1 i . n a walk around the town. Tableau the quietly smiling Canon, the amused' witth( L frowning ma g istl 'ate, and -the staring and crestfallen Ducreux, so suddenly shorn of his glory In a IT + mo ™ nts > with such officers as -he could hastily get together, M. Ducreux rushed to the dock, where the transports were waiting to carry the passengers of the special tram to the ' America,' a few miles out' in the harbor. The commissioner and hrs-men arrived just iS time to see the special emerging into the glare of the a-ocic lights. In vain did they pdst themselves at the car ends m order to spy out an American priest amongst the several hundred passengers that-swarmed out of the tram on to the transports. ' M. Ducreux probably ha-d forgotten to consider that he could not ™*? a tv £ in fr°m - Paris if he 'had said Mass in Cherbourg that morning. Meanwhile, if M-. Ducreux had not been so preoccupied, he might' easily have recognised the stranger in a gentleman who, wrapped in a Spanish cloak, was all this time leisurely walking ud and down the dock, and several times stood wcSderinS at the manoeuvres of the policemen. This was thf jsrs. past -ss^r r «*£