FRANCE—The Maintenance of Worship

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 22, 4 June 1908, Page 31

FRANCE— The Maintenance of Worship

The question of the maintenance of worship is causing much anxiety to the French Bishops and clergy. According to the ' Eclair, 1 it was the principal theme in the discussions which took place at a recent meeting of prelates representing Paris and five adjoining ecclesiastical provinces. The Bishops recognise that the difficulties with which the parish priests are face to face owing to the necessity of repairing the churches make their position exceedingly awkward. At present it is no one's right or duty to repair the sacred buildings. The parish priest cannot do so, for he has no juridical title. Nor have the lay Catholics any legal title to the parochial buildings. The Commune is not obliged to effect the repairs, and if it is liberal enough to devote money to the work, a prefect or M. Briand is sure to intervene and prevent the expenditure. A legal status for the clergy in' this matter is out of the question unless the hierarchy is respected, and such a solution of the problem is not hoped for when the anti-clerical spirit of the French Government is taken into consideration. The clergy, it may be safely assumed, will keep up worship in the churches as long as possible, but it is feared that sooner or later they may be deprived of the use of the buildings. Under the circumstances, the Bishops have been in communication with Rome for the purpose of taking precautions against this contingency, and it is understood that the Congregation of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs is studying the situation.