The Modern Regime Volume II Part 7

[Footnote 5229: Abbe Elie Meric, ibid., pp 392~403. (Details in support.)]

[Footnote 5230: Abbe Richandeau, "De l'ancienne et de la nouvelle discipline de l'eglise en France," p. 281.--Cf. Abbe Elie Meric, ibid., ch. II. (On the justice and judges of the church.)]

[Footnote 5231: Mercur, "Tableau de Paris," IV.,chap. 345. "The flock no longer recognize the brow of their pastor and regard him as nothing but an opulent man, enjoying himself in the capital and giving himself very little trouble about it."]

[Footnote 5232: "Le Monde" of Novem. 9, 1890. (Details, according to the Montpellier newspapers, of the ceremony which had just taken place in the cathedral of that town for the remission of the pallium to Mgr.

Roverie de Cabrieres.]

[Footnote 5233: "Encyclopedie theologique," by Abbe Migne, ix., p.465.

(M. Emery, "Des Nouveaux chapitres cathedraux," p.238.) "The custom in France at present, of common law, is that the bishops govern their dioceses without the partic.i.p.ation of any chapter. They simply call to their council those they deem proper, and choose from these their chapter and cathedral councillors."]

[Footnote 5234: Ibid., id.: "Notwithstanding these fine t.i.tles, the members of the chapter take no part in the government during the life of the bishop; all depends on this prelate, who can do everything himself, or, if he needs a.s.sistants, he may take them outside of the chapter."

--Ibid., p. 445. Since 1802, in France, "the t.i.tular canons are appointed by the bishop and afterwards by the government, which gives them a salary. It is only the shadow of the canonical organization, of which, however, they possess all the canonical rights."]

[Footnote 5235: Abbe Andre, "Exposition de quelques principes fondamentaux de droit Canonique," p.187 (citing on this subject one of the doc.u.ments of Mgr. Sibour, then bishop of Digne).--"Since the Concordat of 1801, the absence of all fixed procedure in the trial of priests has left nothing for the accused to depend on but the conscience and intelligence of the bishop. The bishop, accordingly, has been, in law, as in fact, the sole pastor and judge of his clergy, and, except in rare cases, no external limit has been put to the exercise of his spiritual authority."]

[Footnote 5236: emile Ollivier, "L'eglise et l'etat au concile du Vatican," p 517.--Abbe Andre, ibid., PP.17, 19, 30, 280. (Various instances, particularly the appeal of a rural cure, Feb. 8, 1866.) "The metropolitan (bishop) first remarked that he could not bring himself to condemn his suffragan." Next (Feb.20, 1866), judgment confirmed by the metropolitan court, declaring "that no reason exists for declaring exaggerated and open to reform the penalty of depriving the rector of the parish of X--of his t.i.tle, a t.i.tle purely conferred by and revocable at the will of the bishop."]

[Footnote 5237: emile Ollivier, ibid., II.,517, 516.--Abbe Andre, ibid., p.241. "During the first half of the nineteenth century no appeal could be had from the Church of France to Rome."]

[Footnote 5238: emile Ollivier, ibid., I. p. 286.--Abbe Andre, ibid., p.242: "From 1803 to 1854 thirty-eight appeals under writ of error (were presented) to the Council of State by priests accused.... Not one of the thirty-eight appeals was admitted."]

[Footnote 5239: Praelectiones juris canonici habitae in seminario Sancti Sulpicii, III., p.146.]

[Footnote 5240: emile Ollivier, ibid., I., 136.]

[Footnote 5241: Id., ibid., I., p. 285. (According to Abbe Denys, "etudes sur l'administration de l'eglise," p. 211.)--Cf. Abbe Andre, ibid., and "L'Etat actuel du clerge en France par les freres Allignol"

(1839).--This last work, written by two a.s.sistant-cures, well shows, article by article, the effects of the Concordat and the enormous distance which separates the clergy of to-day from the old clergy.

The modifications and additions which comport with this exposition are indicated by Abbe Richandeau, director of the Blois Seminary, in his book, "De l'ancienne et de la nouvelle discipline de l'Eglise en France"

(1842). Besides this, the above exposition, as well as what follows, is derived from, in addition to printed doc.u.ments, personal observations, much oral information, and numerous ma.n.u.script letters.]

[Footnote 5242: "Manreze du pretre," by the R. P. Caussette, vicar-general of Toulouse, 1879., V. II.,p.523. (As stated by the Abbe Dubois, an experienced missionary. He adds that these priests, "transferred to difficult posts, are always on good terms with their mayors,... triumph over obstacles, and maintain peace.")--Ibid., I., p.312. "I do not know whether the well-informed consciences of our lords the bishops have made any mistakes, but what pardons have they not granted! what scandals have they not suppressed! what reputations have they not preserved! what a misfortune if you have to do with a court instead of with a father! For the court acquits and does not pardon....

And your bishop may not only employ the mercy of forgiveness, but, again, that of secrecy. How reap the advantages of this paternal system by calumniating it!"]

[Footnote 5243: Vie de Mgr. Dupanloup," by Abbe Lagrange, II.,p.43: "Mgr. Dupanloup believed that pastoral removal was very favorable, not to say necessary, to the good administration of a diocese, to the proper management of parishes, even to the honor of priests and the Church, considering the difficulties of the times we live in. Irremovability was inst.i.tuted for fortunate times and countries in which the people fulfilled all their duties and in which the sacerdotal ministry could not be otherwise than a simple ministry of conservation; at the present day it is a ministry of conquest and of apostleship. The bishop, accordingly, must dispose of his priests as he thinks them fit for this work, according to their zeal and to their possible success in a country which has to be converted." Against the official character and publicity of its judgments "it is important that it should not make out of a misfortune which is reparable a scandal that nothing can repair."]

[Footnote 5244: "Moniteur," session of March 11, 1865.]

[Footnote 5245: In the following Taine describes the centralization and improvement of the Church administration which probably made many socialist readers believe that the same kind of improvements easily could be introduced into private enterprise at the same time making them more determined to exclude children from the old families from all kinds of leadership in the coming socialist state.]

[Footnote 5246: "The Ancient Regime," pp. 65, 120, 150, 292. "Memoires inedits de Madame de....." (I am not allowed to give the author's name).

The type in high relief of one of these prelates a few years before the Revolution may here be found. He was bishop of Narbonne, with an income of 800,000 livres derived from the possessions of the clergy. He pa.s.sed a fortnight every other year at Narbonne, and then for six weeks he presided with ability and propriety over the provincial parliament at Montpellier. But during the other twenty-two months he gave no thought to any parliamentary business or to his diocese, and lived at Haute Fontaine with his niece, Madame de Rothe, of whom he was the lover.

Madame de Dillon, his grand-niece, and the Prince de Guemenee, the lover of Madame de Dillon, lived in the same chateau. The proprieties of deportment were great enough, but language there was more than free, so much so that the Marquise d'Osmond, on a visit, "was embarra.s.sed even to shedding tears.... On Sunday, out of respect to the character of the master of the house, they went to Ma.s.s; but n.o.body carried a prayer-book; it was always some gay and often scandalous book, which was left lying about in the tribune of the chateau, open to those who cleaned the room, for their edification as they pleased."]

[Footnote 5247: "Vie de Mgr. Dupanloup," by Abbe Lagrange.--"Histoire du Cardinal Pie, eveque de Poitiers," by Mgr. Bannard.]

[Footnote 5248: One could imagine the impression this text would have made on Lenin and his plans to create an elite communist party once he should take the power he dreamt of. (SR.)]

[Footnote 5249: "Moniteur," session of March 14, 1865, speech of Cardinal de Bonnechose: "I exact full obedience, because I myself, like those among you who belong to the army or navy, have always taken pride in thus rendering it to my chiefs, to my superiors."]

[Footnote 5250: "Histoire du cardinal Pie," by M. Bannard, II.,p.690. M.

Pie left six large volumes in which, for thirty years, he recorded his episcopal acts, uninterruptedly, until his last illness.]

[Footnote 5251: Ibid., II., p.135: "In the year 1860 he had confirmed 11,586 belonging to his diocese; in 1861 he confirmed 11,845."--"Vie de Mgr. Dupanloup," by Abbe La Grange, I II., p. 19. (Letter to his clergy, 1863.) He enumerates what he had done in his diocese: "The parochial retraites which have amounted to nearly one hundred; the perpetual adoration of the Holy Sacrament established in all the parishes; confirmation, not alone in the cantonal town but in the smallest villages and always preceded by the mission; the canonical visit made annually in each parish, partly by the archdeacon, partly by the dean, and partly by the bishop;... the vicarships doubled; life in common established among the parochial clergy; sisters of charity for schools and the sick multiplied in the diocese and spread on all sides; augmentation of everything concerning ecclesiastical studies, the number of small and large seminaries being largely increased; examinations of young priests; ecclesiastical lectures; grades organized and raised; churches and rectories everywhere rebuilt or 'repaired; a great diocesan work in helping poor parishes and, to sustain it, the diocesan lottery and fair of the ladies of Orleans; finally, retraites and communions for men established, and also in other important towns and parishes of the diocese." (P. 46.) (Letter of January 26, 1846, prescribing in each parish the exact holding of the status animarum, which status is his criterion for placing a cure.) "The etat de Paques in his parish must always be known while he is in it, before withdrawing him and placing him elsewhere."]

[Footnote 5252: The drafters of the charter of the United Nations Staff Rules had the same idea in mind when writing Regulation 1.2: "Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to a.s.signment by him to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations. They are responsible to him in the exercise of their functions.

The whole time of staff members shall be at the disposal of the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General shall establish a normal working week." The disciplinary means of which the bishops disposed are, however, lacking in the United Nations secretariat. (SR.)]

[Footnote 5253: "Moniteur," session of March 14 1865. (Speech of Cardinal de Bonnechose.) "What would we do without our monks, Jesuits, Dominicans, Carmelites, etc., to preach at Advent and during Lent, and act as missionaries in the country? The (parochial) clergy is not numerous enough to do this daily work."]

[Footnote 5254: Praelectiones juris canonici, II., 305 and following pages.]

[Footnote 5255: "La Charite a Nancy," by Abbe Girard, 1890, I. vol.--"La Charite a Angers," by Leon Cosnier, 1890, 2 vols.--"Manuel des oeuvres et inst.i.tutions charitable a Paris," by Lacour, I vol.--"Les Congregations religieuses en France," by emile Keller, 1880, 1 vol,]

[Footnote 5256: "Vie de Mgr. Dupanloup," I., 506 (1853). "More than one hundred free ecclesiastical establishments for secondary education have been founded since the law of 1850."--"Statistique de l'enseignement secondaire." In 1865, there were 276 free ecclesiastical schools for secondary instruction with 34,897 pupils, of which 23.549 were boarders and 11,348 day-scholars. In 1876, there were 390 with 46,816 pupils, of which 33,092 were boarders and 13,724 day-scholars.]

[Footnote 5257: "La Charite a Nancy," by Abbe Girard, p.87.--"Vie du Cardinal Mathieu," by Mgr. Besson, 2 vols.]

[Footnote 5258: December, 1890.]

[Footnote 5259: Cf., in the above-mentioned biographies, the public and political discourses of the leading prelates, especially those of M.

Mathieu (of Besancon), M. Dupanloup (of Orleans), Mgr. de Bonnechose (of Rouen), and particularly Mgr. Pie (of Poitiers).]

[Footnote 5260: A fact told me by a lady, an eye-witness. In the seventeenth century it is probable that Fenelon or Bossuet would have regarded such a response as extravagant and even sacrilegious.]

[Footnote 5261: Imagine the impression this might have had on ambitious men dreaming of establishing their own faithful parties. (SR.)]

[Footnote 5262: Abbe Elie Meric, in the "Correspondant" of January 10, 1890, p. 18.]

[Footnote 5263: "De l'etat actuel du clerge en France" (1839), p.248, by the brothers Allignol. Careers of every kind are too crowded; "only the ecclesiastical is in want of subjects; willing youths are the only ones wanted and none are found." This is due, say these authors, to the profession of a.s.sistant-priest being too gloomy--eight years of preparatory study five years in the seminary, 800 francs of pay with the risk of losing it any day, poor extras, a life-servitude, no retiring pension, etc.--"Le Grand Peril de L'eglise en France," by Abbe Bougaud (4th ed., 1879), pp 2-23.--"Lettre Circulaire" (No. 53) of Mgr.

Thiebaut, archbishop of Rouen, 1890, p.618.]

[Footnote 5264: There is a gradual suppression of the subvention in 1877 and 1853 and a final one in 1885.]

[Footnote 5265: Abbe Bougaud, Ibid., p. 118, etc.--The lower seminary contains about 200 or 250 pupils. Scarcely one of these pays full board.

They pay on the average from 100 to 200 frs. per head, while their maintenance costs 400 francs.--The instructors who are priests get 600 francs a year. Those who are not priests get 300 francs, which adds 12,000 francs to the expenses and brings the total deficit up to 42,000 or 52,000 francs.]

[Footnote 5266: Somewhat like television where he who controls this media controls the minds of the people. (SR.)]

[Footnote 5267: Circular letter (No. 53) of M. Leon, archbishop of Rouen (1890), p. 618 and following pages.]

[Footnote 5268: Had Hitler and Lenin read this, which is likely, then they would have fashioned their youth party programmes accordingly!! The Catholic faith in France today (in 1999) is nearly extinguished with only 14 seminaries and only a few hundred young men yearly entering these.(SR.)]

[Footnote 5269: Abbe Bougaud, ibid., p. 135. (Opinion of the archbishop of Aix, Ibid., p. 38.) "I know a lower seminary in which a cla.s.s en quatrieme (8th grade US.) of 44 pupils furnished only 4 priests, 40 having dropped out on the way.... I have been informed that a large college in Paris, conducted by priests and containing 400 pupils, turned out in ten years but one of an ecclesiastical calling."--"Moniteur,"

March, 14, 1865. (Speech in the Senate by Cardinal Bonnechose.) "With us, discipline begins at an early age, first in the lower seminary and then in the upper seminary.... Other nations envy us our seminaries.

They have not succeeded in establishing any like them. They cannot keep pupils so long; their pupils enter their seminaries only as day scholars."]

[Footnote 5270: Old-fashioned name for the 11th grade in a French high school. (SR.)]