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that his title is defective; it lacks one clause and a capital one;

that of the surrender and cession; the formal renunciation; the

authentic withdrawal of the former owner。 The State; the first seller;

owes this voucher to the purchasers; let it procure this and negotiate

accordingly; let it apply for this to the rightful party; to the

owners whom it has dispossessed; to the immemorial and legitimate

authorities; I mean to the ancient corporations。 These have been

dissolved by revolutionary law and have no longer a representative who

can sign for them。 Nevertheless; in spite of revolutionary law; one of

these corporations; with more vitality than the rest; still subsists

with its proper; if not legal; representative; its regular and

undisputed chief。 This chief is qualified and authorized to bind the

body; for; institutionally; he is supreme; and the conscience of all

its members is in his hand。 His signature is of the highest value; it

is very important to obtain this; and the First Consul concludes the

Concordat with the Pope。



By this Concordat; the Pope 〃declares that neither himself nor his

successors shall in any manner disturb the purchasers of alienated

ecclesiastical property; and that the ownership of the said property;

the rights and revenues derived there from; shall consequently remain

in commutable in their hands or in those of their assigns。〃'93'

Henceforth the possession of this property is no longer a sin; at

least; it is not condemned by the spiritual authority; by that

external conscience which; in Catholic countries; governs the inward

conscience and often supplies its place; the Church; the moral head;

removes with its own hands the moral scruple; the last small stone;

troublesome and dangerous; which; lying underneath the cornerstone of

lay society; breaks the level of the entire structure and compromises

the equilibrium of the new government。 … In exchange; the State endows

the Church。 By the same Concordat; and by the decrees which follow it;

〃the government'94' ensures a suitable salary to bishops and cure's;〃

15;000 francs to each archbishop; 10;000 francs to each bishop; 1500

francs to each curé of the first class and 1000 francs to each curé of

the second class;'95' also; later on;'96' a maximum of 500 francs and a

minimum of 300 francs to each assistant…priest or vicar。 〃If

circumstances require it;'97' the conseils…généraux of the large

communes may grant to prelates or to curés an increase of salary out

of their rural possessions or octrois。〃 In all cases; archbishops;

bishops; curés and priests shall be lodged; or receive a lodging

indemnity。 So much for the support of persons。…As to real

property;'98' 〃all the metropolitan churches; cathedrals; parochial

buildings and others; not alienated; and needed for the purposes of

worship; shall be subject to the disposition of the bishops。〃 … The

parsonages and gardens attached to these; not alienated; shall be

given up to the curés and assistant…priests。〃 … 〃 The possessions of

the fabriques;'99' not alienated; as well as the rentals they enjoyed;

and which have not been transferred; shall be restored to their

original purpose。 … As to the outlay and expenditure for worship;'100'

for the parochial center or cathedral; if its revenue is not

sufficient; this shall receive aid from its commune or from its

department; besides; 〃an assessment of 10 %。'101'  shall be laid on

the revenues of all the real estate of the communes; such as houses;

woods; and rural possessions; for the formation of a common fund of

subsidy;〃 a general sum with which to provide for 〃acquisitions;

reconstructions or repairs of churches; 。 。 。 seminaries and

parsonages。〃 Moreover;'102' the government allows 〃the French

Catholics to make endowments; if so disposed; in favor of churches 。 。

。 for the support of ministers and the exercise of worship;〃 that is

to say to bequeath or make gifts to the fabriques or seminaries; in

fine; it exempts seminarists; the future cure's; from the

conscription。



It also exempts the 〃Ignorantins;〃 or brethren of the Christian

schools; who are the instructors of the common people。 With respect to

these and in relation to every other Catholic institution; it follows

the same utilitarian principle; the fundamental maxim of laic and

practical good sense: when religious vocations make their appearance

and serve the public; it welcomes and makes use of them; it grants

them facilities; dispensations and favors; its protection; its

donations; or at least its tolerance。 Not only does it turn their zeal

to account; but it authorizes their association。'103' Numerous

societies of men or of women again spring up with the assent of the

public authorities … the 〃Ignorantins;〃 the 〃Filles de la Charité;〃

the 〃Seurs Hospitalières;〃 the 〃S?urs de Saint…Thomas;〃 the 〃S?urs de

Saint…Charles;〃 the 〃S?urs Vatelottes。〃 The Council of State accepts

and approves of their statutes; vows; hierarchy; and internal

regulations。 They again become proprietors; they may accept donations

and legacies。 The State frequently makes presents to them。 In

1808;'104' thirty…one communities of Sisters of Charity; and mostly

educational; thus obtain the buildings and furniture they ask for; in

full possession and gratuitously。 The State; also; frequently supports

them;'105' it repeatedly decides that in this asylum; or in that

school; the 〃sisters〃 designated by the ancient foundation shall

resume their work and be paid out of the income of the asylum or

school。 Better still; and notwithstanding threatening decrees;'106'

Napoleon; between 1804 and 1814; allows fifty…four communities to

arise and exist; outside of the congregations authorized by him; which

do not submit their statutes to him and which dispense with his

permission to exist; he lets them live and does not disturb them; he

judges'107' 〃that there is every sort of character and imagination; that

eccentricities even should not be repressed when they do no harm;〃

that; for certain people; an ascetic life in common is the only

refuge; if that is all they desire they should not be disturbed; and

it is easy to feign ignorance of them; but let them remain quiet and

be sufficient unto themselves! … Such is the new growth of the regular

clergy alongside of the secular clergy; the two main branches of the

Catholic trunk。 Owing to the help; or to the authorization; or to the

connivance of the State; inside or outside of its limitations; both

clerical bodies; legally or in reality; recover a civil existence; and

thus obtain; or at least nearly so; their physical maintenance。'108'



And nothing more。 Nobody; better than Napoleon; knows how to make a

good bargain; that is to say; to give a little in order to gain a

great deal。 In this treaty with the Church he tightens his purse…

strings and especially avoids parting with his ready money。 Six

hundred and fifty thousand francs for fifty bishops and ten

archbishops; a little more than four million francs for the three or

four thousand cantonal curés; in all five million francs per annum; is

all that the State promises to the new clergy。 Later on;'109' he takes

it on himself to pay those who officiate in the branch chapels;

nevertheless; in 1807; the entire appropriation for public worship

costs the State only twelve million francs a year;'110' the rest; as a

rule; and especially the salaries of the forty thousand assistant…

priests and vicars; must be provided by the fabriques and the

communes。'111'  Let the clergy benefit by occasional

contributions;'112' let it appeal to the piety of believers for its

monstrances; chalices; albs and chasubles; for decorations and the

other expenses of worship; they are not prohibited from being liberal

to it; not only during the services; on making collections; but in

their houses; within closed doors; from hand to hand。 Moreover; they

have the right of making gifts or bequests before a notary; of

establishing foundations in favor of seminaries and churches ; the

foundation; after verification and approval by the Council of State;

becomes operative; only;'113' it must consist of state securities;

because; in this shape; it helps maintain their value and the credit

of the government; in no case must it be composed of real estate;'114'

should the clergy become land…owners it would enjoy too much local

influence。 No bishop; no curé must feel himself independent; he must

be and always remain a mere functionary; a hired workman for whom the

State provides work in a shop with a roof overhead; a suitable and

indispensable atelier; in other words; the house of prayer well known

in each parish as 〃one of the edifices formerly assigned to worship。〃

This edifice is not restored to the Christian community; nor to its

representatives; it is simply 〃placed at the disposition of the

bishop。〃'115'  The State retains the ownership of it; or transfers

this to the communes; it con

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