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Show iMASS, AS USUAL, IN IHE CHURCHES Large Congregations Assemble in Catholic Houses of Worship in Paris. PRIESTS AND VICARS CITED PREDICTED DISORDER IS SO FAR LACKING. Paris. Dec. 13. Today has been marked by the total absence of any of the sensational sen-sational or dramatic incidents anticipated in Jarmist quarters in connection with the execution of the law of separation. The parish priests everywhere celebrated nuiss in the presence of umisuuliv larue congregations, but the 'actions oC the authorities au-thorities were confined to noting infractions in-fractions of the law and citing the priests and vicars to appear betore justices of the peace. Everywhere legal notices have been served for the evacuation of the ecclesiastic ecclesi-astic residences, the seminaries, etc. Several Sev-eral of these buildings were abandoned without further ado, but a majority of the prelates announced that they would depart only under, duress. Laymen Filed Declarations. In many parishes, both in Paris and the interior, laymen today riled declarations for the holding of services in the designated desig-nated churches during the coming yea:-. If this practice is generally followed it will be a distinct victory for the government, govern-ment, relieving it of the possible necessity neces-sity of closing the churches and throwing throw-ing on the clergy the responsibility tor the discontinuance of public worship. In the meantime the cabinet is preparing prepar-ing measures to be introduced before parliament par-liament tomorrow. The net result of the uncompromising attitude assumed by the Vatican seems to be that the clergy will lose its pensions, S8.30O - of which have been granted and gazetted since the beginning of this year; that all aspirants to the priesthood will be compelled to perform military service, and that the taking over of the episcopal mansions, rectories, seminaries, etc., by the state department and the communes will occur immediately instead of December, Decem-ber, 1907. According to well informed persons, the government intends to respond to the attitude at-titude taken by the Vatican by submitting submit-ting to parliament a proposition to settle definitely the situation of the church in France. Under this proposal, the church will forfeit all benefits under the law of &,". but it is to be provided with an opportunity op-portunity to carry on public worship in conformity to the common law. Church property is to be handed over immedi--ately to the civil authorities on condition that it be res?rved for worship, and the positions of cardinals and bishops, as foreign for-eign officials, will be dealt with later if the government finds it necessary to do so. |