HL Deb 21 April 1812 vol 22 cc548-54

Entre le Gouvernement Francais et sa Sainteté, Pie VII.

Le Gouvernement de la Republique re-connait, que la religion Catholique, Apos-tolique, et Romaine, est la religion de la grand majorité des citoyens Français.—Sa Saintete recommit egalement que cette meme religion a retiré et attend encore en ce moment, le plus grand bien et le plus grand éclat de l' etablissement da culte ca-thelique en France; et de la profession particullere qu'en font les consuls de la Republique.—En consequence, d'apres cette reconnaissance mutuelle, tant pour le bien de la religion que pour le maintien de la tranquillite intetieur, ils sont conve-nus de ce qui suit:

church, and particularly the University of Paris, the Milesium doctrines preached by

Art. 1er. La religion Catholique, Apos-tolique, Romaine, será librement exercée en France. Son culte sera public, en se conformant aux réglemens de police, que le Gouvernement jugerá neccssaires pour la tianquillité publique.

2. II será fait par le Saint Siege, de concert avec le Gouvernemente, une nou-velle circonscription des dioceses Francais.

3. Sa Sainteté declarera aux titulaires des eveches Francais, qu'elle attend d'eux avec une ferme confiance pour le bien de la paix et de l'unité, tout espece de sacrifices meme celui de leurs sieges.—D'apres cette exhortation, s'ils se refusaient a ce sacrifice commandé par le bien de l'Eglise (refus neamoins auquel sa Saintete ne s'at-tend pas), il sera pourvu, par de nouveaux titulaires, au gouvernement des eveches de la circonscription nouvelle, de la maniere suivanle.

4. Le premier consul de la republique nommera dans les trois mois qui suivront la publication de la bulle de sa Saintete aux archevechés et evechés de la circonscription nouvelle. Sa Saintete conferera l'in-stitution canonique suivant les formes eta-blies par raport a la France avant le changement le Gouvernement.

5. Les nominations aux evechás qui va-queront dans la suite, seront egalement faites par le premier Consul: et restitution canonique sera donnáe par le Saint Siege, en conformitá de l'article precedent.

6. Les eveques, avant d'entrer en fonctions, pretermit directement, entre les mains du premier Consul, le serment de fidelite, qui etait en usage avant le changement du Gouvernement, exprime dans les termes suivants.—'Je jure et promets a Dieu, sur les saints evangiles, de garder obeissance et fidelité au Gouvernement etabli par la Constitution de la Republique Française. Je promets aussi de n'avoir aucune intelligence, de n'entretenir aucune ligue soit au dedans; soil au dehors, qui soit contraire a la tranquil lité publique; et si dans mon diocese ou aillieurs, j'apprends qu'il se trame quel que chose au prejudice de l'etat, je le ferai savoir au Gouvernement.'

7. Les ecclesiastiques du second ordre preteront le meme serment entre les mains des autorités civiles, designées par le Gouvernement.

8. La formule de priere suivante sera recitée a la fin de l'office divin, dans toutes les eglises catholiques de France.

Pope John the Twenty-second, ordered him to retract them in the following words: Domine salvam fac Rempublicam. Domine salvos fac Consules.

9. Les eveques feront une nouvelle circonscription des paroissesde leurs diocese, qui n'aura d'eflfet que d'apres le consente-ment du Gouvernement.

10. Les eveques nommeront aux cures. Leur choix ne pourra tomber, que sur des personnes agrées par le Gouvernement.

11. Les eveques pourront avoir un cha-pitre dans leur cathedral, et un seminaritt pour leur diocese, sans que le Gouvernement s'oblige a les doter.

12. Toutes les eglises metropolitans, cathedrales, paroissiales, et autres non alienees neccssaires au culte, seront mises a la disposition des eveques.

13. Sa Sainteté pour le bien de la paix, et l'heureux retablissement de la re ligion catholique, declare qui ni elle ni ses successeurs, ne troubleront en aucune ma niere les acquereurs des biens ecclesiasti ques, alienées, et qu'en consequence la proprieté de ces memes biens, les droits et revenus y attachés, demeureront incommutables entre leur mains, ou celles da leurs ayant-cause.

14. Le Gouvernement assurerá un traitement convenable aux eveques, et aux curés dont les dioceses et les curés se ront compris dans la circonscription nou velle.

15. Le Gouvernement prendra egale ment des mesures pourque les catholiques Francais puissent; s'ils le veulent, faireen faveur des eglises, des fondations.

16. Sa Sainteté reconnait dans le premier consul de la Republique Française. les memes droits et prerogatives dontjou-issait pres d'elle l'ancien Gouvernement.

17. Il est convenu entre les parties contractantes, que, dans le cas ou quelqu'un des successeurs du premier Consul actuel ne serait pas catholique, les droits et prerogatives mentionéd dans l'article cidessus, et la nomination aux eveches, seront regiés, par rapport a lui, par une nouvelle convention. Les ratifications seront echangeés a Paris dans l'espace de qua-rante jours. Fait a Paris, le 26 Messidor, de l'an 9 de la Republique Française.

In the year 1788, a committee of the English Catholics waited on Mr. Pitt respecting their application for a repeal of the penal laws; he requested to be furnished with authentic evidence of the opinions

"Retracte ou je te ferai ardre." This same pontiff was afterwards excommunicated

of the Roman Catholic clergy, and the Roman Catholic universities abroad, on the existence and extent of the Pope's dispensing power.

An ABSTRACT of these Answers of the six Foreign Roman Catholic Universities to the Questions proposed to them in the year 1788, are here added, the Originals of which H. R. H. the DUKE OF SUSSEX placed on the table of the House of Lords, April 21, 1812. The Questions were proposed in the Latin language, and the Answers were transmitted in the same language. The following Extracts are faithfully translated.*

The Three Questions.

I. Has the Pope or Cardinals, or any body of men, or any individual of the Church of Rome, any civil authority, power, jurisdiction, or pre-eminence what soever within the realm of England?

II. Can the Pope or Cardinals, or any body of men, or any individual of the Church of Rome, absolve or dispense with his Majesty's subjects from their oath of allegiance, upon any pretext whatsoever?

III. Is there any principle in the tenets of the Catholic faith by which Catholics are justified in not keeping faith with Heretics, or other persons differing from them in religious opinions, in any transactions either of a public or private nature?

EXTRACTS from the ANSWERS of the Faculty of Divinity of the University of LOUVAIN.

The Faculty of Divinity of Louvain having been requested to give her opinion upon the questions above stated, does it with readiness; but is struck with astonishment that such questions should, at the end of the 18th century, be proposed to any learned body by inhabitants of a kingdom which glories in the talents and discernment of its natives.

The Faculty being assembled for the above purpose, it is agreed, with the unanimous consent of all voices, to answer the first and second questions in the negative.

The Faculty considers the following * Vide Appendix to Cuthell's Edition of the Debate upon the Catholic Petition 1805, where the Answers are introduced more at large.

for having maintained those tenets; which, of itself, would put an end to all

propositions to be beyond all dispute:—1. That God is the author of the sovereign power of the state in civil matters.—2. That the sovereign power of the state is, in civil matters, subordinate to God alone.—3. It follows, that this sovereign power is in no way, not even indirectly, subject to or dependent on any other power, though a spiritual power, or one instituted for eternal salvation.—4. It also follows, that no power whatsoever, whether of Cardinal, Pope, or of the whole Church assembled in general council, can deprive this sovereign power of the state of its temporal rights, possessions, government, jurisdiction, or pre-eminence; nor subject it to any restraints or modifications.—5. It also follows, that no man, nor any assembly of men, nor even the whole Church assembled in general council, can, on any pretence whatsoever, weaken the bond of union between the sovereign and the people; still less can they absolve or free the subjects from their oath of allegiance.—6. Therefore, as in the kingdom of England the sovereign power of the state stands upon the same foundation, and its nature is well known; the Faculty of Divinity of Louvain has no doubt to apply what has been said before, in its utmost extent, to the kingdom and sovereign power of England.

Such is the doctrine which the Faculty of Divinity has derived from the Holy Scriptures, the writings of the ancients, and the records of the primitive church:—a doctrine that she will maintain with her last breath, and, with the help of God, impress upon the minds of her scholars.

The Faculty of Louvain holds that the principles here laid down by her are not peculiar to her. She believes that there is no society of learned men, at the present day, in the whole Catholic world, who would not willingly subscribe them (according to the common expression) with both hands.

Proceeding to the third question, the said Faculty (though astonished that such a question should be proposed to her) most positively and unequivocally answers, that there is not, and that there never has been, amongst Catholics, or in the doctrines of the church of Rome, any law or principle which makes it lawful fur Catholics to questions of supremacy and infallibility. This happened in 1334.

break their faith with heretics or others of a different persuasion, either in matters of a public or private nature. The Faculty declares the doctrine of Catholics to be:—That the divine and natural law, which makes it a duty to keep faith and promises, is the same, and that it is neither shaken nor diminished, whether those, with whom the engagement is made, hold erroneous opinions in matters of religion or not.

The said Faculty strongly protests against the imputation, that the Catholic church has, at any time, held a contrary doctrine. This, she asserts, is a calumny, invented and enforced against Catholics by the worst of men, who knowing their charges against the latter to be destitute of truth, endeavour to make falsbood supply its place, and thereby render them odious to princes and nations.

In testimony of the above, we have caused this instrument, authenticated under the Seal of our University, to be signed by our beadle.

J. B. DE MAZIERE, S. T. D. and Actual Dean.

(L. S.)

By Command of my Excellent Lords and Masters, J. F. VANOVERBEKE,

Beadle of the Sacred Faculty.

Given at Louvain in an Extraordinary Assembly, Nov. 1s, 1788.

EXTRACTS from the ANSWERS of the Sacred Faculty of Divinity of the University of DOUAY, copied from the Register.—Jan. 5,1789.

At a Meeting of the Faculty of Divinity of the University of Douay, the Dean informed the members that the Catholics of England wished to have the opinions of the Faculty upon three Questions, the tenor of which is as follows:—I. Has the Pope, &c. &c. &c.

These Questions having been privately considered by each professor of divinity, and afterwards having been attentively discussed at the public meeting:—To the first and second of them the Sacred Faculty answers: That no power whatsoever was given by God, in civil or temporal concerns, either to the Pope and Cardinals, or to the Church itself; and, consequently, that kings and sovereigns are not, in temporal concerns, subject, by the ordinance of God, to any ecclesiastical power whatsoever; neither can their subjects, by any authority granted from

Alfonso the Fifth of Portugal, after his conquest over the infidels in Africa, conceiving

above to the Pope or the Church, be freed from their obedience, or absolved from their oath of allegiance.

This is the doctrine which the professors and doctors hold and teach in our schools: and this all the candidates for degrees in divinity maintain in their public theses.

To the third question the Sacred Faculty answers:—That there is no principle of the Catholic faith by which Catholics are justified in not keeping faith with Heretics, who differ from them in religious opinions. On the contrary, it is the unanimous doctrine of Catholics, that the respect due to the name of God, so called to witness, requires that the oath be inviolably kept to whomsoever it be pledged, whether Catholic, Heretic or Infidel.

Decided on the day and in the year above named, and signed by order of the Most Learned Doctors,

BACQ, Beadle and Scribe.

EXTRACT from the ANSWERS of the Faculty of Canon and Civil Law in the University of DOUAY, to the same Questions.

Having seen and attentively considered the above written Questions, and the Answers of the Sacred Faculty of Divinity to them, the Faculties both of the Canon and the Civil Law declare:—That they, without hesitation or doubt, concurred in the aforesaid answers of the fifth instant.

Subscribed, in virtue of our order, by our Scribe, this fifth of January 1789.

SIMON, Scribe.

[Here follow Certificates of the Magistrates of Douay, that the Sieur Bacq is Beadle of the Faculty of Canon and Civil Law in the said University.]

EXTRACT from the ANSWER of the Faculty of Divinity of PARIS to the Queries proposed by the English Catholics.

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