Page 92 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961
P. 92
The Suppression of Religious Houses
in France 1880, and the Attitude of
Represen tative British Press
Milorad N. VUCKOYIC, M.A.
Lerlurcr. Depurrnrent or Hi~lor)..
Assrinrption Uiriiier~ir~ - Wiiidsor, Oniarro
The suppression of relirious houses iii 1880 was but one of the
climaiic points in the ovcrall educationel queelion of the earIy Third
French Republic."' 'I'hat queqtinn rvas a psriicular manifcsla!ion of ihe
wider confiict I~etween the Catholie Cliurrh and the "Principles of Z789",
and tlierefore, was iuexiricubly interivoven wilh conteniporarv rrligious
and plitical policies. ûnr of the rarrlinal prineipIc~ OF ihe Ttiird
Repnblie wax itfi antir:lericali~tri,(~] iiliich, in the guise of edueational
relorrris. bnrst forth in the drike ag-ainst the religions orden.
After 1875, tiic Catholics legally enjoyed freedorri tif instructiori
at al1 levels, and their inatitntiotis wcre oll managed in one forln or
anoiher by the CIiurcli. In 1879, elaimiiig tlie rrionopoly iii edurrntilin
for itself, the State first of all, had to exelnrle by Je~islatioii, the psrtici-
psiion of tlie Chureh in tliat field.
As soon as thejr vietory in tIie Senelorin1 eleerioris 01 Jonuary 1879
was cotisurrimated, the republiearis Iiecame increasingly intrilerant, and
(Il Reconsiructi~n of ~lie eventi is I)a,ed Iargely on the fulloain~ sonrccs :
E. Acornti, The Freiich Loic Lowî : 1879-1889, (Krw York, 1042); P.
Reri, Le rlericdisrne: question d'étlurtition nofionale. (Paris, 1900); E.
Barbier, Histoire du catholicisme libéral et dit caiholicisnie sociol cn Frnnrp :
1870-1914, 5 vola., (Bvrtleaux, 1924), \mol<. 1 and 11: J. E. C. Bi*lllry. The
Church in Francs, (London, 1906). and F~unrp, 2 vrils. (New York. 1898);
k Dansette, Histoire religieuse de fa France coni~niporuine, 2 vols., Her.
ed., (Paris, 1951); A. Debidour, L'EeLise colholique et I'Efnt sorts lo Troi-
sième Réprtblique, 2 vols. (Paris. 1%). vol. 1 : 1870-IBli9: E. Dufeuille,
L'Anticlériralismr nimant et pendnnt notre Képu blique, (Paris. n.il. 11911 1 ) :
G. Hanotaux, Conieniporary France, 4 vnls. (New York, 1903-1909); R. P.
Lcaniiet, L'Ebisse ri< Franc* sous IR Troisilme REpuhfique, 2 vol&.. NEW
td., (Paris, 1910); G. Wpill. Histoire du rnthnlicisme liliéral en Fronrt r
1828.1908, (Faris. 1909) ancl Histoire de l'idée laïqu~ en France a76 .YIX'
sièrle. IPati*, 1929): R. Actillnq. "Sulrs Ferry et 1'i.rolc laïque", Htuue
pnli~igur rt parlenieiiioire, CLTV Il9331 : J. Rivero, "L'idée laïque et la
r6,lornie acolaird', Revue pal. et parl.. CXLVIIl (19:31).
11) CI. Weill, Histoire de ~aiholicisme, p. 2b1; and Drbidour, 1, 147.
Berniniscinq abriut hose daYs, vno 01 Ferr?'s asristani9 Inter mate ihal :
"En matière de l'enaeigntm~o~ plus qu'en aucune autre, nous nvirins un mot de
rallierneni : 'le cléricalisme. wili l'cnnemi'." F. Buisson, Lu loi lat'que :
~rrrairz Je discours et d'érrils. 2nd ed., (Parie, 19131, p. 253.
