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15419.

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No. 4.

LORD KNUTSFORD to SIR J. POPE HENNESSY.

(No. 271.) SIR,

Downing Street, August 27, 1889. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatches of the numbers and dates quoted in the margin, on the subject of the present distribution of the ecclesiastical grants under the Ordinance, No. 54, of 1844.

No. 827. 11th July, 1889. No. 329. No. 330.

27

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I shall defer expressing any opinion upon the questions raised in these Despatches until am in receipt of the further coinmunication from Bishop Royston promised in his letter of 9th ultimo,† and also of the report of the Financial Officers proposing a new scheme of distribution.

With reference, however, to Archbishop Meurin's letter of 27th April last, I have to inform you that I am not prepared to sanction either a loan without interest to the Roman Catholic Church, which would be virtually an increase of the state endowment, or the establishment of a lottery.

Sir J. Pope Hennessy.

I have, &c. (Signed)

KNUTSFORD.

9

chaque paroisse un fonds de réserve destiné exclusivement à cet objet, et qui sera administré de façon à augmenter sans cesse, quelque lent qu'en soit le développement. Comme moyens d'alimenter ce fonds, le Congrès suggère qu'une quête spéciale soit faite mensuellement dans chaque Eglise et qu'un prélèvement de 10% soit opéré sur Loutes les recettes. Le Congrès suggère aussi que la gestion des réserves des Fabriques soit confiée au Conseil Diocésain d'Administration.'

par

2o. Considérant que les droits de l'Eglise Catholique à recevoir de l'État une assistance matérielle proportionnée aux besoins des fidèles reposent sur l'engagement pris l'Etat, lorsqu'il a confisqué les biens ecclésiastiques et supprimé ainsi les bases, pour l'Église, d'une position fibre et prospère; et qu'il faut reconnaître, à l'honneur du Gouvernement Britannique, qu'il n'a jamais contesté les obligations qui lui incombaient à cet égard;

"Considérant que l'insuffisance du nombre des prêtres salariés par l'Etat est une cause profonde de souffrance pour la population, puisque l'influence religieuse ne paut, pour cette raison, contribuer, comme elle le devrait, à l'instruction et à la moralisation des masses;

"Considérant que les sommes affectées par le Gouvernement au Budget des Cultes sont répartis d'une manière tout à fait inégale, vu que les cultes protestants, envers lesquels l'Etat n'a contracté aucune obligation, reçoivent, proportionellement au chiffre de leurs adhérents, sept fois autant que le culte catholique;

"Le Congrès, se faisant l'écho des réclamations antérieures et souvent répétées des catholiques, proteste contre cette inégalité flagrante et émet le vou que le Budget du culte catholique soit placé, le plus tôt possible, sur un pied équitable.”

17629.

No. 5.

(No. 361.) MY LORD,

SIR J. POPE HENNESSY to LORD KNUTSFORD. (Received September 3, 1889.)

Government House, Mauritius, ARCHBISHOP MEURIN has asked me whether the Administrator reported to your

July 31, 1889. Lordship last year the resolutions of the "Congrès Catholique de Maurice," which were adopted on the 14th of October 1888, with respect to the Ecclesiastical Budget. Having explained to him that Mr. Fleming had not done so, evidently because no one had asked him at the time to transmit the resolutions, the Archbishop has now requested me to lay them before your Lordship, and I have the honour to enclose them accordingly, with his letter of the 4th of March last.

2. Those who were in the Colony at the time inform me that the Congress was an influential gathering and thoroughly representative of the whole Roman Catholic body.

3. The enclosed resolutions are to the same effect as the memorial and resolution recently laid on the table of the Council of Government by Dr. Beaugeard and respecting which I addressed your Lordship in my Despatch, No. 329, of the 11th instant.§

I have, &c. (Signed) *J. POPE HENNESSY.

The Right Hon. Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G.,

(No. 427 of 1889.) EXCELLENCY,

Enclosure 2 in No. 5.

Port Louis, March 4, 1889. BOTH the ecclesiastical and the educational questions being actually under discussion in the Legislative Council, I think it proper to lay before your Excellency the resolu- tions in connexion with the said questions, which the Catholic Congress of Mauritius has unanimously adopted in its general meeting of the 14th of October last year.

There cannot be any doubt but Government will on this occasion take into serious consideration the solemn expression of the convictions and desires of the whole Catholic community of the Colony.

I have, &c. (Signed)

† L. MEURIN, Archbishop, Bishop of Port Louis.

To his Excellency Sir John Pope Hennessy, K.C.M.G.,¡

Governor of Mauritius.

&c.

&c.

PUBLIC RECORD

OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Enclosure 1 in No. 5.

RESOLUTIONS ananimously passed at the "CONGRÈS CATHOLIQUE DE L'ILE MAURICE," 14th October 1888, respecting the Ecclesiastical Budget.

“1o. Dans le but de pourvoir à la construction, à l'entretien et à l'embellissement des Églises et des Chapelles, en même temps qu'aux besoins du culte, le Congrès invite les Catholiques à aider les Conseils de Fabrique, par tous les moyens possibles, à créer dans

↑ See enclosure in No. 8.

No. 2.

• Nos. 1, 2, and 3.

† See suelosora 5 in No. 1.

Translation from the French.

I. RESOLUTION.

Considering that the right of the Catholic Church in Mauritius to receive from the State a substantial assistance in proportion to the requirements of its adherents, is resting on the engagement taken by the State at the time when it confiscated all church pro- perty and thus removed the ground on which a free and prosperous position of the church was based; and that the British Government, it must be acknowledged to its honour, has never disputed its obligations in that respect;

Considering also, that the insufficient number of State-paid priests, is a source of deep-going sufferings of the people, because, on account of it, it is impossible for religious influence to contribute in the measure it ought to do, towards the instruction and moralization of the masses;

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