Difference between revisions of "Concordat of 1801"

Revision as of 01:21, January 30, 2009

The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between the Pope and Napoleon Bonaparte in 1801 that restored the Catholic Church in France after its suppression during the French Revolution. It did not restore the vast church properties, but it normalized relations for 100 years, until laws of 1905 passed by anti-Catholic elements.

Working with his talented secretary of state, Ercole Cardinal Consalvi, Pope Pius VII accepted the initiative of Napoleon Bonaparte, ruler of France, and signed the Concordat of 1801.

The French Government recognized the Catholic religion as the religion of the great majority of Frenchmen. However it was no longer as in former times, the official "religion of the State".

It gave the French government the right to nominate bishops (long a demand of Gallicanism). The bishops were to appoint as parish priests such persons only as were acceptable to the government and who swore an oath of allegiance to the French government. The government paid Church salaries and the upkeep of churches and seminaries. It reorganized the system of bishoprics and parishes throughout France. The Pope renounced claims for the vast lands and properties owned by the Church and seized during the French Revolution. Pius called upon French bishops in exile to resign. Thirty-six refused but the resulting schism was of short duration. At the time of the publication of the Concordat (1802) Napoleon published 77 Organic Articles of strong Gallican tendencies which for the most part remained in force along with with the Concordat until 1905.

The Concordat restored Catholicism and ended the schismatic "Constitutional Church."

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 The French Government recognized the Catholic religion as the religion of the great majority of Frenchmen. However it was no longer as in former times, the official "religion of the State".
-It gave the French government the right to nominate bishops (long a demand of [[Gallicanism]]). The bishops were to appoint as parish priests such persons only as were acceptable to the government and who swore an oath of allegiance to the French government.  It reorganized the system of bishoprics and parishes throughout France, and provided for seminaries. It did not provide for the return of the vast lands and properties owned by the Church and seized during the [[French Revolution]]. Pius called upon French bishops in exile to resign. Thirty-six refused but the resulting schism was of short duration. At the time of the publication of the Concordat (1802) Napoleon published 77 Organic Articles of strong Gallican tendencies which for the most part remained in force along with with the Concordat until 1905.
+It gave the French government the right to nominate bishops (long a demand of [[Gallicanism]]). The bishops were to appoint as parish priests such persons only as were acceptable to the government and who swore an oath of allegiance to the French government.  The government paid Church salaries and the upkeep of churches and seminaries. It reorganized the system of bishoprics and parishes throughout France. The Pope renounced claims for the vast lands and properties owned by the Church and seized during the [[French Revolution]]. Pius called upon French bishops in exile to resign. Thirty-six refused but the resulting schism was of short duration. At the time of the publication of the Concordat (1802) Napoleon published 77 Organic Articles of strong Gallican tendencies which for the most part remained in force along with with the Concordat until 1905.
+The Concordat restored Catholicism and ended the schismatic "Constitutional Church."
 ==Further reading==
 * Goyau, Georges. "The French Concordat of 1801." ''The Catholic Encyclopedia.'' Vol. 4. (1908) [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04204a.htm online edition]

Difference between revisions of "Concordat of 1801"

Revision as of 01:21, January 30, 2009

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