n the principles common to all agreements
or by citing the formal text of several concordats and papal acts, which
are as explicit as possible. They have thus upheld the true contractual
nature of concordats and the mutual juridical obligation which results
from them.

The foregoing statements must not be taken to mean that concordats are
in their nature perpetual, and that they cannot be broken or denounced.
They have the perpetuity of conventions which contain no time
limitation; but, like every human convention, they can be denounced, in
the form in use for international treaties, and for good reasons, which
are summed up in the exigencies of the general good of the country.
Nevertheless, there is no example of a concordat having been denounced
or broken by the popes, whereas several have been denounced or broken by
the civil powers, sometimes in the least diplomatic manner, as in the
case of the French concordat in 1905. The rupture of the concordat at
once terminates the obligations which resulted from it on both sides;
but it does not break off all relation between the church and the state,
since the two societies continue to coexist on the same territory. To
the situation defined by concordat, however, succeeds another situation,
more or less uncertain and more or less strained, in which the two
powers legislate separately on mixed matters, sometimes not without
provoking conflicts.

We cannot describe in detail the objects of concordatory conventions.
They bear upon very varied matters,[1] and we must confine ourselves
here to a brief _resume_. In the first place is the official recognition
by the state of the Catholic religion and its ministers. Sometimes the
Catholic religion is declared to be the state religion, and at least the
free and public exercise of its worship is guaranteed. Several
conventions guarantee the free communication of the bishops, clergy and
laity with the Holy See; and this admits of the publication and
execution of apostolic letters in matters spiritual. Others define those
affairs of major importance which may be or must be referred to the Holy
See by appeal, or the decision of which is reserved to the Holy See. On
several occasions concordats have established a new division of
dioceses, and provided that future erections or divisions should be made
by a common accord. Analogous provisions have been made with regard to
the territorial divisions within the dioceses; parishes have been