is not sufficient, this shall receive aid
from its commune or from its department; besides, "an assessment of 10
%.[31101] shall be laid on the revenues of all the real estate of
the communes, such as houses, woods, and rural possessions, for the
formation of a common fund of subsidy," a general sum with which to
provide for "acquisitions, reconstructions or repairs of churches,...
seminaries and parsonages." Moreover,[31102] the government allows
"the French Catholics to make endowments, if so disposed, in favor of
churches.. . for the support of ministers and the exercise of worship,"
that is to say to bequeath or make gifts to the fabriques or
seminaries; in fine, it exempts seminarists, the future cure's, from the
conscription.

It also exempts the "Ignorantins," or brethren of the Christian schools,
who are the instructors of the common people. With respect to these and
in relation to every other Catholic institution, it follows the same
utilitarian principle, the fundamental maxim of laic and practical good
sense: when religious vocations make their appearance and serve the
public, it welcomes and makes use of them; it grants them facilities,
dispensations and favors, its protection, its donations, or at least
its tolerance. Not only does it turn their zeal to account, but it
authorizes their association.[31103] Numerous societies of men or of
women again spring up with the assent of the public authorities--the
"Ignorantins," the "Filles de la Charite," the "Seurs Hospitalieres,"
the "Saeurs de Saint-Thomas," the "Saeurs de Saint-Charles," the "Saeurs
Vatelottes." The Council of State accepts and approves of their
statutes, vows, hierarchy, and internal regulations. They again
become proprietors; they may accept donations and legacies. The
State frequently makes presents to them. In 1808,[31104] thirty-one
communities of Sisters of Charity, and mostly educational, thus obtain
the buildings and furniture they ask for, in full possession and
gratuitously. The State, also, frequently supports them;[31105] it
repeatedly decides that in this asylum, or in that school, the "sisters"
designated by the ancient foundation shall resume their work and be
paid out of the income of the asylum or school. Better still, and
notwithstanding threatening decrees,[31106] Napoleon, between 1804 and
1814, allows fifty-four communities to arise and exist, outside of the
congregations authorized by him, which do not submit their statutes