As to the lay tribunals, these have declared themselves incompetent,[5238] and the new canon law teaches that never, "under the pretext of a writ of error, may a priest make an appeal to the secular magistrate";[5239] through this appeal, "he derogates from the authority and liberty of the Church and is liable to the gravest censures;" he betrays his order.
Such is now, for the lower clergy, ecclesiastical law, and likewise secular law, both agreeing together in not affording him protection; add to this change in the jurisprudence which concerns him a no less divisive change in the jurisprudence which concerns him a no less decisive change in the titles which place and qualify him.

Before 1789, there were in France 36,000 cures entitled irremovable; at the present day, there are only 3,425; before 1789, there were only 2500 cures entirely removable, while to-day there are 34,042;[5240] all of the latter, appointed by the bishop without the approbation of the civil powers, are removable at his discretion; their parochial ministry is simply a provisional commission; they may be placed elsewhere, passing from one precarious curacy to another no less precarious.

"At Valence,[5241] Mgr.

Chartrousse, in one month transferred 150 priests from one parish to another.

In 1835, in the diocese of Valence, 35 transfers were sent out by the same mail." No assistant-priest, however long in his parish, feels that he is at home there, on his own domain, for the rest of his life; he is merely there in garrison, about the same as lay functionaries and with less security, even when irreproachable.
For he may be transplanted, not alone for spiritual reasons, but likewise for political reasons.