THE ROMAN CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF DAVAO, INC. vs. THE LAND REGISTRATION COMMISSION and THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF DAVAO CITY, G.R. No. L-8451, December 20, 1957
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“It has been held that the courts have jurisdiction over an action brought by persons claiming to be members of a church, who allege a wrongful and fraudulent diversion of the church property to uses foreign to the purposes of the church, since no ecclesiastical question is involved and equity will protect from wrongful diversion of the property (Hendryx vs. Peoples United Church, 42 Wash. 336, 4 L.R.A. — n.s. — 1154).
The courts of the State have no general jurisdiction and control over the officers of such corporations in respect to the performance of their official duties; but as in respect to the property which they hold for the corporation, they stand in position of TRUSTEES and the courts may exercise the same supervision as in other cases of trust (Ramsey vs. Hicks, 174 Ind. 428, 91 N.E. 344, 92 N.E. 164, 30 L.R.A. — n.s. — 665; Hendryx vs. Peoples United Church, supra.).
Courts of the state do not interfere with the administration of church rules or discipline unless civil rights become involved and which must be protected (Morris St., Baptist Church vs. Dart, 67 S.C. 338, 45 S.E. 753,and others). (All cited in Vol. II, Cooley's Constitutional Limitations, p. 960-964.).
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