The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-10-30
Catholic Education for Ireland.

In last weeks MORNING STAR we pub.
nished the manifesto now being signed by
the registered electors in Ireland, demand
ing such change in the law as will place
Catholics on an equal footing with their
fellow subjects. On this document the
N.ondon Universe concludes well written
article as follows:
ut is not question the interest of which
Us Gmited to any one class The demand
taeeu the Catholic University shall be recog-
nsiaed by law is one which seriously affects
ssee prospects of those young men who look
forward to professional life. Why, they
aaag xa<A say, are the Oxford, Cambridge
and Asuai!:! Universities, and even the
yeurg s-<sa<!on University, to be allowed
Sprigilea*-.. ,ich are denied to an institu-
zion like The Catholic University, which
represents the religion of more than three
quarters of Ireland Trinity College can
not be called o national institution, al
though several men of patriotic feelings
have been educated in it's halls. It's high
sssst honors and greatest emoluments are re-
served tor protestants, and the tone of its
taeaching is distinctly Protestant. But the
Catholic University has been founded by
Erish Catholics, and no man can deny that
to refuse legal recognition to it's degrees is
TO offer aa insult to the entire Catholic
Body. II the Catholic University were to
receive that encouragement to which it is
by all the laws of justice so fairly entitled,
the Catholics of Ireland would then be in a
position to avail themselves of the advan-
cages it could offer without being obliged
To sacrifice las they now must) any honor
a5sse worldly privilege. They would be
Gssle to receive the highest intellectual cuI-
eEzpe without having to run the risk of los
IEsg their faith, for the instruction conveyed
10y its professors is all based on Catholic
doctrine. The Catholics of Ireland ask
oa<n<t bat fntr ball 1Nr. sv,As
their Protestant fellow subjects, but they
do ask land who shall presume to call the
demand unreasonable that they shall not
be, as they now are. debarred from the
Brightest education in their own land, unless
they accept it in connection with the Pro-
testaptism of Trinity College, or the more
dangerous infiAeiity of the goddess colleges
of Sir Robert Peel. .
AS to the educational requirements of
the great bulk of the people, a subject on
(which we have so often addressed our read
1ers, it is not necessary that we should say
xnuch o-day. The one grand principle for
which we contend is that no education de-
serves the name which is separated from
religion. Education is the fostering of the
growth, not only of the intellect but also
of the moral qualities, and las the prcs-
dent of the Social Science Association well
said the other day. "cultivate the soil as
you will, unless the light and dew of hea-
wen fall upon it, poisonous and ioathsOme
weeds will be the only crop."s The So
szxi2ed national system must be remodelled.
a Catholic land must not have Catholic
egnblems banished from schools which more
than a million of Catholic children are in
vited to attend. No greater curse could
fall upon a nation than religious indffer-
euce. Compared to such a state ignorance
would indeed be bliss, and it would be
A1foliy to be wise." But God has not di-
-yorced religion and knowledge, aud man
should not dare to do SO. OF one noble
science it has been said that " The unde-
won't astronomer is mad" and it may be
Heaid also of many other intellectual pur-
rsuits, that under proper guidance they must
tend to the better Development of religious
feeling. Let those who would rule Ireland
E1a the manner best calculated to- ensure
peace at u time-4when the revolutionary
nFIFI6 is SO busy throughout the world; take
sSaze that they do not destroy that which is
che traest guardian of social tranquility,
namely, the religious education of the peo-
pie. The demand now put forward for the
Gree Catholic education of a Catholic ma
zion is one which ought not to fall without
coed result on the ear of the Ministry. The
education of a people is the greatest work
of any Government, and if Mr.. Gladstone
and his colleagues allow themselves to be
frightened by the Birmingham League
sToRl tho wise policy of moulding the pres
sent &rlsh system into one more in accord
:sARoe With Catholic feelings, they will prove
rEAeir incapacity to deal with the most i'm