The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-12-25
Irish Education.

The subject of education is no W the pre-
dominant idea in both England and Ire
land. In England it has reached what is
called crisis, elections having just oc-
CURED among the rate payers, in which
Catholic candidates have been brought for
ward, with what result will be soon shown.
In Ireland the contest will be fiercer. and
the struggle of Professionalism to retain in
her grip the latest relics Of aseendency still
left her will be desperato and enduring.
Yet fought out it must be,ssnd thst within
a very short time. The Irish are essen
TALLY an education loving people. In by
gone days the Island Of Saints was the
centre whence issued missionaries and
apostles to every land, bearing the light Of
the Gospel to every shore. And even when
in after years the iron heel of persecution
SO that its rays should no longer serve as o
beacon to the surrounding nations, the men
OF ireland claye to their first love, and,
with sthe Faith, also kept alive by no
means contemplate amount of learning.
Fc-siddens by the hloodiest edicts Of an
Iinhuman and .tysenuical power to obtain
that iasasis slis
of those who, WHIST they were teaching
the learning OF this world, cOntrived there
with 90 miugle learning of another sort,
whose tendency. was to kill the soul, they
for time would turn their back upon their
native land, and in foreign universities in
France, in Italy, in Spain, and elsewhere,
r..iI l,I,n alty ut..
that knowledge which alone could enable
them to instruct their poor countrymcu.
Foreknowing, but Designating the fate In
store for them, these faithful servants
would return to Ireland to labor at the
everyday peril of their lives in that choicest
in desire, they became martyrs in deed;
aud from the precious blood thus shed has
sprung up the flirest crop of plants,
guodry harvest, whose abundance bears
;mplest testimony to the rich streams that
fortified tie ground into which the good
seed was cast. This harvest heresy has
for several years tried to gather up for it
self; but in spite of persecution, in spite
of paupcrization, of famine and pestiicnce,
such as have fallen TO the lot OF bnt few
nations-in spite Of bsib"s offered in every
shape, tie Irish people have remained true
to their holy faith, and have refused to
accept any education not sanctioned by she
clergy. In spite, then, of all these efforts
made to stamp out al but Protestant edit
catiou, the Irish people, after those Of
Prussn, are proverbiaiiy the best educated
Ia the world. 4 reference to Mir. MaGn'r"'s
- Irish il America will prove the fact, and
prove ut the same tine that THIS love OF
learning accompanies then! wherever they
20, ana th.tt in that vast Contincn!, where
the u,sl perfect ii"4rty Of being educated
rs :. Ca,irJ,lc or i pro;cctant, Is n Christian
or an ioGdel, the Ilish sal! flock 70 the
Catholic schools only, and attend none bat
those over whicl, the Christian brothers
md other reii4taus= RIcsidH--As RESULT
thcsr splendid 5n.titurions arc multiply ing
over the lace OF North America, aud are
crowded as Wei 10y Catyolic as by Protest
ant childyen, by Irish and by Yankee alike.