The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-12-10
Catholic Aduo.tioa in alasgov.

The education question 10, for Catholics
Just now tho real question Of the day. II
y OF very little or no importance to N
gathoiics which Of tho parties, Wings OF
Tories, Liberals or Conservatives, rule in
England, but It 10 Of vest Importance to
education Of our Catholic Children.
| 6Iasgow 10 now the second city Of the
1 E@pire, it, populationis upwards OF 500 600,
ana tne Catholics have for years gone on
increasing In numbers until now they are
the most numerous religious body in the
CITY, The Established Church of Scotland
numbers ~, GOO adherepts in Glasgow; the
free Church numbers 81. 600; the United
rres6yterian Church claims $1,000, while
the Catholics are more than 100000. The
rest or the population is made up of the
otner smaller Protestant sects. But, not
Wlthstanding our great numbers, we are
possessed of almost no influence whatever
IN local affairs. We have no Catholic ma
elstraees or town councillors. With the
exception of the Royal Infirmary, Catholics
participate in none of the local charities,
requests, free schools, or benevolent insti-
s ,'n o;n connected with the city. We have
ia v L,cn merchants, or manufacturers, or
gov; and all that has been done in the way
OF supporting and extending the faith has
oeen done by workingmen with very low
wages. Sixty years ago there. was no
ouiiolng In Glasgow, or for ten miles round
the city worthy of the name of Catholic
divine yorship at that time in Glasgow,
went with fear and trembling to a back
lane in one of the streets leSoing out from
t9e city, where there was a very poor and
plain brick building, in which mass was
celebrated. Now the Catholic body have
Ten largo 9nd commodious churches in
Giasgow, and more than twenty churches
IN the small towns Immediately surround
ing the city. Sixty years ago Glasgow had
only one Catholic priest it has now thirty- |
Biz, and this number is not one-third suffi. |
cient for the labors of the Mission. We
have reason to thank Almighty God for
these grand results, but still We have much |
TO do, as men and as Catholics, before We
attain that position in Glasgow to which |
We are entitled by our numbers. Our
greatest want-I light indeed say, our
only wants. education. This it is which !
seeps us behind; it keeps us poor and |
'owerless and without influence in this
great city. Our children do not, or will
lot, attend school, and if they did, we
rave not more than a third Of the school |
accommodation required for them.
AT the end of August and beginning of 7
september this year, 1 took the trouble of
'lsitlng the various schools in connection
WITH our different Catholic churches in
j lasSow. l selected this particular time
Us supposed it to be the most favorable
or school attendance. The weather was
warm, and the schools were about month
open after vacation, SO that the children
we're fully assembled. The various teach
RS told me that might take the mum Der
ound in the different schools as the aver
'ge attendance of the year round. paid
10 attention to school rolls, school registers
IT Government Inspectors reports, as
Considered all these documents moro or
ess deceptive; but I carefully counted the
bildrea in every school myself, and tho
blowing is the result: