The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-03-10
Tho Archbishop of westminster's Pastoral Letter.

The Archbishop of westminste.'s Pastoral 1ette,
Il The subject of Archbishop Manning
Lenten Pastoral is Christian Education
His Grace says:
Seculari=afion Of the Iairersities-Th.
\ late changes of the Statute Law, in respec
! to the national Universities, may be sale
I to have effaced Christianity from the high
or culture of our youth. The old Uniyer.
stiles, created by the Catholic Church, re-
tanned, even after the mutilations of the
10th century, Christian character; aud a
large remnant of their Christian tradition.
Inc intellectual and moral formation of the
youth OF these Kingdoms, in those higher
sGhoois OF learning, remained strictly
Christian. 1t is 80 no longer. Students
may pass through those Universities with
out faith in Christianity, and therefore
without formation of intellect or will by
the truths and spirit of the Christian reve-
iation. Worse than. this: the mental
philosophy there studied ia affirmed by it's
own authorities to be both destructive and
constructive of faith. Facts show that it's
destructive efficacy is certain, its construc-
tive agency merely theoretical. The high
er culture of England, therefore, has from
THIS time ceased to be Christian. The
Christian formation of our youth must
henceforward be the private work of indi-
viduais. Our great national school. of
learning have abandoned the duty. What
will be the harvest Of this sowing, when
the youth of a nation so trained shall be-
come the heads and fathers of families, the
guides OF public opinion, the authorities of
literature, the ministers of public affairs,
the lawgivers of the empire Already it
has begun to show its future. A school of
poiitlclans has arisen among ns-cultivated,
active, confident, self asserting-in whose
political creed the three following articles |
hold high place first, that the Church |
ought to be separated from the State sec |
ondly, that the school ought TO be separa-
ted from the Church : thirdly, that the
education of the people belongs to the
jurisdiction of the civil power. These
three propositions will assuredly form a
part of tue political system of those who
are training up in our national Universi-
ties; for they are already there carried
into effect, aud are taught by the most &C.
tive and railing minds as so many axio-
matte truths. We need not tell you that
without Christianity have been long ago
formally condemned by the Church. With
the first of the three we will not now oc-
cupy ourselves. But the other two are of
such fatal influence at this crisis of our
r ducatlon, that it is necessary to meet
them with the most direct and intlexible
resistance. The doctrines of Catholic
alth and morals demonstrate and bind our
conscience to the two following principles .
lrst, that the schools of q Christian people {
cannot be separated without stu from the {
Church; and secondly, that the :
EDUCATION OF a Christian people does not, ! I
md cannot, belong to the Jurisdiction of .
he civil power. We WILL as briefly as Il
possible, remind you of the reasons of !!
hese two assertions, and then apply them \
o the events of this moment. b,
Evils Of Education ,ciMout ReEgion.- f,
hat the schools of Christian people can t.
OF be separated without sin from the tr
vnIt 20
he Christian school is the place and the 3,
revision made for the training of those in
ho are baptized into the Christian faith. W
hey have been made children of God land n,
such they have right to four things m
elonging to them by right of inheritance D:
hey have right to the knowledge of er
eir faith; to the training of their CON in
fence by the knowledge of Gods com th
andments; to the Sacramento of grace th
Id to moral formation, founded on the tn
'ecepts and example of our Divine do
.viour. These four things belong by a of
vine right to the child of the poorest Mt
orking man by right more sacred than IN
at which guerds the inheritance of lands it
I'd titles to the child of the rich. A child sci
God, and an heir of the kingdom of th,
aven, holds by a higher title ; and his ow
aim is under the jurisdiction of Divine tic
ldge. But the school is tue place and the an
DIVISION for the epsuring of these four thu
tai parts of his right to the Christian thi
lid. They cannot be taught or learned vic
ScWnerc thele Is no other place OF sys- crt
matte and sufficient formation. 1t is not wi
lily idle, but cruel, to say that the place ed,
ID provision for such Christian instruc- ito
IN and formation is under the roof Of the in
rents house; that the best school is the dol
mily. This is indeed true of the early rcr
rmatlon by affection, influence, example, obi
which fathers and mothers fashion the les
st outlines of character, and mature wo
EN- while the education of their chill for
eli Is advancing. None have reminded rig