The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-02-16

but permeates also at the same time, Its
heart and other organs Of the body. In
like manner, the intellectual ana moral
growth Of your children must go hana -
haad., Otherwise, their educaaon 10 s. suS,
low, and fragmentary, and pp0ves often
curse Instead Of a blessing.
Piety 10 not to be put on Ike holiday
dress, to be worn on state occaslons, oa' ~
is to be exhibited in our conduct at ali
times. Our youth must put IN Pracuce;
every day, tue commandments OF 700, apy
the precepts of the Church, as we'll 60 tpe
rules of grammar and arithmetic. How
can they familiarize themselves with these
sacred duties, ii they are not daily hnc9l'
Gated ,a ..s.F
Guisot, an eminent Protestant writer Of
France, expresses himself 90 clearly and
bear quoting bis words: "In ORDER" he
says, ato make popular education truly
good, and socially useful, 1t must be fund
amentally religious. II. IL 10 nee
esaary that national education should be
given and received ip the midst OF reli-
gious atmosphere. and that religious ..a ,%;
penetrate into all its parts. Religion 10 not
study or an exercise to be restricted 70
certain place. or certain hour; 1t 10
faith and law which ought to DO felt
everywhere, and which after this manner
alone cap exercise all it's beneficial indu-
The eatechetical Instructions given once
week in our Sunday Schools, though pro-
ductive OF very beneficial results, are In.
snfd cle1t to supply the neligiOus wants OF
CDR children. They should, as far as pos
Isible, every day, breathe healthy religious
atmosphere In those schools, where Tot
only their minds are enlightened, but
where the seeds of faith, piety and sound
morality arc nourished and invigorated.
| BY what principle Of Justice can you store
their minds with earthly knowledge. for
several hours each day, while their hearts,
which require far more cultivation, mast
be content with, the paltry allowance of
The experience OF other nations, asweH
as Of OUT own, shows that it y ., very great
illusion to suppose that intellectual devel-
opment is sufficient Of itself to make us
yirSuous men, or that the moral statua of
people ia to be estimated by the wide
spread diffusion Of . purely secular know
ledge. a..s 49, q =. !. ~. ~
Whom the Roman empire had reached the
highest degree of mental culture, it was
sunk in the lowest depths of vice and
corruption.
The Persian empire, according to the
testimony Of Plato, perished ON account of
the vicious education Of its princes. While
their minds were filed with knowledge,
they weresguided by no religious influences.
The voice Of conscience was drowned amid
the more eager aud captivating cries Of
passion, and they grew up monsters of
lust, rapiue and oppression, governed by
no law, save the instincts OF their brutal
| nature. -~' III
1t does not appear that vice recedes in
the United States in proportion as public
education advances. Statistics, fear,
would go far to prove the contrary fact.
The newspapers published in our large
| cities, are filled every day with startling
eo NJ eosl 80
bank defaications, premeditated murders,
and acts of refued RIGHTEOUSNESS. These
enormities are perpetrated, for the most
part not by unlettered criminals, bat by in
dividuals of consummate address and skill,
that betrays we'll disciplined mind, nm
controlled by morality and religion, How
true are the words of Kempis "Sub-
| lime words make not man holy aud Just,
but V irtuous life maketh him dear to God.'
We are also warned by experience, that
tho loss Of Catholic faith is another evil
! resulting from the separation Of q religious
from o secular education. While We are
grati6ed at the number OF converts who
embrace the true faith, we have reason to
DO appalled,, in considering the vast num-
Der Of souls that are stray ing away from the
Fold. If we look for the descendants of
those families that have been immigrating
from Catholic Europe to this country, in
one, uninterrupted march, from the begin
ohH VA tuO plShCut C9ubuTy, now many OF
them shall we now rank among the most
bitter and unrelenting enemies OF the
Church In observing even the names of the
dissenting clergymen of the country, you
cannot fail to notice that many Of the most
prominent lights among them betray their
Catholic origin and nationality.
These statements are confirmed by Bis
hop England, Prelate of vast experience
and close observation. They are con-
firmed by the illustrious Archbishop Ken
rick of Baltimore, amnn incapable of ex-
aggeratiou. once heard him remark, as
the result of his personal observation, that
hundreds, nay thousands of sons of Catho Die
parents have been lost to the faith among
us, during the present century.
And you, Brethren of the Clergy, can
bear the same testimony. How often, in
our missionary journeys, are we shocked
at hearing persons say with an cir of dis
tressing indifference, that they profess no
religion, although admitting that their
parents were Catholics
The great question is, whence arise these
defeetions from the faith The cause iG
easily explained. The child's early Chris
tian education is neglected by his parents,
He is sent to q school where his religion
is ignored, or held up to ridicule,Sand
ridicule makes towards of most of us. He
has no knowledge of his Catechism which