The New York herald., 1876-02-26
His Annual Pastoral Letter for
the Season of Lent.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.
A ParOchial School System To Be the Bull
wark OF the Church.
A WARNING IN GERMANY.
From the Baltimore Sun, Feb. 25. ]

Archbishop Bayley's pastoral letter for Lent 1876,
just issued touches on the mixed marriage" and ire
hgion In schools questions He refers in the begin
ming to the seniority Of archdiocese OF Baltimore in
this country and the inspiring memories clinging
about it; to the past simplicity when people did not SO
much crowd into the cities but pursued quiet rural
life, and thinks that resting much under these in
uences and ideas has been OF the great dangers of
the present, whom ''evIl has become aggressive -
when there Is developed can excessive love Of money
and outward Show a want of moderation and SIM
plic.ty in everythng haste and hurry n daily life
which precludes all steady reflection and selfexamn-
alton; bad manners, bad customs, bad books bad
newspapers, so that we live in vtiated atmosphere
and surrounded by moral malaria every side"
The Archbishop says
1T has, consequently, become absolutely necessary
for all Of u.s. priests and people, fully recognize this
epidemic character of the evil influences of days,
to protect ourselves against them and do all that
we can to protect ohers The most favorable sign in
our regard is that God in His goodness, seems about
to come to our help in permitting spirit OF injustice
and persecution to be stirred up against and
religion. 1t is hard to speak against anything which
savors of kindiness and charity; but there can be
doubt that constant and familiar intercourse with
those who are living IN religious error have no
religion at all is calculated to produce spirit OF in
difference and make US insensibe to the value OF
think all religions equally good generally end by hav-
ing no religion at all We cannot be Catholics and at
the same time make a religion to suit ourseves.n
In regard to the subject OF marriage and the jealous
care the Catholic Church has always exercised over
that foundation OF everything the Church. the Arch
bishop says:-
SIN our days there large numbers of her children
who disregard these laws If they did not exist
There can be no more certain test of weak and de-
f.,tI
mixed marrages Wherever they become
Catholicity must necessarily assume a very diluted
character and faith have little of energy and robust
ness about it'
On the subject Of education the Archbishop urges
''open-handed lberality to provide good Christian
schools for poor children" He says
"Formerly our common schools gave simple plain
education sufficient ct those who received it the
ordinary occupations of life aAd parents found time to
look after their children, TO keep them from bad
pany teach thom their prayers, and that they at
tended TO their religious duties. And they
comparatively in number the priests were able to
know them personally and watch their conduct in
life. But now, from variety of causes which have
time to dwell upon, poor children, who have
become very numerous, generally very badly cared
for Their parents neglect or untitled 10 tako
proper care of them Those of them who attend
the public schools of course receive religious
instruction and brought very slightly under any
wholesome discipline. Our Sunday schools, useful
they may be in themselves, do very little to supply
these deficiencies. All experience shows that tho
only possible method by which hope mako
up for the want of parental watchfuness preserve
children their religion and make them good citizens
is by providing good parochial Christian schools To
form real Catholic parish a schoohouse has become
as necessary as a church Your clergy making
every exertion to gather the Door children OF their
ocks under the wing of the church. to provide schools
and good schools, for them, and every Of us
should cooperate with them and aid them, from the
WIDOWS mite to the rich mans pound
"Regious teaching is as necessary to anything that
deserves the OF education oxygen tue air
we breathe Without it 1t may be seriously doubted
whether good deal OF what is now called education
does not do more harm than good II is ridiculous to
sneak of sharpeninR up quick intellect with n corrupt
heart and depraved will under IT, as If you
sary preparing such person TO be good citizen and
useful member Of society. To say nothing OF our
prisons are iul Of these 'well-educatcd people,"
In regard to ST. Mary's Industrial School, which tho
letter commends rs admirably conducted, the Arch
bishop ays:-"Even If the State ana city authorities
took wise interest endeavors TO make these
destitute children well behaved and useful members OF
society and were willing to assist us would prefer II
could only prevail upon you TO be OF the Opin-
ion that should do It ourselves 1t IS in power,
without any very great sacrhces to take OF
all poor and sick aud helpless peope without
sstance from any one Some OF Us may think per-
haps that open persecution has become impossible
in these days Of lberaty and popular right, when
civil religious liberty Is OF the boasted gores
Of the age, when there is so much tenderness In tho
human heart that they unwilling TO hang the
greatest criminals But we have studied Tie history OF
the world and the human heart to little purpose If
allow ourselves TO be deuded by any such dreams as
thesen
The letter goes discuss the destructive pcrsecu-
ton waged in Germany as suficient TO dispel any
Illusion that might be entertained, and says
''What would think in this country, II law were
made by the State deprivng ali the Catholic bishops
and clergy of all source Of income and then imposing
penalty of severe imprisonment upon every one who who
should give them the least assistanccI And yet this
Is but Of the minor incidents IN the present Ger
man legislation against the Church- our american
newspapers which, # you 10 believe their own
themselves, always boiling over with in
dignation at slightest appearance OF injustice and
iniauity have vet their first word Of protest
against these open violations OF all the principles upon
which our govorument IS founded, and OF. which wo
claim bo the especial patrous aud protectors over the
whole face OF the earth.
,sIere we have no endowmens for the support OF re-
lCon left by the piety of our forefathcrs and arc
Obliged depend contributions for the support OF
churches schools and institutions Of charity Rich en-
dowments, however, tend 70 paralyzc the charity Of
those who after them and excite tire rapacty Of
spoilers Most OF tue prosecutions OF the Church In
our day have from her wealth, not merely be-
she dcspoiled OF her means OF dong good,
but they who inJure you always hate you, persecu
ton naturally follows on spoation. There can be
doubt that would be Wise policy the part of tho
State assist denomnatonal charities The poor and
destitute and sick who become dependent the state
for support and nursing can be taken care OF much bet
ter, and much less cost by UNCONVENTIONAL charity
England not only helps Catholic schools, but she has
Catholic chaplans In her training ships and prisons
But there Is no need Of discussing the justice IN
justice, the advantages disadvantages OF different
systems; thing certain, that the secular rrelg
iOus system ~ becoming day by day the avorte ono
in our country. All sectaranism, which, by curious
perversion OF words Catholicism, Is 10 be
fully excluded from any share in the public distribution
We must take care Of the children and the poor our
selves and the tho work is done the better for
them and for our own SOULS
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