Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-08

in public schools controlled by the State,
whose Office it is to provide, maintain and
protect everything by which its citizens are
formed to moral goodness while they live
3eaceably together with suf6ciency OF
temporal goods under laws p romulgated by
civil authority.
The Council of Baltimore Still Rules.
For the rest, the provisions of the Council
of Baltimore are yet in force, and, in gen.
eral way, will remain so; to wit: mot only
out Of our paternal love do we exhort Catho-
lie parents, but we command them, by all
the authority which we possess, to procure
truly Christian and Catholic education for
the beloved offspring given them OF God,
born again in baptism unto Christ and des-
tined for Heaven, to shield and secure them
throughout childhood and youth from the
dangers of a merely worldly education, and,
therefore, to send them to parochtal or other
truly Catholic schools" United with this
duty are the rights OF parents, which no civil
law or authority can violate or weaken.
The Catholic Church in general, and es-
pecialy the Holy See, far from condemnirg
or treating with Indifference the public
schools, desires rather that, by the Joint
action of civil and ndecclesiastical authorities.
there should be public schools in every
State according as the circumstances OF the
people require, for the cultivation of the
useful arts and natural sciences; but the
Catholic Church shrinks from those features
OF pub blic schools which are opposed to the
truth of Christianity and to morality; and
since, in the interest of society itself, these
Objectionable features are removable,
therefore, not only the bishops. put the cltl-
in the virtue of their own right and In the
cause OF morality.
Times Have Changed for the Better.
1t is long since the Holy See, after consul
tation with the bishops of the United States
of America, decreed that parish schools and
other institutions under the direction of the
bishops, each according to the conditions Of
its own diocese. are opportune and neces-
sary for Catholic youth, from the fact that
it was held for certain that the public
schools bore within themselves proximate
danger to faith ana morals. for various rea-
ons viz: Because in the public schools q
purely secular education is given, inasmuch
as it excludes all teaching of religion, be-
cause teachers are chosen indiscriminately
from every sect, and no law prevents them
from working the ruin OF youth. .sothat they
are at liberty to instill the germs of vice
into tender minds. Likewise, certain cor
ruption seemed to impend from the tact
that in these schools, OF, at least, in many of
them, children OF both sexes are brought
together for their lessons in the same room.
Wherefore, if it be clear that in a given
locality, owing to tile wiser dispositions of
public authorities or the watchful prudence
of School Board, teachers and parents, the
sbuve-named dangers to Iaith and morals
disappear, then it is lawful for Catholic
parents to send their children to these
schools to acquire the elements of letters
and arts, provided the parents themselves
don't neglect their most serious duty, and
the pa astors of souls put forth every effort to
instruct the children and train them in all
that pertains to Catholic worship and life.
Discretion Left to the Local Church.
Its left to the Judgment and the wisdom
of the Ordinaries to decide whether in a
pertain part of their respective dioceses a
parochial school can be built and kept up in
a fitting condition not inferior to the public
schools, taking into consideration the tenn.
poral condition OF the parents, while graver
needs for procuring their spiritual welfare
and the decent support of the church are
nressing 1t will be well, therefor as was
the wont of our forefathers and was done in
the early days of the church, to establish
weekly classes of Catholicism, which all the
children of the parish should attend. For
the better success of this measure, let the
zeal of pastors in fulfilling their duty and
the love Of Catholic parents, leave no effort
No reproach, either in public or in pri-
vate shall be cast upon Catholic parents
who send their children to private schools
or TO academies where a better education
is given under the direction OF religious or
of approved and Catholic persons. II they
make sufficient provision for the religious
to secure in other ways that education
which the position of their family requires.
II is greatly to be desired, and will be a
most happy arrangement if the bishob
auree with the civil authorities or with the
members of the School Board to conduct the
school with mutual attention and due con-
sidera ton for their respective rights. While
there are teachers of any description for
the secular branches who are legally in
hibited from teaching the Catholic religion
and morality, let the rights and duty of the
rnurcb obtain OF teaching the children the
ca techism in order to remove danger TO
rheir faith and morals from any quarter
whatsoever.
The Words Of the Pope on the Subject.
II seems well to quote the words of our
Holv Father, Leo XIII. (see the Pope's let
ter 20 the archbishops of New York and to
the bishops OF the Province)i 1--WE further
desire YOU to strive earnestly that the vari-
ous local authorities, firmly convinced that
nothing is more conducive to the welfare Of
che Common wealth than religion, should by
wise legislation provide that the system of
education which is maintained at the pub
lie exnense. ana to which, therefore, Catho-
lies also contribute their share. be in no way
nreiudicial co their conscience or religion;
for we are persuaded that even yo1r fellow
citizens who differ from us in belief. with
their characteristic intelligence and pru-
dence, Will readily set aside ali suspicions
and all views uniavorable to the Catholic