The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-30
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND
BISHOP IRELAND.

patriotic spirit within the American Cath
oiic church, and made it hostile camp
against the reactionary party supporting
Cahenslyism. Archbishop Ireland has
been supported by Cardinal Gibbons,
Father Corrigan and number of the lead
ing prelates of the church; he has con-
verified the present pope to his views. and
as the result of Archbishop Ireland's
statemanship the quarrel over the Amer
lean public schools is likely to be quieted
and the day of accommodation Of Cath
Ollie parents for preferring the public
schools to the parochial schools ended for
ever.
The language of the papal delegate,
Archbishop Satolli, leaves no doubt that
the pope has no sympathy whatever with
bigoted clerical opposition to the public
schools. Archbishop SatoIli announces
In the name of the pope that it is
strictly forbidden to any bishop or priest
either actually to repel or to threaten to
repel from the sacraments, as if they were
unworthy, any parents who may choose
to send their children to the public
schools" The papal delegate further says
that the Catholic church, and the holy
see in particular, do not condemn or
neglect. but positively desire to have pub
lie schools in every country, suitable to
the civil condition of the people, for the
cultivation of letters, arts and natural
sciences. and desire to contribute thereto
their benevolent cooperation, while safe
guarding the one essential point, that
there shall be nothing in the system con-
trary to the truth of the Christian re-
lgion and to morality"
The pope admonishes the bishops that
they should take heed before imposing
upon clergy and people the great burden
OF erecting and maintaining a parochial
school, to consider we'll whether under
the circumstances such school may be
kept up to the standard of education
which the people have right to demand.
not inferior to that given in the public
schools, and also to consider the financial
ability OF the people to bear such burdens,
and whether there be not other things
| more urgently needed for their spiritual
welfare and the honor of the church.
These authoritative statements of the
views OF the pope were cited by Father
McGlvnn in recent public address in
New York city, and among other things
he said:
Time and time again priests have driven men
and women out of the confessional because they
insisted on sending their children TO the public
schools. No one Will dare to tell me that that ia
not true know whereof | speak. heard il
in the confessional myself from people who had
been driven away from other confessonsls.
This address is II rebuke 20 those who, in their
zeal for parochial schools, exceeded the COM
maads OF Christ The men of whom l speak
had excellent intentions, but they had narrow
minds
Education is properly function of the
state. Ii must be SO FOR the states own preser-
walton. The state must hi its citizens for civic
municipal. business and political life. The
| church must teach spiritual dogma and look
after the erring. Did Christ command us TO OBJ
| serve arithmetic, geography ana botany?
Archbishop SatO.u says that IL is no part of
true religion to deny the right Of the state to
| tshlish its own system of education. The church
| really desires state public schools The former
| denunciation OF public schools by Catholic pre-
| laies was indecent.
| Some OF them went 50 far as 10 say that chill,
| dren would be better of a. savages than pupils
| in the schools What, then. WAS the efficiency
| OF their church? How much religion would the
! children get in the streets" If Archbishop Sa-
TOLLS views were 10 be PUT into effect today they
! would sweep away nearly all the parochiai
! schools in the country.
| 1t should be remem bered that the victory
| OF Archbishop Ireland has been won in the
! face Of powerful opposition on the part of
! some of the bishops of the American
| Catholic church, and the full fruits of this
| victory will not he Immediately obtained.
| but in the face of these authoritative ex-
! pressions Of the views of the holy see all
| bigoted opposition To the American public
schools will gradually cease throughout
| the country.
/ The great mass of the Catholics will lie
/ glad TO lie relieved from drain on their
! pecuniary resources that was severe in
! many places, and many patriotic priests.
/ ike Fathers Corf,gan and McGlvnn. will
/ be glad to be relieved from a position of
/ unnatural and unwe.come autagonism to
| their church. Father CorrIgan, like
| Father McGiynn, bitterly opposed
the efforts of the Cahensly camp
| of Catholics to destroy the influence of the
! public schools; he believed the nublic
/ school was the best place for the secular
education OF the Catholic child: that the
! church. the parents and the SUNDAY school
| could ground the child in the funda-
menta.s of the Catholic faith. but that the
/ best education of Catholics 70 the end of
| patriotic citizenship was found in the
| American public school, where children of
! all races and colors of all religions and no
| religion. Of al conditions OF life
| whether poverty or riches, were found.
/ This democratic education for good citi-
zenshlp, Bishop Ireland believes. is no.
where so amply afforded the child as in the
| American public school. Gems Sheridan
and R0secrans, both children Of the com
! mon schools of Ohio, were Roman Cath
| olics. Sheridan lived true TO his faith. and
/ 50 has Gen. Rosecrans. Catholic Arch
| bishop Williams. OF Boston. is a child Of
the Boston public school and has always
| 3eFIorei any bigoted antagonisn OF the
American pubic school.