Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-12
Father Tobin Discusses the Effect of
Mgr. Satolli's Mission.
SETTLING AN OLD CONTROVERSY.
Denial That the Public School System
Has Been Endorsed.
CHURCH LEGISLATION UNCHANGED

Mary's Church, Forty-sixth street. spoke to
mis- congregation ON the subject He said:
'Much has been said and written about
the resolutions passed by the Archbishops
at the conference lately held by them in
New York, and the address delivered on the
same occasion by Mgr. Satolli, the PaPal
delegate The meaning of those resolutions
and of that address has been generally mis-
understood and misrepresented--not pur-
posely misrepresented, but through lgnor-
snce of the legislation of the Churcn
concerning Catholic education in this
country. The result of the Archblshops
deliberations is hailed by many as change
of front on the part of the Holy See towards
the public schools: it is interpreted by some
to mean virtual approval of the Puonc
school system. Now this, claim, is mis-
take-a natural and pardonable mistake 10
be sure-but none the less mistake. Ihere
is no new feature in the Archbishop's reso-
utions or the Papal delegates address,
Church Legislation Unchanged
''The legislation Of the Church concerning
Catholic education and the public school is
Just what it was before 1 shall now en-
deayor to prove this assertion by examining
the Archbishops' declarations and the Mon
signor's address The following are the
resolutions:
1 To promote the erection OF Catholic
schools, so that there may be accommoda-
tion in them, if possible, Tor all our Catholc
children, according to the DEGREES OF the
Plenary Council OF Baltimore ana the de-
cision of the Holy See-
g That as to children who at present do
not attend Catholic schools, we direct, in
-.-s.- l. 10 for CV1n
day schools, and also by instruction on
some other day or days of the week, and by
urging Catholic parents to teach their chill
dren the Catholic doctrine at their MONIES.
Sunday and weekday schools should be
dncer the direct supervision OF the clergy
aided by intelligent lay teachers, and, when
possible, by the members OF the reIlgIous
teaching orders.
f'These provisions contain nothing new.
The instruction of the Congregation of
Propaganda. approved by the Holy See and
addressed in 1875 to the bishops of the
United States, treating of those Catholic
children who are compelled to attend pub
lie schools, contains the following:
Parish priests and missionaries in the
United States should spare no
pains to give (such cnild-en) thorough cate
chetical instructions.
Religious Instruction for Scholars.
"And the Second Plenary Council of Bal
timore, held in 1868, enacted this decree:
Pastors should assemble the boys and girls
(who attend public schoos) on Sundays and
other feast days, and sometimes even more
frequently, in order to teach them, with care
and diligence, the elements OF Christian
doctrine.
''The following card from Archbishop
Ryan speaks for itself, and lays the logic
which some writer had called up: Several
newspapers contain articles of a somewhat
mol n uh off ant
to discern something new and startling in
the report of the Archbishops by reading
between the lines. AS wrote the report,
I beg to state that is only necessary to read
along the lines to understand it. As the
Archbishops met after consultation with
he Bishops, the unanimous adoption of
these resolutions is not a triumph for any
party, but for the entire united hierarchy
OF the country
Monsignor satoIIfs Mission.
"It strikes me that undue Importance
has been attached to the utterauces of Mgr.
SatoIli He has been sent to this country,
not to change the existing laws of the
church or to frame new ones, but to confer
with the Archbishops and to report to the
Holy See. He did not even preside at the
sessions What may be dons in the future,
1 do not pretend 70 say; but SO far he has
only made suggestions. The results of the
conference are to be found in the Arch
bishops report, not in the En-
VOWS speech. But even that speech
contains nothing novel, except
if it be an EXCEPTIONS Recommendation
that the bishop and the members of the
Public School Board enter into an agree
ment whereby the latter will allow the
Catholic children to be assembled during
free time and taught the cstechism. Some
writer's for the press seem to have jumped
at the conclusion that this and the plans
suggested by Mgr. Satolh are put forward
as substitutes for our parochial schools. A
careful reading of the document would have
prevented any intelligent person from max
ing SO gross an error. They are simply
methods of securing the necessary religious
instruction for those Catholic children who
do not 90 to Catholic schools.
Certain Conditions to Be Observed.
eIt is true that he states it is lawful for
Catholic parents to send their children to
those (the public, schools, but mark the
conditions-If it be clear that in a given
locality the above named dangers TO
faith and morals disappear. And
what are the above-named dangers? The
first mentioned is as follows: Because in
the public schools q purely secular educa-
tion is riyen, inasmuch as it excludes all
teaching of religion Assuredly, if it were
clear that these dangers were removed, no
Catholic, clerical or lay, would find fault
with the public schools.
zone point more. The Papal delegate
saws the pastor should not show less love
for those who attend public schools than
for the other children of his flock. Ger
taiuly not. Just as the Good Shepherd
showed more love for the stray sheep than
for the 80 within the fold; just as the physi-
cian pavs more attention to the critical
cases than to the less serious ones; so the
Catholic pastor will seek and show more
soIicitude for the little ones of his flock
who attend public schools than for those
who enioy the advantages of Catholic edu-
cation.
The Church and the Public School
sSTo sum up, the attitude of the Church
toward the public school system is not
changed. Patrons are still required and
will still be required, to maintain parochial
,chools wherever it is possible to do so.
The faithful will still be exhorted to sup
nort them; and parents will still be urged
n have their children taught in them
Nv other Catholic institutions, and not only
nrced but strictly required, unless the
bishor of the diocese, Tor reasons of which
ne is the iudee, permits them to do other
wise.
"Perhaps YOU will ask, if the legislation
of the Church still remain the same, WHY
was this meeting held by the A-chbishops?
Wbv was Mgr, Satolli directed to be pres
snto You know that some OF our highest
Church dienitaries differed on some points
connected with the question of education.
Those differences gave rise to controversy
L:-L .h-oo+anad IN irnnair seriouslV the