The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-04-17
REOPENING THE SCHOOL CUES.
TION.
Previous Decision Regarding the Duty
of Catholic Parents Strictly Sns-
tanned.

The Message from Rome-Old Discussion
Nearly silenced, Will Probably be Re-
yiyed With Much yigor-May With
hold Sacrament.
A recent decision of the Catholic authori
ties in Rome regarding the school question
ia likely to reopen that controversy. Ac
cording to the decision referred TO, what
Is known as the liberal party in the Catholic
Church has made no advance, SO far as max
ing it porper for Catholic parents 10 send
their children to public schools is concerned.
This action of tho Roman CATHOLIC author
tiles is announced by the American Eccles-
iastical Review, of Philadelphia, Inc organ
of the Catholic clergy of tLis country. The
Review says that the decision which comes
from the Sacred Congregation OF the Prop
uganda Fidei. and relates to the duty of
Catholic parents to send their children to
the parochial schools, makes 1t clear that
the provisions of the Council of Baltimore,
which gave the bishops the discretionary
power of enforcing the obligation, remain
intact. Following is the Council OF balti-
morss Decree
"We, therefore, both lovingly exhort and
authoritatively enjoin upon Catholic parents
the duty for procuring for their children,
whom they love, and whom God has intrust-
ed to their care, and who have been regen-
Grated in baptism, and are destined for
heaven, a truly Christian and Catholic ed
ucation. Let them protect and safeguard
these children, during the whole time of
their youth, against the influences of a
purely secular education. Hence they shall
send them to the parochial school or to
some other school truly Catholic, unless
where the Bishop believes that, under par
ticular circumstances, he may permit an
exception
DUTY OF CATHOLIC PARENTS.
1t has been long maintained by one
party in the Church that this decree meant
that Catholic parents are compelled to send
their children to Catholic schools, while
the other so-called liberal party. has held
the contention that parents were free to al
low their children to attend public schools.
Touching upon this question, the article
quoted says
SIT Is we'll known that difficulties arose
when, few years ago, the liberal wave be-
gan to sweep the country with the sound OF
a new Interpretation, according to which
there WAS to be general move toward
union between tie Catholic parochial and
the colorlsss, or infidel, public schools. a
somewhat new system, got up in Western
town land heralded throughout the whole
land by travelling advocates and servile
newspapers, was to be The pattern and mod
ell which would in a short time make all
the Irish and German folk American.
'Then, some of the Bishops began to be
charged with excessive severity and an IN
American spirit because they had used their
right of declaring unworthy of the sacra-
ments parents who refused to support Cath
oiic schools, and who would not send their
children to them on the open plea that the
public schools were good enough for them
and that their children got enough religion
in the Sunday school.
'sThe antagonisrn ere ated useless and hurt
full contentious, and the Holy See wisely
silenced the storm. But we must not sup
pose that the old laws and the old orthodox
and generous spirit Of the Church. which
acts like mother, sometimes severe, some
times indulgent, yet, always kindly and for
the best interests of her children, have
changed. We are just now where we were
nine years ago, with the DEGREES of the
Council of Baltimore in full force"
This refers to Archbishop Ireland and his
Faribault plan, which started the school
controversy three years ago. 1t is believed
that the Archbishop and his followers will
take notice of this expression of the Ameri-
car Ecclesiastical Review, as that magazine
is clerical organ. II such prove 10 be the
case it is probable, in the minds of those
best informed, that lively con toversy will
result.
POWER OF THE BISHOPS.