Little Falls herald., 1898-09-09
Why Catholics Build Paroc ochial
Schools. .$.7Ssss 7s


s9 Schools.
Those Christians Ca tholica and
nOn-C Ca thOlics-arece certainly bringing
the most effective and logical sacri-
fees who define the word education
in the following words of thefamous
Webster: ITO educate is to instfl
into the mind principles of art,
science. morals. religion and be-
havior. TO educate In the arts is
important. in religion. indispens-
able" Washington. when retiring
from public life. in his message to all
the governors of the Estates then
composing the United States, SOL
emnly and distinctly declares relig-
ion as the only source Of true liberty
and material prosperity, writing;
"The free development of all sciences,
the unlimited extension ofcomn,erce.
the progressing refinement of morals.
and above all. the pure and blessing
light of revealed religion have exer-
cised the most beneficent influence
on the human race" And in his
farewell address the same immortal
Washington spoke as follows: "Of
all the dispositions and habits which
lead to political prosperity, religion
and morality are Indispensable sup
ports. In vain would that. man
claim the tribute of patriotism who
should labor to subvert these great
pillars OF human happiness, these
tirmest props of the duties OF men
and citizens" And again, the father
of our glorious country says: '"Be-
ware of the man who attempts to
inculcate morality without religion"
Now we all know that no religion
must be taught in our public schools
and according to Washington, no
morality can be inculcated without
religion, consequently, Catholics are
hound to build their own schools in
which the teaching OF secular knowl-
edge goes hand In hand with that Of
religion. Sunday schools can exer-
ci:e but very little influence ON the
souls of the children.
Cardinal Gibbons. in his book,
"Our Christian Heritage" counts
our "imperlect and vicious system of
education' as the second Of the five
great evils threa atening our American
civiliza tion. AS to Sunday schools,
the cardinal has the following: "The
cutechetical instructions given once
a week in our Sunday schools though
productive of very beneficial results,
are insufficient to supply the rellg-
ious wants of our children. They
should: as far as possible, breathe
every day a healthy religious atm Os-
phere, in those schools in which not
only is their mind enlightened, but
rhe seeds of faith, piety and sound
morality ar pourished and invigor-
ated. BY what principle of justice
can yOn store their mind with earth
ly knowledge for several hours each
day, while their heart, which requires
far more cultivation, must be con-
tent with the paltry allowance OF a
few weekly lessons?" In order to
make our non-Catholic fellow citi-
zens more clearly understand the
position of their Catholic brethren, I
do not deem it out of place to adduce
the following wOrks,*Of Archbishop
Ryan, of Philadelphia, taken from his
sermon delivered at the dedicatio II
and opening Of thenew Catholic high
school in Philadelphia, in Septem-
Der, 1880:
"The chief objection we have to
the system adopted in the public
schools is not that they educate the
masses, but that they do not edu-
cate them sufficiently, because they
omit one branch of paramount inn
portance. With all that ia positive
in them (the public schools) we are
in harmony; it is only to the mega
tions we object. We go with them
as far as they go, and we part with
them with regret because they will
90 no farther. In educating (rather
training) intellect and memory we
are together, but at the confines of
that tremendous will power in man
the power that is really stronger
than intellect and memory combined,
we part.''
Let this suffice to show that Cath
olics do not build and support their
parochial schools just for fun or
pastime, but because they are bound
by their conscience ''to bring up their
children in the discipline and cor
rection of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4)
Furthermore. because they want to
be in harm ony with the demands "i
our free country which would come
into danger by so-called education
without religion. washington,
Franklin, Webster.)
Catholics do not build their own