The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-23
WHY BUILD CHURCH
SCHOOLS?

The German Lutherans of Trim
ity Church, Rochester, Mimi, were
present in large numbers at the
laying of the corner stone of their
new parochial school on Sunday.
August 10. We note the event
only to call attention to the fol
lowing thoughtful words Of a non
Catholic, Professor Moenkemoller
who spoke on that occasion. AT
this season many anxious parents
are selecting schools for their
sons and daughters for the com
ing scholastic year. Too many
Catholics, for the sake Of certain
advantages, real or imaginary,
choose public schools or non-sec-
tartan colleges, in preference to
Catholic institutions. They evi-
IDENTIFY do not appreciate the far
sighted wisdom, even from a
natural standpoint, shown by the
Church in America in starting,
many decades ago, that system of
Catholic educational institutions
which has become the admiration
Of the best public school educators
themselves. Now that non-Catho-
lies are beginning to see the wis
dom of her foresight in this mat
ter, our own people should awake
to a keener appreciation Of the
solicitude Of holy mother Church
for her little ones. We, therefore,
commend to the consideration of
our readers the following thought
full words Of Professor Moenke-
moller:
emo doubt some will ask, why
should a church have a SCHOOL,
Let us consider the question. But
first I will correct a mistaken no.
ton held by some, that it is
mainly a consideration for the
German language that induces us
to maintain our own schools. That
is not the case. There is higher
reason. We hold that sound edu-
cation requires thorough religious
training and to provide this relig-
ious training, we need, under ex-
listing conditions, church schools.
According to the text, the fear of
the Lord must be the starting
point on the road to wisdom. 1t
must form the basis, the founda-
ton for the superstructure of wis
dom that is real wisdom. Without
the fear of the Lord all branches
of wisdom are cut off from the
natural root and cannot bear
sound fruit. As God is the be-
ginning of all things, the Creator
of the world, the author of our
lives, in whom we live and move
and have our being, so, too, God
must be the beginning of wisdom.
An education which leaves out the
fear of the Lord can never be an
education that is worthy of God s
most noble handiwork. The words
of the text are obviously general
and cannot apply to matters
spiritual only. For man is a com
posite creature consisting Of body
and soul In speaking of the soul
we must take into account both
the intellect and the emotions, OF
as the common expression is, the
head and the heart. These parts
are closely inter-related; all must
be developed equally according to
their requirements, if man is to
live and act as he should. Above
all it cannot be stated too en-
phatically that in our development
of the soul we make most griev.
Gus mistake if we direct ou1
efforts only to the intellect. The
heart furnishes the motives from
which the head acts. What good
can the keenest intellect do if the
heart be base; if man lacks char.
acter. The man with the depraved
heart and a bad character will
never be a real service to himself
or to others. The brighter his
mind the more damage will he be
likely to do. But a good charac-
ter can be formed only in close
communion with Him who is the
author of all good. Under
existing conditions, the home is
unable to give the necessary edu-
cation; the Sunday school is In
sufficient for it; the public school
cannot provide it, because in our
country, church and state are
separate, as they should be. Hence
we see no other solution Of the
problem than to establish church
schools. Church schools are moth
inc new In this co17nfrv Nav