The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-10-16
EDUCATION or THE CHILD
THE PRINCIPLES THAT SHOULD
GUIDE PARENTS IN SENDING
THEIR CHILDREN TO a CATH
oLlc SCHOOL - SERMON BY
REV. c. MAHoNEY, C. SIS. r.,
OF NEW ORLEANS, LA.

oLlc SCHOOL - SERMON BY
REV. c. MAHoNEY, c. SIS. r.,
OF NEW ORLEANS, LA.
The subject of my discourse is the
most important before the world to-
day-the Education of the Child.
Upon it, more than upon any other
factor, depend the welfare of society
and the temporal and eternal happi-
ness of mankind I~wish to rut be-
fore you, as clearly and Is forcibly as
can, the principles that should
guido Catholic parents in the educa-.
ton Of their children.
When the subject Of education is
discussed especially at the time of
the year when the schools are about
to reopen, we not frequently hear
a Catholic father or mother declare
We'll, I don't care what others may
say or do, | am not going to send
my child to a Catholic school. The
public school is good enough for me.
That child is mine, and | have a
right to send it to any school please.
III not tolerate any interference in
this matter and no priest or anyone
else, will dictate to me- what kind
of education | should give my child"
Sentiments such as these are enter
tanned by large class of Catholic
parents. Now, l want to tell such
Catholic parents that this declaration
Of independence regarding the educa-
ton of their children is false and
unWarranted, and to prove to them
explaining the principles, inculcated
by Holy Mother Church, which must
guide all Catholic fathers and
mothers in the education of their
children.
Doctrine of the Church.
What is the doctrine of the Cath,
olic Church in regard to education?
The Catholic Church teaches that
Catholic parents are not free to send
their children to any school they
please, but that they are bound in
conscience, under pain of moral sin,
20 send them to a Catholic school,
wherever, it is possible. This doc
| trine of the Church is clearly stated
the DEGREES enacted by all the
Archbishops and Bishops of the
United States, assembled in the Third
47lenary Council of Baltimore, which
| lecrees bind all Catholics of the
Of ho
quote the exact words of the decree
IN the subject Of education: "All
Catholic parents are bound to send
heir children to the parochial
| schools, unless either at home or in
ether Catholics schools they Suf-
fcently and evidently provide for the
Christian education Of their children,
or unless they are permitted to send
Them to other schools on account of a
sufficient cause, approved by the
3ishop, and with opportune cautions
| and remedies.
These solemn words of the Fathers
Of the Plenary Council are so clear
md explicit that they need no coment
Jr explanation. That there may be
| no shadow Of doubt as to the grave
binding-force of the decree, the
irchbishops and Bishops of the Coun-
I'll furthermore declare: 1--WE not
only exhort Catholic parents with
,atherly love, but we moreover COM
| nand them with all the authority we
possess, to provide truly Christian
and Catholic education for their be-
| loved offspring, who have been given
| 10 them by God, who have been born
anew to Christ in Baptism, and who
are destined for heaven; and to guard
and protect them from the dangers of
| merely secular education; and, there
fore, to send them to the parochial or
| the Catholic schools, unless the Bishop
| deems it advisable, in a particular
case, to permit otherwise"
Hence, Catholic parents, it is a
Tree to choose for your children what
over school you like The Church al
| lows you no such freedom of choice.
On the contrary, by virtue of her di-
vine authority, she commands you un.
der pain of grievous sin, to send your
children to a Catholic school What
ever, then, may be your preference in
the matter, however warped by preju.
dice your mind may be, it is clearly
your duty to obey this command
Bear well in mind that the Church
is the mouthpiece of God Every true
Catholic, then, worthy of the name,
must harken to the voice of the
Church, and bow down in obedience
to her commands, as he would to the
commands of God Himself. What
would you think of Catholic who
would say, j know very well that the
Church commands me to attend Mass
On Sunday and to abstain from meat
on Friday; but | don't believe in run
like fish or eggs; 1 must have my
meat Surely you would say, such
a one may be Catholic in name, but
he is certainly not a good Catholic;
he is a disgrace to his religion And
| why? Simply because he flies in the
face Of the authority Of the Church
and refuses to obey her commands
For the very same reason / claim
that Catholic parent who heeds not
| this law of the Church about the edu.
cation of children cannot be good
Catholic He fouts the divine author.
ity of the Church, by despising heI
express command.