The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-05-01
Continued
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY JUBILEE


in university education, because as
loyal American citizens We have at
heart whatever is of vital concern to
the Church and the nation.
THE existence of this Catholic
University is an evidence quite as
much of our interest in our country
as of our interest in our Church.
Both Catholic and American, the
university will gain force through its
service to the country, while it's Cath
olicity will keep it in constant and un-
erring touch with that tremendous
spiritual world power which has main
tanned the whole truth among all ma.
tions-the chair of Blessed Peter"
Medieval Universities.
From the address of President Hall
of Clark University, Worcester, Mass:
"The medieval universities were
not fiat institutions, created by
Church, State or millionaires, but they
grew inevitably out of the Utmost
needs of the time and the bulls and
edicts usually confirmed a status al
ready attained. Their close relations
to the Church gave to learning a con-
secretion that it never had in antiQity,
and which it may never have again.
The subject matter has, of course,
changed much with the times, but
nearly every feature of student life,
method of teaching and learning, item
or organization, academic custom and
even costume was already developed
in the tifty-five universities establish
ed in Europe a century before the dis
covery of America.
They and their work and it's re-
suits constitute perhaps the greatest
achievement of the Middle Ages, and
their effects upon the progress of Eu-
rope and the world has been without
precedent or parallel. They made
Roman law the instrument by which
Europe was reorganized after the sue
cessive waves of barbarian invasion.
Canon law evolved from and estab-
lished the policy of the Church at the
acme of it's power. Philosophy unified
not only the old and the new culture,
but the human mind itself. Medicine
represented not only the healing art
but made Salerno and Montpelier the
cradle of science, and not only the
second but the first renaissance was
largely their work"
The Very Rev. John Cavanaugh OF
Notre Dame University, Notre Dame
Ind, said in part:
Mission of the University.
what, then, is the mission of this
great school? They who baptized heI
in the lustral waters of faith crystal
lized her meaning and her destiny
when they named her the Catholic
University of America. AS Catholic
she is child of the Church; as q
university she is the alma mater oil
learning; as existing in America she
is dedicated to democracy. Her mis-
sion, then, is to perpetuate the ancient
friendship of the Church with science
and democracy.
"The historic attitude of the Church
=Fto science is one of queen1y favor and
condescension The Church cannot
abdicate her queenship; science may
not fail in loyalty. The Church can
not abandon her motherhood of man
No more may the multitude revolt
against her maternal authority. 1t is
the duty of such a school as this tC
make a synthesis of science and
democracy with faith and to lead then
to their place of honor at the feet oi
the Church of God.
Catholic scholars have an undying
conviction that there is nothing i'll al
disturb the simplicity and purity Of
. Catholic faith. They do not fear what
, is called modern thought because
they know that there is no such thing
as modern thought. The term is mere
ly a slogan, battle-cry, and slogans
and battle-cries are weapons of par
tisanship and not symbols of scholar
ship. Thought is simply thought, anC
it is as absurd to speak of distinctive
ly modern thought as it is to SPEAK
of blue or yellow thought; as mean
inglesS to speak of distinctiVely mod
ern science as to speak of aristocratiC
and plebeian science. If it we're nee
essary for the purposes of Christian
ity to gloss over or conceal in slight
est measure any of the sure findings
, of philosophy or science in any time
or cline of the worlds history, thai
in itself would be persuasive proc
that Christianity was not of God
True, many students have permitted
themselves to become estranged from
the old faith, but this is due not tt
any established truth of science Oh
philosophy, but rather to the interpre
tation which these students have
chosen to give to the data of the lab
oratory.
"The mission of the Catholic Uni
versity of America is to restore ant
perpetuate the ancient friendship be
tween science and religion and tt
make close and enduring the friend
ship between the children of God anG
their Heavenly Father. 1t is the mis-
sion in greater or less measure, &C
cording to means and opportunity, o.
every Catholic school"
Liberal Education.
From the address of George Walter
Smith of Philadelphia:
''All men are not fitted for liberia
studies, but those who are should have
opportunity SO to perfect their natura
gifts that they may be of the highes
/ I..rS,, 1 Il