The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-06-02
Wants National Shrine to Be
Erected at Catholic Uni
versity in Washington
MUST PROMOTE
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Liberty of Religions and Catholic Par
ents in Education of Their Children
too Much Hampered in America
Stick to Pope Leo XIII.


NEW YORK, June 2.-Announce-
ment was made yesterday of the re-
ceipt by the entire American hierarchy
of letter from Pope Benedict approx
ing plans for American Catholic reli
gious, social and economic activities and
urging strongly support Of the project
70 erect a national catholic shrine in
honor Of the Blessed Virgin at the
Catholic University in Washington.
The plan decided upon at meeting
of Catholic prelates from an annual
meeting Of the entire hierarchy in the
United States TO define Catholic activi-
ties and formulate programmes of reli-
gious and public work, also receives
the Pope $ hearty approval
"Indeed,' says the Pontiff : letter.
$50 urgent is the call to a jealous and
persistent economico-social activity that
we need not further exhort you in this
matter. BE watehful, however. lest
your flocks, carried away by vain opn-
ions, and noisy agitation, abandon to
their detriment the Christian principles
established by our predecessor of happy
memory, Leo Nil, in his Encyclical
Letter Rerum Novarum. More perilous
than ever would this be at the present
moment, when the whole structure of
human society is in danger, and all civic
charity, swept by storms of envious
hate$seems likely to shrivel up and dis
appear.
NorN is the Catholic education of
children and youth q matter of less seri-
Gus import. since it is the solid and Sc
cure foundation on which the fulness
of civil order, faith and morality rest
You arc indeed we'll aware, venerable
brethren, that the church of God never
failed on the ono hand to encourage
most earnestly Catholic education, and
on the other to vigorously defend and
protect it against all attacks; We're
other proof of this wanting, the very
activities Of the Old World enemies of
Christianity would furnish conclusive
evidence
Lest the church should keep intact
the faith in the hearts Of little children.
lest her own schools should compete
successfully with public anti-religious
schools. her advcTsaries declare that to
them alone belongs the right of teach
ing, and tramplc under foot and violate
the native rights of parents regarding
education; while Wanting unlimited lib
crty. falsely so-called they diminish.
withhold. and in every way hamper the
liberty of religion and Catholic parents
as regards the education of their chill
dren. We are we'll aware that your
freedom from these disadvantages has
enabled you to establish and support
with admirable generosity and zeal
your Catholic schools, nor do we pay a
lesser need of praise to the superiors
and members of the religious communi-
ties of men and women who. under your
direction, have spared neither expense
nor labor III developing throughout the
United States the prosperity and the
efficiency. of the schools. But rs YOU well
realize, we must not 50 far trust to pres
cnt prosperity as 10 neglect provision
for the time TO come, since the veal Of
Church and state depends entirely on
the good condition and discipline of the
schools, and the christians of the future
will be those and those only whom you
Will have taught and trained.