The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-03
Catholic Education Meets the Nations
Needs, for It's Basis Is Religion, In
dispensable to Life of People
In the Catholic System of Education Religion Place.
Prominence to Religion Education Catholics Are Living
Up to Their Country Earliest and Highest Ideals


what has been the effect Of the ex-
clusion OF religion from the school Life
Of the child here in the United States?
Fifty years ago the American people
were a religious people. To-day after
half a century Of education without
religion 100000 profess belief in
no religious denomination whatever
When we ponder this starting fact.
and remember too that OF those calling
themselves Christian not a few deny
the fundamental principle Of that re-
Hgion, T. E.. the divinity of Christ, does
it not seem that Christianity is rapidly
waning among US?
In the Catholic system of education
religion holds first place. unless the
Lord build the house. they labor in
vain who build il" It's cardinal princi-
pie is that enunciated by Christ Him
self: Seek ye first the kingdom Of God
and His justice and all these things
shall be added unto you" It teaches
the child from his earliest years that
God Is his Creator and Redeemer, his
Lord and Master. Before all things
else he owes to Him homage and the
service Of his heart 1t teaches the
child that he has a soul, a spirit that
will never die, made to the image Of
God. To save that soul by knowing,
loving and serving Col. by keeping the
Commandments, is the supreme bust
ness Of his life. And II reminds him
over and over again that 1t will profit
him nothing to gain the whole world
and suffer the loss Of that immortal
soul Upon this solid basis Of religion
1t teaches him those very lessons that
most vitality concern the well being Of
the republic, and enforces them with
a divine sanction, viz: respect for
law, reverence for lawful authority and
a deep sense of civic duty. 1t points
out to him that the state is of the ordi-
nance Of God. that it Is something
sacred, and presents to him the duties
he owes the state as obligations bind
ing him in conscience and worthy OF
the same respect as the very laws Of
God Himself. 1t instills upon this
same religious basis those lessons Of
honesty. morality and personal tnteg,
rity which are the ornament as well as
the first requsit4 of good citizenship.
It keeps constantly before his mind
from the very first day he toddles into
class that an act which is wrong In
wrong although the world may never
know. That both in his private no less
than in his public acts his conduct
must ever square with the divine law.
And 1t assures him upon the authority
Of God that he must one day give an .
account of his life to the Eternal Judge
Of men, to that Supreme Judge who
sees and knows all things.
This is the type of education that
has built up civilization and It is the
only kind that can preserve it
Through 1t the church centuries ago
reclaimed the savage and civilized the
instructtng him in the till
ing Of the soil and Industrial pursuits.
It she Is to-day regenerating
society in the United States by her
thousands OF schools scattered every
where throughout the land. The Cath
olic school aims at the development Of
the whole man, all the faculties that
God has given him. 1t Is not satisfied
with training the intellect alone, to the
neglect OF his moral nature, for such
an education might be a real menace
70 our civilization. It Is not content
with training the head and the hand
and neglecting the heart, for unless
the heart be fortified with sound prin-
-iples Of moral conduct, and strength
of win developed that viii fearlessly
choose the right. education may not