The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-09-11
CATHOLIC EDUCATION DEFINED
IN PASTORAL.

The principles of Catholic education
were thus set forth in the Pastoral
Letter of the Archbishops and Bish-
ops assembled in conference at the
Catholic University of America in
September, 1919:
The Church in our country is
obliged, for the sake of principle, to
tinct from other systems. 1t is sup
ported by the voluntary contributions
of Catholics who, at the same time
contribute as required by law to the
maintenance of the public schools. 1t
engages in the service of education a
body OF teachers who consecrate their
lives to this high calling; and it pre-
pares, without expense to the State,
a considerable number of Americans to
live worthily as citizens of the Re-
.public.
Our system is based on certain con-
victions that grow stronger as we OBJ
serve the testing of all education, not
simply by calm theoretic discussion,
but by the crucial experience of re-
cent events. 1t should not have re-
quired the pitiless searching of war to
determine the value of any theory or
system, but since that rude test has
been so drastically applied and with
such unmistakable results, we judge it
opportune to restate the principles
which serve as the basis of Catholic
education.
First. The right of the child to re-
ceive education and the correlative
duty of providing it are established on
the fact that man has a soul created
by God and endowed with capacities
which need to be developed, for the
good of the individual and the good OF
society. In it's highest meaning
therefore, education is cooperation
| by human agencies with the Creator
for the attainment of His purpose in
regard to the individual who is to be
educated, and in regard to the social
order of which he is member
| Neither self-realization alone nor so
| cial service alone is the end of edu
cation, but rather these two in accord
ance with Gods design, which gives
| to each of them it's proportionate
value. Hence it follows that educa
ton is essentially and inevitably q
moral activity, in the sense that it I'm
dertakes to satisfy certain claims
through the fulfilment of certain OBJ
legations. This is true independently
of the manner and means which con
stitute the actual process; and it re
mains true, whether recognized or dis
regarded in educational practice
whether this practice includes the
teaching of morality, or exclude it, OF
try to maintain neutral position.
Second. Since the child is en-
dowed with physical, intellectual and
moral capacities, all these must be de
| veloped tremendously. An education
! that quickens the intelligence and en-
riches the mind with knowledge, but
fails to develop the will and direct il
| to the practice of virtue, may produce
scholars, but it cannot produce good
men. The exclusion Of moral training
| from the educative process is more
dangerous in proportion to the thor
oughness with which the intellectual
/ powers are developed, because it gives
the impression that morality is of lit
tie Importance, and this sends the pu
pill into life with a false idea which
1 is not easily corrected.
i Third. Since the duties we owe oul
Creator take precedence of all Other
/ duties, moral training must accord
the first place tos,religion, that is, tt
the knowledge of God and His law
and must cultivate spirit Of obedi
| ence to His commands. The per
| Torrance, sincere and complete, of re
ligious duties, ensures the fulflllmeni
of other obligations.
Fourth. Moral and religious train
/ ing is most eficacious when it i.
4 Joined with instruction in other kind.
of knowledge. It should so permeatt