The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-10-09
TO the Clergy and Laity of the Dio-

tion which is about to be undertaken
throughout the archdiocese of st. Paul
during the months of October and
November, is designed primarily to
bring out clearly in the minds of all
the Catholics of the Archdiocese just
what the Church is attempting to do
in it's educational work, why it is do
ing it and who are back of it. OF
course there are many incidental
propositions that are to be considered
that at first sight may seem to be
the real object of the campaign. Thus,
il is natural to conceive of the plan
as a drive for funds and to think OF
it only in relation o>money, and in
deed, it is very frank solicitation for
money, but only from those who are
convinced that the whole plan is wise
and that the work that is being done,
as well as the work that is projected,
is necessary and can be accomplished
in no other way.
We are plain people, swayed in
our ordinary dealings with one an
other by common sense rather than
by subtle reasonings. We like to
think things over, to talk them over
and then to make up our minds our
selves. We, resent being talked into
a thing against our will, but when we
do make up our minds, we back up
our conclusions, because we are prac-
tical men and women. Now all Cath
olics believe that the greatest gift
of God to man is Faith; that Faith
enters into life, controls conduct and
enables man to merit eternal reward.
The greatest disaster to any man in
life is the loss of Faith. The greatest
sorrow is to witness the loss of Faith
in others, especially in those near and
dear to us. Is there more poignant
sorrow on earth than that of a devout
Catholic mother who sees her child,
perhaps prosperous and crowned with
success, and yet an e nostate from the
Faith of his fathers? This attitude
of Catholic parents toward the Faith
of their Children is built upon the
principle of their responsibility to
God for their children. Man comes
TO God at the end but on the way
from birth TO death, he passes through
the arms of mothers, and his career
is shaped by his childhood At the
Last Judgment there will be no inter
rogation of States-which are mans
creatures-as to what they did with
children, but fathers and mothers be-
ing Gods creatures must answer to
God for their children who are. also
His.
The Duty Of Parents.
The Catholic then feels that the
priority of right and the priority OF
obligation in the matter of education
are in the parent rather than in the
State, because it is his duty to bring
up his child in the knowledge, the
service and the love of God. Modern
states foster education in a way thai
ancient states did not; but in the
past as in the present, parents were
bound to instruct their children ii
matters of religion.
This very simple view of life ant
estimate of life's absolute values lee
Catholics many years ago to under
take the work of building and provid
ing schools for their children. A
first it involved only an inconSider
able expense, though because of thei
poverty, it bore heavily enough upol
them, but now from year to year th'
~ inicx nf nT
ponents increases, the difficulties mul
tiply.
Forward or Backward.
Should we go on with our schools
develop our system and meet tn
costs of the work or should we Civ
up the undertaking and do as the res
of our neighbors are doing-accep
what the State offers and take othe
means of instructing our children il
religion?
Now if we wished to make bid TO
popularity and to disarm the crit
cism that is historic and natural in
country of English derivation, W
could not choose one thing more tha
another that would SO appeal to tn
imagination of our fellow citizens a
the formal announcement that we ha
given up our schools and would henc
forth use the public schools of tn
State. 1t would be acclaimed frol
one end of the country to the othe
as a most astonishing evidence
progress on the part of Catholics.
Rut are we prepared to do it?
What would you think OF me il
seriously made that proposition
you?
You would very likely remind N
that l stood alone in the hierarchy
the country on this matter and tn
was manifestly wrong. You Wou
perhaps quote the DEGREES OF the Cou
Gil of Baltimore in favor OF Cathoi
Schools and the innumerable ute
ances of all the authorized spoke
men Of the Church in this count
for the last fifty years and, stronge
of all, as latest, the most impressi'
declaration of Pope Benedict XIV MAJ