The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-10-23
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND ON EDUCATION.
Continued from page ID
Education and Progress.

1t is the educated mind that in all
ages has advanced mankind, lifting it
above sordid aims, bringing to it pure
and ennobling enjoyment, prompting
it's highest ambitions by holding be-
fore it exalted ideals. The life of man
is not material bread; the glory OF
man is not stones wrought into pala-
tial forms. Ideas are the life and the
glory of man--scintillations from the
throne of the Infinite, which are
caught up by elevated minds and by
them diffused among the masses of
men.
In this land of equal rights and
equal freedom aristocracies of blood
or wealth are not to be desired or en-.
couraged. But, however democratic be
her political institutions and social
conditions, America and, with her, ali
mankind will gladly bow in obeisance
to the aristocracy Of mind and heart
the aristocracy Of learning and yir.
tue.
Church and Education.
The Catholic Church is the church
of the soul. In her eyes the soul is,
of all created things, the best, the
most precious. Whatever conduces to
the growth of the soul is valued BY
the Church. Moreover, the soul that
is capable of higher lights is better
fitted to understand and appreciate
the Church's own supernatural teach
ings. The Church is, indeed, the
Church of all the children of men. For
the simple and ignorant she has the
tender whisperings of a mothers love;
to them she breaks gently the Bread
of Life, feeding them in measures pro-
portioned TO their capacity. But as
brighter and more elevated minds open
to her teachings, she bestows O.. her
truths in more generous profusion, and
rejoices in the dedication of soul that
results from the deeper comprehension
of divine faith. The Catholic Church
yearns for the educated listener; to
him she can more readily unfold her
intellectual treasures. An age of in
tellectual light is an age in which the
Church is most at home, and in which
she is best understood.
Church Fostered Education.
Throughout her whole history, the
Catholic Church has ever made liberal
education the object of her most ten
der solicitude. Even while cruelty per
secuted by Roman emperors, she open
ed school of high philosophy in Alex
andria, where an Origen, Clement, a
Catherine allowed no intellectual pre-
cedenCe to the most learned masters OF
the academies OF reigning paganism
When days of peace and prosperity
dawned, she built schools by the side
of her monasteries and basilicas
Monte Casino spread its light over It.
ally; Lerins gathered scholars from
Gaul and Germany; under Patrick S
magic touch, Ireland became the isle
Of schools and of scholars. Shall
mention the Industrious universities oil
Europe? 0 Church Catholic, tho,
art surely the mother, the queen oil
liberal learning! Salerno, Padua ana
Bologna; Paris, Montpelier and Sala
manca; Louvain, Leipsic, Fribourg anC
Tubingen; Oxford, Cambridge anf
Glasgow am naming great schools
rich founts of European learning ant
civilization, the glories of the Middle
Agcs-I am counting the pearls which
history gratefully places in thy chap
let of honor. They were thy schools
often founded, always blessed by tn.
popes and bishops.