The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1958-05-09
An Uphill Fight
Popularity OF Catholic
Schools Aid Position
by Erik v. Kuehnelt-L eddihn

The difficulties with which the Church is faced
HI Ceylon do not stop her uphill fight. In another TWO
years there will be another election and, perhaps,
another political scene for these, in Asia, are chang
ing rapidly from one day to another.
In the long run the prospects of the Church are
good because the clergy in Ceylon today is, in its
overwhelming majority, Indigenous. | had In Handy
the wonderful privilege to lecture to the students
of the Catholic National Seminary, situated on a
mountain overlooking a lovely valley with a new
shrine of pilgrimage dedicated to Our Lady OF Fatima.
Piigrimages are most popular with the Ceyton-
csc Catholics and they will wander on foot for days
until they reach their cherished place Of Worship
Here, in this Seminary. | was again so deeply
aware of the university of the Church. There was an
American Father Rector belonging to the rather
French Order of Oblates of Mary Immaculate, but
he was running the Seminary for the native" Bis
hop of Handy.
Some of the professors were French, others Cey-
lonese, others again Italian. by the way, in the Mis-
sions you find a most impressive number of Italian
priests and b~rothers)
During the lecture | spoke about the Faith in
Europe and in America and must confess that had
not only an attentive but also q most intelligent audi.
enee, inquiring and debating in the most accom-
pIished manner comparable with the level OF fhs
very best seninaries in fhe West.
They brought up themes which | never expect
ed would interest Asian minds such as, for instance,
existentialist philosophy in France and Germany,
modern Lutheran and CalviniSt theology, etc. The
oneness of the Catholic world was draSucaly brought
before my mind.
The Rector later spoke to me about the crying
needs Of the students and here is something my
readers could do: send to the Librarian OF the Ma.
sionsI Catholic Seminary in Randy, ceyIon, cooD
Catholic books Of medium and high level. The book
rate is so cheap and the sacrifice, in most eases, 50
small compared to the Joy it will give.
This seminary, however, is just one proof OF
the high Catholic educational standards everywhere
in Asia and the tremendous respect land envy the
Catholic schools are eliciting among the PaganS.
Everywhere between Tokyo and Arabia one can:
hear the accounts of wealthy non-CathoGcs trying
to bride with hard cash the Fathers and Sisters to-
give to their offspring priority in admission. The
popularity of the Catholic schools of all levels is due
to the fact that strict discipline is enforced, that
high moral principles are taught, that the scholastic
standards are superior and that no high-pressure
proselytizng is carried on.
There are Protestant schools in all these areas
but they cannot ut all be compared with our eau-
eafionaI Institutions which, spiritually and infelleefu-
ally, are preparing a wave Of conversion for fonor-
row.
Wonderful was my experience in the churches:
Again, is in Saigon, / experienced the strange sight.
of more men than women praying and worshipping,
especially on weekdays, The feeling that Asia might.
be the promised land of the Church tomorrow was
everpresent in me during my stay in Ceylon.
The Dutch and their persecution of the Church
have come and gone, and some day the dark cloud
now lowering over Ceylon will be dispersed too.