Year: 1875


which being held at Maynooth the interest taken by
the outside world in its proceedings is growing
daily In tho Roman Catholic system well known,
all the legislative and governing power the hands
OF the bishops the second the clergy have no
controlling or decisive voice The present being |
national" synod, includes among its members the
Irish heads of the religious orders which have establish
ments in the country and also elected Of
the several diocesan chapters where those institutions
exist But he powers OF those classes limited
counselng the bishops they have final the
laty they not represented at all they pres
ent at the discussions and the present synod acting
strict canonica lines does not permit them the
formal announcement OF the decrees or resolutions
which have been adopted. The specialties Of this
system will at once explain why usually so little
interest Is manifested in episcopal gatherings
Neither clergy nor aty have any delibera-
tons, and the Legislation" usually confined to some
matters Of ritual tending increase the decorum of
divine worship is directed to effect improve
mcnt in clerical life which is have the sympa-
| thy at the Indifference, OF outsiders In the
present case however is known that questions
will under consideration which both clergy and
laty feel unusual interest and the settlement of
which, quite apart from higher spiritual concerns will
have important temporal consequences.


| The first Of these is


EDUCATION QUESTION


There in Ireland three "Queen's colleges" main
tanned out Of funds voted annually by Parliament for
their support Certain changes lately effected in Trinity
College and the University OF Dublin place those inst
tuons, far as principle, the same footing the
Queens colleges. In all those establishments
the instruction is strictly secular" ranging
over the ordinary subjects of high class
education. No religious instruction is given and the
lecturers bound to avoid giving to their instruc-
tion religious complexion Of any kind 1t is, how
ever fair to say that they also enjoned avoid
giving any pretext for offence by references which
might be construed by bigoted persons hostile
to religion The Roman Catholic objections this sys
TEN are well known II Is contended that side by side
with secular learning youths should be instructed in
religion; otherwise they will grow up irregious
men. And the duty OF the Church is to maintain
religion, she must condemn any system which ignores
it. But the bishops usually 60 further than this They
claim a control over the system OF education They
insist that they have q divine commission 20 condemn
false doctrine aud to prevent its being taught Here
up all those vexod questions about Galilce, &c.
Mon ask whether professor Of some physical
science to be stopped teaching say scen
t6c theory 'vita force" because IL is supposed to
to the Mosaic cosmogony. Or again, is
professor of history be stopped short his
of Joan Of Arc the Spanish Inquison because his
views do quite accord with medieval notions upon
sorccry, may seem to clash with the condemnation
OF religious liberation in the Syllabus.


The Irish bishops set up, In 1854,


CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY


in opposition to the Queens colleges, and they have
maintained il during the twentyone years which have
succeeded almost entirely OF the voluntary
tributons Of the people This Is 4 heavy this
poor country, especially considering II is practically
for upholdng competition with the British treasury
! fealt hat ough ot 70
perhaps, that it cannot Cardinal Cullen, Pres
dent of the Synod, has notified officially that
the education question and the position OF
the Catholic University must form prominent
subjects Of deliberation. II is therefore, only
reasonable expect that the bishops will call upon the
Irish popular members forco those matters upon the
attention of the House of Commons session THIS
may not only considerably diversity the Parliamentary
campaign, but may influence considerably the struggle
between the two English political parties


The second matter of general Importance likely to
engage the attention Of the Synod the position OF the
parish priests. Hitherto, whenever a was ap-
pointed parish priest he practically independent Of
episcopal control at least long he committed no
grave offence rejecting shame his calling He
might take what Wow he pleased in politics. might
he liked as to schools &c, and 10 all inents
unaccountable to any for his actions
his omissions But the o'Keefe case has
shown that II this quasndcpendcnce has
its advantages for the parish priests it has serious
drawbacks for the bishops and may also be said for
the community at large British law, while IL toer-
aes, is still hostile to the organization of the Roman
Catholic Church 1t refuses to recognize the cardinaI
principal of that organization viz the


SUPREME CONTROLLING AUTHORITY THE POPE.


The Irish Court of Queens Bench has decided in one
of the many oKeefe trials, that even now Papal re-
scripts bulls wholly imperative Ireland and
this in the teeth of the fact that Papa brief neces
sary for the appointment of bishop and that appoint
ment by bishop is the only way by which a clergy
rAan become parish priest The result has been
that it is very hard to get clergyman out of parish
in any case and next to impossible to get him legally
dspossessed of the parochal house and church If he
chooses to set his bishop at defiance.


On the other hand, it cannot be denied that the bulk
of the aity while they sympathized with o'Keeie in
the early stages Of his quarrel with his bishop and
considered that he had been originally hardly dealt
with, have round to look upon the affair with
very different feelings, and would be glad to him
finally disposed Of Further, they would not object to
a measure which would considerably curtail the inde-
pendence of the clergy. Not that they are enamorcd
themselves with episcopal CONTROL but they think that
men who have embraced the prestly cang-especially
as the theory OF the Roman Catholic Church regards
it-o6ht to be kept within closer bounds aud held with


tighter rein than the priests themselves seem to desire
here in Ireland In England there parish priests
There instead missionary rectors, who
able at the pleasure of the bishop of the diocese.
1t has been suggested that a similar system
ought to be introduced into Ireland In this case the
priest of district would be completely dependent
the will Of his bishop, who might any moment, by
superseding him, deprive him Of the oflv-
ing. Another suggestion has been that the parish
priests should be transferable from district to
another at the will OF the bishop. The advantage of
this would be that while the priest could not be de
prived Of his livelihood without grave canonca fault
duly proved, he would still be far dependent on
his ecclesiastical superior than he Is just


There is very


CONSIDERABLE FERMENT AMONG THE PRIESTS


about the matter and IL is increasing or course they
~ tho in