Year: 1876

From the Catholic Telegraph


For years the attitude of the Catholic
Church toward the public schools has been
either knowingly or ignOrautly misrepre-
Sented. BY the press and the forum, in the
halls of legislation, and in the pulpits of Pro-
testantism, the Catholic Church has been
falsely and foully accused of designing the
destruction Of the common school system.
With the faint hope Of making our voice
heard above the loud din Of slander which
meets us on every side when the schOOi
,uestiOn is discussed, we beg leave to state
categOrically the position Of the Catholic
Church in relation to the common schools:
DECLARATION TO THE PEOPLE OF THE


UNITED STATES.


Enemies of the Catholic Church assert that
the bishops and clergy OF the Catholic Church
are hostile to the public schools of the coun-
try, and are leagued together to destroy
them. Americans, read our declaration and
learn our true sentiments:


1. The Catholic Bishops and clergy have
no intention whatever TO interfere with your
public school system. Build as many schools
as you wish; we will never say word
against it, and we will leave to yourselves
the care Of your children.


.. You wish your schools to be free from
all religious influence: in other words, you
wish them not to be sectional or sectariaa in
any sense. The Episcopate Of the Catholic
Church says in this regard: Do with your
children as you please.


8. We Catholics, on the other hand. are
under the conviction that children are sent
to school not only to be formed into citizens,
but also, and especially, to be educated into
good men and good Christians, and our
Church believes, in all earnest, with Gui-
zOt, the celebrated Protestant statesman of
France, that education can by no means be
CO, rod from -alioriOIrG infinpnpn fThara-
fore, while leaving your schools and their
management peacefully in your own hands,
we claim the right Of having schools OF our
own, from which religion shall not be eX-
cluded. but be allowed to exercise its salu
tary influence on our youth.


4. We claim the right on the plea that we
are a religious body in this free country,
whose Constitution most sOlemnly guaran-
tees the free exercise Of religious belief to
all its citizens, and the fullest personal free
dom in regard to the dictates of conscience.
Now, there is not a more essential or more
precious liberty than that Of parents to edu-
cate their children in the manner in which
they think will make them happy for time
and for eternity. Therefore, the Catholic
people, with logical sequence, claim the pro-
lection of the Government so as not to be
mOlested in their schools.


D. We say protection. No doubt justice
and equality would entitle the Catholic peo-
pie o, this country to exemption from taxa
tiOn for the support Of other schools, or to a
share Of the public school fund in prOpOr-
tiOn to the number Of pupils in their schools.
But even this claim we are disposed to waive
in your favor.


s. You can have no reason to fear the ef-
feet OF our system on the Commonwealth,
because experience has proved that the
students Of our colleges, academies and
schools are as good and as useful citizens as
those who come out Of your institutions.
And il in every other branch of human ac-
ton you admit the principle Of cOmpeti-
tiOn, aud believe in it, beneficial influence,
why should you exclude it from education,
and deprive yourselves of the benefit which
emulation would producer


l. We fear that notwithstanding this sin
cere, precise and solemn declaration, there
will vet be found fanaIical men and political
speakers who will endeavOr to excite their
hearers by asserting the imaginary oppOsi-
ton Of the Catholic clergy to the public
schools of the country. 1t is one Of the
misfortunes Of this world thai it
can not get rid Of men who,
like Don QuiXote, are perpetually fighting
against wind mills under the plea OF immi-
nent dangers to their fellOw-men. Such
men do not wish to know the truth, and,
though we repeat it thousand times that
we do not oppose their schools any more
than we adore images, or trust more in the
Blessed VIRGIN than in the merits of Christ,
they will thousand times renew the charge
and swear that we do. We do not expect to
silence such men; but we appeal TO all fair
minded citizens not to be led astray by the
bigoted or Ignorant Tanting Of men who
would blind them for their own political
ends.


We ask no favor or privilege. All we ask
is to be let alone in following the dictates Of
our own conscience, and you can not refuse
this without undermining the Constitution
and preparing the way for the loss OF the
same freedom for yourselves.


Americans, we are willing to rally with
YOU under the flag and Constitution and
maintain them with our blood, as we have
done heretofore But we can not help fear
ing that both are in peril while large num-
ber OF our fellow citizens, in and out of
office, allow themselves TO be influenced by
fanatical or self-interested politicians, or by
infidel and revolutionary foreigners who
come to us with the proud PretensiOn Of
teaching US what Republican Govern
ment is about which they know moth
ing themselves. All we ask is that you will
not 20 to such men to learn what we aim
at. what are our sentiments. Give us a fair
hearing, and receive this declaration as the
sincere expression Of our true principles,
which we make before God and men, actu-
ated BY no other motive than our desire Tor
the welfare and progress and perpetuity OF
Our country, such as the fathers of '76 made
it, and intended that it should remain.


Your sincere friend and lover Of the Amer
lean Republic, JOHN b. PURCELL,


Archbishop of Cincinnati.