Year: 1873

Wnere IN characters OF Ilgnb.


The Catholic Crusade Against the


Public Schools.


The following significant state
ments, made in the columns of the
New York Times throw light on
what the Roman Catholic hierarchy
are doing to destroy the public
school system in the United States:


The movement on the part of the
Roman Catholic clergy for the estab
lishment of parochial schools, in op-
position to the public schools, the
progress of which in the city of New
York, has already been noticed in
the Times, is being pushed forward
with much vigor in Brooklyn and
other places on Long Island, Al
ready the crusade against the public
schools has been commenced by Rev
Robt. J. Mcguire, pastor of St.Paups
parish, who has purchased grounds
for the site of a new parochial school
intended by their promoters to su-
.percede the public schools.


Subscription lists have been plen-
tifully supplied to the parishioners,
who have responded with alacrity to
the call Of their spiritual rulers, and
contributions have come in to the
fund for the establishment of the
school The clergy and parishioners
are jubilant over the success of the
movement, and state that they will
shortlyhaye at their disposal a school
in which the Catholic youth can be
educated in the tenets of his faith.
The movement is general among the
clergy, all Of whom express them
selves in favor Of schools which will
be ruled exclvaively by Catholics.
The number of parochial schools at
present in existence in Brooklyn is
very large, but does not satisfy the
object Of the Roman Catholic clergy
who aim at controlling the education
of the entire youth Of their own
creed, and perhaps in the course of
time, the children of the Protestant
denominations.


Bishop Loughlin is entirely in IA
yor of the movement, and might, in
fact, be said to be the originator of
the parochial schools in his diocese.
He was consccrated Bishop in 1853,
and shortly after showed his prefer
ence for the parochial school system
by inviting the members Of several
religious communities to open
schools in his diocese. First one,
exclusively Roman Catholic school
was opened, which was speedily fol-
lowed blythe establishment of anoth-
er, until almost every parish in the
city sustained its own sectarian
school. The zeal of the clergy to es
tablish parochial schools will be seen
in the fact that in almost every case,
on the formation Of a new parish, the
building of a school was first under
taken before any attempt was made
to erect church. The school once
built, and Roman Catholic children
either induced or compelled to at
tend it, the influence of the priests
over the parishioners was increased,
and that point gained the building of
church was a comparatively y easy
undertaking. o-4 -s


The Bishop and clergy of Brook
lyn, made no secret of their inten-
tions in this matter Of sectarian edu-
cation, and say that the Increment IS
a simultaneous one all OceT the CONT
aept. They say that they consider
it the perfect right of Roman Catho-
lie parents to send their children to
schools where they can receive ire
ligious training, and boldly assert
that it is their intention to use all
the influence at their command to in
duce the adberents of their creed to
withdraw their children from the
public schools.


Whether this coercion viii have
the desired effect remains to be seen
When the new parochial school Of
st. Paurs Parish-whieh would seem
to be the test Of the movement in
Brooklyn, as Father 0'Farrelps is
in New York-has been built, and
pressure has been brought to bear on.
the Roman Catholic residents by the
priests, the real feeling of the parish
toner's will be ascertained.


A number of the more enlightened
Roman Catholics, when spoken to on
the subject, said that they were salts


fed with the public school system,
and would not identify themselves
with the new movement. Some ad-
INIT, however, that it would be very
ldlsagreeable to their feelings to be
lstigmatized as opponents to their
lspiritual directors, and intimate that


coercion might have the effect Of in
lducing them to aceede to their wishes
| on the other hand there are Roman
! Catholic citizens who repudiate 1