CHURCH AND SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1037, 28 January 1911, Page 3

CHURCH AND SCHOOLS.

4 ' ROMAN CATHOLIC DEMANDS. THE SYDNEY CONFERENCE. Cardinal Moran presided over the final meeting.of the representatives-to the Koniaii Catholic Education Conference at the Chapter Hall, St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, on January 20. Orr this occasion only the bishops and clergy, wero present. . . The following determinations - were., arrived at:— - 1. The State system .of education was. at its. inception, devised,in a spirit of ' hostility -to tho Catholic Church. Sir Henry. Parkes, at a public meeting, holding a draft of the iiuueation bill iu liis hand, said, ."I Hold in my hand what will be death to the calling of tho priesthood of the' Church of itoine.": The champions of-the Bill.made no secret of their purpose. It was everywhere their cry, "Give to the principles of the Catholics no quarter." ■ The authorities of the Protestant Church were notified that by tho proposed secular system no hostility was intended to the '" Protestant Church,- and to pleasc'thafc section of tho community an explanatory clause was introduced to the effect that secular instruction did not include general religious principles. Ike. avow'-"' ed purpose of destroying the faith of., Catholic children continues at the root ' of the whole system. As this principle is radically wrong,. it cannot,, consist-, ■ ently with our religious convictions, be accepted by the Catholic body. " 2. Tho State ot New South "Wales assumes to itsell the task of education,inloco parentis. While we vigorously deny'"' tho validity of such assumption on the part of. the State, wo feel bound to affirm that the action of the State, taken in conjunction with its claim, is 'illogk cal. In assuming to itself .such, a responsibility it should also discharge the corresponding duties. ' Hence' it bo-' conies the duty of the State to see thafc . tho child be surrounded by all these • religious influences with which, it. is unquestionably tho duty, of the'.parent' to equip, the. home—a duty -which nature and religion alike imposes on the parcut. . ' '■. '. ■ •/:'. .. ).,''

3. Catholics demand • nothing, mora •than equality and liberty in ..the exercise of their religon. They do not ask. to be recognised as a State Church;.nor do they petition for any special favour in the matter of religion to bo'extended to them. ' ■■• '.

i. It is, not in any spirit of mere.op-'-position to the State schools or to Protestant schools that Catholics carry' on their.own schools, but it is to the end that they may ' preserve to \Catholio children all blessings of the'faith'-which is dearer to thorn than life ; itself...'.

■5. Catholics have not asked hitherto,and have.no intention of • demanding, aid from the State- as a recompense -for' teaching' Catholic,, children in their: schools.- . ■'■"■'' ■■' •:...-./

6. But Catholics demand that their schools, be .aided and. recompensed .in so far' as" they -successfully carry on .the. work .'of secular teaching :n accordance with the required. State standard. ' , 7. As the State offers aid and recompense -.. for. such .teaching. Catholics should not be refusd. assistance'. on the sole plea that, in addition- to' the 1 , rer quired secular teaching they form the' minds and hearts" of tile' children : to morality and virtue.

'.8. As the State collects tho .taxes ■ from-all. citizens;alike -indiscriminately';','; it. should, in equity,;distribute alike to ' '■'; all the meed of iWhettilitT "merited by the training of of any section of the' taxpayers'. '-■'-' - - 9. That, to safeguard, our rights 'ia matters of education, a central committee, composed of tho pastor- and two ' ■ laymen of each parish m'Sydney and ' suburbs, form a central education council for Sydney, ' and . that . two - • priests and. two laymen from .each of ~ the other dioceses'be deputed.to form' v part of this central committee. That this committee hold its first- meeting- ; in Sydney during Easter week, .1911,- . and that its animal meeting thereafter be contemporary with that of tho educational council and summer school. ■■.

10. That bare justice demands that our Catholic orphanages, charitable". industrial homes, aiid other charitable industrial institutions' should 'receive some of the Government recognition, and assistance so ungrudgingly rendered to like institutions throughout the other States of. the Commonwealth and throughout the Empire. 11. That all State bursaries should be open to competitors for the pupilsy of 'every'school in the State. That if the proposed bursaries arc not made tenable at the option of the winnersin Catholic schools -then - extension .to our. school children, instead of being a benefit, would institute a new grievance to our-, people. 12. At the close of our conference we wish to deprecate the attempts ■of the Sydney daily press to obscure, the.' clear issuo contained in the above propositions.

13. Wo feel that, our position is; patriotic in the highest sense, and calculated to bring lasting -peace after years of bitter struggling. "Wo confidently appeal to our irrespective of party or creed, to cud to this long-standing injustice arid to satisfy our equitable claims..

14. That a full statement - of. the Catholic claim by his' Eminence, Cardinal Moran, with' the proceedings and resolutions of "this' educational' 'conference, bo printed in pamphlet form'and twhiisliod in the whole of the churches of the different dioceses. ,