RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3139, 16 October 1922, Page 7

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. PLEA FOR STATE SUPPORT. The rapid extension of the system of church schools in the Auckland Province, in so far as ii related to the Roman Catholic Church, was touched upon by Bishop J. M. Liston, in the course of an address at, the opening of a now church school in the ]\lomi|t; Eden district (Auckland). He stated in the last 12 months lie had opened, four new school", cue each at Hamilton, Tc Kuiti. To Awainulu and Epsom. Ho had just opened a new school at .Mount Eden, near the Dominion Road tramway terminus, and in the next six months two more new schools would he opened,, four others rebuilt in brick to replace the inadequate accommodation at present provided, two new residences for teaching sisters c.eeted, and a magnificent new convent opened at Arch JI ill. The great in-, crease of schools and scholars in the province had exceeded Ihe supply of teachers hut'a largo number of postulant- would shortly enter one of the convents and. at the end of two vims. they should supply the need. The opening of these new schools and the demand for others was good, especially :is the demand for church schools was apparently greater on the part of the people than of the clergy. The attitude was a change from a few years ago and the laity, having seen for themselves the incalculable benefit from church schools in thiv midst, had shown a very laudable determination to extend the system. So practical had: been their effort- that to-day only a small minority of Roman ' Catholic; children attended school outside their own church. Education was now the !; '"-i popular department of church work with tiie people and the difficulty was not now schools or finance but teachers. Au attach on the sceularitv of the State educational svstem in New Zealand was delivc wd bv l)r Liston who declared that the "tree, secular an I compulsory" ideal was mi,, which would not permit education to be "ndulterod" with ,-i knowledge of the Saviour of the world. The people of the Roman Catholic religion did not share that illusion -■-! hat secular teaching was sufficient- bul wrv prepared to pay lor something more, for religious teaching in their schools. Centuries ago religions controversy raged about question* of doctrine, later it was contested whether the people should accept the guidance of Church or Bible, hut to-day the battle was fought on problems of education. The Roman Catholic Church asked to he given its children to educate them in moral principles and make them good citi/.ens of God's kingdom and good citizens ol New Zealand. Their people were prepared to make sacrifices to realise that ideal. They were delermint (1 that t heir children should have not merely the crumbs of religion, the week-end church and school, but the whole spiritual banquet, nor would' they weigh the t rifles of time against he important destiny of the souls commit ted to t heir c are. A pica tor just and equitable treatment of church schools in the matter of .-ul .-idies was made by Dr Liston. In the past these claims had In en coolly pul asirle. and the speaker was amazed at the little recognition they received from the public. The church schools wanted to share in the educational s . vs ~ tem of the country, and so make H truly national. They wanted lo be inspected and examined under the State -x —". -mi. and receive in the:r support subsidies equal to the tuxes which Roman Catholic people paid, directly or indirectly, toward the money spent on education by the Government. Dr Li-ton contended that it was both reasonable and feasible to return to the Church for the education of its children the money which its member* paid in taxes to this end. In England and Holland, even in Scotland, such >.n arrangement had keen, successful, and. with a little honesty and goodwill by those in authority, the same arrangement would be workable in New Zealand. The present position in the State schools was that they were taking T?o----111:111 Catholic money as well as that of other church members to support their schools. As his Church people paid for their own children's education for the greater part, the system was unfair and dishonest. If the conscience i!' the ordinary citizen realised the I '.-it ion. it would not be allowed to remain. But T)r Listen was not so hopeful of action -from the. Government which was in office. ("alike the ordinary citizen, the Government realised the position, but was "too busy admin-i-.tering oaths of allegiance to people who did not want them" to remove i his in just ice. But the people of his Church had ■hown i bat they were willing to face the position. They would educate their children in the fear of Cod as well as ii the knowledge of man. The work would go mi. thanks to the sacrifices of the people and of the teachers. That price they wore ready and willing to