CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION IN WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 170, 30 June 1876, Page 14

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION IN WELLINGTON.

A general meeting of the Catholic inhabitants of Wellington was held in the Catholic Cathedral, on Sunday afternoon, 11th inst. The meeting was convened by his Lordship, Dr. Redwood, for the purpose of taking into consideration the means whereby they might erect a suitable school and residence for the Christian Brothers who lately arrived here, and the necessity of a pure Catholic and nonsecular education for the Catholic youth of Wellington. The church was well filled with members, and a number of the clergy and leading Catholics occupied seats within the altar rails. His Lordship occupied the chair. The Bishop, by way of introduction, said they were all aware of the object of the meeting, and he would not trespass on their time, and being of a practical and business nature, it would not be necessary for him to dwell on the principles for which they were assembled there. Their principles as Catholics were as fixed as the Catholic Church herself, and the system of purely secular education could not be admitted by them, because it was false in its origin and pernicious in its consequences, and had been condemned by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in all parts of the world. It was the right of the Catholic children to receive a Catholic education, and it was, therefore, their parents' duty to see they received such an education. He would now invite their attention to the resolutions to be proposed on this important subject. Mr. W. Jchnson proposed the following resolution : — " We, the Catholics of Wellington, in union with our fellow-Catholics all over the world, fully appreciate the importance and necessity of a thoroughly sound Catholic education for our children, and in dutiful obedience to the advice of our chief pastor, are determined to make every sacrifice required for that sacred and urgent purpose." He would not enter upon the question as to whether it was advisable for the State to provide adything more than strictly secular education, but it was certain they, as Catholics, wanted something more. They wanted, for instance, that their children should be taught the history of the Catholic church ; how it had grown from its foundation, and the influence it had upon the world. That history was perhaps the most wonderful of all histories, on account of the numberless examples it afforded of disinterested devotion shown in every country and every age. (Applause.) It was necessary their children should be taught the li ves of the saints, those great guides of the Church, because it was a good thing in this age — when the universal desire was to make money — to have told to them the stories of those who thought it better to spend their lives in the service of God and for the benefit of their fell»w-men. (Applause.) This could only be done in Catholic schools. As citizens and parents, they wished their children should grow up, not merely with a certain amount of book knowledge, but also to be virtuous men and women. They wished to have constantly impressed upon them, that the great business that they had on earth was to prepare for eternity. He would submit the resolution to them without further comment. The resolution was seconded and carried unanimously. Mr. Charles O'Neill proposed the next resolution, and felt sure they would receive it heartily. It was to welcome the Christian teachers to Wellington. (Great applause.) He felt sure there were none who would give them a more hearty welcome — a caed tnille failthe — than those who hailed from Ireland , a people who always clung fondly round their clergy — their soggarlh aroon. These Brothers were men who had labored from their boyhood in fitting themselves to instruct Catholic youth. They had come to Wellington to assist in the work of Catholic education, and the members of the Church ought to feel proud and delighted that they were amongst them, for they knew the education to be given by them would be purely Catholic. He would ask what was education without religion ? A very striking example of this was shown in •France, where the effects of the late war and the atrocious crimes perpetrated by the Commune were the results of a godless education. After some further remarks on the results which would necessarily follow in the successful carrying out of the subject under discussion, and thanking his Lordship for bringing the Christian Brothers amongst them, he moved the following resolution :-— " We, the Catholics of Wellington, personally and in the name of our brethren in the diocese of Wellington, give a warm and kearty welcome to the Christian Brothers on their happy arrival in our midst, and pledge ourselves to provide them with all possible speed adequate school buildings, together with a respectable and comfortable residence. At the same time, we thank his Lordship for his exertions in procuring us the advantage of these invaluable instructors of youth, thus bringing to a happy issue the

previous steps taken in the matter by his lamented predecessor, Bishop Viard, of dear memory." The resolution -was seconded and carried unanimously. Mr. James O'Shea moved the following resolution : — " That immediate and efficient means be adopted to meet the expenses required for the erection of a suitable residence and a large central school worthy of the Catholic Church ; and our earnestness in this matter should be increased by the fact of our unavoidable separation from the Education Board, and being put upon our own resources." He hoped they hud come prepared for this occasion, for even for the least work of charity they required money. If th?y wished their children to retain their faith they must have education, and money was required to give that education. He need not remind the Catholics who came from the old land, what their forefathers did for the cause of education in their native country. Here, where their resources, thank God, were greater, they would he knew support the education of their children. The resoluticto was seconded and carried. 1 Dr. Grace, in moving the next resolution, said, his Lordship drew their attention to the fact that this was a practical and business-like meeting, and he (Dr. Grace) hoped to be able to demonstrate to them in a few words, that practical results were likely to follow from the action they were about to take in the matter. He thought there was no common feeling on the part of the public in general in regard to this education question. He had found in considering this large question, and in discussing it with members of Legislature, in this colony and elsewhere, that the public were generally actuated by a common desire for the advancement of the State and for the enlightenment of the agei He also found that the only practical means that suggested themselves to theorists of a certain order on this subject, were the adoption of a species of secular education, which really meant a system of denominational education adapted to the test, because the number of those who were prepared to exclude religion altogether from education, were shown to be very small indeed. However, in the race for success the race was to the strong, and if we (Catholics) have in our hands the best and most efficient means of satisfactorily educating our children, there appeared no doubt but that success would be the result. He maintained if they supported a body of men, actuated by pure motives of Christianity alone, and free from all selfish desires in the direction of gain, that their children in the coming race would be among the strong. (Applause.) Practically it amounted to this, if they succeeded in their endeavors, looking to the future which loomed invitingly before them, they would be conferring on their children those advantages which would make them successful competitors in the race of life. He then moved the following resolution : — " That a committee be appointed to carry on the collection of the necessary funds, and that it consist of the following gentlemen (named), under the presidency of his I Lordship, with power to add to their numbers." Resolution I seconded and carried. | Mr. Buckley, in proposing the last resolution, said, though last, it was of the greatest importance. He said they would be i independent of the Board which had given them so much trouble. ; After all the imposition to be made was only a small one, and he I felt certain the day was not far distant when the State would say, ! " Educate our children because your education is the only true i style." He then moved — " That a subscription list be opened im1 mediately, and donations received, his Lordship acting as Treai surer. Seconded and carried. j Dr. Grace, in moving a vote of thanks to his Lordship, said ■ that since his Lordship's arrival among them he had shown his great zeal and earnestness in the interests of Catholicity, and he considered the bringing of the Christian Brothers to Wellington the most important of his works. I Mr. Buckley seconded the vote of thanks. His Lordship in returning thanks, said it was only his duty he had done, and he felt it was a pleasure to do so when everybody was so willing to co-operate with him in discharging that duty.