THE IRISH LAITY ON CATHOLIC EDUCATION

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 272, 19 July 1878, Page 5

THE IRISH LAITY ON CATHOLIC EDUCATION-

The Catholics of Ireland are evidently resolved that their educational interests shall not suffer for want of agitation. The fact that the laity as well as the clergy are urgent for Catholic rights in education was demonstrated by the aggregate meeting in the Rotunda, Dublin, on the 26th April, when an immense audience, under the presidency of the Lord Mayor, expressed the sentiments of the Catholics of Ireland on the subject. Except for tbe fact that words of approbation were received from Pope Leo and Cardinal Cullen, and that the Primate of Ireland was called to the second chair, it may be considered as strictly a lay meeting.

As the Lord Mayor remarked, the Catholics of Ireland seek no exceptional privileges, no unjust advantages, they ask simply equality in educational opportunities, as they have gained equality in religious status. In a letter read by Mgr. Woodlock, President of the Catholic University of Ireland, Cardinal Cullcn said that the amount of infidelity caused by bad schools at the present day is appalling ; and a case was mentioned of a young officer, with an Italian name, who studied at an infidel university in Belgium, and who having arrived in Ireland to assist the Fenians, and being made prisoner and confined in Kilmainliara, professed himself an atheist, and laughed at everything in the way of religion.

A resolution was moved by the Right Hon. Win. Coogan, M.P., and seconded by P. J. Smyth, M.P., declaring that educational equality, can be attained only by the concurrent endowment or disendowmeut of educational institutions. The latter gentlemen showed that as it was wholly a domestic question it should be settled according to the will of the people of Ireland, no imperial interests being concerned. A second resolution declared that as all other denominations in Ireland enjoy the advantage of universities which fully meet their educational wants, and are not at variance with their religious opinions, the Catholics of Ireland have an undoubted right to a Catholic University endowed ■with, every advantage and privilege given to other universities. The Earl of Granard, M.P., and The O'Connor Don, M.P., supported a resolution calling on the Queen to have introduced at once the bill on intermediate education, promised in her speech at the opening of the session, and to recognise the longdeferred claims of Irish Catholics in this branch of the education question. The O'Connor Don stated that he had given notice of his resolution to oppose the Queen's College votes, and. the Hon. Judge Little moved that it was the imperative duty of Irish members to give the most rigorous opposition to any future appropriation of the public revenues to the support of the Queen's Colleges, until there is some support given to the Catholic University. In conclusion, the claims of Catholic teachers and parochial schools were urged, and a deputation was appointed to present the resolutions to the Prime Minister. The meeting may be regarded as one of the most significant and influential ever held by the laity of Ireland of late years, and its forcible and comprehensive presentation of Catholic claims in education, though it may not meet with, immediate success, may, by the intelligent and consolidated Catholic opinion revealed, eventually lead to it.