ADVANCE CATHOLIC EDUCATION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 49, 6 April 1894, Page 17

ADVANCE CATHOLIC EDUCATION.

ffij^Mfc. tne l»yi Q g of the foandatioa-stone of the new Catholic school in St Mary's parish, t.hristchurch, his Lordship, the Bishop of the diocese, JujOTg"? made a telling speech on the education question. Vg*3|} Dr Grimes, believing with M John Chrysostom, j|gK that " learning is of relatively small value in comparison with integrity of soul," has devoted himself, with marked zeal, since his arrival in New Zealand, to the extension and perfection of religious schools. Year by year new schools are opened in his large diocese, the status of existing schools is improved, and the standard of Catholic education raised higher and higher. A i system of competent diocesan examination giveb the assurance that while religious knowledge is sedulously iuipaited, instruction in secular matters is kept well abreast of the ' times. Triune education — mental, moral, and phy&ical education in the true sense of the word, is fostered throughout the diocese of Christchurch, and the faithful laity have shown their appreciation of the noble etiorts of their hardworking clergy by generously maintaining Catholic schools. As in other parts of Australasia, the motto of Catholics is the saying of the golden-tongued Bishop of Constantinople : " We must not give up literature, but we must not kill the soul." Catholics realise with the great Bonai'arte that " society without religion is like a ship without a compass, uncertain as to whither it is going." They are alive to the necessity of preparing youth to creditably take their place in society, but they will not tolerate a system which, ignoring Uod and His Revelation, leads to indifference and practical infidelity. Catholics are fully in accord with Hora.ce Mann, the great patron of common schools, when he says, "If the intellect, however, gifted, be not guided by a sense of justice, a love of mankind, and » devotion to duty, its possessor is only a more splendid as he is a more dangerous barbarian. We are fully persuaded that the salt of religious truth can alone preserve education from abuse." Society is moulded by education. If education be not morally good, we must not expect to rind society morally pure. If society becomes irreligious or indifferent we naturally trace the cause to the defect of religious training, which, because of the incapacity or neglect of parents, should be imparted in the school. The Catholics of Christchurch are true to the faith of their fathers and the best traditions of the past. They see in their own city lamentable evidences of the trend of a pernicious public-school system. They have shown for very many years, by supporting good Catholic schools, the determination to give their

children a true and Christian education. They now give an additional proof of devotion to the great cause by providing extra accommodation in the erection of a new school. Success to the good work. The building of a temple of God is of great importance. The erection of a school so closely appro-icW it in importance that both should be linked together. It is said that Cardinal Manning would not entertain the idea of building a Cathedral until every parish in his diocese had not only a church but a school, so important is it that Catholic parents should be able to send their Catholic children to Catholic schools. We have no doubt that the Catholics of St. Mary's, and of Christchurch generally, wiU respond to the appeal of their beloved Bishop and their zealous priests, and soon add one more " nursery of piety and hive of learning " to the many homes of true education in this young land. We are quite sure that the Catholics of this Colony will never, to use Dr Grimes' words, " so long as they have a penny with which to build schools, accept the present godless system of State education." The facts placed by the Bishop before his congregation would cause a feeling of shame to be experienced by our fellow-colonists were they not, in too many instances, hardened by the shamelessness of sectarian rancour and long-continued injustice. " There were eighty teachers employed in the Catholic schools in the Christchurch diocese, and their salaries would amount to £7000 a year." " During the last seventeen years they had spent over £150,000 in school buildings in <Jhiistchurch diocese alone, and had also been call- d upon to pay one-seventh of the amount raised for State education." JDr Grimes contended that in justice Catholics were entitled to a very large sum, which had been paid for education iD Catholic schools since the present Act had been in force. The Bishop loses no opportunity of making a strong presentment of the claims of Catholics to simple justice. But the injustice continues. Downright bigotry stands in the way. It is folly for Protestants to say, as they generally do, that if Catholics got aid, others would demand it. In Canada there is something like justice. In Lower Canada — now the Province of Quebec — the Protestant minority has always been treated fairly. In Ontario — Upper Canada— it was with very great difficulty after the union of Legislatures that the Catholic minority could get even a measure of justice. Now they have their system of separate schools. The promoters of separate schools have the power to create a beard ol management and to collect the school rate from those, who so desire, for the maintenance of separate schools. Catholics have availed themselves of the provisions of the Act, aui separate schools attended by Catholic children, taught by Catholic teachers, managed by Catholic trustees, are everywhere to be met with. In iStt there was only one separate school in Ontario. Fifty years afterwards, in 18l»l, there were '2*9 separate schools manned by G39 teachers and attended by o(i,l6o pupils. While separate schools for Catholic children show a decided yearly increase, while others can, on demand, obtain the same privilege, we have it on the authority of a prominent Canadian educationist, that J " no Protestant denomination has demanded separate schools for itself." There is constant agitation on the part of Protestant bigots to nullify the arrangement which permits Catholics to avail themselves of the separate school system, but no attempt to create in Ontario a Protestant separate school system. Protestants on the whole are satisfied in Canada, as they are in New Zealand, with public schools. All they want at most is Bible-reading, with a conscience clause . It they could compel the separate school law— the outcome of union with Catholic Quebec — to be abrogated they would be content, " Down with Catholic schools," and not " Give us Protestant schools," is the cry all the world over. The shibboleth which is effectively used at election times is a sham. The Protestant laity, who dominate the Protestant clergy, do not really want separate schools. Even if Catholics got their own money back and had their schools officially recognised, the vast overwhelming majority of non-Catholics would adhere to the common school system. Well do the astute secularist leaders know that this is so, but it suits their book to parade a bogey and an effective shibboleth.

To-day (Wednesday), the Feast of St Jcmph— postponed from Monday in Holy Week— the Feast of the Patron Saint add the eighth anniversary of the openiog of St Joseph's Cathedral are being celebrated. The ceremonieß in the church are Mad at 7 a.m.— With a sermon by the Rev Father Murphy and the music of the Cathedral choir, High Macs at 10 a.m. Vesperaat 7 p,m., with

sermon by Rev Father Hunt, and Benediction of the Most Holy Bacrament.

The Mother Mary Joeeph Aubert is still carrying on her work of devotion and benevolence on the remote banks of tbe Wanganui River. Were it only to enable the good nun to perform her work of mercy and charity that she was, at the same time, busy in tbe preparation of Maer famous medicines, distilled from native trees and plants, her effort would be deserving cf support. The medicines, however, are of real value, and their discovery and preparation have conferred no slight boon on suffering humanity. They are prepared and bottled by Mother Mary Joseph herself, and no doubt can be felt as to their being perfectly genuine. They are warranted, too, to keep for any length of time, and no deterioration in their virtues need be apprehended. As to the efficacy of tbe cures, abundant testimony exists in support of it. AH good motive?, therefore, combine to bring these cures into geneial use and to recommend the enterprise to the patronage of the public. In tbis instance, charity is accompanied by its own temporal recompense.

The Catholic picnic (says the Oamaru Mail of March 27) was held yesterday on the grounds of Mr John M'Lean, at Redcastle, and was well attended. The sale of goods left over from the bazaar was very successful and a large number were disposed of at satisfactory prices, Mr Christie wielding the auctioneer's hammer. Mr James Qainn, of Ashburton, who purchased largely, gave away a large quantity of purchases to be competed for by tbe ladies in races, etc.

The following paragraph occurs in the news by tbe San Francisco mail :— Tbe Pontiff celebrated his eighty -fourth birthday anniversary on March 2. In reply to congratulations he said he would continue to the end of his life the work of carrying on the beneficent action of the church, adding that the need of this is great, for all the old conceptions of honesty, justice, authority, liberty, social rights, and social duties have been overthrown, and the church must seek to recall the nations to tbe principles of moral faith, to point out the true causes of existing evils, to denounce the designs of Freemasonry, to imbue the different classes of society with a feeling of eqnity and charity, to inspire rulers with rectitude, and to govern with submission, and instil in all ardour for peace. Father Kneipp, famous for his advocacy of his so-called water cure, had an audience with his Holiness on February 28. After examination Father Kneipp expressed tbe opinion that the Pope will probably live beyond the end of tbe century.

Topebs in South Carolina, it would appear, take their cups rather seriously. Prohibition tbere has been met by riots in which several people were killed. Aspecid pioviaioa of the hw is that so man is to treat his friend. Licenses to be drunk on the premises are strictly forbidden. The spirit of hospitality, then, for which tbe Southern States are said to be famed has. perhaps, entered into the matter and caused bloodshed, la any case, the detecting of sly grog —for which proceeding twenty men have been driven into the swamps at Darlington and killed, is rather a ha/.ardous undertaking. We hardly expect that hospitality in New Zealand will produce similar results. P. B.— We now learn that some of tbe detec'ives at Darlington were only half killed, and survive for farther detection. Detecting a Tartar, meantime, mast be nearly as bad as catching him. Things in the State continue very threatening— and all as tbe result of fanaticism — that of the Governor, who forced the law through. They may well dispense with the female suffrage in South Carolina if they have a man at the bead of affairs who in himself includes all its virtues.

The ceremonies of the Pope's episcopal jubilee were brought to concluiion on Sunday, February 18, with a Mass celebrated by His Holmes in St Peter's. Some 50,000 people are said to hay« been present, and there was great enthusiasm. At night the basilica, many othsr churches, and a great part of the city were illaminated.

On March 8 an explosion of dynamite took place at Monte Citorio, close to the Italian Chamber of Deputies, The intention, evidently, was that of making a body, whom the anarchists with seme show of reason regard as traitors to their cause and renegade, recognise a power that they must deal with. But with tbe enthusiasm shown for the Papacy on one Bid -, and tbe ferocity of anarchy on the other, tbe monarchy aod its interested partisans can bardly feel very comfortable. Tbe possibilities arising from such explosions among tbe unique monuments of Rome, meantime, are not a pleasant subject of contemplation to the world in general .

We are pleased to learn that Dr Cahill of Wellington, who has been suffering from typhoid fever is pronounced by his medical attendants to be in a fair way of recovery.

The infamous La Caron is dead. Tbe London Times fills up the cup of its degradation by declaring that tbe scoundrel was a patriot

and his mi'sioo a mble one. Thip, however, ! s consistent in a paper that availed itjelf of the services of Pigott. Toryism, indeed, is duly honoured by its apotheosis of the informer and the spy.

The first edition of Mr James J. Moran's famous novel, " A Deformed Idol" (says the Edinburgh Cat/wins Herald), has bcenv exhausted , and a second edition is in the press. Tbis auccess is not wonderful when one recollects Mr Justin McCarthy's criticism of the work, " The central idea of tbe story is strong, original, and splendidly worked out." It is a matter of some gratification that a Catholic wrier, and one of onr own staff particularly, should at tbe very outset of bis literary career produce a novel which so high an authority as the Athetneum declared to be " a masterpiece in its way."

ANo'd member of the Duoedin Catholic congregation passed away last week in the person of Mr Dennis MacDonneil, Who had acted as organ-blower at the old church anl St Joseph's Cathedral for many years. Mr MacDonneU had been in the employment of Mr Hardy, architect, of thia city, and had proved hi 9 fidelity to his employer by resuming bis service, from a more lucrative situation, when that gentleman returned some little time ago from a visit to the Old Country. The funeral, which took place on Sunday, was numerously attended, tbe local branch of tbe H.A.C B.S. of which the deceased bad been a member, marching, in regalia, before tbe heirse. Deceased bad also bean a member of the Confriternity of the Holy Family, and the funeral oeremonies in the Cathedral were conducted by the Very Rev Father Lynch, spiritual director of the Confraternity, the Rev Father Murphy officiating at the grave. Mr A. VslHb, organist of the Cathedral, performed on the occasion Chopin's " Funeral March " and tbe " Dead March " from Saul. — R.I.P.