CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 15, 10 August 1894, Page 16

CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS.

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Dv A^TAGE was taken of the presence in Auckland of Archbishop .Redwood and Bishop Grimes on their return trip from the South fciea Islands to hold a conference of the New Zealand Bishops, ihe meeting took place on Saturday, August 4th, in the palatial residence of Bishop Luck. Catholics throughout the Colony will unite with the assembled prelates in the expression of regret at the absence of the wise councils of the venerable Bishop of Dunedin. Dr Mouan was, however, represented by the Very Hey Dr Ega.n, 0.8.8., pastor of St Benedict's, Newton. We ltam from our special correspondent, whom we naked to wire an account of the meeting, that the following resolution was carried unanimously :—": — " That in view of the deplorable fact that a large proportion of the Catholic children attending the non-Catholic schools in the Colony practically lose their faith, the Bishops of New Zealand again inculcate the grave duty incumbent on Catholic parents of sending their children to the Catholic schools, and warn them that the sending of their

children V) non-Catholic schools generally constitutes a grievous sin, which debars them from the re> option of the Sacraments as long as they persevere in such a dereliction of parental duty." Without doubt, as in tho past so now attempts will be niido by a hostile Pn>as to neutralise the cff.cts of this pronouncement Liv l.! > .;.»r..!.y „f il lo Colony. The coryphaei of pod less schools will pn.l-f.vour t<> minimise the resistance of Catholics to the prcvo (ing " .MpV.^ s\sti'ui of education." Their ciTorts will he vain, an 1 will only tend to harden the opposition of 'Jit holies to secularism, la the words of the Fathers of the Plenary Council of !>ydney, the " clergy never cease to warn parents of their duty in this matter, and to their praise be it recorded, the laity have unswervingly answered her (the Church ), ' to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life.' " The Bishops in this Auckland Conference emphasise their former injunctions but give no new teaching. They repeat, in effect, what they 6aid at the Dunedin meeting of 1f92. 'ihey re echo the constant teaching of the Australasian Church. In the records of the Plenary Council we find the following admonition to parents :—": — " Let these take care, lest by their fault the faith and morals of the little ones, for whom Christ died, be endangered. Therefore, neither shall they send their sons or daughters to schools, interdicted or mistrusted by the pastors of the Church, nor under any pretext permit them to frequent such schools." Speaking of those who, in defiance of the prohibition of the Church, and with total disregard for the eternal welfare of their children, send their offspring to godless schools, the Council says: "It is plain from & tne moral teaching of the Church that they cannot be absolved in the Sacrament of Penance, if persistent in their sin." Referring to the building of schools, the B shops say elsewhere—" All Catholics, and especially pastors, are bound to use every effort for the establishment of schools in which Catholic children may receive a Christian and Catholic education." In fact, the Council looked on the matter as of so great importance that it decbred " that in every new mission the school ehould take precedence of the Church its If, the school being built without delay from the very first' and used in the interim for the purpose of a church. The Fathers of this Plenary Council of 1886, in in&ihting on Catholic schools for Catholic children, taught no new doctrine, even in Australasia. Seventeen years before we find in the records of the second Provincial Council of Australia the following words : — " We remind all clergy and laity who ate committed to our care that they are bound to make every effort for the erection, where possible, of Catholic schools in which the authority of the Church shall bo fully recognised and that system ot education maintained which has the eternal good of souls primarily in view, and which wisely combines the truthful teaching of religion with the knowledge and progress of worldly science."' But even in the earliest days of Australia, before the gold fever brought the teeming population which helped to build up a great Church, the Fathers of the very first Provincial (Synod spoke their minds on the great question of education. "It shall be the care of every missionary priest to erect schools in his district, and these schools he shall oftea visit. He shall give counsel to the teachers and instruction to the scholars." 'ihe New Zealand bishops in 1894 insist on what the Australian prelates insisted on in i 844 and what, fifty years hence, the Australasian Church will insist on in 1944. Uu the subject of education the Church never changes, fche keeps fully abreast, and more than abreast, of the time in secular instruction. She may change her methods of instruction, but her principle remains unaltered. The Catholic Church of this nineteenth century is the same as the Church of the sixth century, when the Council of Vaison obliged priests to found parochial schools, and wheu the Benedictines began their fruitful system of free monastic schools. The Church has not changed. Her teaching is ever the same. Her pastors have still, as of old, the sacred obligation of leading the little ones to Christ! And they are, in a God-forsaking world, faithful to their great trust. The modern lodge-created spirit insists on civil and dissoluble marriage and secular education. The Church in every land clings to the sacred character of a great sacrament, and loudly warns her children against godless schools. Temporising Protestantism is hastening to an cany grave, dug by the rndiffeientism and open infidelity fostered by a pernicious system of education. Herj and there individual men of tender conscience make public protest against the prevailing Boul-destroying system of education. In vain. They are not listened to : they certainly are not heeded.

The Presbyterians of Victoria for a moment decried a system '' from which Christ is banned," and which is responsible for the " paganism " with which Colonial youthhood is too generally inf ir.ned, and which, in effect, is thoroughly pagan in its tendency. Their v>,ice was weak, and did not carry far, ctiilaiuly nuL Lw Dunedtii, where their co-religionists railed at Bishop Mohan for applying thp well-merited epithet " godlobb " b) public feclioo s. Ihe Tnvercargill ministers had a in eting the other day, and the Southland Times has voiced their feeling and exposed their sentiments. The deplorable results ot the absence of religious teaching are recognised. An antidote to tho poison of secularism is prescribed. The introduction of unsectarian Scriptural lessons is strongly recommended, asja panacea for existing evils. We have been requested by circular to endorse the sentiments of our Southland contemporary. Here is our answer : We do not want truncated Christianity taught to our children. The paramount importance of religion compels us to advocate Christian schools for Christian children. Our separated brethren may be satisfied with colourless Scripture lessons. We have no objection. Half a loaf, if they so wish, is better than no bread. We do not object to the whole Bible, or half the Bible, or no Bible at all at the desire of our fellow-colonists, if only we receive justice in out efforts to give Christian teaching to Christian children. We pay our fair proportion of taxes, and help to bear the burdens of the country. We ask an equitable share in the money spent for educational purposes. We want no money to teach religion. Our devoted clergy nobly attend to that duty. By open inspection the public have every guarantee that money for secular instruction will not be squandered. We shall join in no movement which will turn us aside from the path of duty. The Bishops have spoken once again in many times, and all true-hearted Catholics will cheerfully obey their trusted leaders. But even if they had not spoken, in performing the duty of implanting and preserving Christian faith in the young, Catholic parents should send their Catholic children to Catholic schools."