THE IRISH HIERARCHY AND THE UNIVERSITY QUESTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 17, 3 September 1897, Page 29

THE IRISH HIERARCHY AND THE UNIVERSITY QUESTION.

AN IMPOETANT STATEMENT. AT a general meeting of the archbishops and bishops of Ireland Irii l^^ 11 ' 8 C ° llege ' Ma y n °°th, P on theiSS *St all the Dr n£ Rf H hn mg f 86^' "I* thG cxce P tion °f the Most Rev! r£ni Y ;£ *hoP of Meath. who was unavoidably absent, a statewhShsetro^th:- Univerßlt y Q u -tion was unanimously 'adopted, *,-™ S J? Cc ° Ur last "?» tin ß' we hav e observed, with great satisfaction hi? ffiET 1 qUeßti ° n ° f Cath ° liC uni^sitySuca-

The striking: declaration in which the Catholic laity of Ireland renewing a simi ar declaration made in the year li?O, putSS their claim to educational equality with their Protestant fellowcountrymen, has had a decided effect upon public opinion, and his put beyond queatipn the fact that the Catholic laity are absolute^ HnT^ ft- bishops cm this question, and feel as keenly a Ba B we do the disabilities to which, on account of their religious princSlls Irish Catholics are still obliged to submit. principles, After referring: to the amendments' moved by Mr Ensrledew Mr Lecky's fair statement of the case, and Mr. Morfey's and Mr' ffoton r :- P m Parliament > the statement of their Lordships mon , T f c iß ! ues of . «>o case which seem to be regarded as fundapoTrie^ mm ° n to W b^ We6tate ° Ur Vi6WB aa dearly and briefs 1. What should be the proportion of laymen to ecclesiastics on the governing body of the projected Catholic university I I' ww C *? end0 Y ment *<* theological teaching ? •rbita^dtaSSF BhoUld be^—^ prof essors and others against of tL^^l^^^^*™***™* "The University 1. With regard to the constitution of the governing body we have to remark that the question of the relative numbers^ Tvmln and ecclesiastics upon it is of very recent origin Forf ortv ve^rs during which Irish Catholics were engaged in agitat^Vj^S in university education, this question was never oS raTsed nor was any opposition between these classes even suggeS and now we would impress upon the Government that nothing "n our opinion would be more fatal to the future of the u™versi& than to approach its constitution in an anti-clerical spirit which L aW lutely alien to the whole character and disposition of our people . if however, such a spirit is excluded, and there is simply a t^liif^^-^^t the be9t and broade «t ci2l' J^hn * \ ? attaining the highest educational results, we have to say that, whatever may be thought of the relative merits of eccle° elastics and laymen as the directors of a university in the absSact Two 0 ,? nn CC ° nsider M at In thG P arti " ul^ circumsSnces of t case it would be reasonable to propose that there should be a preponderance ot ecclesiastics on the governing body I'iepou secular 'teacMn^^On 7 7^^ . Cal , led " Pori P rinci P^y to provide secular teaching. Our theological students are provided for at Maynooth and other ecclesiastical colleges, and the need of a Cathoho UlUV ßTontT [n i y tO , tba ? h CUlar k-^ledo. to^y stint ° hC i« vvpll LTt f r hand ' there are «>ine considerations which it is well not to overlook. One of the advantages which we excect from the foundation of a Catholic university is the o P porSy which it wil afford of paving a higher education to the candidate! for the priesthood m Ireland ; and these alone, it will be observed Sl^heri^ir a lai "*' e aC^ Si ° n t0 thG ™^£ come by the spontaneous action of the Cuthoifes of Ireland to be almost entirely under ecclesiastical direction. For many of these S? a , univer f flyt y course is the natural completion of their studies, and we should hope that with our encouragement lar-e numbers ot them would pass on to the new university finally, the Catholic university colleges, notabJy those of St of te 8 - Rreenai M BlaC^ rr ° ck and the Catholic University School of Medicine, would with our consent be merged in the con tern - SS^ I ™^ '" and h ' nce ifc wi " be seen that we bishops approach the settlement of this question, not empty-handed, but that altogether independently of the nghts which our Catholic people recognise as attaching to us as their religious teachers, we hive ' SSto &S£ tiOD which lt would be * dther > ust n «^7ol! On this head, then, we have to say that if in other resDecN nl 6 nfdr ing hod y is V™V^y constituted, we do not ask ?oi i Enon » lT'' 11 " eV^ an e * ualit y ia ™ b <*> of ecclesiastics upon it but are prepared to accept a majority of laymen Hnn ifl^? 10^ 1 Caching, we accept unreservedly the solution suggested by Mr. Mor ey-a solution which was accepted in principle by all parties in Parliament in the year 1898-namely that a theological faculty should not be excluded from the Catholic nTJ^ l^T'f 1 fc w fc the ChairS of the facult y a ™ «* endowed out of public funds We are piepared to assent to such a provision TtJl a °y ,? uarai i te es that may be necessary, that the moneys Jellr knowledge appUed exolusivel y to «* teaching of # 3. As to the appointment and removal of professors, Mr Leckv raised an important point, and at the same time incidentally indicated at least the principle of its solution ueuuuiy As reported in If award, he said, referring to the appointment tn/T* '■ ?£? £ C °T e *!"* WOuld be chosen not merely on the ground of competence but also to a great extent on the ground of creed. This was inevitable, and therefore he did not wish to object

to it ; but he trusted that, having been chosen, something would be done to give them security of position." Now it is perfectly obvious that reasons of religion which would prevent a man's appointment as professor, might in (riven 111068^ 11 againßt his continuance in office. But we think that both conditions-namely, absolute security for the interests of faith and morals in the university, and at the same time all reasonable protection for the position of the professor,-may he met by submitting such questions to the decision of a strong and wellchosen Board of Visitors, in whose independence and judicial character all parties would have confidence. J 1 4& Th 1-' e ?? ly r!rmainßr !r mainB the condition wh'i ;h Mr. Morley B u<™ es t s of the application of « the University of Dublin Tests Act" oTisS' With reference to this we have to say that, with some modification* in the Act, in the sense of the English A,ts of 1871 and S e Oxford and Cambridge Act of 1877, we have no objection to the openin- up of the degrees, honours and emoluments of the university to" all coiner p. * .. .. W ° have fco add that in putting forward these views we assume that, it Government deals with the question, it will be by the foundation, not of a college, but of a university ; and we venture to express our belief that by so doing they will best provide for all interests concerned, especially for those of higher education Ihese are our views,— and we trust they will be considered clear and frank enough,-upon the fundamental principles which as Z as we can gather, the leading statesmen on all sides kS as the governing factors in the problem. ° tne Should her Majesty's Government desire any further statement from us, we shall at all times be quite ready to make it atement