NIGHTCAPS

New Zealand Tablet, 16 August 1917, Page 19

NIGHTCAPS

BLESSING AND OPENING OF NEW SCHOOL. The ceremonial blessing and opening of the fine new Catholic school at Nightcaps, in the parochial district of Wrey's Push, of which the Very Rev. Father James Lynch is pastor, took place on Sunday last in delightful spring weather. There was a very large attendance, and the splendid result of the collection (.£210) enabled the school, which was dedicated to St. Patrick, to be opened free of debt. The building is a substantial one of ferro-concrete, with iron roof. It will be conducted by the Sisters of Mercy, and there is ample accommodation for sixty pupils, the roll attendance at present being forty. A music-room and playshed are also provided, together with complete conveniences. Coupled with the beautiful church, the new school building presents an imposing picture at the entrance to the township. The Very Rev. Father Coffey, Adm. (St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin,) m the course of the occasional address made a strong appeal for the support of religious teaching in schools. He showed that the present system of public education was illogical in a Christian country. Children cannot be trained in morality by a system which does not teach them the essential truths regarding the end of their creation. As morality must be founded on religion the child's training must not be neutral to religion. Neutrality in such a sense was impossible, and it actually opposes religion by ignoring it, It would be unjust, not only to Catholics, but to the vast majority of the wage earning, middle classes who cannot allow thenchildren to remain at school to take advantage of what they pay for. _ , i , The Very Rev. Father Lynch sincerely thanked the parishioners for their great generosity, and noble response to the eloquent appeal in the interests ot Catholic education.