The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, MAY 29, 1919. CATHOLIC SPIRIT

New Zealand Tablet, 29 May 1919, Page 25

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, MAY 29, 1919. CATHOLIC SPIRIT

aie P °f our Catholic schools.,] In spite of obstacles to be overcome, in. spite §» E opposition froth. Catholic schools. In spite of obstacles to be overcome, in spite of opposition froiti a Government kept in 4oi=> 'W'ajC place by the suffrages of .wowsers and bigots, our schools are more thad -a,] match for the favored State institutions from _ which a clique of place-hunters have been permitted by a spineless Christian,- or socalled Christian, ; community to p banish God. Viewed from every standpoint, the education of our Catholic ' boys and girls in secular matters is of a high standard, and reflects great;credit, on. the devoted teachers. . Now, while progress has ; been made, along purely secular lines, has the religious education, of 'the young people kept pace with , that .progress ? ~ Have the

pupils in the knov?l©dger of -Cathblia doctrine, ; in intelligent ana really a,c<|dairitl,ifce : with ‘the history of the Church and with the 1 ioutlines of Christian apologetics; which would furnish them .with-/ the / means of refuting, ; the j 4 attacks 1 on t , Catholics - in 'the.-press' ami in the forum ? 0 ; Have .-pur efforts, on behalf' Of the religious education of the young been-as thorough -and as persevering as those on Behalf of mere ~ secular:' instruction, and have r our youths developed ~Christians event in equal / proportion to their ■ / development ~.as, students?vsS'sri'r jbnxJe^r - . . .. f)> f g As for our -achievement? in the field of athletics, the results speak for themselves. j We are certainly not inferior to , the other schools of the Dominion. > We have in many districts proved our superiority. consistently arid' decisively. , And from Catholic schools went forth to the * recent war soldiers and, officers /who : 'were, fit, to ; compare with ’ any others { in/ the world. On this . head,, again, we have grounds , for proper pride and for legiti-, mate . satisfaction. But have o; trained the , young; people equally , well athletes for 7 Christ, as soldiers of the army of Christ “which - must ■ fight , for j existence; against the arrayed powers of earth and hell as,-long as? the world lasts ? Our boys will be able to tell us about the heroes of the war. They are ait’ co it rant as to, : the Axploits of Beatty or Detain or Foci/, but can they tell us f thing : or little -about!’the heroes of Catholicism, about the men. who fought against overwhelming odds and heat the Gates of Hell in their determination to hold fast ! to the faith ' of their fathers "to 1 -the end ? ‘ Can they-hell us how : our forefathers/ suffered persecution for their religion, and do they realise what that, religion must be worth for which men and women en-/ dured ;such trials'- and / hardships ? 1 5 Have rl they ■ learned anything about the ' Saints of r God ‘ who were for all of V us living 5 examples of how men may Become ‘other. ; Christs’’" in His service and 'that of their fellow-men? Do they ever speak of these things amongst themselves ? Have they any concern about the calumnies of our foes, and about : the best way to expose them? ’1 Again, consider the sphere of politics. ./ Political life, to-day is a thing of shame.//Principles are prostituted shamefully by the very best, public men, and , there is no, higher rule for them than expediency.;; . The English. Pro- . testant doctrine of : Utilitarianism, or, its . later philoso-,, phical. modification, Pragmatism, is accepted as worthy, of men who have immortal souls. , The .degrading, theory ; of material j evolution has so. saturated society that even / men who would profess that they . have a conscience, act as if they had none. We hear now and then'; some platitudes from press and bench' about public conscience, / and' we know that public morality is a thing,apart . from i the Natural and Divine Laws, and but another expression for expediency in the mouths of.politicians. Social views, political. economy, public morality— there is such—are atheistical and .. anti-Christian, . just-, as, the press and the literature of ithef daydare,'' Christ-did not restrict His Law for-application to the private lives of men. His moral teachings is f for all-—for individuals, for families, and for communities. He came to regenerate , the whole world" by ; His / Gospel, ; and ,-how can this be done if men will hide it in their own-hearts,instead; of making it known to . the nations > as He commanded ? How can , .we/, hope fpr an end of public scandals, of I public lying and ■ jobbery, until: public., life is based cn His Law? Men who have driven Him/from the-hearts of the young, who have robbed life of-? its strength, and;: loveliness i , are* talking / of • remaking a world ; in -which in justice t and selfishness- shall be known no .more. Theiri own, actions are daily giving the lie to their ; words, andproving K to all that i at ' the hands of such people there can j never be regeneration on the lines of Truth- and Justice. The : Golden a Age n will.fneyer j come * until men \ learn to live by the rule of Christian love, and that will never be until T Christians come forth and, assert; themselves -.with- a view., to banishing the pagan - principles from ? public life and promulgating in thei% stead the Gospel of Christ. Haye-werbeg.un in-our schools and colleges to do: anything- help bur tfutiire citizens ip pfe their part in y this 5 crusade % Haye>3yb taught? them

yet>-tb( ? recognise '’that''; public and K em£ r life b irni?(i /be' . griided-by,' J Chnstiari’ principles, r bnd have we introduced them even to the ;* elements u of Christian political arid; social philosophy ? 3 “; .. r e&rA. s.-.fd .Y,-;-.' ‘-Tie-q bits nl«sg.3 evil ■.■ .* edi :rj •&.;!) V Qi This causerie has been no more than a series of questions. But we hold that the questions are momentous and that our teachers and the principals of our schools would be well advised 'to examine their 1 ' cbrisciences on the lines we* have suggested. 14 The Bishop of Amiens recently delivered 4a - remarkable < discourse ’in '< which he-emphasised the evil results to the cause of • the Church i arising from neglect 'of - these -very f problems. : He appealed for the* formation of a Civic Union of 1 Catholics, large* iin outline, ? far-reaching >in its-scope, ’ and*, aiming j at the religious / political, economic, ' arid social progress aof France.” j 'i We have incur, midst l a - strong •• Catholic organisation. ! Surely action 5 : on ' 1 such lines as we have 'suggested is beyond its sphere. The harvest is white,, let us not lose it for want of zeal.