BISHOP MORAN'S LENTEN PASTORAL.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 328, 5 February 1884, Page 2

BISHOP MORAN'S LENTEN PASTORAL.

This tentgn pastoral to the Roman Catholic* of the diocese is now j& &ourse °t circulation. Beyond the usual directions to membra of his church for guidance during the ensuing holy season^ and a short general introduction, there is nothing wovfay of note in the document beyond the enunciation of Ms lordship js well-known viaws upon pur national system of education. His hostility to that system is so well known, and his untiring e&pfpstfi obtain, what is called an amelioration of the cond£tjo.u of Catholics under it so frequently made publicly manifest, that it is needless to do more than refer tx> them here. We observe that the chief grievance of which his L^rdjship so bitterly complains is a monetary dm, T?e says Catholics are taxed to support schools an 4 are yefc eluded from the benefits of education « esscepfc fin the condition of apostacy from our principles." But, however, we cannot but perceive th#t the Catholic laity do not share in the extreme view? fcdulged in by Bishop Moban. On every" hand we Pk§?rye their children receiving State education", amj w» have not heard that any spiritual censure jjas fallen upon either children or parents for tfcus fcajnng advantage of perhaps the only means within thejr reach of being taught. Moreover, the disability complained of is shared in by all the different sects. The Catholic complains that the Deity is jfißQred in the school, while the freethinker £emur that there is too much Christianity in fjb, The Presbyterian struggles for the re.iriirQdupt&m of the Bible in Schools, while those of other denominations as stoutly object to it. Therefore, sincp each denomination is numerically itoo weak fa h#ve a cpmplete system of its own, except in farge p&nfrps, tt»e mo f* ob * vfously tefWmKhle course was t,p MMdp an education ivQQ from »H wpfoWW b M> 8 W d allow the religious eauoatian to »c JLeft tft f.-ose at home most concerned ia it, WiU his Lordship maintain that arithmetic, gram* mar, geography, etc., cannot be taught with* outmev&m-te phe Deity? Or would an atheist tyno faoto not foe ;$Je to teach them ? As well it might be said that »o'tpa4e Gss}<l be taught without religion, and yet expefU ence te'la U s frhsfc best tradesmen are often the least r>;io,us. T/o provide a child with an education is simply to pj^pa } n its hands the tools of trade and ft .V J^e/' sasrs fhe Apostle, " who neglects his own,' jarJiJularly t^joge ,pf Ms own household, has lost the ' faitfe and feaf worse than' an ln^del," ■ theD, we say, the fagtf i§ clearly .9f the parent and not of the State, h tf a |. yer y properly no control over private opjnipng. His Lordship has, unfortunately, made use of a quotation which rather weakens than supi ports his arguments, because, if it applies to spintSi ffifl^era at all, it clearly throws the responsibility ufm flft head of the household. But the strong aaseiUons wade the pastoral referred to, viz., that it is "An u»r Christian and consequently anti-Christian systeai of education," have not been clearly subst^ntiajeci. contact with other children for five hours p ( er day during five days of the week wi^l nof c^njbanuMfe Qtfkfflte g^ldren. " If it $9™, how lnt^feejy wicked must (h^se .Q|ther .cfi>f4F en j? e > an( f how deep must Tas the 4.egfgn ,9F 6 teachers to undermine " the faith once jjefc vered to the saints." ,It is, of course, hig Lordship's function to speak with authority to his -fact/ but more cogent ujganrante must yet be brought toward before, the.; bulk of the people of the coion/wm.aflse^ to any departure from the impartial uniformity <5t I the easting system.