BISHOP MORAN ON THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 235, 17 February 1880, Page 2

BISHOP MORAN ON THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

• Tnhis Lent™ pastoral, Bishop Moran, of Dunedin, this refers to the education question : —“ Having hitherto spoken uud ritteu so freqneu+ly and distinctly on the edueation quest ion, it is not now necessary fur us to write many words on the subject- Toil know your duty in this matter, and we are happy to be able to testitV that you have bravely and nobly done it. It only remains for us, then, to exhort yon to persevere and to be prepared to make in the future, if necessary, ewn greater sacrifice than you have hitherto made. The faith of your children, your own salvation, is at stake, Hccnlarism is determined, if you permit it, to destroy Christianity, make men forget or ignore Cod and their own eternal destiny. Its object is the unehristianisii g of <be world, and the reintro.!ucti.m of Paganism, lie not deceived by the sophistry and hypocritical professions of its advocates. We are bound to he Christiana and Catholics above and before all other things ; and wo should never forget the words of our Divine Redeemer, ‘ He that is not with me is against me.’ Government schools in this diocese are godless and iQStile to the Catholic Church. Catholics cannot frequent them without exposing themselves to grevious dangers to their faith and morals. Of those schools, therefore Catholics cannot ava‘l themselves, except in cases of very great necessity, and when—such necessity being supposed—every possible precaution is taken to ward off all dangers to faith and morals. Parents and guardians should bear in mind that, they are responsiblo for the religious instruction and training of the children under their charge, and often reflect on those words of the apostle, ‘He that neglects his own, particularly those of his own household, has lost the faith and has hoc me worse than an infidel and again on these words of our Divine Master, ‘What will it avail a man to gain the whole world if he lose his own soul, or what will a man .give in exchange for his soul.’ We, therefore, most earnestly exhort all to to exert themselves- to establish and maintain efficient Catholic sc .ools wherever it is possible to do so ; and we call upon the clergy—who, indeed, have not been wanting in tuis matter—to exert themselves with the greatest zeal and pe -severance in the great cause of Catholic education. Nothing hut Ca‘ oli : education can save the rising 'gon ...tion from the baneful influence of be infidel systems of education so eliavacffiristic of tins century and so fashionable in this colony.’’