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EDUCATION MEETING AT ADDISON'S.

A puhlie meeting was held at Addison's on Wednesday evening, for the purpose of considering the desirability of petitioning the Government to favour the denominational system of education. The attendance was numerous.

The Eev. Father Walsh, as chairman, in introducing the business of the evening, said—l am glad to see bo many present this evening ; it shows that you are in earnest on this important subject and I thank you for your attendance. I may state that I have requested this meeting in consequence of the receipt of a telegram from the bishop. This is not an isolated movement as the three bishops of the colony are organizing the whole Eoman Catholic body to make a determined effort to have the denominational system duly considered and its claims enforced when the bill for regulating the order or system of education over the whole colony shall be brought before the House of Assembly in its present session. We want denominational education, for we hold that education without religion is n? education at all. We do not wish to claim more than our due, and are willing to allow to others what we ask for ourselves. The importance of the question to us as a body is vital, and it is only by the adoption of this system that we can expect to procure that portion of the educational funds that are our due. The National System does not meet our requirements, nor is it congenial to our faith or suited to our circumstances. It is moreover denounced by the heads of the church. If religious teaching is excluded from the school, in many cases the child is untrained, sometimes through the inability of its parents, and sometimes by their being too much occupied by worldly matters, and it is a matter of impossibility that the priest can do his more legitimate duty and attend to the religious education of the children of his parish or district; and the leaving of religious teaching solely as the work of the Sunday is, as a celebrated statesman once said, " like a man who for six days eats his meat without salt, and on the seventh consumes at once a quantity sufficient for the week." TbNs you know would tend to injure the system; but the same quantity taken at proper seasons would tend to invigorate and produce health. The rev. chairman then referred to the working of this latter system in America, showing that it tended to infidelity. After reading an extract of a letter on the subject from the Pope to j a German Bishop, he mado a few mort j apropriate remarks, and concluded bj ] wishing all the Eoman Catholics of the district to sign the petition, ano/ expressed a hope that the Assembly would not be deaf to their prayer. Mr Gallagher then moved, "That in the opinion of this meeting it is necessary that the Catholics of this district petition the General Assembly on the question of education, asking for State aid to Catholic schools apart from other denominations " He said that the national system of uuucatiou in the opinion of Culholics is demoralising, in every sense of thr. word, it does not teach a child the eud for winch he was born—how to live, or how to die; and such an education i.* not only defective, but injurious and wor&0 than none at all. TJuedu'-iueJ par' 'its cannot teach their cnildrcn. Are tffl then to be taught by boathen o.- infidel ttnehers ? No ! give us the denominational system, and we can af/joiat teachers that will inculcate principles j

congenial to and in harmony with our wishes and our religious views. After ruling copiously from Parliamentary papers on the subject, showing the systems of the various provinces of the colony, and pointing out their defects, he eaid that the greatness of any country depended not on its scenery, not on its wealth, not on the number of its standing army, so much as on the education and proper training of its people. Mr M. Carmody said: I have much pleasure in seconding this resolution, and I trust the petition will be signed by every Catholic in the district. I fancy I hear some say, •' It is no business of mine. I have no children to be educated." This may be mended, and is no excuse. If you offer fso lame an excuse what are such as I to do who have given up all liope of even ever being married ? Como forward to a man, and sign the petition, and let those who come after us be proud of those who went before.

An-a.igemeiil.fl were then made for obtaining signatures by the appointment of Mr P, Hallighan, for Shamrock ; Mr James Dee, Cement Lead ; Mr P. Mangan, Lower Plat; Mr T. O'Eiley, Township. About seventy signatures were obtained in the room. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18710826.2.11

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 854, 26 August 1871, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
825

EDUCATION MEETING AT ADDISON'S. Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 854, 26 August 1871, Page 2

EDUCATION MEETING AT ADDISON'S. Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 854, 26 August 1871, Page 2

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