CATHOLIC INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 36, 3 January 1874, Page 12

CATHOLIC INTELLIGENCE.

Religious institutions are springing up in Ceylon, giving solid proof of the activicy of the clergy all over the island. Sunday, the sth inst., the foundation stone of a new Beuedictine monastery was laid at Sandy by the Uev. Dr. Cingolani ; the stone bore the following inscription : — hujus monastoriinomini SS. Benedicti ac Silvestri abbutun? nuncupati lapidem posuit adm : Key, Leo Cingolani d. d. Silveatrina Congregationi adscit us die 5 Octobns anno salutis 1873. After the stone had been lowered, Dr. Cingolani addressed the audience speaking of the benefits which would be derived from the monastery. The plan of the structuie is by Father Tabarrani and has been most tastefully done. On the same day, the Re. Rev. Dr. Bonjean blessed and opened the new Convent at Kurunegala, in which is to be established a school, for the purpose, as the Bishop said in his discourse on the occasion, of imparting a truly sound and Christian education, and of foundiug an Orphanage for Buddhist children of either sex, by means of which he hoped to raise a number of solidly professing Catholics and thus effect a means of spreading our Holy Faith throughout the stronghold of Buddhism. — ' Bombay Catholic Examiner.' Religious and Secular Education. — The result of the examinations that have just taken place in the different schools of Paris are altogether in favor of the Religious-taught Schools over the Lay Schools : — In the drawing competition 35 schools have competed, 21 of which are taught by lay masters and 8 by Christian Brothers. Out of 9 prizes awarded, the Christian Brothers' pupils take 8. In the competitions for burses at the higher schools, the number of candidates vu 907 ; of these 269 had been the scholars of lay masters, and 238 came from the Christian Brothers. 165 were successful of whom 109 belonged to the Christian Brothers, and 36 to the lay teachers. The last quotation is the most satisfactory of all ; out of 20 "first-places," the Brothers' scholars take 16; and out of 100 " fir&t-placea " they take 70. The revolutionary papers carefully abstain from copying these facts and and figures. — • Advocate.' Speaking of the new education law in Victoria, the ' Advocate ' says :—ln: — In the meantime the Minister of Education i 3 exerting himself to provide school accommodation for all the Catholic children in the Colony to be taught free. The difficulty of maintaining Catholic schools will therefore be much increased. Now for the significance to Catholics of the enormous preparation aud expense. What is the object of it ? Is it to make of the youth of this country such well instructed and intelligent people that Victoria shall bo pre-eminent in sciences, arts, power, and wealth ? No ! the means are not adapted to the end, because the schools belonging to the religious bodies hare beaten tho secular schools in secular results. Is it in order that faith and revelation being ignored, the youthful generation may become a community of Atheists ? Yes ! for the means are adapted to thia end. Secularism is a mask, under which is Atheism. If secularism gain more adherents, Atheism will show in the ballot-box, and in a new law of public instruction. What means, in the present state of public opinion, better calculated to promote Atheism could the State adopt P Atheism is a denial of God's existence, and the State opens free school* ' on condition that nothing about Him be taught during school hours. Let Catholics learn the value of their children's faith from secularists. These wilfully commit a piain iniustice in order to strike at the faith of Catholic children ; but it Catholic parents, though poor, think of the real significance of sending their children to a State school, they will shrink with horror from the suggestion, and gladly testify their fidelity to God and His Church by doing their best to support a Catholic school. " But one thing is necessiry." Learning is a good thing, but its value depends on the uje made of it. Consider the evermcreasing number of criminals who hnvo received good " secular " schooling! Forgeries and embezzlements by gentlemen and clorka are common"; so are darker crimes. Ladies' vice 3 are known in every circle, and sadden many famines. Mere " secular " education leads to infidelity, and infidelity to tho indulgence of the passions. Religions instruction, on the contrary, subjects the passions to reason. If in a Catholic school prayers bo said and catechism bo taught merely, th« children will better understand their duty to parents and the authority of the master, and will learn better. Lot not Catholics parents b« disturbed at the incessant " cracking up " of State schools by the Press and the passionate unreflecting multitude. If they simply try to do what they think is right, although at some sacrifice, they will never Tho'result of one man's alms has given a church to tho town of Stokeley in tho Diocese of Beverly, England, where heretofore the holy facrifica has been offered in a miserable loft, aa in the days of persecution The church has been dedicated with interesting ceremonials and furnishes another illustration of the rapid recovery from the " Reformation" manifest through England of late yeirs. _ The Catholic Church which is to surmount tho heights ot Montuvirtre in Fmnee, will mark the scene of the martyrdom of St. Denis, and aUo the foundling of the Society of Jesus of Si. Ignatius aud his companions, who took their vows in the Subterranean Chapel.