A SPLENDID SPECTACLE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 49, 4 April 1874, Page 9

A SPLENDID SPECTACLE

The 'Auckland Cross deecubes the procession of iln Catholic Schoo children 0:1 Jit. Patrick's day as " a splendid spectnele." It was to indeed, and well might the Roman Catholic community be excused if they felt a pride in witnessing such a spectacle. Bub a thoughtful Catholic wiil look beyond the meie out.yard show displayed on the occasion. The sight of 2000 children so respectable m aopearance, and so orderly and well conducted, a'l of them, with a few exceptions, leceiving a good secular and lehgious education in Koman Catholic Schools, might veil sujgest the question — why should the Government refuse to .ad their schools ? Is it the act of a paternal, or even a just and vise Government to frame an Education Bill of sucli a nature that Roman V .iho ie Schools, however iffiuient ii the secular department, und niiint rou-!y attended they may be, can reap no advantage from it ? Hie pi vnta of the*e children, mist of them in humble life and the rovor-e ol rich, must support their own «cliools with their own funds, wlnle they are forced to contribute to the support of Government Schools f 10111 winch, praclical'y, they aro excluded a-< a gen-ral rule, almost as cfilctiialh as if a particular proviso to tlnit t ffect weie made in the Education Bill. Some say that this is their own fault ; that Government Schools are open to them as to all other classes But to oiler nn advantage which cannot in conscience hi' accepted, is offering an ufi'iont and is, iv the present instance, a cruel mockery and an act of gioss i justice. Catholics, like other clusse*, mint b* allowed to judge for theins. Ives what is light for them to do as to tin; educition of their chihhen. In the exercise of that right 'hey decline lo send their children to any schools except tuoir o*n, and they will sull'er any wioug the Mute may inflict upon them, rut her lhan depart from that rcsi'.ution The State knowing this, stdl continues to Ir.une Education Act.* vlic'.i })iactically exclude. C.ilholics Iroin hawng any share in the public funds devoted to educational purposes. Such iProtestant jubtice. But the demonstration ot Roman * atholie School Children on St. Patrick's day, shews what Catholic Schools aro us to attendance, m spile ot ull that Governme it can do to discourage t lie n The procession was an outward manifestation of the power of the Roman Catliohc Church in this Province — may we not say its giowiug po \er — and a must nmiked manifestation of her influence as n 1 olu eatrig and ti. lining institution. But for thu puternal authouty of the Gbrgy, wil!mg>y and re-peetfuliy 8 ibmittecl to, neither the Cath ,lub nor Pioie-tiintß of Auckland would ever have witnessed " Ih • spiciuh 1 spectacle"' tiny saw on list St. Patrick's day. It was, sj 10 speik, a public dei'ioublratum ot Papal power ; but of a most legitimilo and innocent kind. JS'o threat or defiance or offensive triumph was intended, nor does ai.y thing of the kind Bejm to have been felt by an\ party. It may bt doub od if any one singlj religious bo ly bolide.-. Catholics could have up so splendid a public demonstration ' i l'jjigijms an 1 patriotic enthusiasm — in a raiuner so bt coming, qu ci and iiiolltns vc — .nd this is tiviug mucn ; for the sons of St. George and St. Andrew, and Irish Protestants, aie 111 no way deficient in roligious und pntrntic sentiments. But nnluppily they have not 01113 depaited fi- 'in the centre ol religious unity and Icit the Church nl their auce^tora. bid thej aic di\idect widely .unong themselves. X\v) 033i-ionally indeed pay somo sort of unintelligible honor to tli-n patron Mil. ,s, mid stem to glory in their name, but at the sumo ti-n appear to teg.rd them as having been in their life time the pro!e~ s uioi an uJol trous and senseless religion, aud as such they inu^t b • v t Lttle cntitl dto their veneration. Iv what a different light from this

the Catholics regard their pntron Saints ! They honor God in Irs Saint. The real Irish Catholics devote St. Patrick's day not merely to innoc -nt recreation and festivity, but to Hie glory of God, to commemorate tho virtues nnd good deeds of St. Patrick, and aU he did for their beloved Ireland, and to show fuih in his creed j their own patriotism and religion are powerful bonds of union ; both combine on it. Patrick's daj to knit the hearts of Irish Catholics togeth n r.