The Rt. Rev. Archbishop of Manila, Mgr. M.J. O'Doherty wishing ...

Title

Language

English

Year

1924

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

The Rt. Rev. Archbishop of Manila, Mgr. M. J. O'Doherty wishing to see "The Utile Apostle" in all homes and schools, writes this l:ditorial. I have just received the third number of "The Little Apostle of the Mountain Province". We, who live in the Philippines, know what the "Mountain Province" mean:oi. It 58 means a lack of culture, a lack of security, a lack of art:-; and sciences, a lack of religion and oftentimes an abundance of tyranny among the pagan inhabitants. Much good has been done and great advances have been made by the Catholic missionarie:oi, in the Mountain ProYince and in Mindanao and Palawan, but much remains to be done in the outlying fringes of the Archipelago. This work has to be done if we wish to have one solid, homogeneou:oi, united Philippine People; and the results that have been obtained in the past, ought to be our greatest incentive to undertake with enthusiasm, the missionary work that has remained undone so far. I have often thought that the map of the Philippine Islands offers one of the strongest proofs of the divinity of the Catholic Religion. Thirty five years ago, we had amongst our Catholic people peace and plenty, holy and happy homes, rei-;pect for parents and devotion to their children, obedience to authority whether civil or ecclesiastical, and citizens who shed lustre on their fatherland, by their pre-eminence in industry and literature and all the arts and sciences. It was not exactly so in those sections of the Islands where the inhabitants refused or had not received the message of christianity. Contrast Leyte with Sulu or the progressive Ilocanos with the Igorotes. What is the reason of the great diff erence1 The reason is that we cannot progress without the help of our Creator and our God. He has told us, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and his justice, and all other things 'vill be given to you in addition." So, the Catholic Filipinos occupied a place of honor with their Catholic brethren througqout the world, while the pagan Filipinos remained a primitive people. And even in later years. when false religions of various kinds and classes are trying to rob the Filipinos of the ONE TRUE FAITH, we can immediately see the fruits, ''An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit," crimes have increased to an alarming extent. 59 Up to some ten years ago, the Government used to publish a comparative statement of crimes in Ruccessive years. But evidently the Government.got terrified at the evidence that was forthcoming with ever increasing horror. It was a terrible indictment of the men who are foiRting a godless system of education on a christian people. God says in the Bible, "Without Me, you can do nothing"; and those men reply to God, "ati far as we can the children of the Philippines will never know that a God exists." The majority of the people asked to have religious instruction given in the public schools, to have every chi 1 d taught the religion of his parents on the request of the parents. But our high government officials replied, "you cannot have what you ask for". Thirty three of our Representatives, the largest group in our Congress, voted to give an opportunity to our children of acquiring the religion of their parents, and yet the"government of the people, for the people and by the peo11le", turned a deaf ear to the majority of the people and their thirty three cong1·essmen. There is much ado just at present about vice commissions, dormitories for students, chaperoning, investigations ethical talks etc. etc.; but all "this is like closing the stable doors when the steed is stolen. When the virtue of our children has been sapped by an education which ignores the presence of God in his own world, it is useless to try to restore ii by legal restrictions and prison bars. Our philanthropists are going about the matter in the wrong way. Let them listen to the voice of God "Seek firi;1t thP. Kingdom of God and his justice, and all other things will be given to you in addition." Make religion the first and most important subject in your national system of education. The pro.mise contained in those divine words has been verefied, over and over again, during all historic times. The Catholic nations never die. And for us the terrifying thing is 60 that as matters go now, we can only look forward to the gradual corruption, dismemberment and decay of our beloved people. There are two solutions for this important problem. One is that the People-I mean the voters-should send men to the legislature, who are independent of outside influence and ready to give to their fatherland the remedy so badly needed. The other solution is that the nine million Catholics, through personal sacrifice, hand down to their children the knowledge of God, they have received from their forefathers, and which is practically denied them in the public schools supported by their own hard-earned money. 'Vhile our Government is so apathetic or hostile in regard to a que~tion which means either life or death to the Philippine People, it is ~onsoling and a deep satisfaction to welcome the advent of "The Little Apostle of the Mountain Province", which purposes to extend first the blessingR of the True Faith and as a consequence "all other things", to those brethren of ours who have been sitting in the shadow and gloom of paganism. e .. ' The Superintendent of Private Schools recommends "The little Apostle" THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLA.NDS iltpartmtnt nf Juhlic Jnstrurtinn Slanila The Superintendent of Private Schools approve:-; mo~t heartily of your review "The Little Apostle of the Mountain Province". Current Events, according to the regulations of the Department of Public ln1-;truction, must be studied in all inter1nediate and high-school classes. He recommends the Review to all private intermediate schools. He is glad to learn that it has been adopted as an informal reader in the fourth grade of the Pasig Catholic School. Other schools may well follow this example.

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