with religion, so that our schools may be truly religious schools, is and will ever be a beautiful fancy, an idle dream, unless our teachers themselves are indoctrinated and given a religious education.

Now the practical question presents itself, how can our teachers obtain this requisite training? No amount of teaching will avail much unless, as in the case of the seminarians, they are deeply convinced that their paramount duty as instructors of Catholic youth in Catholic schools is to give themselves heart and soul to the work of their own preparation. This work should be well begun before they are sent into the classroom, and continued as long as they have the privilege of teaching children Christian Doctrine. We priests are admonished that it is a rash thing to proceed on the “dabitur vobis" principle and attempt to instruct the faithful, especially the children, without at least a careful consideration of our subject and a well ordered plan of procedure. I venture to say that many of us have been forcibly reminded sometime or other in our career of the wisdom of the admonition. The class teacher, as far as Christian Doctrine is concerned, surely enjoys no exemption from the rule. She ought to give to her preparation for the daily lesson in Christian Doctrine, at least as much time and application as she gives to that of her arithmeticand language and geography. Now when it is remembered that the ground to be covered by a teacher in the course of her year's work with a class of children, is not so very extensive, if the course in religion is well planned, this immediate preparation is not such a formidable task provided she has received the requisite previous instruction, has a facility in the use of a pedagogical method, and is provided with the books and pictures and other aids to her work. One thing is certain, she cannot be expected to acquit herself successfully of her task if her only tool is a three-cent catechism.

I have already referred to the inability of the instructors of the teachers in the training school or novitiate. What is the remedy? It is not an uncommon thing for religious superiors to obtain the aid of expert secular instructors for physics and drawing and penmanship and languages. Surely Christian Doctrine merits at least equal consideration. They ought to be provided

with capable instructors in religious doctrine, and such are to be looked for, it is needless to say, among the priests. I am informed that in New York the members of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, as a rule public school teachers, have their regular courses in doctrine, conducted by priests, to equip them for the work of Sunday school teaching. A blessing on their zeal!

Is it too much to expect that the same attention be devoted to the religious employed in our schools? I am aware that a good deal has been done in this line by means of summer institutes and correspondence courses by the professors of the Catholic University and others. But I believe such work is largely preparatory or fundamental: I plead for an ample extension of it, a concrete, practical, detailed application of it to the matter of the daily class. I believe that our superintendents and community inspectors and other school superiors could busy themselves in no more profitable way than by fostering this "catechetical spirit," and urging on the proper authorities the organization of regular classes in Christian Doctrine on free days. throughout the year, for all the Sisters in the novitiates, and as many of the actual teachers as can be reached. Priests can be found who will give their time to the work. Methods can be agreed upon, and it is essential that they be uniform at least throughout the same community. The Sisters, I can say from experience, are painfully conscious of their deficiencies and as a general rule are eager for the opportunity to absorb all the Christian Doctrine you can give them. The pastors will heartily approve of the work, when they realize, as they surely will in time, that you are lightening their burden and providing them with intelligent, zealous auxiliaries in the great work of instructing their children in religion.

DISCUSSION.

REV. JOHN M. SCHREIBER, Detroit, Mich. : Father Gibbons has covered the ground of his subject so thoroughly that I need not keep you long in discussing it. I consider his paper one of the best, and certainly the most important, thus far read. We are gathered together in the interests of Catholic education. Now Catholic education has for its foundation parish school education; and when I say parish school education I refer particu

larly to the subject of Christian Doctrine. Were we to neglect this, our \ Catholic schools would sink to the level of our State or public schools and no longer have any reason for existence. Our Catholics in this country have made great sacrifices for Catholic education, and that for the one purpose of having their children educated in the principles of the Catholic faith, and these principles can be sufficiently and adequately taught only on the lines so ably pointed out by Father Gibbons.

He divides our Catholic schools into three classes: First, those where the grade teachers are left to teach all Christian Doctrine, with the exception of first Communion instruction; secondly, those where the priest does all this work; and, thirdly, those where priest and grade teachers combine to give the children a full course in Christian Doctrine. I think that there can be no reasonable doubt as to which of these three classes we should hold to. Our Church councils and diocesan synods have settled the question for us years ago.

Father Gibbons has also suggested that more ought to be done in the seminaries to equip candidates for the priesthood for the work of teaching Christian Doctrine. The importance of the subject should be impressed upon them, the subject matter thoroughly mastered, and a pedagogical method taught. He charitably hoped that within the last five years, since other papers on this subject have been read at the annual meetings of this Association, conditions had been improved. I regret to have to say that upon inquiry and close investigation I have learned that little has been done, even during the last five years. I think that this Association should go on record as expressing its conviction that our seminaries should pay greater attention to this all-important subject. A full year's course should be given, and the seminarians required to pass an examination in the matter, because experience teaches that branches in which examinations are not required are considered secondary matters.

With regard to the religious teachers in our schools, I am deeply convinced that they will only be too happy to have pastors, or parish school superintendents or other priests of experience call upon them and give them an occasional lecture on this particular subject. I believe, with Father Gibbons, that most of them are aware of their inefficiency in this particular direction. This can be relieved by giving them expert lectures on the subject. I was informed by a fellow-priest this morning that in his own city the pastor visits his Sisters regularly once a week, for the purpose of looking over the week's catechism with the teachers. It is an informal conference. Each Sister has her say, may express her own opinion. The pastor gives out his own ideas on the subject, and in that way the teachers go into their schools prepared to teach catechism interestingly. I wish to add that the principal motive of action in the whole question must be zeal, which I think embodies two things-a strong, living, personal faith on the part of the teacher, and then, secondly, love for the work of religious education. The Catholic teacher that teaches catechism mechanically, and

in the way in which I believe it is taught too frequently, without putting religion into every lesson, without convincing the child that faith must be the underlying principle of conduct, that teacher who is not capable of pointing out how almost any lesson in the school may be harmonized with Catholic doctrine, or rather, how Catholic conduct should be attuned to the principles of Christian Doctrine, such a teacher, I believe, will not meet with success. Therefore, it comes back finally to the necessity of a personal, strong faith on the part of the teacher, and the determination to cultivate the seed of divine faith and hope and love that has been planted in the soil of the child's heart, to the determination to make little saints of these children entrusted to our care. Let us hope that this excellent paper of Father Gibbons, particularly the plan of taking up in the seminaries and novitiates the teaching of catechetics, shall bear fruit.

VERY REV. T. E. SHIELDS, PH. D., LL. D., Washington, D. C.: I shall add only one word to this discussion. While I most heartily endorse the paper read by Father Gibbons on the "Teaching of Christian Doctrine,” I believe that it does not sufficiently emphasize the efforts that are actually being made by our teachers to equip themselves for the worthy discharge of their duty as teachers of Christian Doctrine. During the vacation of last summer more than three thousand teachers listened to twentyfour lectures on the method of teaching Christian Doctrine, which I gave at various institutes. Similar work has been going on for several years, and of course this is only a small fraction of the work of preparation for the teaching of Christian Doctrine which is being carried on by the various communities. If we have not attained the results which we feel should have followed from the amount of time devoted to this subject in our schools, the blame is not to be laid to want of zeal on the part of the teachers.

BROTHER IGNATIUS, XAV., Norfolk, Va.: Catholic education is the most important problem that agitates the minds of the world to-day; for on it depends the conservation of Christianity, and the prevention of universal indifferentism and materialism, the leading dangers that threaten to destroy in the hearts of young America the last vestiges of faith in God and submission to His sacred laws.

The realization of the necessity of Catholic education gave birth to this Association, the object of which is to disseminate what is truly educational. This incentive has caused it to develop and extend its influence till to-day it is the moving principle in all Catholic educational circles. This it is that brings us together here from every part of these United States, to receive inspiration for renewed efforts in our chosen work.

This problem explains the existence of the Catholic school. This accounts for the millions of dollars that are expended yearly for fostering and maintaining Catholic educational institutions. This it is that urges the

many sacrifices that are made by our generous Catholic people throughout the world. This it is that calls so many self-sacrificing men and women to renounce their prospects in the world and devote their lives to the service of God in the holy priesthood and in the sacred environments of the various religious congregations.

We have but to turn to the pages of history to find the irresistible sway this question has ever exerted on the most brilliant minds of each succeeding age. What gave America her dauntless missionaries, who lost their lives among the savage Indian? What caused those heroic souls to bury themselves in the wilds of Africa? Why do we find a Francis Xavier, laboring for ten long years among the barbarous tribes of India? Thus we see countless souls imbued with the knowledge and love of the doctrine of Christ, and consumed with a burning desire to share these gifts with the less fortunate. Take from the religious teacher the privilege of leading souls to God by the inculcation of Christian Doctrine, and what incentive will you offer to compensate him for the sacrifices he makes in devoting his life to the arduous work of teaching? Why are the hearts of so many thousands of religious bleeding in France to-day? Why are they out of the schools? Why do they not accept the offer of an atheistic government and continue in their chosen profession? Why? Because that profession has been shorn of the only incentive that urged them to adopt it-the inculcation of Christian Doctrine. Finally, what brought a God from Heaven to dwell among men? He tells us Himself, "I came to cast (the) fire (of Christian Doctrine) upon earth, and what will I but it be enkindled?"

Need we look further for proo ́s of the vital importance of this question? It has brought us here to-day. It has drawn thousands of heroic souls to sacrifice their lives for its propagation. It has called a God from Heaven to make it known.

These thoughts lead us to the consideration of "Who is the teacher?" Almighty God is undoubtedly the primary teacher of Christian Doctrine, as He is the source from which all true knowledge flows. In holy baptism He implants in the soul the theclogical virtues of faith, hope and charity. These form the spark from which the fire of divine love springs. The Christian mother enkindles this fire when she teaches the infant to lisp its innocent prayer. But in the Catholic school the blaze is fanned to a brilliant glow till it sends out its invigorating rays in fervent acts of charity. This fervent life is nurtured by the persuasive voice of the mother, by the example of the father, and by the encouragement and example of the zealous teacher; while the devoted pastor, by his wise counsels and charitable ministrations, keeps the flame within bounds of reason and fosters its brilliancy till the soul is transplanted to its heavenly home and becomes a sparkling gem in the diadem of the Church Triumphant.

The teaching of Christian Doctrine is conceded by all religious educators to be the most important work of the teacher. For this he has vowed his life to the Almighty; to succeed in this he must put forth his best energy