Sir, - I would like to reply to Dr Philip McGarry's letter (November 18th) on integrated education. I would like to say a lot about the obligation of Catholic parents to send their children to Catholic schools and not to non Catholic schools, by Divine Law and Canon Law, by baptismal promise and by the solidarity of rich and poor in providing Catholic schools in an area which contains bitter hostility to the Catholic religion. Handing on the faith is the primary duty of home, parish and school, which are the three parts of Catholic education.
A more concise expression of the duty and obligation to go to Catholic schools was presented by Cardinal William Conway in his pamphlet on Catholic Schools (1971). I quote (p 17) "The whole question was debated by the Second Vatican Council which affirmed the duty of Catholics to send their children to Catholic schools, when and where this is possible".
And (p 17) "I have tried to show that the position of the Catholic Church on schools is based on the most serious religious grounds and that is reasonable and logical and of enormous value to children entering the world of today. The most precious gift which parents can give their children today is a deep seated commitment to a Christian faith. For parents - or for the Church - to place that gift in jeopardy would be to take on a very grave responsibility".
I can speak from some experience when I say that Catholic children do not "develop sectarian and bitter attitudes" in their Catholic schools - quite the contrary! And could I say that a true pluralist would wish that Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus and other religions should each have their own schools with their own ethos' none of them, I know, is bitter and sectarian.
Dr McGarry should look down the road to see the Orange marches with infants wearing sashes, to see the bonfires burning images of the Pope and eminent Irishmen while children dance with glee on the 11th night. These are serious sources of sectarianism for the young and would justify the attention of the Alliance Party, rather than attacking Catholic schools which are doing their best and need support.
I salute Mary McAleese as one of the very few eminent Catholics, prepared to support the Catholic schools and their ethos at the present time. - Yours, etc
Rt Rev Monsignor
St Patrick's Academy,
Dungannon,
Co Tyrone.