Catholic Problems in Western CanadaDaly, George Thomas
Religion
Catholic Problems in Western Canada
Daly, George Thomas
Catholic Church -- Canada
Love of Church and country will therefore inspire us with a high sense of
duty in relation to the establishment of a seat of higher education in
this promising part of our great Dominion. And this duty, let us not
forget it, _is urgent_. Every decade means a new generation that should
have passed from the halls of our university to the commanding heights of
the country's leadership. Our hesitancy means a further postponement of
the triumph of the Catholic Cause.
This high conception of an urgent duty gives the vision. From the
clearness, breadth and depth of that vision will spring the conquering
spirit of co-operation. Co-operation to be efficient and persevering
demands a united plan of action and an authoritative leadership.
The Catholic population of Western Canada is yet very limited. We cannot
afford to scatter our forces and multiply our institutions. One
university for all Western Canada would be sufficient to meet the present
requirements. The multiplication of inefficient universities is a
calamity for genuine higher education. This has been the contention of
"Catholic" in a recent series of brilliant articles in the "Casket." The
policy would therefore be for all to agree on one college as the
non-Catholics have done in the different Western Provinces. This
naturally requires the sacrifice of parochialism and provincialism. But
if the Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists have each agreed on the
establishment of one educational centre for their students, surely the
Catholics can also sacrifice local interests to the welfare of the cause.
How many efforts our bigoted provincialism has neutralized in the past!
Authoritative leadership only can unite our efforts on this unity of plan
of action. Nothing in this matter can be done without the direction and
support of the Hierarchy of the West. The division among Bishops was,
according to Newman, one of the main causes that made the Dublin Catholic
University scheme a failure. Naturally this problem of higher education
is one that overflows diocesan boundaries and remains common to all.
"Boundaries of jurisdiction, as wrote so advisedly, Archbishop McNeil, of
Toronto, are conveniences and means to an end." Beyond the
responsibilities of each separate diocese there are other
responsibilities which affect the Church of Canada as a whole. Let one
man with vision, judgment, energy, and action, make the creation of the
Catholic University in the West the work and ambition of his life, let
him have the sincere approbation and efficient co-operation of all the
Hierarchy . . . that man, we claim, will rally the Catholic forces around
him and will give to the West and its rising generation the blessing so
much needed of Catholic university training. Newman was fond of
repeating that it is only _individuals_ who do great things.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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