The Irish ecclesiastical record, Volume 1, September 1865
Religion
The Irish ecclesiastical record, Volume 1, September 1865
Catholic Church -- Ireland -- Periodicals; Catholic Church -- Periodicals
While labouring to make the youth of the University good Christians,
Mgr. de Ram laboured also with indefatigable zeal to make them learned
men and good citizens. FAITH, LEARNING, LIBERTY, were the words which
he loved to unite in his discourses. Every one knows the results of
his inculcating those principles without ceasing on the young Belgians
entrusted to him by his Catholic country, which had just recovered its
liberty from Protestant Holland; and the numerous and high
distinctions won by the students of Louvain, in the public
examinations to which the whole youth of Belgium is admissible, attest
the excellence of the literary and scientific teaching of the
University, while the elevated positions now occupied by many of its
ancient alumni prove beyond gainsaying, that its educational fruits
remain, and will be an abundant source of intellectual, social, and
political blessings to Belgium.
Such is the institution which has just lost its first rector, we may
say its founder. Such the work which Mgr. de Ram directed with
consummate wisdom for thirty-one years. Such the Catholic University
of which Belgium, nay Christendom, may well be proud. It is a great
lesson to us all to see that even in these days of mere material
progress, without faith, without Christian love――when men would fain
persuade us that learning, to be a blessing, need not be referred to
God or religion――when the apostle’s words: “_Scientia inflat, charitas
vero aedificat_”, are held to be not over true. An University founded
and governed by a Catholic episcopacy, by the aid of their Catholic
people only, established on purely Catholic principles, without any of
those helps which men of the world value most, already in its infancy
rivals the great seats of learning of the middle ages. And all this is
due in a great measure to one man, who at thirty years of age was
called by the Belgian Episcopacy to rule over it, and who, with
untiring energy, consummate wisdom, and gentle perseverance, moulded
every part into perfect symmetry, so that schismatical Russia came to
study the model, and the Holy See could say to Ireland, as well as to
any other country wishing for a Catholic University: “_Inspice, et fac
secundum exemplar_”. With no more fitting words can we conclude this
brief notice, than with those spoken by the Vice-Rector of the
University at his funeral: “The Catholic University of Louvain was
indebted to God and to the bishops of Belgium for her Rector: to her
Rector she owes everything else”.[18]
LITURGICAL QUESTIONS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account