Officio Sanctissimo §11

¹¹ Further We must beware, and the greatest care should be taken, that in schools which have either wholy or partially cast aside the authority of the Church, the young should incur no danger nor receive any injury to their Catholic faith or good morals. In which indeed the skill of the clergy and other good men will be of great avail, both if they exert themselves that the knowledge of religion should not only not be driven out of those schools where it exists, but should occupy its due place, and be taught by competent teachers of known ability; and if also they could find and put into operation any other safeguards, by which that knowledge may be imparted to their scholars incorrupt and satisfactorily. The counsel and co-operation of the heads of families will also be of use, wherefore there is need of warning and exhorting them as far as lies in Our power most earnestly, that they should consider what great and holy duties God has imposed upon them with respect to the education of their children, that they may know their religion and be of good behaviour, serving God religiously; but that they themselves act wrongly if they commit their children at a docile and guileless age to the care of questionable teachers. In these duties, which devolve upon them with the procreation of their children, let the heads of families know that there are the same rights inherent both by nature and justice, and that they are of such a kind that no one can free himself from them, since it is impossible by any human power to be dispensed from those duties which man owes to God. Let, then, parents consider well that they have a great responsibility to bear in the education of their children, and a still greater one in bringing them up to look for a better and more perfect life, that of the soul, which when they are themselves unable to superintend, it is their part to procure the aid of others, so that their children may hear and receive that knowledge of religion which is necessary for every man from approved teachers. Now, indeed, there is not unfrequently a most excellent example of piety and munificence, in that where there are no public schools open except those which are called "neutral," Catholics have opened certain establishments of their own at great labour and expense and maintain them with an equal zeal. It is greatly to be wished that these excellent and safe refuges of youth should be established more and more where the necessities of circumstances or places require. Nor must We pass over in silence the fact that the Christian education of youth redounds greatly to the advantage of the State itself. Indeed, numberless and very great losses are to be feared for that State in which the method and discipline of education is devoid of religion or, what is worse, is opposed to it. For immediately that supreme and divine rule is laid aside and despised, by whose admonition we are commanded to reverence the authority of God and in reliance upon the same God, to hold all His teachings with the most assured faith, there is a tendency of human science to fall into most grievous errors especially those of materialism and rationalism. Hence it follows that each man is allowed to follow his own judgment and inclination as to what he understands, and still more as to what he does, and forthwith the public authority of those in power is weakened and destroyed: for it would be wonderful indeed if those obeyed and endured the rule of man, who entertain the baneful opinion that they are in no way bound by the governance and rule of God. For once destroy the foundations on which all authority rests and the bond of human society is loosened and destroyed, there will be no State; a tyranny full of violence and cunning will take possession of all things. But surely can any State by reliance upon its own powers ward off so great a calamity? Can any State do so while refusing the aid of the Church? Can any State do so when absolutely opposing the Church? The matter stands open and clear to every prudent person. Prudence in affairs of State itself demands that their part in teaching and educating the young should be left to the bishops and clergy, and great care should be taken that the most noble duty of instructing others should not be left in the hands of those who are either careless and lax in their religion or openly averse to the Church. What, however, would be still more intolerable would be that men of this character should be selected as professors of religious knowledge, which is the most important of all.