Siena College - Saga Yearbook (Loudonville, NY)

Page 17 text:

collegiate church, and cathedral chapter a home of study, of teaching, of Christian education. In the course of time, too, under the initiative and protection of the Holy See and 0f the Church, there sprung up all the universities in the great centers of learning. The State, too, has rights with regard to education for the benefit of society as a whole. These rights have been conferred on the State by the Author of nature Himself, but the power of Civil authorities residing in the State is twofold, to protect and to foster, but by no means to absorb the family and the individual or to substitute itself for them. The State should protect the prior rights of the family and the Church, and consequently respect the supernatural rights of the Church in the realm of Christian education. In a democracy, where the citizens themselves are the real rulers, who have delegated authority to their respective legislative bodies, it is the duty of the State to see that its citizens obtain the proper education according to thelr abilities and talents, that Will enable them to understand their obligations and give to society a service that is commensurate to the means of life which the citizens receive in the State. However, it should not take over education completely. Witness in our day the modern martyr for the rights of the family and the Church in education in the person of Cardinal Mindzenty. Whatever pertains in human affairs to the salvation of souls and the worship of God is subject to the jurisdiction and discipline of the Church. uWlhatever else is comprised in the civil and political order rightly comes under the authority of the State; For Christ commanded us to give to Caesar the things that are CaesarIs and to God the things that are Gods This is emphasized in the struggle that is going on today between the bishops and people of Czechoslovakia and the Communistic government. At Siena College, we have defined our aims as follows: uSiena College, named as it is after Saint Bernardine of Siena, aims at providing a full, welllbalanced cultural education in harmony with the Catholic philosophy of life. Its ideal is not to foster an extreme, premature specialization, but rather to educate the mind toward broadness of view, and the will in tenacity of purpose, as the true basis for advanced scholarship and eminence in the professions or other walks of life. In other words, Siena College would: ID Teach the mind the prime necessity of right perspective, and the faculty of recognizing and distinguishing things absolutely essential from the merely accidental. OI Expand in each student any innate ability to create as well as the elemental capacity to inquire, so as to bring out the fullest possible expression of his or her talents. tn Develop in the soul its Godegiven sense of responsibility; respect for intellectual honesty, for stability of conviction, and for strength of character. 00 Train the will to fulfill these dictates of conscience, toward God and man. Today, the day of your graduation, you stand here before the faculty and students of Siena College, as well as before your parents and friends, ready to take your place in the ranks of the Alumni of Siena College, clothed with the academic honors you have earned by the successful completion of your studies. The principles you have learned here you are to put into practice in your daily lives. You are more prepared today to take your place in society as useful citizens. The College, we feel as Franciscan educators, has prepared you, through her liberal arts program and courses in theory and the laboratory, to earn your living as well as to appreciate truth, and particularly Eternal Truth. You have acquired truths by the light of natural human reason, and you have been taught the truths of Divine Revelation. You must know by this time, however great our material progress is, our restlessness Will never cease until we put all our trust in God. As Saint Augustine says: uThou didst create us, Lord, for Thyself, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee? ' C ordiall y yozm, FATHER MARK KENNEDY, OFM , President. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE U31

Page 16 text:

i121 VERY REV. MARK KENNEDY, OFM May 15, 1952 '1 My dear Graduatex, As Catholic educators, we are vitally interested in the education of our students, so that they may be able to take their place as well educated men and women in our democratic society, and at the same time endow them with the philosophy of life that will prepare them for the enjoyment of the Beatific Vision in Heaven, when they will have completed their earthly career and served their country well. We know full well the meaning of Our Lordls saying, llWhat doth it proiit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soulTl tMatt. 16:26l. The family is the fundamental unit, instituted by God Himself in the Garden of Eden. Parents, therefore, are the first educators of children, and the Church has always insisted on the right of parents to bring up their children. Education, however, belongs prereminently to the Church by reason of a double title in the supernatural order conferred exclusively upon Her by God Himself. Her mission is to teach all nations according; to the command given her by Her Divine Founder tMatt. 28:18r20l. Indeed, the Church, klwas set by Her Divine Author as the pillar and ground of truth, in order to teach the divine faith to men, and keep whole and inviolate the deposit confided to her; to direct and fashion men in all their actions, individually and socially, t0 purity of morals and integrity of life, in accordance with revealed doctrine tPius IX, July 14, 1864, and Pius XI, Encyclical on Christian Education, December 31, 19291 The Church's second title to teach is Her supernatural motherhood, in virtue of which the Church, spotless spouse of Christ, generates, nurtures and educates souls in the divine life of grace with Her sacraments and Her doctrine. With good reason, then, does Saint Augustine maintain, slHe has not God.f0r Father who refuses to have the Church as Mother. LIn faith and morals, God Himself has made the Church sharer in the Divine Magisterium, and by a divine privilege, granted Her immunity from error; hence, She is the mistress of many, supreme and absolutely sure, and She has inherent in Herself an inviolable right to freedom in teaching? By necessary consequence, the Church is independent of any sort of earthly power, both in Her title to educate and in regard to the means necessary and suitable to Her proper end and object. Hence, the Church has an independent right to make use of every kind of human learning and instruction which is the common patrimony of individuals and society. She has the right, then, to decide what may help or harm Christian education, for every form of instruction, no less than every human action, has a necessary connection with manls last end, his destiny for eternal life, and, therefore, no form of instruction can be withdrawn from the dictates of the Divine Law, of which the Church is guardian, interpreter, and infallible mistress. . This truth is clearly set forth by Pius X, of saintly memory: llWhatever a Christian does, even in the order of things of earth, he may not overlook the super! natural; indeed, he must, according to the teaching of Christian wisdom, direct all things towards the supreme good as to his last end; all his actions besides, insofar as they are good or evil in the order of morality, that is, in keeping or not With natural and divine law, fall under the judgment and jurisdiction of the Church? Therefore, with full right, the Church promotes letters, science, art insofar as . necessary or helpful to Christian education, in addition to Her work for the salvation of souls; founding and maintaining schools and institutions adapted to every branch of learning and degree of culture. Indeed, it is Her inalienable right to.watch over the entire education of Her children, not merely in regard to religious instruction, but in regard to every other branch of learning and every regulation, insofar as religion . and morality are concerned. This watchfulness of the Church keeps away from youth the moral poison which, at that inexperienced and changeable age, more easily pener trates the mind and more rapidly spreads its painful effects. Leo XIII already wisely pointed out that without proper religious and moral instruction, llEvery form of intellectual culture will be injurious; for young people not accustomed to respect God, will be unable to bear the restraint of a virtuous life, and never having learned to deny themselves anything, they will easily be incited to disturb the public order. The Churchls mission embraces all nations and in the first place, it extends over all the faithful. Throughout the centuries, Holy Mother the Church has created and conducted immense numbers of schools and institutions in every branch of learning. In the far'oif Middle Ages, there was attached to each monastary, convent, church,

Page 18 text:

REV. EDMUND F. CHRISTY, OFM Vtce'President, Bursar REV. ALBERT A. ANGELO, Dean of Studies REV. AURELIUS FELL, OFM Registrar U41