From The Leader, January 9th, 1909.
Many times during the agitation for a Catholic University it occurred to me that what we wanted was not really a Catholic University, but an Irish one. Given an Irish University, and the Catholicity would take care of itself; given a Catholic University, merely, and there would, inevitably, exist within it the same dangers to the Faith that exist in Trinity, if not greater.
However, the country was united in its demand for a Catholic University, and the result is the present colourless institute. Even in granting that, the Government followed its usual policy of sterilising it of Irish ideals. By careful selection a Senate has been constituted that is warranted to render the new University harmless to English interests; and as unobjectionable to Protestant prejudices as a concession to Catholics should be. A few Gaelic Leaguers were included, to give an air of impartiality, the others are our old friends, the ‘leading Catholics’ in the relying on the penny pamphlets of the Catholic Truth Society to act as a barrier against the tide of error and unbelief, and not understanding, or wanting, unfortunately, to understand, that there is a literature already in existence, if we only knew the language in which it is written.
I appeal, therefore, to my clerical brethren to take up this question of compulsory Irish. From a religious point of view we are drifting, quickly, from our old moorings, and we must find an anchor if we would save the Faith.
A PRIEST.