The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-06-05
The Growth Of catholicity.

The Dutch took Holland long ago, and
there is no doubt that the Roman Catholic
Church is making many converts in Pro-
testant countries, just as Professionalism is
making converts in Catholic countries. In
the United States this Church is growing
stronger every year in numbers, in wealth,
and in social position, though we have no
fears that it will ever control the country,
as some apprehend, nor do we imagine that
Great Britain is going back to the sway of
the Pope and his Jesuits. But few people
are aware of the progress really made Y
the English Catholics in numbers and power
since the penal laws against them were re-
pealed. A London correspondent of the
New York World has been collecting facts
on this subject, and informs us that there
are in the fourteen Catholic bishoprics of
Great Britain 1855 churches, 1919 chapels,
233 converts, 60 monasteries, Sc large char
liable institutions, and % colleges, the
property of Catholics; there are I7OS
priests, 81 more than there were a year
ago; in 1869 25 new churches and chapels
were opened, the number of inconsistencies
and converts increased by three, there
were sixty mine ordinations to the priest
hood, and thirty four priests died. For the
last fifty years the Catholics have been add
ing to the number of their churches in
Great Britain, exclusive of Ireland, at the
rate of twenty n year. There are now 36
Catholic members of Parliament, 33 Catho-
lie peers and AZ baronets of that faith.
The oldest duke and earl of Enrland-the
Duke of Norfolk-is a Catholic. as all his
ancestors have been. And the conversions
to Rome are made most frequently in the
ranks of the high nobility or among the
extremely poor. The explanation of this
fact is easy, one would suppose. In all re-
cent times there has been q tendency to
| alliance between the social aristocracy of
Christian countries and the hierarchy of
| the Church the sympathies of power and
| the traditions of authority connecting them
more closely than Jealousy could separate
them. Then the broad, motherly bosom of
the Catholic Church has always sheltered
the poorest classes, and thousands of de
voted missionaries, of both sexes, have
gone forth among them in the name of the
! Church, and won the affection and respect
of the poor. But Mr.. Martineau is quoted
as giving new reason why, i'm England at
least, conversions to Catholicity are going
on rapidly at the two poles of society. He
says, if he is correctly reported British
society, especially ut its two extremes, has
| become most fearfully demoralzed All
the stories you may have heard about cor
ruption prevailing among the upper classes
fall short, fear, of conveying an adequate
idea of the APPALLING truth. Their democrat
ization has spread to them from France it
has been caused by French literature and
| French ideas. do not speak simply of
decentralization as regards marriage and
| divorce, but as concerns the entire sexual
relations. AS for the depravity among the
other extremes of society, much may be
said in extenuation. 1t is difficult for PEG
pie who live as our very poor have to do,
to preserve purity of mind. But there is
this striking fact staring us in the face.
The Generalization of which speak does
not exist among Catholic families either OF
the high or low class. They live pure lives
they are free from the awful vices of their
neighbors. Now, as this becomes more
evident, it may be said, and it will be said,
by those who wish to save the country from
the fate of the cities of the Plain, tn It here
is q religion and priesthood which, some
| how or. other, does not keep it's votaries
| from Righteousness, vice and crime. The
aristocracy of tue country are for the most
part Protestants, and they are poisoned
| with the canker of vice the lower class
are for the most part PrOtestants, and they
are demoralized and depraved beyond all
comparison, save with their noble neigh.
bors. Is it not strange that one class alone
of these two extremes of society are tree
from this evil, and that class are Roman
Catholicsf This question cannot be an.
swered in any way that will not be favor.
able to Roman Catholicity, and that will
not lead toward it very many persons.-
| Springfield Mass. RepWbIicda.