Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-07-26
THE JEsUITs.


- While the Society of Jesuits is monop-
olizing pnblic interest in Germany, few
statistical statements respecting it may
not be out Of place We have the Jesuits
themselves to thank for the following
figures. compiled in the = Catalogus
Proyincie Austriaco-H -Hungarie Socie-
tatis Jesu pro Jesu, and which, though
4 BY this time year old. may still be cred
tied with sufficient accuracy. The order
comprises altogether twenty-five pro.
yinces. and contingent Of 1909 mem
bers. Castillo takes the lead in point of
numbers, its roll amounting to 744 mem
bers. Germany follows next with 1888.
Austria has only 456. The figure 1888,
to which it is said that the new German
anti-Jesuit bill applies, is taken from the
source we have quoted, but is not quite
correct, in so far as thirty Of the number
belong to the Austrian diocese of Field
kirch, in the county of Vorarlberg, at,
tached Enthusiastically to the German
province. but which does not come under
the operation of the new act. On the
other hand, allowance ought probably to
be made for additions during the last
twelyemonth, The exact figure of "kin-
dred orders" has not been ascertained;
but, as for the meaning of the term,
Government is unjustly reproached
with vagueness Of expression. Pres
ident Friedberg representing the
Central Government, in the very
first debate on the bill took occasion to
observe that in the opinion of Crown
lawyers it applies only to the Liguori-
ans, the Freres Ignorantins, and two
orders of school brethren" The ap-
plication of the bill to Jesuits proper is
practically limited to the kingdom of
Prussia and the diocese of Ratisbon, in |
Bavaria, these being the only parts of
the empire ia which Jesuits are legally |
tolerated; and even in tRatsbon they |
have crept in by an invasion of the law.
These figures quoted according to Pro-
fessor Won Schultz, convey a very made |
quate idea Of the real extent Of Jesuit
power; for Jesuit influence, as he points
out, pervades and tinges, controls and
directs, the entire, clerical system in
Germany, which has become a formida-
ble organization. There are no fewer
than $4,000 Roman Catholic priests in
Germany, besides 1000 members of
Adding to these the pupils
in Catholic seminaries, the "olI Catho-
lie 7 professor computes the entire Ro.
manist army at $4,000, led and mar
shalled by the Jesuits, The vigor of its
growth in late years NJ Won Schultz de-
,cribes as marvellous. In the five cities
Of Breslan, Treves, Cologne, Munster,
and Paderborn alone it amounts to 1924,
which is equivalent to the 10th inhabi
n NJ of NOlnUna anI tbn 1Anfb &, fN,oxo, |
In Paderborn there is priest, monk, or
lun 20 every forty inhabitants.
Altogether there are established in
Prussia 81 monastic orders and congre-
yations, comprising 1869 members; IL
)f these are Jusuit. establish shments, con-
aiming 160 members, and five are Re-
monasteries, with SO mem
)ers. The number of converts and
recognized in Prussia is GIG,
With 5586 members, i. c. 1900 more than
u 1866. Bavaria owns II monasteries,
With l045 members, and lSS nunneries,
With 2532 members What gives par
ocular umbrage to German laymen is |
hat most of these orders are subordina- s
ed TO superiors resident in foreign {
= namely, the Dominicans,
dendicants and Jesuits, Redemptionists, | i
Iazzarists, Augustines, and Carmelites {
o Italians, and the Trappists, school d
rethren of La Sale, BorrOmeans, school {
listers, and Benedictines to French N
II is remarkable that the rapid devel- b
pment ofreligious institutions has gone q
n in spite of not inconsiderable obsta- r
les opposed by the Government; for it a
, stated that no license has been given Q
D any congregation since l84S, when
Government first began to raise objec-
ons. Since that year religious institu-
ons have been ostensibly as private h
roperty, and charitable asylums or ex- II
ting churches have been employed as e
Greens to conceal the real character Of Il
10 hocks there convened. The new n
olicy of Prince Bismarck will doubtless o
ork some change in the clerical organ 81
m, and seriously reduce the numbers a
tha aQnlasiaatioal army III