The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-07
NUMBER 81.

NUMBER I'll.
at tic, The increase In tho population was
l,433 per cent. The Catholics ct that time
, were enumerated at %, 900 in America, To-day
John Francis Mcguire, whose authority ac-
eSpt' declares la that it is small estimate to say
Der nine millions. That is to say more than
$4,000 per cent, wheseas the increase in the
States IN the main is ,433 per cent. Some of
tho statistics of the diocese, will give You some
more accurate idea Of these things. In 17sG
there was but ono chapel and 200 Catholics !:
now at the present day there are at least I55
mission. In 1922 there was only eight priests
IN New York aud II 900 Catholics In the whole
dlocese OF New York. In 1s47 the diocese OF
a A1Snny tht mere slice Of New York. was e1t Of
305 churches and chapels, and q Catholic pon
ulation Of 100000. In 1892 there were but IL.
State. In 1s47 Buffalo was cut off from it. and
two years ego there were 10 priests there and
la IL, Shurches and chapels. In the city Of
E nsookyn there was but one priest twenty-five
GSaatnn me Twenty-Five Catholic churches and
| $4,000 children attending daily for education
Gst sds G witb Hs seoo nssa not 80 into
necessary One or two factP such as these give
yon an idea Of the contrast between America
OF OFT to day and what 1t was so few years ago. I
marks have to make. In 1884 lthere are
many men here who remember that YEAR,
there was in milwaukee in the State of Wis
longed to the Red Iadian. Three years later
an Irish Priest, and true man, Father Kelly.
came there with pe!haps only one man for his
olerk-Dearly Beloved Roger Two years.
later in 1889, there was one church in Mil~au.
kie; one year later in 1910, there were 1000
Catholics; in lsif 10000 Catholics; and In
1868, five years ago, there were 322 churches,
sixteen chapels, seventy.fve Stations, and
100000 German and Irish Catholics. This was
the growth of some of the religious orders.
Take for instance, the Order of Notre Dame, of
which order there are two ladies here at pre-
sent looking for subjects among the faithful
and grand maidcuhood of iceland was
speaking to one of them and she told me she
was reaping rich harvest, rs l told her she
would be sure to do amo nsst the faithful,
pure, and grand madenhood of the country.
Sixteen years ago there was but one convent
of that order founded in America; now there
are fifty converts and 500 sisters. In ls47 DR..
ut that time there WA but sixteen churches
(mere shantes) there and sixteen priests.
Twenty years later that Bishop died, and be:
fore he died he left t65 grand churches and
l26 priests on the mission in his diocese.
/ hese facts alone snfiice; now let us look for
the explanation. How came this wonderful
growth How came 1t to pass that tho Cath
Ollie Church, rs if she were only founded forty
years ago, aud as IL she had the twelve apos-
ties bestowing on her the blessing of God. pro-
duced such o Interchangeable s thisH We
don't expect such a growth frou- this old tree
nearly 1000 years old from which 30 many
fair branches have been Topped of, dried up.
Church is able to put forth her branches, to
overSpread mighty continent, and out OF 2o.-
900 to produce in an inconceivably short time,
within the span of one mans memory,
nearly ten millions of souls. 1t is great
problem, my friends, aud we'll worthy
of consideration. 1t is worthy Of consld-
aud evidence for it, that, whilst the Catholic
Church has been growing in this way
like unto the tree planted by the running wa
Whatever you may call 1t, has been decaying
and losing it's hold upon the minds and hearts
of the Americans. Ispeak Tina upon the evi-
writer says =" the growth Of Popery 10 simply
prodigous." Whom in Boston asked what
was the proportion the Catholics bore 70 the
learned Catholic Bishop visited the place after
the declaration Of Independence it was said 70
him: "NOw we know you are not the devil,
the street and go cut of your path, so that we
might not breathe the same air with . Catho
lie" To-day, in the centre of the mind and
intelligence of America, the majority Of the
tured there myself, and Mr.. Patrick oD01o-
ghue, the able editor of the Boston Pitot'
tt is an astonishing fact bat beyond this II is
a supernatural fact. lie who founded that
religion and that Church, declared That hls
Church and His Kingdom we're Ike unto the
mustard seed which falls INTO the soil the least
of seeds, but when it grows up mighty tree,
aud extends its branches hither and thither,
ali the birds OF the air fDd their nests there.
II is a supernatural fact in this-no religion
demands from those who profess it, such sacri-
fcea as CAtholicity. Catholicity at the hands
of YOU my friends, demands sacrifices intellect
nal and physical. As an intellectual sacrifice
CathoIicity demands that you bow down your
Intelligence with humility before the eye of
faith aud worship God who was crucihed. On,
how often have found during my career In
America men who would say to me: GIVE
me leave TO reason the thing out until come
to q conclusion founded on human reason"
Craoludad Eoxt Nesf.I