The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-06-30
Progress of Catholicism.

The Catholic World presents the fol-
lowing exhibit of the progress Of Cathol-
icism in the United States;
AT the close of the war which secured
our National independence and created
the republic, the Catholic Church found
Itself for all practical purposes, unfet.
tered and tree to enter upon a field
which, to her, we may say, was new. At
that time there were, in the Whole coun-
try, not more than forty thousand Cath
olics anu twenty-five priests. In all the
land there was not convent, nor re-
Catholic school; there was no bishop;
the sacraments of continuation and OF
holy orders had never been admins
tered. ..
The Church was without organization,
having for several years had no inter
course with its immediate head, the
Vlcar-Apostolic OF London; 1t was with
out property, with the exception of some
land in Maryland, which, through va
riety Of contrivances, had been saved
from the rapacity OF the colonial perse-
cutors; ana surrounded by a bigoted
Protestant population, ignorant Of all
the Catholic glories of the past, it was
also without honor.
years will have passed since the conse-
Grafton of Bishop Carroll, and to this
period the organized efforts of the
Church to secure a'position In this couu-
| try are confined. The work then begun
| has not for moment been intermltted.
In the midst Of losses, defeats, persecu-
lions, anxieties, doubts, reyllings,
calumnies, the struggle has stiH been
carried on.
A hundred years ago there were not
more than % priests In the United
States; in 1900 there were supposed TO
be 40; in 1880 the number had risen to
232: and in 184S to 800. In ten years,
from 1862 to 1872, the number OF priests
was more than doubled, having grown
from 2,3l7 to 1909. The lack of voca-
tions to the priesthood among native
Americans was formerly a subject OF
anxiety and also Of frequent discussion
among Catholics in this country but
now IL Is generally admitted, we think,
that if proper care be taken in the edu-
cation and training OF our youths, SUI
ficient number Of them will be found
willing to devote themselves to the holy
ministry,
In 1875 there were, according to the
official statistics Of the various dloceses,
| i've thousand and seventy-fOur priests,
| one thousand two hundred and seventy
turee ecclesiastioal students, and six
| thousand five hundred and ndtwenty-eight
churcues and chapels in the United
States. There were also at the same
time thirty-Jhree theological seminaries,
IsIxty-three colleges, five hundred and
itLy-seven academies and select schools,
one thousand six hundred and lorLy-iVe
parochial schools, two hundred and four
teen asylums, and ninety-six hospitals
under the authority and control of the
| Catholic hierarchy OF this country.
One hundred years ago there was not
a Catholic ecclesiastical student, or the
ologIcal seminary, or college, or acade-
my, or parocnial school, or asylum, OF
no pital from Maine to Georgia.
| Father Badin, the first person who
ever received holy orders In the United
| States, was ordained in the old Caths-
dral at Baltimore on the 25th of May,
| 1793, just eighty-three years ago. 1t is
now eighty-slx years since Bishop Car
roll was oUnseorated, and down to 1906
he remained the only Catholic Bishop in
the American Church, whose hierarchy
is composed at present of one Cardinal
| ten Archbishops, f0rty.slx Bishops, and
eight Wears Apostolic.
In 1791 there was not a convent in the
United States; in 1890 there were but
| Two. To-day tneIe are PROBABLY three
hundre aud fifty for women, and there
are probably one hundred and thirty tor
men.
| We may be permitted to refer also to
the increase OF the wealth OF the Church
III this country, especially since this
seems to be The cause of great uneasi'
ness 10 the faithful and unselfish repre-.
sentatlyes OF the sovereign people. The
value Of the property owned by the
| Church In this country. as given in the
cen sus reports, was in 1850, SO, ,256. 75S; in
1861, $26, TIA, ll9j aud in 1870, $6o, o,9a5, ,565.
The ratio OF increase from 1850 to 1851
was lS9 per cent, and from 1850 to 1871
1913 per cent, while the aggregate wealth
OF the whole country during these same
| periods increased in the former decade
only 126 per cent, and in the latter only
SO per cent. In 1850 the value of the
| Church property OF the Baptists, the
| Episcopalians, the Methodists and the
| Presbyterians was greater than that ol
the Catholics; but In 1870 we had taker
the second rank in point OF wealth, anC
| to-day we think there is no doubt bu
that we hold the first.