New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-11-06
CATHOLIC GROWTH.

CATHOLIC GROWTH.
Wonderful Spread Of the Roman Church in
this Country-- Thousands of Converts
From Pr0testn9atis7a.
ag New York Graphic H.
A single Jesuit priest, who is not yet a
very old man, is known to have received
more than 5000 American Protestants into
the Roman church, ten of whom were min
listers of various sects. The order of Paulist
Fathers, founded in 1853 by the Rev. Father
Hecker, himself a convert from Protestant
ism, numbers thirty four members, nearly all
of whom are American gentleme ;. who were
born and educated Pretestants. Many of the
Jesuits-who have in the United States $50
members are Americans: the same is true
of the Benedictines and the Christian Broth
ers, who together count 1000 members. The
late archbishop of Baltimore in five years
confirmed 2,752 converts of American birth.
The average annual number of adult con-
verts in the city of New York is said to be
about $50. The archbishops of Philadelphia
and Milwaukee report that from to per
cent. of those they confirm are converts.
The bishop of Richmond says that IS per
cent. of the Catholics in North Carolina are
converts, and that one parish in that State is
composed wholly of converts. The church
which has won from the ranks Of Protestant
ism and enlisted in it's own service such men
as DIR. Brownson, DR.. Ives, Archbishop
Wood, of Philadelphia; DR.. Bayley, the late
archbishop of Baltimore; Father Hecker,
Father Hewitt, DR.. James Kent Stone, for
merly president of Hobart College; Father
Walworth, Vicar Gen. Preston, Father Nc
Leod. DR.. J. V. Huntington, Rev. Virgil n.
Barber, Rev. Calvin White, and most of
others not less distinguished, learned, and
venerable Americans, cannot be regarded
with contempt; it must be reckoned with as
force that may be feared, but must not be
despisea.
In the year 85O-twenty- EIGHT years ago
there we're in the entire United States only
Roman Catholic archbishops- one of whom
was an American, three of Irish birth, and
two of French origin-and 81 bishops.
There we're 1900 priests, 1,073 churches, 20
ecclesiastical institutions, II colleges, and 81
female academies. There are now H. arch
bishops one cardinal archbishop
Sc bishops, 5,548 churches, 1854 priests,
81 theological seminaries with 1921 ecclesi-
astical students, "a colleges, and $40 AGA
denies. Here is a growth in twenty eight
years of A prelates, 1884 priests, 3,475
churches, and ATT seminaries, academies,
and colleges. The Catholic population
was estimated . in 1850 to number
not less than c, 4O8, 900, and by some author
tiles it is believed to exceed that figure by
one-half. Nineteen of the prelatss are ma
tives of the United States. The cathedrals
of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Albany, Chica-
go, Baltimore, Buffalo, Louisville, aMilwau-
kee, st. Louis, and Cincinnati are monu-
ments of piety, taste, and skill; the cathe-
dral of Boston is structure of massive beau
ty, 1854 feet long, 16O feet wide, and 12O feet
high, with two towers, one rising to
the height of 800 feet. The style
is purely medieval gothic. The new
cathedral of New York, which has now been
twenty years in building, is the largest, most
beautiful and most costly ecclesiastical struc-
ture in this republic. Hundreds Of the
Catholic churches throughout the country
are handsome edifces, and they contain
= very large amount of artistic wealth in
their alters, statues and paintings. Among
the $50 Catholic churches in the archdiocese
of New York alone, (Which comprises IL
city and county of New York and
Westchester, Duchess, Sullivan, Rock
land, Pullman, Orange, Ulster and
Richmond counties) we could name moro
than a score which contain works of art
worthy of very careful study and sof high
praise. We are obliged to confess that these
are chiefly the production of foreign artists,
and this remark will apply to the interior
artistic attractions ofthe tCAtholic churches
generally, but art knows no country. The
art galleries of the United States, public and
private, It Jumped together, would not eqaal
the treasures Of sculpture and painting that
may be found in the principal. Catholic
churches throughout the country.
a western contemporary bias discovered
that the number Of fools is to the number
Of wise men az TO the number Of times