Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-07-16
CATHOLICS DECREASING.
Startling Figures Presented by a
Baltimore Bishop.
STATISTICS SHOW LOSSES.

The Very Rev. j. r. Slattery, of st.
Joseph's seminary at Baltimore, has
caused quite a sensation in Roman
Catholic circles by the statement he
made at the ordination of a colored
man to the priesthood. Bishop Slat.
terry stated that the Roman Catholic
church was losing ground in the Unit
ed States at an astounding rate and
gave the following figures:
Roman Catholics in United States
in 1902, 10,976,757.
Roman catholics in Uuited States
in 1890. S,301,367.
Apparent increase of Roman Catho-
lies in twelve years, 2,675,39o
Roman Catholic immigrants during
same period, 2,705,1S4.
Loss on the face Of the figures with.
out taking into account the natural
increment from births and conver-
sions, 29.7Si.
The figures are taken from the
Catholic Directory an official publica-
tion of the church, and the reports OF
the bureau of immigration. The fig
ures for the immigration include the
immigrants from Austria, Belgium,
France, Italy, Poland exclusive of
Russian Poland), Portugal. Spain,
and ireland. together with conserVa-
tive estimate for German Roman
Catholics. The vast French Canadian
immigration, and the Roman Catho-
lies from other countries. as for in
stance, England and Scotland, are
also excluded. Therefore conserva-
tive Roman Catholics admit that any
obvious errors are more than coun-
terbalanced by the factors omitted
from consideration.
Ecclesiastics at Baltimore have talk
ed oyer the situation. but beyond ex-
pressing astonishment at the situation
none would attempt to discuss the con-
dition.
The other day an influential number
of priests and laymen met in Balti-
more and suggested that a memorial
be drafted requesting the board of
archbishops, which meets at the Cath
olic university next October, to take
measures to secure a more accurate
parochial census. 1t is not expected
that this census will materially alter
the figures, as the figures given in the
Catholic Directory is the total of the
official returns of the various pastors
through their bishops and archbishops.
No reason can be assigned why the
pastors should minimize the import
anCe of their parishes.
1t was also suggested at this meet
ing that neglect of work in the rural
districts would account for much of
the apparent loss. 1t was cited that
900 600 of the 10,000,000 Catholics of
the United States reside in the six
great centers of pOpulation-New
York, Chicago. Philadelphia. Brook
lyn, Boston and New Orleans The
fact that nearly half of the Roman
Catholics contingent resided in locali-
ties which did not contain a tenth of
the whole population of the United
States is significant, and some say
that the whole program of the nation
al hierarchy will have to be revised
before the drain upon the Catholic
church ceases.
II is too early TO predict what meth
ods will be adopted to remedy the
conditions. II is, however, freely stat
ed that the next meeting of the board
of archbishOps in Baltimore will be
called upon to discuss matters of
greater importance than any body of
Roman Catholics since the adjourn
ment Of the third plenary council of
Baltimore.
A well known priest of Baltimore
said:
The woeful phase of this revelation
is the terrible increase of atheism. Ii
is a fact that only a small portion of
the Catholics fall away from the
church by apostacy to the sects. They
drop from the church in to the ranks
of atheists, and their children grow
up absolutely Goddess"
Special Officer Billy Smith for FL
Paso-Rock Island road is not particu-