The Irish standard., 1905-02-11
A WONDERFUL GROWTH.

According to advance figures for the
official directory of the Catholic
Church for 1905 the Catholic popula-
ton now under the American flag is
&C, 1858, 492, made up as follows: Con-
tinental United States, 12,462,7 93; the
Philippine Islands, 7,O5S,699; Porto
Rico 1,OOO,OOO; Sandwich Islands,
$4,000 The increase for the United
States proper for the year just closed
appears on the face of the figures to
be 575,476, and the best informed
church authorities say this difference
is much under-estimated. New York
and Chicago are the two dioceses with
the largest Catholic population: 1900
900 each. The smallest is Baker City,
Oregon, 3,21S. These figures show a
wonderful change from fifty years
ago. The older people now living re-
member well the religious experiences
of the forties and fifties. 1t was decid-
cdly unpopular in most sections Of this
country at that time to be :; Catholic
1t was a hardship from a social, politi-
cal and business standpoint. At that
time some of the states still had laws
abridging the rights and privileges of
Catholic. 1t was the unwritten law
of each community that no Catholic
need apply. 1t was political destruc-
ton to any man to be related by blood
or affinity within the ninth degree to
anyone who was a Catholic. Most of
that unreasonable prejudice has passed
away, thank God. The time has about
arrived in this country when men are
Judged ut their own worth and not be-
cause Of their religious beliefs. The
city of Boston, which was founded by
the Puritans and was for so long a
time the home of the most bitter anti
Catholic population in our country, is
today Il Catholic stronghold. 1t is not
to be understood that this change has
been brought about through CONVEX
sion of the Puritans and their descend
ants, but it has been brought about by
the immigration of strong and powerful
people who have multiplied and pros
pcrcd 1t is probable that in the city
of Boston more than one-half of the
voters are Catholic. Such great
change as this is not common, and yet
the growth throughout the country has
been wonderful. There are today in
New England not less than two mil
lion Catholics, and the Catholics con-
stitute more than one-third of the to-
tai church membership of the United
States. 1t is, therefore, not so popular
to assail Catholics as it was in this
country fifty years ago. either from Il
political or business standpoint. They
tant element in our population to make
it profitable for business men or poll.
is proven by the fact that several Sc.
cret unti-Catholic societies organized
within the last few years have gone
to the wall inglOriously. AS Catholics
we should he proud of the progress of
| the Church but not boastful. We
! should be thankful that here in this
country we are allowed to live, to work
and to prosper without let or hindrance
from anyone. And, realizing this
great privilege we should be the first
! to accord to others the same privilege
1t should be one of the proudest attrib
utes of Catholic to ut all times and
Oh all occasions to accord a charitable
tolerance toward other beliefs. If WE
grow in strength we should not forge!
what our grandfathers suffered. If We
enjoy the invaluable privilege Of reli
gious freedom we should not be for
getful Of what our co-religiOnists il
other countries are suffering today
The advance in material and worldly
prosperity has been almost us grea
us the advance in numbers. The Cath
Ollie clement in this country has il
every crisis of our country's history
proven itself worthy of the privilege:
that it enjoys. Those of us who were
born since the Civil War can with diff
ficulty comprehend the great change:
that have taken place since, say 1850
but those who had arrived to man
hood before the war we'll remembe
the cruel asperities connected with tn
religious thought Of those days. Their
is some of it left yet but it is quickl!
passing away. 1t is harder for Cath
I