The Irish standard., 1910-06-11
PHENOMENAL GAIN
Census Report Shows Surprising Gain
In Membership of the Catholic
Church.
Where Catholic Population is Large
Church Attendance is
Best.

| Much greater than the rate of in
| crease in the population of the prin-
cipal cities between 1900 and 1906 was
their gain in the number of religious
organizations and communicates or
members, according to Part l. of the
special United States report on the
census of religious bodies for 1906
now in press. 1t is stated that, for the
area outside these cities, the rate of
increase in the number of organiza-
tons was approximately the same as
the rate of increase in population and
in the number of communicates or
members it was considerably greater.
For the purposes of comparison the
census authorities divided the princi-
pal cities into four classes, those hav-
ing in 1900 population Of 100000
and over, constituting the first class;
those of from 100000 to 100000
forming the second; those of from
$4,000 to 100000 making the third,
and those of from $4,000 to $4,000
forming the fourth class.
OF the Protestant aggregate there
were 1,47S,145 or 7.3 per cent in the
first class cities; Al per cent in the
second, and IA per cent in the third
and fourth classes combined, while
sos per cent were outside the prin-
cpal cities.
OF the Catholic Church's total men,
bership there were 3,375,453, or 27.9
per cent in first class cities; 1,361,132
or 11.3 per cent in the second; 1,570,-
944, or IS per cent in the third and
fourth classes combined, with SILL
613, or 47.S per cent outside of the
principal cities.
Only two of the Protestant bodies
reported majority of their member
ship in the principal cities, i. e., the
Church of Christ, Scientist, 82.6 per
cent, and the Protestant Episcopal
Church, SIP per cent; while of tho
membership Of the Jewish Congrega-
tions, 1871 per cent are in the prin-
cipal cities, and of the Eastern Ortho-
dox churches. 7O.7 per cent.
OF the total number Of commune
cants or members reported for the
principal cities by all denominations,
6,3O7,529, or 60 per cent, belonged
to the Catholic Church, and 3,953,341
or 37.4 per cent to Protestant bodies
Catholics Lead.
OF the total number, 10,511,17S, OF
communicates or members in the prin-
cipal cities in 1906 there We're 7,343,-
4O3, or 69.9 per cent, reported by the
thirty eight cities Of over 100000 pop
ulation. and Of these, 2,432,63O, or
1871 per cent, belonged to Protestant
bodies and 4,736,535, or 64.5 per
cent to the Catholic Church.
In thirteen of the cities more than
one-h half Of the communicates or mem
bers reported belonged to Protestant
bodies, while in twenty three the ma
jority belonged to the Catholic Church.
The cities showing the largest pro-
portions of Protestant communicates
are Memphis. s4.4 per cent; Toledo
10 per cent; Washington, 66.s per
cent Kansas City, Mo-, 66.2 per cent
and Indianapolis, 62.1 per cent.
The cities showing the largest per-
centages of Catholic communicates
are Fall River, s6.5 per cent; San
Francisco, s1.1 per cent; New Or
leans, 1877 per cent; New York, 1858
per cent: Providence, 1855 per cent;
st. Louis, 50 per cent; Boston, 6s.7
per cent: Chicago, 6s.2 per cent, and
Philadelphia, SIS per cent.
In the five leading cities the proper
ton Of communicates to population
was: New York. 44.7 per cent: Chica-
go, 40.7; Philadelphia 3S.s; Boston
62.6. and ST. Louis, 46.6 per cent. II
is stated that, in general cities which
have relatively large Catholic popu-
lation show a higher percentage OF
church members than cities in which
this body has a comparatively small
| representation. In Fall River S6.s
per cent of the total number of mem
bers reported were Catholics, and the
| church membership represented SIS
per cent of the population, while If
Memphis. where S4.4 per cent of the
communicates reported belonged tc
Protestant bodies. the church member
ship was only 80 per cent of the popu-
lation.