The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-03-04
THE NUMBER OF CATHOLICS
IN The WORLD.
A Comprehensive Estimate APPROX
mates the Numerical Strength Of
the Church at 297, AIS, 900.
(From the Los Angeles "Tidings. ,

The question, How Many Catholics
are there in the world?'' is often asked,
and always vaguely answered. One
writer estimates the number at two
hundred millions, another supposes it |
to be at least three hundred. 1t is i'm
possible, of course, to make an exact
determination, even after the most
careful research, because many coun-
tries never question their people as to
religious affiliations, and in others
careful census of any sort has never
been attempted. In such lands do
cesar records, or missionaries reports
must furnish the data, which are often
difficult to obtain. Despite such OBJ
stacles, however, think that it is pos
sible to reach a close approximation
even within three or four per cent-of
the actual total, and this shall try to
accomplish in the present article.
In any enumeration of this nature,
all baptized Catholics, regardless of
age, should be included. When our
government undertook, few years,
ago, to ascertain the numerical
strength of the several religious bodies
in the United States, it deducted from
the reported membership" of the
Catholic Church fifteen per cent to
cover those under nine years of age.
The membership of the sects is prac-
tically an adult membership, and this
action was taken to render the returns
more nearly comparable" Not lit
tie justifable resentment was dis
played by Catholics at proceeding
so arbitrary, because the Church, like
all other societies, must be the sole
Judge of her own membership. The
vast majority of those baptized in the
Catholic Church remain faithful to her
communion through life, or, if some
fall away, they remain Catholics at
heart, intending to return at some fu-
ture time. Losses, there are as a
matter of fact, and the number is all
too great, but, speaking generally, the
statement have made holds good
We are led, at times, to compare the
fervor of Catholics of one race with
that of other Catholics, and we often
hesitate to admit that some nations,
historically Catholic, are really so to-
day, Take, for example, unfortunate
Portugal The atrocities committed
within the last two months, against
the Church were scarcely equaled by
| the most rabid terrorism of 1893, or
the most ferocious communism of
1871. Yet in Portugal, as in the France
of the Terror, the overwhelming ma
| jority is Catholic, although it is diff
cult to understand why such crimes
against religion are tolerated. We
must necessarily, then, regard Portu-
gal as a Catholic land, whatever we
may think of the supineness of her
people.
There is still another difficulty. A
! few countries, among them France and
the German Empire, take census ev-
cry five years. Nearly all civilized
nations count their people at least
once in ten years. Now it happens
that we are at the end of the decennial
or quinquennial period for most OF
these, hence my estimates are a little
less accurate than could hope to
make them year or two hence. Great
| Britain with all her dependencies
France, Germany, and Italy will take
their census in 1911. Several others are
just completing their count, from
which, as yet, no returns are available
have been obliged, therefore, to use
the figures of the latest census, in
most cases that of 1900, 1901 or 1906
and after careful comparison with the
census next preceding, and an exam
nation of the annual mortality, emf
grafton and immigration tables, have
d computed approximately the present
population. Where recent authorize
tive governmental estimates have beer
made, I have utilized them. Such
then, are some of the difficulties which
must be eliminated and beg my read
ers, while coming the following sta
tisticS, to bear them in mind.
Catholics Predominant in Latin coun
tries of Europe.
Because of early conversion Ii
, Christianity, and because it represent
through the ages the struggles o
Christian civilization, Europe natural
ly comes first, and in Europe, Italy
the home of the Chief Shepherd o
Christ's flock In 1901, the census
: showed 97.12 of the Italian peopl
| Catholics, and despite the frenzied &C
i tivity of Mr.. Triple and his associates
there is no reason to believe that tn,
!, percentage has materially changed
We may place the total population a
34.400,000, of whom 33,850,000 ar
Catholics. In the land which for Ger
turtles was proudly styled the "Eldes
) Daughter OF the Church. no attemp
D to learn the religious belief Of tn,
/, people was made in the census of 1906
) The present population of France i
, about 39,5O0,OOO, and, with very lii
eral allowance for French Protestant
! ism, and the ravages of materialism,
g is certain that 37,50O,0O0 Frenchme
5 would call themselves Catholics,
& questioned. Spain, with 100000