The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-03-11
NUMBER OF CATHOLICS
IN The WORLD
The Numerical Strength of the Church
Approximates 297,413,0o0.
A writer in the Los Angeles "Tidings''
Continues His Enumeration Ac-
cording to Countries.

cording to Countries.
The performance of Catholics in
the Latin countries of Europe has al
ready been dwelt upon; as well as the
numerical strength of the Church in
other European lands. A resume of
the Catholic population of other parts
of the world reveals interesting sta
tistics.
European Turkey and Native Cath
olics.
Turkey in Europe has approximately
| 6,185,O00 inhabitants, but the difficulty
of estimating the number of Christians
among them is very great There are,
however, probably 100000 native Cath
olics of various rites. The foreign
population of Constantinople, Salonica
and other cities is large, and is per-
haps more than half Catholic; from
this the actual number of Catholics in
European Turkey would seem to be
about 565, 200. In Greece, while the
government makes an accurate general
enumeration, similar difficulties pre-
vail. The total Catholic population is
small-not more than 10000 or $4,000
in 2,700.0O0. Bulgaria has about $4,000
Catholics in 100000, Servia 10000 in
2.75O,000, and Montenegro $4,000 in
100000. The peoples of the micro
scopic states of San Marine, Monaco,
and Andorra are entirely Catholic.
This completes our survey of Europe,
and recapitulation shows total popu-
lation of 439,035 900, of whom 100, $685.
900 are Catholics.
South American Countries.
Turn we next to South America. It
is hardly worth while to treat the coun-
tries separately. Some take their
census at irregular intervals, and in
several relatively large number of
uncivilized Indians add to the difficult
ties of an accurate count. There are,
in the whole of South America, ap-
proximately 100000 people, 47,536.-
900 of whom are Catholics. Brazil,
whose language is Portuguese, has FL
100000 inhabitants; of the Spanish
speaking states, Argentina, with 7,000,-
900 people, Peru, with nearly 5000, 900,
and Colombia, with about 4, 100000 are
the largest. The Church has been
fiercely prosecuted by the governments
of some of them, that of Ecuador, per-
haps, being the worst offender. In
Brazil, while conditions are not ideal,
! the Church enjoys greater need of
liberty than elsewhere in South Amer
/ lea. Chile of late has shown little dis
position to interfere in ecclesiastical
/ He0s ic cd Prif
ain, France and Holland; the first
named owns the Falkland Islands also.
In Guiana there are about 100000 peo-
pie under British rule, of whom $4,000
are Catholics Hollands subjects num-
Der about $4,000, of whom 1902 were
Catholics in 1907 and in the island of
Curacao 52,088 in 1907, of whom 45,452
were Catholics. The population of
French Guiana is less than $4,000.
Condition of the Church in West IN
dies.
In the vest Indies, Cuba's popula-
ton of 100000 is Catholic, as are
Porto Rico's 1,11S,O00 people. Esti-
mates of Hayti's population, from do
cesar records, place it at about 1,500,-
900. Santo Domingo has $4,000.
There are practically no nom Catholics,
but the anarchic condition OF govern
mental affairs has hampered the work
of the Church. AS result, illiteracy
is prevalent, and in some places super
stitious beliefs have become common.
England's largest West Indian island,
Jamaica, has 10000 Catholics in about
700, 900 inhabitants. There are about
100000 people in the other British
islands, of whom perhaps 100000 are
Catholics. The Bahama Islands form
part of the Archdiocese of New York.
i The French possessions in America
include Guadloupe with several small
dependencies, and Martinique, in the
/ West Indies. Their combined popula-
ton is 390, 900, practically all Catholic.
The little islands of st. Pierre and
Miquelon, with 5000 people, situated
off the coast Of Newfoundland, are
also French possession. I include
them here, although not West Indian.
I. The Danish West Indies have 10000
people, 10000 of whom are Catholics.
A recapitulation of the Antilles shows
i total population OF little more than
1000, 900, of whom 5,150,000 are Cath
olics
The five republics Of Central Amer
lea, and that of Panama, have COM
bined population Of 4,748,000, all re-
turned as Catholic, with the exception
!. of about 200,000 British Honduras has
$4,000 people, with $500 Catholics.
In North America the United States
have 100000 Catholics in probable
population OF 91,500,000, Canada has
1880, 900 Catholics in 100000 New
foundland 10000 in $4,000, Mexico
14,750,OO0 in about 15,0OO,000 Green
land and Iceland have about 100 Cath
olics in $4,000 people.
Recapitulation:
Population. Catholics.
! South America. $4,000 900 47,536, 900
West Indies III. 7,150,0O0 5,150,000
: