The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-04-27

mission. Once, in time of war, when
the king of Denmark was in need of
soldiers, he asked Bishop in Ger
many to send him several thousand
troops to assist him. The Bishop
agreed on condition that, united in
one parish, these soldiers, who all, or
nearly all, were Catholics, would be
allowed to practice their religion in
Denmark. The king agreed and sta
toned them at the little fortress Fred
ericia. Here they worshipped in the
Catholic faith unmolested, but they
were not allowed in any way to pro-
pagate their religion amongst their
Protestant fellow citizens. 1t was
quite natural that under such condi-
tion, instead of increasing, the COM
munity diminished slowly but continu-
ally, and dwindled down to that small
number which the missionaries found
when they arrived under new and
better conditions.
The other Catholic Church tolerated
in Denmark was the church of the Aus
trian embassy in Copenhagen, where
resides. The priests of that church
were absolutely forbidden to spread
the Catholic faith among the Prot
estant population. They were forbid
den to preach in Danish to prevent the
people from learning anything about
the true religion. Even the church
building had to be constructed in a
special manner; it could have neither
spires nor bells, nor windows facing
the street, from which, furthermore,
it had to be separated by an iron fence.
In short, it should look like a private
residence.
Present Status of cathoIicity.
Taking into consideration these mar
row and prejudiced conditions, it is
more the wonder that nowadays, the
Catholic Church enjoys more religious
freedom in Denmark than in any other
country in Europe. Although there is
no formal separation of Church and
State in Denmark, the Catholic Church
in as free and independent there as in
the United States. Indeed under the
new conditions the Catholics enjoy
more liberty than the Protestants.
Professionalism is recognized as the
official religion of Denmark and hence
is dependent on the government in
many respects. On the other hand,
Catholicism is not formally acknowl-
edged as an official religion, but only
tolerated and in consequence thereof
is fully independent of the civil rulers.
The latter do not interfere with the
work of the Catholic missionaries and
do not oppose the newly awakened
| Catholic movement in Denmark.
Not only the civil government but,
what is of more Importance, the Prot
estant, population itself shows a tol-
Grafton towards the Catholic Church,
priests and people, which is quite un-
usual in other n-Catholic countries.
Even the Protestant ministers, with
very few exceptions, refrain from
speaking in the pulpit and writing in
the press against the ever-advancing
Catholic movement.
1t is not surprising, then, that the
Church of Rome, under such favor.
able conditions has made astonishing
progress in land, where only short
time before it was forbidden, under
pain of death, to return to the arms OF
Mother Church. Where there were
only two Catholic Churches at the be
ginning of the missionary labors, there
are today more than thirty parishes in
L
which are attached converts, schools,
hospitals, etc.