The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-11-15

attack on Rome, while in the hitherto
exclusively Protestant regions, like
Pomerania, Mecklenburg and Bran
denburg, we find the proportion of
Catholics steadily mounting. In the
question of mixed marriages between
Catholics and Professionals the number
of persons born in the Church of Rome
who embrace the faith of the Reforma-
ton is hardly noticeable, while in the
vast majority of such mixed marriages
the Protestant man or woman either
becomes wholly neutral or embraces
Rome. That the children of such
mixed marriages become Catholics
goes without saying.
There are only imperfect statistics
available for the last two years with
regard to the birth rate, but they all
point in the direction of larger Cath
Ollie families. In Berlin and other
towns the general decline in the birth
rate has become SO remarkable that
social reformers are at their wits end
to account for it; but when this phe-
nomenon is more narrowly examined
we find that the decreasing birthrate
is almost altogether confined to Prot.
estant families. In the important Cath
Ole provinces, where majority of the
population is Slavic blood, families, in
| fact, are increasing in number. The
| Catholic priests take care that their
people marry early, that they respect
their marriage VOWS, and that they
eschew the suicidal two children sys
TEN. The celebration of marriages
within the churches is decreasing in
Protestant Germany, the registry of
fee taking the place of the church
ceremony. Protestants in greater
number than ever confne themselves
to the civil functions which in al
cases is compulsory. 1t is rare for g
Catholic to neglect the offices of his
priest in marriage. The same prin
ciple holds good at burials.
More and more the Protestant, espe
cially among the working classes, de
clines to ask the services of his pastor
at the graveside. To Catholic this
would be impossible. The number Of
combinations among Protestants does
not keep pace with the increase IN
population. Among Catholics it does
Finally, we have the test of participa
ton in the Communion. Here there
is a distinct decline in the Protestant
churches. In Berlin and other huge
centers of population this decline be
gins to be at a calamitous rate. There
r. Oh, II
rare for man to be seen at Com
munion, churches where during the
last ten years the number of male
communicates has shrunk so and 81
per cent. In Catholic churches, OF
the contrary, the number of communi
cants of both sexes is well maintained
and the priests have no complaint tt
make of decreasing numbers.
do not think / eXaggerate when
say that the Protestant pastor has alb
solutely no influence on his flock pc
litically. In olden times he possessed
this influence and abused it. Now HI
has lost it, and will never regain hi
hold on the political conscience of hi
people. In Catholic regions the hole
of the priest on his people is as grea
as ever. Every voter who votes thu
Center ticket" gives his vote for thu
power of the Catholic Church. Ever!
Clerical voter almost is an Ultramon
tame. The consequence is that the as
sumption of power by the priest is {
tremendous factor in the life of the
/ Catholic German.