The Catholic bulletin., 1914-06-13
HURCH's GROWTH
IN DENMARK
SYMPATHETIC ATTITUDE OF THE
DANES - CATHOLICS NUMBER
6o,ooo-APosToLIc LABOR OF
BISHOP Won EUCH.

The Bonifatius-Blatt, the official or
gan OF the German Extension Society,
dWells upon the remarkable change
which has come over the spirit of
Denmark during the past fifty years,
writes Dr. Roche in Register-Exten-
sion. In 1841, DR.. Lupke, Coadjutor
of Osnabruck, was appointed Vicar
Apostolic of the North German mis-
sions, which at that time included
Denmark, as far as spiritual jurisdic-
tion was concerned The number of
port, shortly after his appointment,
amounted to S65, of whom more than
half lived in Copenhagen.
In Denmark, as in the two other
Scandinavian countries, Lutheranism
made clean sweep. Catholic Gus
toms and usages, however, never died
out completely. King Christian III,
the real founder of Lutheranism in
Denmark, and his successors, saw to
it that the people were not too much
disturbed by pronounced change in
ritualistic observances. The Luther
an pastors wear vestments, claim to
be priests, and still speak of their
service as the Mass
The Danish Constitution of 1S49
granted full religious freedom, and
| Catholic missionaries were not slow in
| taking advantage of their new-found
| liberty The number of the faithful
now increased with leaps and bounds
In 1859 the great Cardinal Melchers,
of Osnabruck, made his first visit as
Vicar-Apostolic, and was pleased at
the change that had come over the
spirit of the Danish people.
A few years later Denmark's real
modern apostle, the present beloved
Johannes Won Euch, left his home in
| Osnabruck to minister to the spiritu-
al needs of Danish Catholics. For
fifty years he has labored in Den
mark and can point today to $4,000
| Catholics, who are subject to his jul
risdiction as Vicar-Apostolic. Hon
ored, beloved and respected in the
capital city and everywhere through
out the country he pays generous tes-
timony to the kindly dispositions of
the Danish people and to their fair
mindedness in everything affecting
Catholic interests.
The Jesuit Fathers have rendered
valiant service, and their college at
Charlottenburg is centre or intellec-
tual life and activity for the whole
country. The college is recognized by
the state, which grants it an annual
subsidy, and about half of it's 400 stu
dents are non-Catholics.
Today the Catholics are full of cour-
age, and amongst them are to be
| found many distinguished converts.
When l was in Copenhagen, less
than a year ago. Bishop Won Euch
spoke glowingly in my hearing of the
prospects of the Church, and avowed
that there was not to be found any
where in the world a more kindly
people than the Danes. "They are a
gentle and liberty-loving people," he
said, land their own natural sorrows
have taught them to be considerate
| for the rights of the weak"
The old Bishop is really a most re-
markable man. Though now past his
eightieth year, he Is as strong, Wig
orous and youthful-looking as the av-
erage man of sixty. The persecution
of the religious orders in France and
some other countries has proven a
great blessing to the Church in Den
mark. A great many religious houses
have been established, and all of them
are doing good missionary work.
The Bonifatius-Verein, the great Ex-
tension Society of Germany, has rem
dered valuable aid in the way of sup
plying means. The College of Char
lottenburg is one of the great mother
houses for the German Jesuits, and
the Fathers of the Society are pro-
| foundly grateful to the kindly Danish
people for the enjoyment of privileges
denied them in their own land.