The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-09-05
CAT H OLIC Belief N
HER CHURCHES, CHARITIES, AND
SCHOLASTIC WORK ARE EQUAL
TO THOSE OF ANY COUNTRY.

SCHOLASTIC WORK ARE EQUAL
TO THOSE OF ANY COUNTRY.
With the eyes of all nations focused
on Belgium in her gallant defence
against German aggression, a few
facts about this little Catholic coun-
try will be of interest to our readers.
We do not purpose dealing with
Belgium from the historical stand
point. It's records may be found in
any history, but en- PEASANT, it may
be recalled that, from the period when
Napoleon, under the plea Of rescuing
the country from tyranny, pillaged it's
inhabitants until, in the words of one
of it's magistrates, "he only left Bel
GUM with eyes to weep" her people
have been race famed for liberty
and religion. Frequently her Faith
has been assailed, yet, today, despite
all such attempts, Belgium is still
Catholic to it's innermost core
True to the Faith.
For the past one hundred years the
country has fought against those who
sought to deprive her of her priceless
heritage of Faith. She fought the
first French Republic, she rebelled
against Napoleon, she, opposed Will
liam L.; and against Liberals, and the
coalition of Liberals and Socialists
she again offered strenuous and sue
cessful resistance. The census of 1905
gave a population of 7,16O,547, and of
this number about 10000 were Prot
estant, about 5000 were Jews, and a
few thousands, in addition, believed
in no religion. In Belgium the Church
possesses six dioceses, of which the
Metropolitan is the Archdiocese of
Mechlin. The others are the suffragan
bishoprics of Bruges, Client, Liege,
Namur, and Journal. Each diocese
has it's seminary and schools for the
training of youths for the priesthood,
and they also, jointly, maintain the
Belgian College in Rome, from which
come large number of the country's
clergy. For theology there is the
world-famed College of Louvain. Nine
years ago the secular clergy numbered
5,419, while the regular priests totalled
6,237, with 293 houses. The religious
Orders had, also, 29,303 members,
with 2,207 houses, these being chiefly
engaged in teaching and in nursing
the sick.
Worlds Greatest Charity Centre.
Belgium justly claims to be the
greatest centre of charity in the
world, in proportion to it's size and
populations; nor are it's good deeds
confined to Belgians. All international
charities appeal to it's priests and
laity. The country is the head of the
Eucharistic Congresses, and two of
it's Prelates, Bishop Doutreloux of
Liege, and Bishop Heylen of Namur,
were it's first presidents. Five sessions
of the Congress have been held in
Belgium, viz, at Liege, Antwerp,
Brussels, Namur, and Journal. Com
ing to missionary work, again Bel
GUM occupies honored place. The
Heart of Mary have established mis-
sions in Mongolia and the Congo, and,
in some cases, have sealed their Faith
with their blood. Belgian Jesuits
labor in Calcutta and in Western
Bengal, these missionaries being
trained in the Apostolic school at
Journal. Louvain, the American Sem
mary founded in 1857, assists in the
provision of priests for the United
States and Canada, some of our own
Archdiocesan clergy having been edu-
Gated there.
World-famed Priests.
Who has not burned with holy zeal
for Gods service, when reading the
heroic work of Father Damien among
the lepers of Molokai, or when listen
ing to the story of the labors of Father
Charles de Smedt, the Indian apostle
of the Rocky Mountains, or Arch
bishop Seghers, who SO tragically lost
his life on his return journey from
Alaska. These, and many others,
claim Belgium as their land of birth.
They have given their lives for the
propagation of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, content to do so unpraised
and unsung, preferring the eternal
reward of Heaven to the fieeting COM
mendation of men.
The government of Belgium is a
beacon light to the rulers of larger
empires in the manner in which the
clergy are treated. All religious
workers have their stipends paid by
government, which, in addition, allows
for the erection and maintenance of
religious buildings. Parishes are
legally recognized, and the govern
ment also maintains diplomatic rela-
tons with the Holy See.
Catholic Education.
The Church is often accused by
malicious or ignorant critics of being
hostile to education. Let Belgium re-
flute this foul calumny. The country
is honeycombed with schools, colleges
and universities. There is the Uni
- T q -,