Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-11-14
That Country Contains PrOvin-
ces the Most Catholic in
Europe.
Louvain University, Alma Mater
of American Prelates and
Priests.
GERMAN LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

What effect will the war in
Europe have upon the Catholic
church in the land of Emperor Will
lam is a question frequently asked.
It is not generally known that Ger
many contains some of the most
Catholic provinces in Europe and is
more than one-third Catholic. The
Rhine-which flows through the
Catholic regions-is, If ever there
was one, a Catholic river. The Cath
Ollie regions belong to Prussia,
Bavaria, Wurtemburg, Baden and
Hesse, and all of the Governments of
these provinces have a working un-
Outstanding with the Holy See,
called a concordat. The main feat
ures of this understanding may be
summarized: Prussia and Bavaria
have their official representatives at
the Vatican, though the empire is
not formally represented. The Holy
See is represented in the German
Empire by the Nuncio to Bavaria,
who does duty for all Germany.
Modern Catholicity of Germany
owes its strength to the training and
experience it underwent during the
persecution known as the culture
campaign" (Kultui kampf), in the
course of which it found such really
great leaders as Ketteler and Wind
horst, who were the founders of the
Center party of our own times. This
splendidly unified body of politicians
mil
bishops and twenty Bishops, three
Apostolic Wears and two Projects
in all thirty units of the higher
jurisdiction. The Bishops are elected
by the Cathedral Chapter, except in
Bavaria, where they are chosen by
agreement between the Government
and Rome.
German dioceses are gigantic, and
Germany and Austria are unique in
this matter. Paris is the largest
diocese in the world, and must pos
sess near four millions at this time.
The second, however, is the diocese
Of Breslau (Which includes Berlin)
with nearly three million Catholic
souls; Cologne has also nearly three
millions; the dioceses of Muenster,
Munich and Freiburg contain about
one million Catholics each.
The labor organization of Catholic
Germany may be divided into two
groups, those of the Berlin school
and those of the Cologne school. In
the Berlin group Catholics are or
ganized in purely Catholic associa-
tions; in that of Cologne the eccle-
siastical authorities are not recog-
nized as controlling forces. I'm
fortunately these two groups have
not always worked well together,
although since the Intervention of
the Pope in 1912 harmonious work.
ing between the bodies has come to
be the order of the day. In no
country in the world is so much
done for the cultivation of the spir-
itual life of the work-a-day laborers,
and the practice of special retreats"
for the Catholic body has been the
main factor in producing this result.
That there is no Lack of religious in
fluence for the furtherance of such
work may be gagged from the fact
that there are some $500 religious
houses OF various kind and $4,000
religious. The orders are, however,
subject to somewhat restrictive
supervision by nearly all the Gov
ernments in the States. In Wurtem-
burg and Baden only female insti-
tutes are allowed, in Saxony and the
smaller States only nursing Sister
hoods.
Louvain University, the alma
mater of so many American prelates
and priests, was founded by Pope
Martin V. and Duke John OF
Brabant in 1923. Students flocked
there from all over the world. In
the sixteenth century II had 1900
students and forty-three colleges
Until the German invasion many OF
these old buildings were still stand.
ing. II was given up by the Govern
ment in 1894, and since that time
has been conducted by Catholics
Last year II had an enrolment OF
upward of 1900 students. The
building in which 1t is now con.
Quoted was remolded from an ole
warehouse of the Clothmakers GUILD
in 1917. Upper stories were added
in 1eS0. The arches and pillars on
the ground floor, the entrance from
the Rue des Cordes, still bore a
wealth of carvings, sculptures and
bas reliefs of the old masters. The
library occupied large room with
fine wood panels. carved in intricate
designs. II held 10000 volumes
and thousands OF manuscripts, val
liable beyond price. In the center
Of the room stood colossal grouI
representing a scene from the FLOOD
sculptured by Geerts in 1889
Around the room and through the
main entrance corridor hung por'
traits OF the professors since the
founding of the institution and
busts Of learned scholars who had
studied there.