The Catholic bulletin., 1915-05-15
THE CHURCH IN HOLLAND
STATISTICS SHOW THE GROWTH
OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
AMONG THE DUTCH-5 BISHOP
RIGS $500 PRIESTS EDucA-
TloNAL, CHARITABLE AND So
ClAL WORK.

/
ested us in our boyhood, says writer
in "The Missionary" but whose strong
none Catholic SAVIOR did us no good, was
| Motley's History of the United
Netherlands" somewhat picturesque
relation of the struggle that took place
between Spain and the Netherlands in
the early part of the sixteenth CEN
tury when Philip II finally lost Hol-
land, but kept Belgium attached to the
Holy See. Up to that time the two
countries had been united under the
crown of Spain, but henceforth their
aims were different. The Reformation
| took fast foothold in the northern part
| of the Netherlands, the House of Will
| liam the Silent became the ruling po-
| litical power, and Holland was count
ed as among the Protestant nations;
| Belgium drew apart from her col
league, and remained true to the faith
of her fathers.
During the past hundred years a
change in Holland has been taking
place. Catholicity, once crushed, has
been slowly rising to place of honor
and consideration in the land that once
was hers by Inheritance and training,
and her new position is such as to
cause encouragement to every lover of
liberty and church progress. A cen
tury or two ago she was prosecuted,
discredited, looked down upon, her
children considered unworthy of the
respect and trust of their fellow-citi-
zens. Today the Dutch Catholics are
powerful and honored body, with
their share of Parliamentary repre-
sentation, with innumerable institu-
tions of philanthropy; and with repre-
sentatives in literature, in art, in
science, many superior men and women
of whom the Fatherland is justly
proud. So great has been the progress
of the Church in that land during the
last hundred years that the Archbish-
opric of Utrecht has been established
with the four suffragan Sees of Haar-
lem, Bois-le-Duc, Breda, and Rure-
monde.
Skillfully guided by their Bishops,
the faithful everywhere have taken
courage and have shown pride in de-
claring publicly their long-proscribed
faith. From 1914 to 1S40 four million
forms had been expended in erecting
churches; while from 1861 to 1871 six
ty millions had gone to the same pur-
pose. From 1853 to 1912 over thou
sand churches have been either built
or considerably enlarged. The priests,
both regular and secular, number over
$500, and they maintain multitude
of religious sodalities and social guilds
for the edification and betterment of
their people. The SOdality For Hon
or and Virtue" founded in 1905 and
possessing already one hundred and
forty-two branches has for it's object
'to strengthen the individual will of
the young by mutual encouragement
and example, and to preserve the
youth against the evil influence of the
constantly increasing immortality of
modern Society," st. Joseph's We're
eingingen provide for the moral and
material well-being of young working
men. A Society Against Blasphemy"
takes the place of our Holy Name so
dalities; while the Arch-confraternity
of the Holy Family, with it's 1892
male and it's 23,891 female members,
stands easily at the head Of the purely
religious associations.
And so the work has gone on Other
societies have been organized which,
while being fundamentally Catholic,
make philanthropic endeayor, social or
industrial amelioration their principal
work, Catholic newspapers have been
rendering signal service; and con-
crosses for social purposes, literary
and amusement clubs, saving-banks,
cheap insurances, old-age pensions
in fact, all forms of charitable assist
ance fall within their programme.
Then there are Catholic Work Bu-
reaus, syndicates or unions composed
exclusively of Catholic members, each
with spiritual director appointed by
the Bishop. Temperance organiza-
tions have over $4,000 members. Of
still wider aims than any of these or
ganizations is the Catholic Social Ac-
tion, which purposes to combine and
coordinate all forms Of Catholic act.
ivity. The central bureau of this So
ciety is at Leyden, where magnifi-
cent library has been installed in con-
nection with it. From that centre mil.
lions of tracts are distributed every
year, for the society is great beliey-
er in the Apostolate of the Press.
Courses of lectures are arranged, the
proper study and discussion of social
problems is fostered, and no stone is
left unturned to convey all over the
country the Catholic viewpoint of
every industrial and economic diff
Guilty that may crop up.
Catholic charitable organizations
are very numerous. Holland pos
sesses 238 orphan asylums and so hos
pitfalls; thirty-fiye Congregations of
women and eight of men devote them
selves to the gratuitous service Of the
sick
On the delicate question of educa
ton. the Dutch Catholics have shown
themselves thoroughly competent to
maintain their religious and parental
rights. Every Catholic child in a
Catholic school," is their maxim.
They possess at present 920 primary
schools, wherein 5,277 teachers train
184,907 pupils. There exists an asso-
citation OF Catholic teachers which for