The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-08-21
.GATR0lGHY IN SWITZERLAND
RAPID PROGRESS or THE
cHURcH-coNeLoMERATIoN or
WARRINe PROTESTANT sEcTs.

The Principally of Switzerland has
acquired a new interest in the public
mind of late from the fact that it has
cordially agreed to the proposal of the
Holy Father to receive 10000 sick and
wounded prisoners of war to enable
them to regain health. The people of
Switzerland are by descent and speech
Italian, French, or German; their
sympathies, therefore, as may be imag-
ined, regarding the present war are
divided.
The following interesting details
about Swiss Catholicity are taken
from an article by Dudley Baxter in
European journal:
According to a standard work, en-
titled 'Dictionnaire Geographique de la
Suisse, while in 1850 the total Protes-
tant population was 1,417,786, and the
Catholic 971,S09, fifty years later the
Professionals numbered 1,916,157, and
the Catholics 1,378,664. Thus our
ratio of increase was AZ per cent, and
the others only "a per cent. More
| over, Catholics inhabit far the greater
extent OF Swiss territory, though also
mostly the poorer and less populous
wiz, mountain districts), and while
the Catholic cantons do not contain a
single CalVinist commune, the re-
formed cantons include several Cath
Ole localities. In towns the proper
ton per each thousand was 762 Pro-
testants and 235 Catholics in 1885,
| whereas it is stated that in 1900 their
respective numbers were 651 and 331:
this official work thus proves that
Catholicism is increasing and Protes-
tantism decreasing numerically, main
ly due to immigration.
"Now for the first time, I believe.
the new president of the Swiss Con-
federation, Signor Motta, is himself
a staunch Catholic from the trans-Al-
pine canton of Ticino, while this
model country today contains a total
population of nearly four millions,
firmly united in patriotic and benevo-
lent neutrality
Il have been courteously informed
by the Direction of this Dictionnaire
that according to the last federal CEN
sus Q910), there were, respectively.
2,l08,590 Protestants and 1.59O,792
Catholics, with 1903 Jews and 49,
SGT of other or no religious beliefs
making total of just over 3,765, 900. .
There are seven Episcopal Sees.
The priesthood i, trained at seven
seminaries. In 1906 there were 2,215
priests, and $40 religious, with 1908
parishes. There is not yet complete
religious liberty except in Catholic
cantons; for example Jesuits are for.
hidden; priests may not wear soutane
or surplice out-of-doors, or teaching
nuns their habits; no crucifix or
other Catholic emblem is allowed to
be carried in the streets. The strang-
est thing of all is the astonishing
metamorphosis of Geneva.
Perhaps nothing is more remark.
able with regard to Reformation sta.
tistics than the facts, little known out.
side Switzerland, with regard to Gen.
eva itself-the former metropolis OF
Professionalism and lie foyer de la Re
forme. In Calvin's city alone, accord
ing to the courteous Direction of the
standard volumes already mentioned
there were, in 1910, exactly 27,721
Protestants and 1856 Catholics with
1892 Jews and 2,34O 'etc.); includ
ing its suburbs Cor perhaps the whole
canton), however, | understand that
there are now actually 10000 more
formers total was 67,162 Catholics
and 62,400 Professionals, while with the
flourishing advance of Geneva for
eigners settle there in increasing mum
hers. -"
AS in other nations where religion
was disintegrated by the 'Reforma
ton we have the usual conglomera
ton of warning Protestant sects. The
following list was taken from the
Journal de Geneve' announcement Of
Sunday services there: Eglise Ma
tionale Protestante, Eglise Evange
lique Libre ian important 'schfsm')
Union Rationale Evangelique, Evange
lisation Populaire, Association Chre
tienne Evangelique, Eglise Chretienne
Baptiste, Eglise Evangelique ALE
mande Germany, Eglise Methodist
Allemande, Eglise Evangelique Itali
enne, Eglise Methodiste Episcopalt
Italienne (sic), and Armee du Salu
tSalvation Army together with thu
Old Catholics (Eglise CatholiQut
Chretienne, of whom more anon, the
American Episcopal Church, Holy
Trinity Anglican Church, a Russian
Orthodox Church, and the Christian
Science Society! The Catholic Church
q itself is always officially denominatee