ROMAN CATHOLICS. Under the head History (Ecclesiastical) will be found an account of the rise and progress of that religious system which, before the sixteenth century, held undisputed sway in what was called the Christian world. Under the head Reformation is given a history of the successful struggles made by several of the states of Europe to deliver themselves from priestly domination; and for a view of the theological tenets of the Roman Catholics, we may refer to the articles Pope, Popery, Purgatory, &c. It only remains that we shortly notice the extent to which the Roman Catholic faith prevails in the world at the present day, and the political state of its adherents in our own country.

There is no country where popery is the established religion, in the same sense in which the Churches of England and Scotland are the established religion of Britain. The Catholic clergy everywhere claim independent, if not supreme authority, and never form any political alliance with the state. In some countries, however, popery is not only the religion of the government, but also exclusively, or almost exclusively, of the people; and to that extent it may be called the established religion of the state. In others, the people are divided between the catholic and the protestant faith, and both are recognised by the government. The cruelty and oppression which have been perpetrated by religious zealots, ambitious priests, and crafty rulers, under the sacred name of religion, have given occasion to the infidel and the scoffer to cast on Christianity itself the reproach which is due only to fanaticism and bigotry. To this reproach both Catholic and Protestant are liable; but there can be no doubt, that in the efforts,of the Church of Rome to maintain its ancient dominion over the human mind, it has been more unscrupulous in the use of persecution than the Protestant powers. Happily, however, the fierceness of persecution has now greatly abated in catholic countries; and, on the other hand, Catholics are tolerated in every protestant state.

In France the Charte gives freedom of worship to all religions; but about 14-15ths of the people belong to the Catholic Church, the small remainder being Protestants.

In Switzerland, outer Appenzell, almost the whole of Berne, Basel, Schaffhausen, Vaud, and Neufchatel, the greater part of Glarus, Grisons, Aargau, Thurgau, and Geneva, and the minority in Friburg, Soleure, and St. Gall, profess Calvinism. Catholicism is professed exclusively in Lucerne, Uri, Schwitz, Unterwald, Zug, inner Appenzell, Fessin, and Valais; by the majority in Friburg, Soleure, and St. Gall; and by the minority in the other cantons. About 12-20ths of the Swiss are Protestant; the remainder Catholics.

In Belgium all religions are freely professed; but catholicism is the religion of almost the entire nation.

In Holland all religions are professed with equal freedom; but Calvinism is the religion of the state. The Catholics are comparatively few.

In Germany catholicism and protestantism are so mixed, that it is scarcely possible to assign them definite limits, or approximate to their relative numbers. Protestantism, however, prevails mostly in the northern and south-western parts of the country; popery in the south-east, south, and west. Their numbers are not far from being equal.

In the Austrian empire popery is the dominant religion, and professed by the great majority of the inhabitants.

In Prussia protestantism is the government religion; but the professors of all religions enjoy freedom of worship, and almost equal rights. Lutheranism is professed by the great majority in East Prussia, Brandenburg, Pomerania, and Saxony; popery in the Westphalian and Rhenish provinces, and the grand-duchy of Posen. Silesia and West Prussia are almost equally divided.

In Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, Lutheranism is the [7:19:316]State religion, but all others are tolerated. The Catholics are few in number.

Catholics abound in Russia, but mostly in the Polish provinces, where they are not only freely tolerated, but enjoy every political right in common with other subjects. Their number may amount to about 12,000,000, or l-5th of the population of the empire.

In Italy, Spain, and Portugal, popery is dominant and exclusive; but other religions, though not legally tolerated, are not now persecuted.

In Turkey and Greece popery is fully tolerated, but professed by few if by any of the natives.

In America popery is the dominant religion of all the late Spanish and Portuguese colonies. In some of them no other religion is tolerated by law, but nobody is persecuted for professing any other. In the United States of North America, there are about 800,000 Catholics. In Lower Canada, they form the majority of the population.

In Great Britain popery is now not merely tolerated, but Roman Catholics are admitted to equal, or nearly equal, political rights with Protestants.

In 1837, the total number of Catholics throughout the world, was reckoned by Adrien Balbi at 1.39,000,000, out of 737,000,000, which he considers to be the total population of the globe.

Before the passing of tile various Roman Catholic Emancipation Acts, the Catholics in Great Britain and Ireland were subjected to a system of stringent penal laws. The laws in force against them, previously to the Act 18 Geo. III. cap. 60; and 31 Geo. III. cap. 32, may be divided into three classes: 1. Those respecting persons professing popery. 2. Those respecting popish recusants convict. 3. Those respecting popish priests.

I. Persons professing popery, besides the penalties for not attending their parish church, were disabled from taking their lands by either descent or purchase, after eighteen years of age, until they renounced their errors; were obliged at twenty-one to register their estates before acquired, and all future conveyances and wills relating to them; were incapable of presenting to any advowson, or granting to any other person any avoidance of the same; might not keep or teach any school under pain of perpetual imprisonment; and if they willingly heard or said mass, they forfeited for the one 100, and tor the other 200 marks, and were to suffer a year’s imprisonment. If any evil industry was used to rivet the errors of popery upon those who already professed it; if any person sent another abroad to be educated in popery, or to reside in any religious house for that purpose, or contributed to his maintenance when there, the sent, the sender, and the contributor, were disabled to sue in law or equity, to be executor or administrators to any person, or to bear any office in the realm, and forfeited all their goods and chattels, and likewise all their real estate for life. Where these errors were aggravated by apostacy or perversion, where a person was reconciled to the see of Rome, or procured others to be reconciled, the offence amounted to high treason.

II. Popish recusants convicted in a court of law of not attending the service of the Church -of England, were subject to the following disabilities, penalties, and forfeitures, over and above those before mentioned. They were considered as persons excommunicated; they could hold no office or employment; if they kept arms in their houses, the same might be seized by the Justices of the Peace; they might not come within ten miles of London, under the penalty ol’L 100; could bring no action at law or suit in equity; were not allowed to travel above five miles from home, unless by licence, upon pain of forfeiting all their goods; and they might not come to court under the penalty of L.100. No marriage or burial of such recusant, or baptism of his child, should be had otherwise than by the ministers of the Church of England, underother severe penalties. A married woman, when recusant, forfeited two-thirds of her dower or jointure, and might not be executrix, or administratrix to her husband, or have any part of his goods; and during the coverture might be kept in prison, unless her husband redeemed her at the rate of L.l 0 a month, or the third part of all his lands. And, lastly, as a femme couverte (married woman) recusant might be imprisoned, so all others must, within three months after conviction, either submit, and renounce their errors, or, if required so to do by four justices, abjure and renounce the realm; and if they did not depart, or if they returned without the king’s licence, they should be guilty of felony, without benefit of clergy. There was also an inferior kind of recusancy, (refusing to make the declaration against popery enjoined by Act 30 Car. II. cap. 2, when tendered by the proper magistrate,) which, if the party resided within ten miles of London, made him an absolute recusant convict; or, if at a greater distance, suspended him from having any seat in Parliament, keeping arms in his house, or any horse above the value of L.5.

III. Popish priests were placed in a still more slavish situation. For, by statute 11 and 12 Wil. III. c. 4, popish priests or bishops celebrating mass, and exercising any part of their functions in England, except in the houses of ambassadors, were liable to perpetual imprisonment. And by the statute 27 Eliz. c. 2, any popish priest born in the dominions of the crown of England, who should come hither from beyond sea, or should be in England without conforming, and taking the oaths, was guilty of high treason; and all persons harbouring him were guilty of felony without benefit of clergy.

The first amendment of these inhuman laws, which affix an everlasting stain on the British name, was effected by the statute 18 Geo. III. c. 60. With regard to such papists as should duly take the oath therein prescribed, of allegiance to his Majesty, abjuration of the Pretender, renunciation of the Pope’s civil power, and abhorrence of the doctrines of destroying and not keeping faith with heretics, and deposing or murdering princes excommunicated by authority of the see of Rome, the statute 11 and 12 W. III. was repealed, so far as it disabled them from purchasing or inheriting, or authorized the apprehending or prosecuting of the popish clergy, or subjected them or any teachers of youth to perpetual imprisonment. By the statute 31 Geo. III. c. 32. all the restrictions and penalties above enumerated, were removed from those Catholics who were willing to comply with the requisitions of that statute, which were, that they must appear at some of the courts of Westminster, or at the quarter sessions held for the county, city, or place where they might reside, and make and subscribe a declaration that they professed the Roman Catholic religion, and also an oath exactly similar to that required by 18 Geo. III. c. 60. On this declaration and oath being duly made by any Roman Catholic, the officer of the court was authorised to grant him a certificate; and such officer was required yearly to transmit to the Privy Council lists of all persons who had thus qualified themselves within the year in his court. Roman Catholics thus qualified were not to be prosecuted under any statute for not repairing to a parish church, nor for attending or performing mass or other ceremonies of the Church οi' Rome. But no Roman Catholic minister was to officiate in any place of worship having a steeple and bell, or at any funeral in a churchyard, or was to wear the habits of his order, except in a place allow ed by the statute, or in a private house where there should not be more than five persons besides the family. No person who had qualified was to be prosecuted for instructing youth, except in an endowed school, or in one of the English universities; or in the case of receiving into his school the child of any Protestant father; and no Roman Catholic was to keep a school until his or her name should be recorded as a teacher at the sessions.
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But no religious order was to be established; and every endowment of a school or college by a Roman Catholic should still be superstitious and unlawful. And no person should thenceforth be summoned to take the oath of supremacy, and the declaration against transubstantiation. Nor should Roman Catholics who had qualified, be removable from London and Westminster; neither should any peer who had qualified be punishable for coming into the presence or palace of the king or queen. No papist whatever should be any longer obliged to register their names and estates, or to enrol their deeds and wills; and every Roman Catholic who had qualified, might be permitted to act as a barrister, attorney, or notary. Still, however, Roman Catholics could not sit in parliament, because every member of parliament was required to take the oath of supremacy, and repeat and subscribe the declaration against transubstantiation. Nor could they vote at elections for members of the House of Commons in Great Britain, because, before voting, they must have taken the oath of supremacy. But Roman Catholics in Ireland were permitted to vote at elections, though they could not sit in parliament.

Most of the remaining restrictions upon Roman Catholics were removed by the Act 10 Geo. IV. cap. 7, entitled, “An Act for the relief of his Majesty’s Roman Catholic subjecte,” and passed 13th April 1829. By this act it was provided that all the preceding enactments (except as hereinafter excepted) should be repealed; and that from and after the commencement of the act, it should be lawful for any person professing the Roman Catholic religion, being a peer, or a member of the House of Commons, to sit and vote in either House, upon taking and subscribing the following oath, instead of the oath of supremacy, allegiance, and abjuration:

“I, A, B, do sincerely promise and swear, that I w ill be faithful, and bear true allegiance to his Majesty, King , and will defend him to the utmost of my power, against all conspiracies and attempts whatever, which shall be made against his person, crown, or dignity; and I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to his Majesty, his heirs and successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which may be formed against him or them; and I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of my power, the succession of the crown, which succession, by an Act entitled, ‘ An Act for the further limitation of the Crown, and better securing the rights and liberties of the subject,’ is, and stands limited to the Princess Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and the heirs of her body, being Protestants; hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto any other person claiming or pretending a right to the crown of this realm: and I do further declare, that it is not an article of my faith, and that I do renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion, that princes excommunicated or deprived by the pope, or any other authority of the see of Rome, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or by any person whatsoever; and I do declare that I do not believe that the pope of Rome, or any other foreign prince, prelate, person, state, or potentate, hath or ought to have any temporal or civil jurisdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, within this realm. I do swear that I will defend to the utmost of my power, the settlement of property within this realm, as established by the laws: and I do hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure any intention to subvert the present church establishment, as settled by law within this realm; and I do solemnly swear that I will never exercise any privilege to which I am or may become entitled, to disturb or weaken the Protestant religion or Protestant government in the United Kingdom; and I do solemnly, in the presence of God, profess, testify, and declare, that I do make this declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words of this oath, without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatsoever. So help me God.”

The other principal provisions of the Act are in substance as follows.

Roman Catholics, upon taking the oath above recited, shall be entitled to vote at elections for members of the House of Commons.

Roman Catholics may hold civil and military offices under his Majesty, except the office of Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and, Ireland, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, or High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Roman Catholics to be eligible to become members of lay corporations, upon taking the oath hereby appointed, and such other oaths as may now by law be required of persons becoming members of such corporations; but such members are not to vote or join in the presentation or appointments to any ecclesiastical benefice.

No oath to be required from any Roman Catholic to enable him to hold any real or personal property, other than such as may be tendered to any other subjects; and the oath to be taken by Roman Catholic naval and military officers, to be taken at the same time, and in the same manner as the oaths now required by law from other subjects.

The Roman Catholic faith in Ireland is professed by more than four-fifths of the people, or, as ascertained in 1834, 6,427,712, out of a total population of 7,943,940; and in Great Britain, though the numbers are not precisely known, they are believed, according to the most moderate calculation, to fall little short of 1,000,000; by some they are even estimated at little short of 2,000,000; and according to the Catholic Directory, the number of Roman Catholic chapels in England and Wales, in 1839, amounted to 453; in Scotland, to79; or, altogether in Great Britain, to 532. Of that number no less than 90 are in Lancashire alone, and 29 in Yorkshire; while Rutland and Huntingdon are the only counties of England where there is none. Besides numerous smaller seminaries, they possess ten colleges; viz. St. Edmund’s, Old Hall Green, Ware, in Hertfordshire; Ushawy Durham; St. Mary’s, Birmingham; St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s, both at Prior Park, Bath; Stonyhurst, Lancashire; Ampleforth, York; St Gregory’s, Downside, Bath; German College, Broadway, Worcestershire; St. Mary’s, at Blairs, on Deeside, Aberdeenshire; and a new college has been nearly finished at Sutton Coldfield, Lancashire. They already number eighteen nunneries and convents: Mecklegate bar, York; Hammersmith, Middlesex; Bishop’s House, Winchester; Taunton Lodge, Somerset; New Hall, Chelmsford, Essex; Spettisbury House, Blandford; Stanbrook Hall, Worcester; Caverswall Castle, Staffordshire; Clare Lodge, Yorkshire; St. Mary’s Priory, Leamington, Warwickshire; Ashton Hall, Staffordshire; Llanherne, South Cornwall; Carmel House, Darlington, Durham; Court House, Bridgewater, Somerset; Sales-house, Westbury, Wiltshire; Hartbury Court, Gloucester; Presentation, Manchester; St. Margaret’s, Edinburgh.

In Ireland the Roman Catholics have a regular hierarchy of archbishops, bishops, deans, &c., and have under them an establishment of upwards of 2000 parochial clergy. England is divided into four, and Scotland into three districts, each under the superintendence of a vicar apostolic, bearing the title of a bishop in partibus ethnicoum.