In the Fatherland

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1, 4 January 1906, Page 19

In the Fatherland

Germany is, of all others, the land of the Verein or association. In the matter of unions for social work, German Catholics furnish an example to their co-religionists all over the world. Among those enumerated recently by a Catholic contemporary there are ' 1700 confraternities of Our Lady for young people and adults, and they number over 300,000 members who take an active interest in practical charities. There are 1,320 Catholic workers' societies with 230,000 members; they are interested lin questions of education and popular instruction, as well as in the formation of beneficial unions, of popular banks and similar institutions. They maintain three special papers, with 90,000 subscribers ; they organize committees for the study of social questions which they discuss in frequent conferences and fortnightly meetings ; they also train the directors of the Christian syndicates. Finally, there are 1123 " Gesellenvereine " with 182,795 members. The Pope has expressed his wish that the Italian Catholics should follow the example of their German brethren in organizing their social strength.'