CATHOLICS IN THE UNITED STATES

New Zealand Tablet, 15 April 1915, Page 26

CATHOLICS IN THE UNITED STATES

There are 16,309,310 Catholics in the United States, according to the Catholic Director;/. The increase in the number of Catholics during the year 1914 amounts to 241,325. Forty-four dioceses report increases in the Catholic population, forty archdioceses and dioceses made no change in the population figure, and fifteen dioceses show decreases, although three of the fifteen showing decreases have given up territory for the establishment of the two new dioceses of El Paso and Spokane. Some authorities quoting Catholic statistics usually deduct 15 per cent, for children and infants, claiming that only communicants should be counted. The impression is created, therefore, that Catholic statistics are exaggerated. The editor of the Director;/ claims that instead of being over-estimated, the Catholic statistics are under-estimated, and that the figures 16,309,310 are very conservative. According to the editor, at least 10 per cent, ought to be added for ‘ floating ’ Catholic population of which no record can be kept. The population statistics are always the most important feature, showing as they do the strides made by the Catholic Church in the United States. Looking back ten years, it is found by comparing the Director;/ of 1905 with the issue for 1915 that there has been an increase of 3,846,517 in the number of Catholics. Going back twenty years, it is seen that there has been an increase of 7,231,445 during the past two decades. There are 18,994 Catholic clergy in the United States. Of these 14,008 are secular and 4986 are priests of religious Orders. The increase in the number of priests during the past year is shown to be 426. Looking over the list of churches, one finds that .there have been 310 Catholic churches established dur-

ing the past year. - There are 9883 churches with resident priests and 5078 churches without resident,priests, or, in other words, mission churches attended by r . a neighboring pastor. The Directory further shows that there are 85 ecclesiastical seminaries, with 6770 young men studying for the priesthood. There are 229 colleges for boys and 680 academies for girls. Further- ? more, there are 284 Catholic orphan asylums, with * 45,742 orphans therein.