Catholicity in Canada.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 34, 21 August 1902, Page 2

Catholicity in Canada.

A J ho. n time a ff° a tourist correspondent, writing to the New York Observer, made the rather startling announcement that m ' this confessedly Roman Catholic city (Montreal) of 300,000 inhabitants, there are only 18 Roman Catholic churches, against 74 Protestant,' and he adds the further surprising intimation that ' Protestantism is gaining ' in Canada. 1 he first little fiction as to the relative number of churches was promptly refuted by a Catholic resident of Montreal, who had no difficulty in showing that even on a most generous estimate and including under ■ churches ' all the ex-grocery stores and nondescript buildings used for 'gospel missions,' the Protestant total reaches only 54, while the number of Catholic churches is quite ioo, the Catholic places of worship, moreover, being fully attended every Sunday morning, while in many cases the Protestant congregations do not number more than a score. * As to the statement that Protestantism is gaining in Canada, the official figures as contained in the latest issue of The Statistical Year Book of Canada are now available, and they supply a decided refutation to the assertion. Comparing first of all the number of clergy of the leading denominations the Year Book says :—' The Catholic Church in Canada has one Apostolic Delegate, seven archbishops, 23 bishops, and about 1500 clergy. The Church of England in Canada has two archbishops, 19 bishops and about 1000 clergy. The Methodists have one general superintendent, nine presidents of conferences, and about 1950 clergy. The Presbyterians have one moderator six synods, and about 1400 clergy. * As to individual adherents the following official table gives a comparative statement of the adherents of all the denominations in 1891 and igor, showing also the proportion each denommition bore to the whole population at each Census :

* Including Mennonites and Tankers, f Pagana included It will thus be seen that the Church is not only holding her own but is steadily gaining, and this notwithstanding that Protestantism reaps most of the benefit of the immigration into the Dominion.

Religions. Number. Proportion Proportion to Total Number. to Total Population. Population. Roman Catholics . . Methodists ... Presbyterian* Jhurch of England liaptists* Lutherans ... Disciples Brethren i-dventints Quakers Protestants ... [Jniverealists lews Unitarians ... salvation Army Jther denominations tfot Specified 1,992,017 847,765 755,326 646,0.i9 303,839 63,982 28,157 12,763 11,637 6,354 4,650 12.253 8 186 6414 1,777 13.949 33 756 ■j-69,855 41-21 2,228,997 41-50 17 54 916,862 17 07 1563 842,301 16 68 1337 680,346 12"67 629 349,077 6 50 1*32 92,394 172 •58 28,283 -53 •26 14,872 -27 '24 8,071 -15 •13 8,064 -15 •10 4,087 -07 •25 11,607 -22 •07 2,589 -05 •13 16,432 -13 •04 1,934 -03 '29 10,307 -20 •70 96,176 1*79 1-85 t'" )8 , 6 32 l'O9