THE CHURCH IN DENMARK

New Zealand Tablet, 28 July 1910, Page 1169

THE CHURCH IN DENMARK

Denmark, of which the capital is Copenhagen, is the smallest of the three Scandinavian kingdoms. It is a peninsula extending northward from Germany, between the Baltic Sea on the east and the North Sea on the west. Together with its foreign possessions it comprises the great peninsula of Jutland, with the adjacent islands, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and the Danish "West Indies. The population of Denmark proper is 2,605,268. In its government it is a constitutional monarchy, slightly modified by democratic tendencies.

The reigning sovereign of Denmark is King Frederick VIII., who was born in 1843, and succeeded his father, King Christian IX., January 29, 1906. The Parliamentary body is called the Regsdag or Diet, and is composed of two houses, an Upper House, called the Landsthing, and a Lower House, the Folkething. The king must be a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is recognised as the religion of tire State. In 1902 there were 15,000 Catholics, of whom 7000 were Polish laborers. Copenhagen, the capital, has a Catholic population of about 3000, while another large Catholic community is found at Fredericksburg, numbering 1500. The rest of the Catholic body is scattered among the 33 churches and 18 missions. Copenhagen itself has three churches and four chapels, with adjoining institutions. The clergy comprise 47 priests, of whom 21 are diocesan, and 26 regular. Among the former are 14 native Danes and converts. The religious Orders are represented by the Society of Jesus, which has the flourishing college of St. Andrew at Ordrupshoi, near Copenhagen, and a high school at Sfenosgade. The Rederaptorists have an establishment at Odensee. In 1906 the Redemptorists laid the corner-stone of a great national sanctuary at. Odensee, in memory of the Danish saint, King Canute. The work was welcomed by Catholic and Protestant alike. The day on which the corner-stone was laid was observed as a holiday by the whole city, and all the notable citizens were present at the ceremony. In fact, the Protestant municipality moved a vote of thanks to the Fathers for the new architectural adornment of the citv. The Camillan Fathers are situated in a beautiful villa near Aalberg, in the chapel of which two Masses are said every Sunday. The Camillans have also begun the erection of a hospital at the same place. Xhe recent history of Catholicity in Denmark shows that the Church, though only in its infancy, is growing rapidly. In 1841, when Denmark was included in the jurisdiction of Dr. Lupke, pro-Vicar Apostolic of all Northern Germany, there were only 865 Catholics in the country. Conditions, however, underwent a decided improvement after 1849, when the new Danish Constitution granted complete religious liberty, and guaranteed political and ecclesiastical equality to all dissenters. Fathers Zurstrassen and Cruder performed miracles of zeal, and in 1853 the latter found it possible, for the first time since the Reformation, to preach a Catholic sermon in Danish. In 1859 Bishop Melchers, of Osnabruck, afterwards Cardinal, visited Denmark in his capacity as pro-Vicar Apostolic. In the meantime the Church began to commend itself powerfully to the people. In 1867 a parish was formed at Odensee, and many others followed in succession. In 1869 Pope Pius IX. considered the Church in Denmark sufficiently organised to form a prefecture apostolic, and Father Herman Cruder was chosen for the post. In 1892 Pope Leo XIII. raised the Church in Denmark to a vicariate, and appointed Johann Von-Euch, Bishop Titular of Anastasisopolis and Vicar Apostolic. . When one considers the activity of that handful of Catholics, the fruitfulness of their works, and the role they play proportionally in the grand concert of Catholic unity, it speaks volumes for the purity and zeal of their faith. Although obliged even at present to: pay taxes for the support of the Lutheran Church, they yet enjoy full liberty in other directions, especially in freedom of association. The Catholic primary schools must submit to government inspection, but otherwise they are free. There are in these schools 1195 children. There are high schools at Amager, Ozdrup, Odensee, and Stenosgade. For their small numbers the Catholics of Denmark are rich in works of charity, and in associations for social, literary, and devotional progress. Besides the Marist Brothers, who care for the education of boys, there are the Sisters of St. Elizabeth, who maintain a hospital. During one year recently they cared for 122 sick patients, of whom 87 were non-Catholics, besides supplying food and clothing to many more. The Sisters of St. Joseph, numbering 200, also do excellent work in this direction, as do the Sisters of Christian Charity of Padderborn, who are 12 in number. The Sisters of Charity have done much to bring the Church into favor with the modern Danes. Their hospitals, old people’s homes, and orphan asylums have won all hearts. Their fairs and bazaars are often organised by Protestants. Eibyerg, a city of Lutherans and Socialists, petitioned the Vicar Apostolic for Sisters to care for its hospital. The Parliament has granted these good Sisters free passage on all the railways and steamers in The S( Catholic press has advanced in circulation and influence. The Ugehlad, or Religious Weekly, together with the Kaiholihen, are powerful means for Catholic teach-

ing and defence. Among the Catholic literary men of the day ■in Denmark are Johannes Jorgensen, editor of the Katholilcen; Harold Westergaard, the critic; Father Brertung, S.J., author of a profound work upon the failure of Darwinism; and Father B. Hansen. Catholic Premier of Denmark. A matter of interest in the Catholic life of Denmark was the election on August 12, 1909, of Count Holstein Ledreborg to the post of-'Premier. Count Holstein is a Catholic and a convert. He was born of an old Danish family in Wurtemburg in 1839. His father being a Protestant, the son was brought up in that religion. His mother, however, a French countess, was a devout Catholic, and no doubt contributed not a little to her son’s leaning towards her own faith. In 1867 Count Holstein became a Catholic,, together with his bride, the Danish Countess Lovenorn, as the young couple were visiting Rome.