Over there they are treading on one
another's heels.' While the population of Ireland has diminished
one-half, the population of the Presbyteries and convents has
multiplied threefold or more. Comparisons are then instituted
between the Sacerdotal census of Ireland, and that of the European
Papal countries. I shall state results only. Belgium has only one
Archbishop and five Bishops; but if it were staffed with prelates
on the Irish scale it would have nine or ten Archbishops and some
sixty Bishops. I suppose the main army of ecclesiastics in the two
countries is in the same grossly incongruous proportions--ten or
twelve priests in Ireland for every one in Belgium! The German
Empire, with its 21,000,000 Roman Catholics, has actually fewer
mitred prelates than Ireland with its 3,000,000 of Roman Catholics.
The figures of Austria-Hungary with its Roman Catholic population
of 36,000,000 are equally impressive. It has eleven Archbishops,
but if it were staffed on the Irish scale it would have
forty-eight.
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