INCREASE IN CATHOLIC CHURCHES - 1863

SMYTH

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 5/25/2016 at 22:25:32

Dubuque Democratic Herald – Dec. 1, 1863

INCREASE IN CATHOLIC CHURCHES
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A few weeks since Bishop Smyth preached a sermon at the Cathedral in which he gave some interesting statistics relative to the Catholic Church since he had been in charge of his diocese, he said that at the end of his commencement of his Episcopate in 1858 there were in the diocese of Dubuque about 50 churches, 53 priests, and about 60,000 Catholics now there are over 80 churches, 85 priests and nearly 100,000 Catholics. These are reliable figures. During the Bishop’s recent tour through his diocese he confirmed in the faith 2,000 children and some adults.