nting by cent. per cent. during the
same period....' A short time ago, when an Austrian Cabinet was
being heckled by some anti-clerical opponents upon its alleged
encouragement of an excessive number of clerical persons in
Austria, the Minister replied, 'If you want to know what an
excessive number of the clergy is like go to Ireland. In proportion
to their population the Irish have got ten priests and nuns to the
one who exists in Austria. I do not prejudge the question. They may
be wanted in Ireland. But let not honourable members talk about
over-clericalism in Austria until they have studied the clerical
Statistics of Ireland.' A Jesuit visitor to Ireland, on returning
to his English acquaintances, and being asked how did he find the
priests in Ireland, replied, 'The priests in Ireland! There is
nobody but priests in Ireland. 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. It has forty Bishops, but if it were like Ireland it
would have 288. Mr. O'Donnell goes on: 'This enormous population of
Churchmen, far beyond the necessities and even the luxuries of
religious worship and service, would be a heavy tax upon the
resources of great and wealthy lands. What must it be for Ireland
to have to supply the Episcopal villas, the new Cathedrals, and
handsome Presbyteries, and handsome incomes of this enorm