Sadlier's Catholic Directory and Ordo
Sadlier's Catholic Directory and Ordo, for 1881, gives some important statistics of the progress of Roman Catholicism in the United States, which may not be without interest to Protestants generally. There are now twelve Archbishops with forty-eight suffragans, eight vicarates apostolic, and one prefecture apostolic. The number of priests returned is 6,402, and there are 1,170 ecclesiastical students preparing for the priesthood. The churches in the country have increased to 5,856, and the population is estimated at 6,377,330. The progress of parochial schools show immense exertion and sacrifice to educate children. In 2,383 schools there are 423,383 children.