Three Million Roman Catholics?
SIR,—It Is always difficult to assess the value of religious statistics, even when their precise character is known. The Church of England publishes its Easter communion totals and its electoral rolls, together with financial returns, confirmation totals, &c. It would be interesting if Janus could
tell us how this R.C. three million is made'att Is it an actuarial assess- ment based on baptisms ? Does it bear any relation to communicant status ? Is it an Easter communion figure ? And, if the latter, how many are over fourteen years of age, the normal minimum for com- munion in most Protestant Churches ?
From observation through more than twenty years I am inclined to ask two further questions: (a) How many are of non-English stock, e.g., Irish. Poles, &c. ? (b) What proportion are regular (i.e., weekly) worshippers ? If Janus could secure the publication of such figures he would throw valuable light on a social problem of our day.—Yours
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