Although I am too young to remember him (b. 1978), Cardinal Denis Dougherty was for all intents and purposes the last REAL Cardinal Archbishop of my Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He came into office in 1918, and reigned for 33 years, dying in 1951, the 61st anniversary of his priestly ordination...shortly after saying Mass. WHen Cardinal Dougherty died in 1951, after 33 magnificent years during which he built 125 parishes, renovated or restored another 100, ordained over 2,000 priests, built over 100 schools, 6 Catholic hospitals, 3 colleges, 15 highschools, and officiated at the profession of thousands of nuns, the Archdiocese was in fantastic shape. Over 85% attended Sunday Holy Mass (the Tridentine Latin Mass). That was the norm in 1951 for the whole of the USA....85% of Catholics went to Mass back then. In 1951 when Cardinal Dougherty died, our seminary of St. Charles Borromeo had 550 seminarians in residence (and another 60 studying in Rome at the Pontifical North American College, and 12 at Louvain, in Belgium). Today, after 40 years of Vatican II and less than stellar popes and Cardinal Archbishops, we have less that 40 seminarians. IN 1951, the last year Cardinal Dougherty ordained new priests for Philadelphia, there were 48 ordained. Today, after 40 years of Vatican II, in Philadelphia we usually have between 3-5 per year. IN 1951 when Cardinal Dougherty died, 5,411 nuns taught in nearly 260 parochial schools, and staffed over 10 Catholic hospitals, nursing homes, private schools, or cloistered convents, and another 600+ were in training to become sisters in Philadelphia. By 1962, on the eve of Vatican II, there were 7,711 sisters. Today, after 40 years of Vatican II, there are only about 2,200 sisters in Philadelphia, with a median age of 76. Of roughly 160 parishes which still have schools (out of about 240), there are fewer that 350 sisters teaching in any school level in the Archdiocese. There has not been more than 5 nuns per year professed in the Archdiocese for 20 years. IN the 1950's up until Vatican II, 85% of Philadelphia Catholics attended Mass. The numbers for 2009 just came out 2 weeks ago. It's down to 24%, despite over 5 years of trying to hype up the "New Evangelization"....whatever that it!!
To go from Cardinal Doughterty's glory days to now, and not to acknowledge that a disaster happened in the Church for the last 40 years... by the Pope and others then that's pathetic. The next Archbishop of Philadelphia will officiate over practically nothing.
Although I am too young to remember him (b. 1978), Cardinal Denis Dougherty was for all intents and purposes the last REAL Cardinal Archbishop of my Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
ReplyDeleteHe came into office in 1918, and reigned for 33 years, dying in 1951, the 61st anniversary of his priestly ordination...shortly after saying Mass.
WHen Cardinal Dougherty died in 1951, after 33 magnificent years during which he built 125 parishes, renovated or restored another 100, ordained over 2,000 priests, built over 100 schools, 6 Catholic hospitals, 3 colleges, 15 highschools, and officiated at the profession of thousands of nuns, the Archdiocese was in fantastic shape.
Over 85% attended Sunday Holy Mass (the Tridentine Latin Mass). That was the norm in 1951 for the whole of the USA....85% of Catholics went to Mass back then.
In 1951 when Cardinal Dougherty died, our seminary of St. Charles Borromeo had 550 seminarians in residence (and another 60 studying in Rome at the Pontifical North American College, and 12 at Louvain, in Belgium). Today, after 40 years of Vatican II and less than stellar popes and Cardinal Archbishops, we have less that 40 seminarians.
IN 1951, the last year Cardinal Dougherty ordained new priests for Philadelphia, there were 48 ordained. Today, after 40 years of Vatican II, in Philadelphia we usually have between 3-5 per year.
IN 1951 when Cardinal Dougherty died, 5,411 nuns taught in nearly 260 parochial schools, and staffed over 10 Catholic hospitals, nursing homes, private schools, or cloistered convents, and another 600+ were in training to become sisters in Philadelphia.
By 1962, on the eve of Vatican II, there were 7,711 sisters.
Today, after 40 years of Vatican II, there are only about 2,200 sisters in Philadelphia, with a median age of 76. Of roughly 160 parishes which still have schools (out of about 240), there are fewer that 350 sisters teaching in any school level in the Archdiocese. There has not been more than 5 nuns per year professed in the Archdiocese for 20 years.
IN the 1950's up until Vatican II, 85% of Philadelphia Catholics attended Mass. The numbers for 2009 just came out 2 weeks ago.
It's down to 24%, despite over 5 years of trying to hype up the "New Evangelization"....whatever that it!!
To go from Cardinal Doughterty's glory days to now, and not to acknowledge that a disaster happened in the Church for the last 40 years... by the Pope and others then that's pathetic.
The next Archbishop of Philadelphia will officiate over practically nothing.