Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/608

 TEXAS

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TEXAS

forty-eight penitents; the Sisters of the Holy Ghost (San Antonio, Texas), devoted to the coloured race. The Josephite Fathers also have charge of the col- oured people. The Vineentians conduct the Uni- versity of Dallas, which has an enrolment of 206 students. The Catholic population shows rapid in- crease because of the immigration, chiefly from the northern States, of settlers, European in origin, and the work of organizing new pari.shes goes on quickly here as in the other dioceses. The new Diocese of Corpus Christi is a vacant see at the present writing (1912). It has 15 churches with resident priests and sixty missions with chapels. Thirty-three priests, sixteen secular and seventeen Oblates, serve the Cath- ohc population, which is over81,917, chiefly Mexicans. Probably between three and four thousand are Cau- casians. The Oblates have their novitiate for the province of the south-west, which includes Mexico, in this diocese. A new building for the novitiate is now in course of construction at La Lomita on the Rio Grande near the town of Mission. The Marist Brothers conduct St. Joseph's College for boys at Brownsville. The following orders of nuns are en- gaged in their various works in the diocese: the Ursuline Sisters, convent and academy and St. Peter's School at Laredo; the Sisters of Mercy, the Mercy Hospital, Laredo, and schools in various towns in the diocese; the Sisters of the Holy Ghost, Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Laredo; the Sisters of Divine Providence, St. Mary's Academy, Beeville; the Sisters of the Incarnate Word, convent and academy, Brownsville; the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, schools at Corpus Christi, Rio Grande City, and Roma; Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Spohn Sanitarium, Corpus Christi ; the Hermanas del Sagrado Coraz6n de Jesus conduct an orphanage in Laredo. The number of pupils attending the academies and parochial schools in the diocese is over 1200.

Distinguished Catholics. — In the organization of the Texas revolutionary Government of 1836 the loyalty, patriotism, and talents of Lorenzo de Zavala were deemed of such high order as to qualify him for the office of Vice-President of the Republic. A man of culture, a statesman, and a soldier, de Zavala was above all an ardent Cathohc. He was born 3 Oct., 1788, and died 15 Nov., 1836. Colonel Francisco Ruiz, another distinguished Catholic and patriot, exerted himself to achieve Mexican independence, hence endured exile in the United States from 1813 to 1822. After his return to Texas he united with those struggling in their turn for Texan freedom and later independence. He was elected as a delegate to the convention held at Washington on the Brazos, and his name appears among the signers of the Texas Declara- tion of Independence, 2 March, 1836. As a repre- sentative of his native Texas to the Mexican Congress, 1833, as a delegate to the Revolutionary Convention of Texas and signer of the Declaration of Texan Inde- pendence, as an upholder of the rights of the Texas Government, member of the Congress of the Republic (1838), and Senator of the fii-st Texas State Legisla- ture (1846), Jo.se Antonio Navarro commended him- self to the gi'atitude of his fellow-countrymen and edified them by his loyalty to his Catholic Faith. Ivieutenant-Gcncral Cabell of the ,A.rmy of the Con- federacy, who died in the Diocese of Dallas, 17 Febru- ary, 1911, was a convert to the Catholic Faith.

Population According to Religious Belief. — In numbers, the Catholic population ranks third of all the religious denominat ions in t he St ate. The Census Bureau's figures (1906) give Baptist bodies in the State, 401,720 communicants; Disciples of Christ ":i,r>r,V,: Lutherans 27,437: Methmlists 317,495; Pres- byterians, 62,090; Pnitesl.inl Kpisi-opaliaus, 14,346; Catholics, ;«)8,5.56; Jewish congicgiil ion, 1 1 ,676. The figures given more recently by Cathohc diocesan au-

thorities show 311,667, and doubtless since the increase in the number of children communicants a larger showing may well be claimed. Altogether, of the population of Texas about 25 per cent is Protes- tant, about 9 per cent Catholic; all other religions, less than 1 per cent, leaving about 65 per cent having no definite rehgious belief.

Legislation. — The Constitution of Texas in its "Bill of Rights" (Act 1, Sec. 4) prohibits a reUgioiis test as a qualification for holding office or a public trust, or the exclusion of any one from office on ac- count of religious sentiments, "provided he acknowl- edge the existence of a Supreme Being". Sec. 5 prohibits disquahfication to give evidence in any court on account of religious opinions or of the want of religious befief, "but all oaths or affirmations shall be administered in the mode most binding upon the conscience". Sec. 6 enunciates the right of freedom of worship, prohibits compulsion to worship or to support or attend places of worship, or preference before the law of any religious society or mode of worship. Sec. 7 prohibits the appropriation of state money or property for the benefit of any sect or re- ligious society, theological or religious seminary. For the proper observance of the Sunday etc. the laws of the State prohibit, under ])cnalty, disturbing pubhc worship also labour on Sunday or compelling to labour thereon. Hunting within one-half mile of a church or schoolhouse, horse-racing, and the sale of goods are also prohibited on Sunday. Cursing, swear- ing, and indecent language are punishable by statute as breaches of the peace. Under the Constitution each Legislative Chamber determines the rules of its own proceedings. Hence a chaplain for each chamber is usually elected and the sessions are opened with prayer. Cliri>l iikis Day and all days appointed by the President nf the United States or by the governor of the State as fa.sting or thanksgiving days are the only hoUdays of a religious nature in addition to Sun- day sanctioned by law. Should the occasion ever arise wherein the integrity of the seal of confession should be in question before a Texas court there is little doubt that the constitutional guarantee of re- ligious liberty would protect it, although no statutory provision covers the hypothesis.

The general law of incorporation obtains in the case of churches. Among the first-named purposes enu- merated in the statute under which corporations are formed are, the "support of public worship, the sup- port of any benevolent, charitable, educational or missionary undertaking". Any rehgious society may become a body corporate and any ehuich or associa- tion faihng to organize under the provisions of the statute cannot sue as a corporation or hold real estate. Schools and churches, cemeteries, public charity, and endowment funds of institutions of learn- ing not used for profit and all buildings used by persons or associations of persons for school purposes are exempt from taxation. Clergymen, all ministers of the Gospel, engaged in the acti\e discharge of their ministerial duties, are exempt from jury service. No compulsory mihtary service is required of any one under Texas law.

Marriage is regarded as a civil contract, a common- law marriage; all licensed or ordained ministers of religion are among the officers in whose presence the marriage ceremony may bo legally performed. For a legal marriage there must be in the parties capacity to contract, mutual consent, mutual wills expressed in the prescribed manner. A licence must be obtained from the county clerk of the county. The age at which marriage may be contracted is for males 16, for females 14. The consent of the parents of the parties is necessary for the issuance of a licence by the county clerk until, for males, 21 years of age, for females, 18. Marriage may be annulled because of certain legal impediments. A marriage between one