Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 15.djvu/411

 VERMONT

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VERMONT

population of Vormont, taken in 1843, showed the total number to be 4940. At about this time emigra- tion from European countries, particularly from Ireland, increased very rapidly, and there was a great increase in the Catholic population. In 18.52 a meeting of the bishops of the province of New York decided to ask the Holy See to erect Vermont into a diocese, with Burlington as the titular city, and Bishoji Fitzi)atrick of Boston jiroposed fur Bishop of Burling- ton, Very Rev. Louis De (ioesbriand, \'icar-(ieiieral of Cleveland, Ohio. On 29 July, 18.53, the Diocese of Burlington was created and Father De Goesbriand named as bishop. He was consecrated at New York by the papal ablegate, Mgr Bedini, on 30 Oct., 1853, and on 5 Nov. arrived at BurUngton, where he was installed the following day by Bishop Fitzpatrick. Bishop De Goesbriand entered upon his work with the greatest zeal, making a visitation of the entire dioce.se. He then found about 20,000 Catholics scattered throughout Vermont. In 18.5.5 he visited France and Ireland for the purpose of securing priests forthcDioce-seof Vermont, in which work he was emi- nently .successful, and he brought to the diocese in the succeeding years, several ])riests who did splendid work in the up-building of the Church in Vermont.

The first diocesan synod was held at Burlington, 4 Oct., 18.55. Rev. Thomas Lynch was appointed vicar-general in 18.58. The cathedral at Burlington was built under the supervision of Bishop De Goes- briand, work having commenced in 1861; it was com- pleted and dedicated on 8 Dec., 18(57. Bishop De Goesbriand laboured for the welfare and prosperity of his diocese with tireless zeal and gratifying success during thirty-eight years. In 1892 on account of advancing years and failing health, he requested the appointment of a coadjutor. Rev. J. S. Michaud, then pastor of Bennington, Vermont, was apjiointed. liishop De Goesbriand retired to the or])hanage, which he himself had founded, and there on 3 Nov., 1899, he died at the age of 84. Bishop Michaud died on 22 Dec, 1908, and Rev. J. J. Rice, D.D., then pastor of St. Peter's Church, Northbridge, Massa- chusetts, was selected as his successor. Bishop Rice was consecrated on 14 April, 1910.

There are now in the Diocese of Burlington 97 chvirches of which 72 have resident priests and 25 are missions. There are 93 secular priests and 14 priests of religious orders. Twenty parishes maintain parochial schools, attended by .59.50 pupils. There are three academies for boys, and six for young ladies; an orphan asylum is maintained at Burlington, which cares for 220 children. Two orphan schools have 252 pupils, making the total number of young people under Catholic care 6202. Two hospitals are main- tained, one at Burhngton and one at St. Johnsbury. The Loretto Home for aged women at Rutland, under the care of the Sisters of St. Joseph, was built and e<iui])ped by the late Rev. Thomas J. Gaffney, almost entirely with his private funds. The Catholic popu- lation in the diocese in 1911 was 77,389 divided almost equally between Irish and Can.adians, by birth or descent. There are two Poli.sh congregations, and a small percentage of other nationalities. The princi- pal non-Catholic denominations are: Congregat ion- alists, 20,271 members, 197 churches, 186 ministers; Baptists, S623 members, 105 churches. 111 ministers; the Methodists, 16,067 members, 1,82 churches, 161 ministers; the Episcopalians, 3926 communicants, 36 ministers, .52 parishes; Free Baptists, 4000 minis- ters, 00 churches; Adventists, 17.50 ministers, 35 churches.

Lkcislation. — The first Constitution of Vermont was adopted in 1,877 and provided (.\rt. 3, chap. 1): "That .all men h.ave the natural and unalienable right to worship .\lniighty God .according to the dictates of their own consciences and understanding, regulatcfl by thewordofCjod, and that no nmn should, nor of right

can be compelled to attend any religious worship, or erect or support, any place of worship, or maintain any minister, contrary to the dictates of his con- science; nor can any man who professes the Protestant religion be justly deprived or abridged of any civil right as a citizen on account of his religious sentiment or peculiar mode of religious worship. . . . Never- theless, every sect ought to observe the Sabbath or Lord's Day, and keep up and support some sort of religious worship, which to them shall seem most agreeable to the revealed will of God." The same Constitution (Chap. 2, sec. 9) provided "that each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, viz. I do believe in one God, the creator and governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the wicked; and I do acknowledge the scriptures of the old and new Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration, and own and prof ess the Protestant religion". The Constitution was revised and amended in 1786 and the clause requiring a test declaration was dropped entirely from the revision. The words "who professes the Protestant religion" were also eliminated from the third article of chapter 1, leaving the declaration one of freedom of worship for all. And such was the provision of the Constitu- tion adopted after the admission of Vermont to the Union in 1793.

No legislation nor constitutional provisions, dis- criminating in favour of one sect, or against another, have ever since been enacted in the state. The exercise of any business or employment, except such only as works of necessity and charity, and the resorting to any ball or dance, or any game, sport, or house of en- tertainment or amusement on Sunday, is prohibited by statute. The administration and voluntary taking of an unnecessary oath is made penal by statute (Pub. Stat., sec. .5917). The prcnision was originally a part of the anti-Masonic Icglshiliou iTuictcd in is:i3. The ordinary form of oaths, which are administered without the use of the Bible and while the recipient holds his right hand raised, commences with "You do solemnly swear" and ends with "So help you God". The statute provides (Pub. Stat., sec. 6268) that the word "swear" may be omitted and the word "affirm" .substituted, when the person to whom the obligation is administered is religiously scrupulous of swearing or taking an oath in the prescribed form, and in such case the words: "So help you God" are also omitted, and the words: "Under the pains and penalties of perjury" are substituted. The daily sessions of each house of the Legislature are opened by prayer. 1 Jan- uary and 25 December are legal holidays (Sec. 2690). It is provided by .statute that no ])riest nor minister of the Gospel shall be permitted to testify in court to statements made to him by a person under the sanc- tity of a religious confessional (Pub. Stat., sec. 1,594).

The Catholic Dioce.se of Burlington is a corporation under a special charter from the Legislature. Incor- poration of churches can be h.ad by the filing of arti- cles of association with the Secretary of State, signed by five or more persons (Pub. Stat., sec. 4237); and this may be done without the payment of charter fees or taxes (Pub. Stat ., see. 802). All real and person.al estate, granted, sequestered, or u.sed for public, pious or charitable u.ses, and lands used for cemetery purposes, and the structures thereon are exempt from taxation (Pub. Stat., sec. 496). Divorces from the bond of matrimony may be decreed by the several county courts. Five causes for divorce are recog- nized by law, for any one of which may be also granted a divorce from bed and board. In 1910, .369 divorces were granted in the state. M.arriages may be solenmized by a justice of the peace in the county for which he is a))pointed, or by a minister of the (Jo.s- Jiel ordained according to the usage of his denomina- tion, who resides in the state or labours steadily in the