S0-IvIE surprising facts and ?•--7 figures about the Catholic population of England and Wales are expected at a conference on The Catholic Community " this wea-end at the Newman International Centre in London.
The gathering will hear the first tentative results of the Newman Demographic Survey which was formed two years ago and received the Hierarchy's approval and blessing.
The object of the conference is to acquaint the Catholic public with the use of modern methods of social research in the pastoral work of the Church, and to review the Survey's work of the past two years.
Certain preliminary results a:bout the number of Catholic school children and the numbers of boys and girls attending Catholic schools will be announced.
The Survey had the help of nearly 200 people all over England and Wales—sociologists, statisticians, actuaries, economists, school
teachers, students, shorthandtypists and housewives.
Their task was to carry out research on published statistics. Original research on certain ecclesiastical records was also carried out.