16 new churches last year Sixteen new churches were °Posed

last year in the flexharn and Newcastle diocese. These figures are given in the nexharri and Neivrostle Northern Catholic Direct, ry, just issued.

1 he Catholic population of the diocese in 1952 was 246.243 compared with 241,112 in the previous year. Baptisms increased from 6,334 to 6,631.

••-•-•••••••••