Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 17.djvu/11

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

PREFACE

The Catholic Encyclopedia was completed in 1913; the Index Volume, with supplementary articles, in 1914. Since then the editors have published **The Catholic Encyclopedia and Its Makers," con- taining biographies of the contributors and others engaged in produc- ing the work, and a volume containing the revisions in the New Code of Canon Law. This, therefore, is the first Supplement in the real sense. It was impossible to issue one sooner, owing to war conditions. With great diflSculty the volume is published now, owing to the delays in correspondence, and the impossibility of getting in touch with many former contributors. This volume shows that The Catholic Ency- clopedia is a work of permanent value that in substance many of its articles on Art, Education, Law, Literature, Philosophy, Religion and social questions need scarcely any revision, that additional or supple- mental matter is needed chiefly in biography and geography, to cover the changes that have come about in territorial boundaries and in the establishment of new nations, in the constitution of new dioceses and the opening up of new missions ; the origin of new social, political and religious organizations and movements and the development of those that were already in progress. The articles on these subjects bring the whole work up to date, making it actually more valuable than ever as a work of reference.

In size, form and style, editorial and typographical, this volume conforms in every particular with the original volumes of the Ency- clopedia and we trust its readers will find it as useful as a source of information as well as a record of progress.