Thomas Nast (1849-1902) is the father of the American political cartoon. He’s also the creator of the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey. A hater of injustice, his cartoons advocated the rights of Native Americans and African-Americans. But there was one group he had no tolerance for: the Catholic Church, which he considered a fomentor of [...]

The Dominican Fathers in Washington, D.C., have created a great blog devoted to the order’s history. Check it out here. It’s a magnifcent resource on all things Dominican, national and international, replete with video and audio resources. I’m looking forward to reading more of it, because I’m sorry to say I don’t know as much [...]

Today is the Feast of St. Peter Canisius (1521-1597), who is best known for his work in sixteenth century Germany. He was the first Dutch Jesuit (former Jesuit General Peter Hans Kolvenbach is among the more recent). Ordained in 1546, he taught in the first-ever Jesuit school, started in Messina in 1548. In 1549, Pope [...]

During the 1800’s, the Vincentians made some significant contributions to the American hierarchy: Joseph Rosati in St. Louis, Leo De Neckere in New Orleans, Jean Marie Odin in Texas, John Timon and Stephen Vincent Ryan in Buffalo. Today marks the birth of Thaddeus Amat (1811-1878), second Bishop of Monterey, which was created in 1850 as [...]

An interesting if little known figure in Church History is a French Ursuline named Marie of the Incarnation (1599-1672), a mystic and an activist who worked as a missionary in Canada. A widow at an early age, she got interested in the missions after reading about the work of the Jesuits. After raising a son, [...]

Along with Church History, the Civil War has been a big interest of mine ever since I can remember. So I try to wrap the topics together whenever I get the chance. I knew that a number of Civil War veterans had joined the priesthood, but I never heard of any generals taking this route. [...]

Father John W. O’Malley is a Jesuit historian teaching at Georgetown University. He’s one of the best Church historians around (and he’s also a really nice person). If you’re interested in the history of the Jesuits and what makes them tick, I can’t do better than recommend his 1993 book The First Jesuits. Over at [...]

December 20 marks the birth of Bishop Thomas A. Becker (1832-1898), first Bishop of Willmington (1868-1886) and sixth Bishop of Savannah (1886-1899). Unlike most of his fellow bishops, Becker was not a “cradle Catholic.” Born Thomas Baker in Pittsburgh, he became a Catholic while studying at the University of Virginia. (His parents were so mad [...]

December 20 marks the death of Bishop John DuBois (1764-1842), New York’s third (and the only non-Irish) ordinary. A friend of the Marquis de Lafayette, he fled the French Revolution. Coming to America, he stayed with Patrick Henry, who taught him English. At that time Catholicism was a largely English and French community. When he [...]

December 20 marks the birth of Brooklyn’s first Bishop, John Loughlin (1817-1891). Born in County Down, Ireland, on December 20, he studied for the priesthood in America. In 1840, he was ordained by Bishop John Hughes at Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Mott Street. A capable administrator, within a few years he was rector of [...]