Born in Ireland, Father Thomas N. Burke (1803-1882) ministered there as a Dominican priest. He was considered one of the foremost Catholic preachers in the English-speaking world. The Irish Dominicans By Rev. Thomas N. Burke, O.P. This land of ours was famous once— no land was ever more— For saintliness so pure, so bright, as well as learned lore; And strangers from a sunny clime were wafted to our shore, In bearing meek and faintest garb, as ne’er was seen... Read more

The Sisters of Reparation of the Congregation of Mary, intimately known in their home surroundings in New York City as the Sisters of St. Zita, were founded in that city in 1903. The foundress of the Institute, Miss Ellen O’Keefe, who became in religion Mother Mary Zita, was born in County Limerick, Ireland, and emigrated to this country in 1864. As a nurse, Miss O’Keefe, moved for pity with the unfortunate women with whom she came into contact at the... Read more

CATHEDRAL BIRDS.[During the ceremonies of Dedication of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York, May 25th, 1879, birds entered at windows near the high altar, and sang.]‘Twas true Religion’s holiday, And benediction from on highCame down, ‘midst priest array And multitude, to sanctify A great Cathedral beautiful, In a great city’s Sunday lull. Winged visitants flew o’er the scene, And sang as though an angel choir, While worshippers of happy mien Lifted their hearts like flames of fire,In praise and joy, in... Read more

McFaul, James Augustine, second Roman Catholic Bishop of Trenton, was born in Larne, county Antrim, Ireland, June 6, 1850, son of James and Mary (Heffernan) McFaul. His parents came to America when he was but six months old, settling in New York City, where they remained for about four years. They then moved to Bound Brook, N.J., where their son attended the district school when not assisting his father on the farm. Having acquired a fair knowledge of bookkeeping, at... Read more

On the afternoon of September 20th, 1863, during the Battle of Chickamauga, as Union troops retreated under hot pursuit, a Confederate colonel spotted a young boy in a blue uniform carrying a sawed-off rifle. “I think the best thing a mite of a chap like you can do,” he called out, “is drop that gun.” Little Johnny Clem, the twelve-year-old drummer of the 22nd Michigan Infantry, turned around, shot the colonel, and ran safely back to the Union lines. More... Read more

The first white women to cross the Coeur d’Alene Mountains were four Sisters of Providence: Mother Mary of the Infant Jesus, Sister Mary Edward, Sister Paul Miki, and Sister Remi. These noble women came in response to a call made by Father Peter De Smet, S.J., for Sisters to open a boarding-school for the Indian girls at St. Ignatius Mission, Montana. They left the Mother-House in Montreal June 1, 1864, traveled by way of New York, the Isthmus of Panama... Read more

“Come On, You Brave Yank” The assault upon that part of the works of Vicksburg, occupied by the Twenty-Second Texas, was made by the Eighth and Eighteenth Indiana, First United States Regulars and the Thirty-third and Ninety-ninth Illinois, in the order named. Regarding the assault, Captain A.C. Matthews, of the Ninety-ninth Illinois, says: “I was in command of the color company on May 22, 1863. The color bearer had been wounded a few days before and was not on duty... Read more

This week’s column at Patheos focuses on Father Thomas Ewing Sherman, S.J. (1856-1933), son of General William T. Sherman. To reach the article please click here. Read more

Leary, Annie, philanthropist, was born about 1860, in New York City, daughter of James and Catherine Leary, who were also born in New York. She is descended on her mother’s side from Holland—Dutch ancestors, while her paternal grandfather came from Ireland to the United States during his boyhood. In early childhood Miss Leary became deeply interested in the mission work of the Roman Catholic Church and decided to devote both her time and fortune to that noble cause. Purchasing four... Read more

This week’s Patheos column deals with the Know-Nothing Party of the 1850’s and anti-Catholicism in the United States. To reach the article please click here. Read more