Sisters of St. Basil the Great (1911)Fox Chase, Pennsylvania Laboring among the Ukrainian Greek Catholic people in the United States are members of the Order of Sisters of St. Basil the Great, which originated about the fourth century, when founded by St. Macrina, under the spiritual direction of her brother, St. Basil the Great. Since that period the care of the sick and the education of children has been carried on as the special purpose of the Sisters of St.... Read more

RECTOR FOLLOWS FATHER IN DEATH.Mgr. J.V. Lewis of St. Francis de Sales Church Contracted Pneumonia Attending Parent.WAS ILL ONLY THREE DAYS. Youngest of the City’s Catholic Rectors Was Secretary to Cardinal Farley from 1902 to 1913.The New York Times, March 26, 1916 The Very Rev. Mgr. James V. Lewis, rector of the Church of St. Francis de Sales in East Ninety-sixth Street, died yesterday at the rectory, 135 East Ninety-sixth Street, after a three days’ illness from pneumonia in his... Read more

Founded in 1785, St. Peter’s Church was the first Roman Catholic church erected in the State of New York. The above drawing dates back to 1878. The church now stands across now from Ground Zero.  PAPAL ZOUAVES.Celebration of High Mass at St. Peter’s Church— An Address by Archbishop McCloskey— Departures of the Zouaves for Europe.The New York Times, February 23, 1868 Yesterday morning at 7:30 o’clock St. Peter’s Church, Barclay-street, was well-filled by both sexes, on the occasion of... Read more

This week’s Patheos column focuses on Dorothy Day (1897-1980), founder of the Catholic Worker. Never has poverty for the Gospel’s sake been lived out so radically in America. If you’ve never heard of her (I didn’t until I was in college), she’s eminently worth getting to know. Take a look at the article by clicking here. Read more

The Jesuit Brother’s vocation is one with a rich history of service and scholarship. But Brother Pat Douglas, a Jesuit ministering in the Midwest, notes that it’s a “kind of forgotten” vocation. There are many, he says, who have a strong call to religious life, but not necessarily to the priesthood. In keeping with this blog’s policy of honoring Catholic America’s unsung heroes, today’s entry focuses on the life and career of Brother Martin Whelan, S.J. (1837-1903). Described as “a... Read more

PULPIT ATTACK ON TRUSTS.Money Power, Father Ducey Says, Has Become Tyranny.Attempts, the Priest Declares, to Control Educational Institutions in America and Church Itself.The New York Times, January 2, 1900The Rev. Father Thomas J. Ducey, pastor of St. Leo’s Roman Catholic Church, delivered a sermon after the special midnight mass to commemorate the coming in of the holy year of 1900, which, though brief, caused considerable surprise in the congregation, for the discourse was a fierce attack on the trusts. It was in... Read more

The Loyola University baseball team, 1886. Founded in Chicago in 1870, today Loyola is the nation’s largest Jesuit university.  Everybody just expects a Catholic school to turn out a good baseball team. A significant expectation! Why should a Catholic college with its few hundred students be expected to defeat the big non-Catholic universities so regularly? Baseball is distinctly an American game: why should Catholic college boys be expected to play it any better than non-Catholic college boys? They do not... Read more

From The Question Box:“Will you not admit that many of the leaders of your Church— her Popes, Bishops and priests— have been wicked men? How can you call such a Church holy?” The Church remains holy, no matter how many of her leaders prove faithless to the Gospel they preach, for these men are cut off from the Church’s life by their sins, which can never be traced to her teachings or laws. Would you call an apple tree bad,... Read more

Since last week’s Patheos article focused on the Irish, I didn’t feel it would be right to ignore the history of Italian Catholics in America. Few ethnic groups have labored under such degrading stereotypes, and few have such a rich history of service, scholarship, and hands-on pastoral ministry. To reach the article please click here. Read more

St. John Bosco (1815-1888), founder of the Salesians SALESIANS OF DON BOSCOIntroduced into the United States in 1898 On January 31, 1888, Italy was mourning over the death of Don Giovanni Bosco, the great philanthropist and apostle of charity, sometimes called “the Nineteenth Century Guardian Angel of Youth.” Born at Castelnuovo d’Asti in August, 1815, he became a priest, directing his best efforts to good works for young people. He founded, in rapid succession, churches, hospices, oratories, as well as... Read more