It was Father Leonard Feeney, one of Mother Seton’s earliest biographers, who asked this important question in a 1937 sermon given at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. In 1975 his hope was realized, and we now have a … Continue reading
Category: Catholic America
The Eight North American Martyrs
Precious to God are His missionaries, those heroic souls who in imitation of the Twelve Apostles “go forth and teach all nations” the way of salvation. Yet, in this present age of religious tolerance and laxity it is unfortunate, but … Continue reading
Daughters of Mother Seton in the War between the States
Editor’s Introduction: At the time of Mother Seton’s death in 1821, her original community of five had grown to fifty, and convents had been established in Philadelphia and New York. In 1850, twenty-nine years after the death of the Foundress, … Continue reading
Fr. De Smet
Editor’s Introduction: The following story is taken from the Life of Father De Smet, S.J. by E. Laveille, S.J. . We are pleased to reprint it for a number of reasons: It clearly illustrates that the fruits of the labors … Continue reading
Prince Gallitzin
Editor’s Introduction: Somewhere along the line, in this age of aggiornamento (renewal), a good many priests and bishops allowed themselves to be derailed from pursuing the primary objective of their vocations – the salvation of souls. Shepherds too often prefer … Continue reading
Catholicity Necessary to Sustain Popular Liberty
October 1845 By popular liberty, we mean democracy; by democracy, we mean the democratic form of government; by the democratic form of government, we mean that form of government which vests the sovereignty in the people as population, and which … Continue reading
The Good Old Days: Catholicism in the U.S. Before Vatican II
Men of every generation will regard the days of their youth wistfully. A certain number think of the past itself as superior to the present in at least some ways. They are often not wrong to do so. Today, grandfathers … Continue reading
America’s First Christmas Card
When was the first Christmas message printed in America? It had to come with European Christians, but who were the first Europeans in America? Did they come with Columbus, or did they come earlier with the Vikings; or even earlier … Continue reading
On Making the United States Catholic — Reasons for Our Failure
From The Point, March 1958 Why is it that the Catholic Church in America, so replete with plant and apparatus, does not bring in enough converts each year to fill up the number of Catholics who leave? Why is it … Continue reading
Americanism — A Phantom Heresy?
[Note: While some of the commentary is dated, the article provides a good historical foundation for what is going on today in the Church.] It began for me when I was about twenty years of age. The Church was being “updated.” … Continue reading
Catholicism and the Old South
My Children, Father, Thy forgiveness need; Alas! their hearts have only place for tears! Forgive them, Father, ev’ry wrongful deed, And every sin of those four bloody years; And give them strength to bear their boundless loss, And from their … Continue reading
Orestes Brownson on Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus
(From Brownson’s Quarterly Review for April, 1874) Editor’s Introduction: Orestes A. Brownson (1803-1876) will always be remembered as one of the most prolific American converts to the Catholic Church. Brownson had already achieved notoriety as an essayist and lecturer when … Continue reading
The Salvation of the Pre-Columbian Amerindians
This article appeared in abridged form in a small Catholic archaeological journal Ancient Man, Information Exchange , Volume 7, 1989, Tekakwitha Institute, Woodbridge, Virginia. The salvation of the American Indians before Pentecost, the birthday of the Catholic Church, has never … Continue reading
Slave of the Slaves: the Story of Saint Peter Claver
Across the sea a ship arose on the horizon. It could be a supply boat with some long-awaited news from back home in Spain, or it might be a slave ship, or even an enemy man-of-war. The gentle waves of … Continue reading
Saint André Bessette: Montreal’s Miracle Worker
[This article was formerly titled “Blessed Brother André of Saint Joseph.” With the canonization of Frere André on October 17, 2010, we have changed the name to something more fitting. The author is grateful that he had the grace to … Continue reading