April 22: The Hogan Schism

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is April 22nd, and our story is The Hogan Schism. History tells us that the stress of shepherding the city of brotherly love led Philadelphia's first bishop, Michael Egan, to an early grave.

His contemporaries' reluctance to fill his shoes indicates that they shared history's opinion. After Egan's death, despite Rome's best efforts, it took five years to find a priest willing to shepherd the sea. And the priest they did find, Father Henry Conwell, regretted his decision almost as soon as he arrived.

Bishop Conwell's problems began on December 3, 1820, when Father William Hogan preached the homily for the bishop's installation mass at St. Mary's Cathedral. Conwell had heard rumors about Hogan. He was contentious and a ladies' man. But nothing prepared him for Hogan's rant against the rector of St. Mary's during the homily.

After the Mass, Conwell spoke to Hogan, telling him he needed to apologize to St. Mary's rector. Hogan refused. He then returned to the cathedral and preached against his bishop with equal animosity. Over the next several months, tensions between priest and bishop escalated. Finally, on April 22, 1821, the beginning of Easter week, St. Mary's elected new parish trustees.

Nearly all supported Hogan. He took charge of the cathedral parish and exiled the bishop to nearby St. Joseph's. The Hogan Schism had begun. The next two years brought excommunications for Hogan and his parishioners, rioting in the streets, and legal wrangling in the courts. Nothing persuaded Hogan and his supporters to reconcile with his bishop, not even non sine magno, the 1822 letter from Pope Pius XVII condemning trusteeism.

Hogan walked away from the mess he created in 1823, renouncing Catholicism, leaving the priesthood, and marrying a wealthy widow. For his part, Conwell got into trouble with Rome for letting parish trustees run roughshod over him, and after handing over administration of the diocese to a coadjutor bishop, he retired in 1830 to a life of seclusion and prayer. Only then, when the coadjutor bishop reigned in the last of the troublesome trustees, did the Hogan Schism finally end. The Hogan Schism reminds us how personal ambition and pride can fracture communities, even within the church.

Leadership requires humility, patience, and steadfast faith in God's guidance. Conwell's perseverance, despite hostility and betrayal, illustrates that trust in God and adherence to principles can eventually restore order. Identify a conflict in your community or workplace. Pray for humility, understanding, and a constructive path to reconciliation.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, April 23rd, for another story of faith and courage in America.