July 22: The Father of U.S. Catholic History

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is July 22nd, and our story is The Father of U.S. Catholic History. On the shelves of the Special Collections Division of the Georgetown University Library, you'll find a box filled with the letters of Archbishop John Carroll. You'll also find boxes filled with the letters and papers of other early Catholic American greats, such as New York's fiery Archbishop John Hughes, the first American-born saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, and pioneering missionaries the Archbishop John Carroll, the first American-born saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, and pioneering missionaries Frederick Barraga and Pierre Jean de Smet.

All those papers belong to the John Gilmary Shea Collection, 26 boxes containing some of the most important primary records of Catholic American history. Shea spent more than half his lifetime tracking down those documents, and without his work, much of what Catholics know about the church in early America would long ago have been forgotten.

Born in New York on July 22, 1824, the future historian got his first taste of writing about the church's past at age 14, when the Young People's Catholic magazine published his essay on the Cardinal soldier Gil Alvarez Carrillo de Albernaz.

History then took a back seat for more than a decade while Shea studied law and tried out, but decided against, a vocation as a Jesuit priest. After leaving the Society of Jesus in 1852, he married and began studying the history of the church's missions to Native Americans.

After that, Shea moved on to study in the lives of the first explorers in America, followed by Catholic founding fathers and patriots, and then early bishops and religious giants, all while working as an editor for various Catholic publishing houses and periodicals.

Shea published dozens of books and hundreds of essays, articles, and pamphlets on U.S. Catholic history. With almost no secondary sources to help him in his work, Shea personally tracked down countless primary documents, in the process ensuring that those priceless pieces of paper were preserved and catalogued.

Historians still rely on those papers, as well as Shea's writings, for their work on the church in early America. The father of U.S. Catholic history died in February 1892. Preserving history requires dedication, patience, and a commitment to truth.

Shea's tireless work reminds us that the stories of our past are invaluable guides for the present and future. Consider a story, tradition, or piece of history in your family, organization, or community. How can you preserve it for future generations?

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