July 8: Archbishop Kenrick, the Elder

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is July 8th, and our story is Archbishop Kenrick, the Elder. It's a rare family that produces one archbishop, yet Thomas and Jane Kenrick of Dublin, Ireland, produce two. Peter, Archbishop of St. Louis, and Francis, Archbishop of Baltimore.

Francis was the elder son. Born in Ireland in 1796 and educated in Rome, he was ordained a priest in 1821. Soon afterwards, he volunteered for the mission fields and joined Bishop Joseph Flajet in Bardstown. In Kentucky, when not teaching theology and Greek, Father Francis traveled throughout the diocese, defending the church in a series of apologetics lectures.

Nine years later, his intelligence and administrative skills earned him a trip to Philadelphia, where the weary Bishop Henry Conwell still struggled with fallout from the Hogan Schism. Ordained coadjutor bishop for the diocese, Kenrick took over Conwell's administrative duties and soon brought the rebellious parishioners of St. Mary's Cathedral back into line.

Kenrick ran the diocese for 12 years before Conwell died, and he became Philadelphia's third shepherd. In those first 12 years, and the nine he served as bishop, he helped nurse the city through a cholera epidemic, established a free Catholic school in every parish, resolved the last of the problems wrought by trusteeism, and began translating the Old and New Testaments into English. He also convinced his brother Peter to come to America, founded Philadelphia's first Catholic newspaper, and dealt with an anti-Catholic riot, or two.

Despite losing churches to the nativist riots, the number of parishes in Philadelphia grew from 22 to 92 during Kenrick's tenure. After 21 years in Philadelphia, Francis Kenrick moved to Baltimore to serve as the archdiocese's sixth archbishop. There, he presided over the first plenary council of Baltimore, restored administrative order to a chaotic chancery, instituted the forty hours devotion, and, in 1854, traveled to Rome for the promulgation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Kenrick's 42 busy years as a priest and bishop came to an abrupt end on July 8, 1863. That morning, word reached him of the bloodshed in nearby Gettysburg. Grief struck. He didn't live to see the sun set. From translating scripture to founding schools, guiding parishes through epidemics, and defending the church amid riots, Archbishop Kenrick worked ceaselessly for faith and community.

Seek a way to serve, both spiritually and practically, in your family, parish, or workplace today. Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, July 9th, for another story of faith and courage in America.