Abstract Started in 1884, the Historical Researches in Western Pennsylvania—Principally Catholic was a quarterly magazine that facilitated the gathering of information--documents, comments, correspondence, etc.--that helped document the activities and history of the Church and Catholics in America for future scholars, historians, and Catholics interested in American Catholicism. By 1886, the quarterly magazine was renamed to American Catholic...

Abstract Anna Scull was born in December of 1832. She devoted nearly 30 years teaching in the public schools of Philadelphia. By 1874, Scull was appointed principal of the Hunter Girl’s Grammar School located at Dauphin and Mascher Streets in Philadelphia. During a class lecture in February of 1881, Anna Scull was alleged to have taught students false statements that insulted the Catholic faith. As a result of these allegations, a petition dated March 8, 1881 was presented by parents,...

Abstract The parochial school system in Philadelphia officially began in 1852 under Philadelphia's fourth bishop, John Nepomucene Neumann. However, the first Catholic schools in Philadelphia can be traced to the mid- to late-18th century under the purview of local parishes, and early expansion occurred unsystematically until the 1850s. Since few parishes had the resources to provide a K-12 education, many Catholic households chose to send their children to Philadelphia's public schools. Due to...

Abstract

This collection contains plans and correspondence for the proposed 10th Synod of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in the 1960s. The bulk of the collection contains statutes and plans from the various preparatory commissions.

Abstract

This collection contains the papers of Bishop Edward Cullen when he was a Msgr. in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia while he was head of Catholic Social Services. The bulk of the material deals with his time on the City of Philadelphia’s MOVE Commission as well as his work on the 1983 Holy Year of Redemption and the Council of Priest.

Abstract

This collections contains correspondence of Bishop John England, first Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina. The bulk of the collection contains outgoing letters from Bishop England to the Honorable William Gaston.

Abstract

This collection contains material covering the cause fo rBishop John Neumann's Beatification and Canonization.

Scope and Contents

The documents in this collection consist mainly of correspondence, prayers, sermons, speeches, etc. which were amassed by Msgr. Bonner during his career associated with the city of Philadelphia Catholic School System.

Abstract The Catholic Club of Philadelphia, formerly the De Sales Institute of Philadelphia, was founded January 2, 1877. The Club offered wealthy men of a certain socioeconomic background cultural, intellectual, and social opportunities. This collection contains administrative records, including by-laws and reports, as well as general correspondence. Programs, souvenirs, and ephemera related to club-sponsored events and events sponsored by other local Catholic societies are also...

Abstract Patrick Coad (1783-1872), an Irish immigrant who settled in Philadelphia, was the first patentee of a graduated galvanic battery with insulated poles. Touting his battery among other uses as an instrument that helped cure various diseases, Coad’s invention attracted a good deal of attention within the scientific and medical communities. A teacher whose interests focused on medicine and the sciences, Coad also travelled throughout Pennsylvania and the surrounding area as a lecturer on the...

Abstract Dr. Peter F. Moylan was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania on July 12, 1860. Moylan studied at Wilkes-Barre Academy and later enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1887. Soon after graduation he served his residency in St. Mary's Hospital where he later assumed the charge of the surgical department. On May 4, 1904, Moylan married Miss Nellie A. Drislane of Philadelphia. The couple had three children; Peter F. Moylan Jr., Agnes Margaret Moylan, and Helen Moylan who died...

Abstract

The collection contains material relating to the ordination of Louis Anthony DeSimone and Francis Bible Schulte to Auxiliary Bishops in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The collection includes both planning material and ephemera from the day of the ordination on August 12, 1981.

Abstract

This collection contains material focusing mainly on St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, as well as general history of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and writings by Father Carbine.

Abstract The Fenian Brotherhood, the American branch of the Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood, was established in 1858 with the goal of establishing an independent Ireland. As well as raising money and gathering arms to send back to Ireland, the Fenians also engaged in military activity against the British, leading two failed invasions of Canada. Factionalism within the organization led to the Brotherhood's decline by the 1880s. This collection primarily contains the correspondence of...

Abstract A prominent Catholic historian and Philadelphia native, Martin Ignatius Joseph Griffin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 23, 1842. His parents, Terence J. and Elizabeth (Doyle) Griffin, were immigrants from Ireland. He was educated in parochial and public schools and began his journalistic career as a contributor to Catholic newspapers. Widely known as a church historian, Griffin authored many works dealing with Catholic history and was a frequent contributor to and editor...

Abstract Herman Joseph Heuser, D.D. (1851-1933) was a Catholic intellectual and prolific writer who influenced scholarly circles and clerical life in the United States and abroad through his literary work. Heuser edited the American Ecclesiastical Review (1889-1975) as well as published The Dolphin (1900-1908), a Catholic literary magazine. These publications reflected Heuser's varied interests from clerical subjects to the arts. ...

Abstract

This collection contains materials related to the Irish Catholic Benevolent Union. The bulk of the collection contains incoming and outgoing correspondence to the national headquarters as well as invitations and programs to events hosted by the I.C.B.U.

Abstract

The collection contains material relating to the 1980 Synod of Bishops in Rome, the Holy Year of Renewal and Reconciliation in 1974, and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1969 to the 1980s. This collection includes mainly correspondence and administrative records.

Abstract John Gilmary Shea (1824-1892) was a notable writer, editor, and historian of American Catholic history. Shea is considered one of the first American Catholic historians in the United States. Much of his recognition and lasting fame comes from the accolades and accomplishments of publishing nearly three hundred articles and books. The John Gilmary Shea Correspondence preserved in the Philadelphia Archdiocese Historical Research Center primarily consists of correspondences received...

Abstract Elizabeth Sarah Kite (1864-1954) was a teacher, social scientist, historian, author, and archivist. Born in Philadelphia to Quaker parents, Kite was educated at Westtown Boarding school and the Philadelphia Friends’ Select School; and then studied extensively in Europe. In 1906, she converted to Catholicism, after her experiences with French Catholics. From 1909 to 1918, Kite was employed in the research laboratory at the Vineland Training School, and conducted research in the Pine Barrens...

Abstract

The collection is comprised of material saved by the Kurtz-Fichtel Family for genealogy. The Kurtz family was Roman Catholic while the Fitchel family was originally Protestant but converted to Catholicism after coming to America. The bulk of the collection contains correspondence and property deeds for land in and around Germantown.

Scope and Contents

Letters and Circulars to Flick and the American Catholic Historical of Pennsylvania.

Abstract

This collection contains correspondence from the national Legion of Decency as well as correspondence dealing with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The collection also includes lists of numerous movies ratings as well as official publications form the Legion.

Abstract

David Lynch (1793-1860) was an active member of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century and a friend and supporter of President James Buchanan. The bulk of this collection is comprised of Lynch's correspondence with other politically active Pennsylvanians and includes letters between Lynch and Buchanan. Also included are personal papers, pamphlets, religious ephemera, newspaper clippings, photos, and engravings.

Abstract

This collection contains correspondence to and from Marc Freyane, collected by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The bulk of the collection focuses on Freyane’s financial dealings with Catholics across the country.

Abstract This collection contains papers that document several generations of the Martin, Campbell, and Furlong families with the Martin family receiving the most coverage. To a lesser extent, the Kennedy and Jenkins families, who had strong personal and mercantile ties to the Martin family, are also represented. These interrelated middle class Irish Catholic families from Philadelphia were involved in several prominent industries in the region, including overseas commerce. Devout in...

Abstract Louis Joseph Meyer (1897-1985) attended St. Charles Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania starting in 1914, was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church in 1923, and served as a parish priest for the next 19 years. He served as an Army chaplain during World War II, and was stationed in the China-Burma-India Theater until 1946. Upon his discharge from the service, Meyer resumed his parish duties in Philadelphia. He was elevated to Monsignor in 1965, retired in 1972, and passed away in 1985....