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American Catholics and Revival Religion 1850–1900

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2014

Jay P. Dolan
Jay P. Dolan*
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame
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Abstract

By studying the parish mission under the rubric of revivalism the author claims that revival religion enjoyed widespread popularity in the American Catholic community in the second half of the nineteenth century. This conservative tradition had a wider appeal and exerted a greater influence among the bulk of Catholics than the liberal progressive gospel of Americanization.

The parish mission had its roots in Europe and was introduced to the U. S. by various religious orders, the Redemptorists and Jesuits in particular. By comparing the parish mission with Protestant revivals the term Catholic revivalism emerges as the most apt description for the religion fostered at the mission.

To illustrate the meaning of revival religion among Catholics the author studies handbooks for Catholic revivals, sermons of mission preachers and newspaper accounts of the mission. In particular he concentrates on the sermons of Redemptorist and Paulist preachers. From these sources the article argues that Catholics were being nurtured in an evangelical piety that stressed individual conversion; the preachers proclaimed a theology of individualism that was rooted in the theme of repentance and pressed upon the people in an urgent, emotion-filled manner. The moral qualities of right behavior were also stressed and chief among these was the spirit of temperance. A notable difference from Protestant revivalism was the Catholic emphasis on the sacrament of penance in the personal experience of conversion. Catholic revivals encouraged a sacramental evangelicalism that emerged as a major motivating force in the religion of American Catholics in the nineteenth century.

Type
Articles
Information
Horizons , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , Spring 1976 , pp. 39 - 57
Copyright
Copyright © The College Theology Society 1976

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References

1 The most helpful studies are Sevrin, Ernest, Les Missions Religieuses En France Sous La Restauration 1815-1830, 2 vols. (Paris, 1948–1959)Google Scholar; Germain, Elisabeth, Parler du Salut? Aux origines d'une mentalite religieuse (Paris: Beauchesne et Ses Fils, 1967)Google Scholar; Gatz, Erwin, Rheinische Volksmissionem im 19 Jahrhundert (Dusseldorf: Verlag L. Schwann, 1963)Google Scholar; Van Delft, Marius, La Mission Paroissiale. Pratique et theorie (Paris: Editions P. Lethielleux, 1965)Google Scholar; Huot-Pleuroux, Paul, La Vie Chretienne dans le Doubs et la Haute-Saone de 1860-1900 (Paris: Universite de Paris, 1966)Google Scholar; Gilley, Sheridan, “Catholic Faith of the Irish Slums” in The Victorian City, Dyos, H. J. and Wolff, Michael, ed. (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1973), vol 2, pp. 837–53Google Scholar; Gilley has also published several articles in Recusant History from 1969 to 1972 that touch on the theme of Catholic revivalism in nineteenth century London; see also Dolan, Jay P., The Immigrant Church: New York's Irish and German Catholics, 1815-1865 (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1975)Google Scholar for an analysis of the conservative tradition in the American Catholic church.

2 R. Aubert, J. Beckmann, P. Corish, and R. Lill, Die Kirche in der Gegenwart, Halbband, Erster: Die Kirche zwischen Revolution und Restauration, vol. 6 of Handbuch der Kirchengeschichte, ed. Jedin, H.et al (Freiburg: Herder, 1971), pp. 438–39 and 552–53Google Scholar; Delft, Van, La Mission Paroissiale, pp. 92–93Google Scholar; Gatz, , Rheinische Volksmissionem, pp. 15ffGoogle Scholar; Hilaire, Y. M., “Les Missions Interieures Face a la Dechristianisation Pendant la Second Moitie du XIXe Siecle Dans La Region du Nord,” Revue du Nord (Janvier, 1964), pp. 51–68Google Scholar.

3 Aubert, R.et al., Die Kirche, pp. 438–39Google Scholar; Gatz, , Rheinische Volksmissionem, pp. 20–23, 69–70Google Scholaret passim; De Meulemeester, M., C.SS.R., Historie Sommaire de la Congregation du T. S. Redempteur (Louvain: Imprimerie St. Alphonse, 1950), pp. 121–23Google Scholar; Leetham, Claude, Luigi Gentili: A Sower for the Second Spring (London: Burns and Oates, 1965)Google Scholar; Sevrin, , Les Missions Religieuses, vol. 1 and 2Google Scholar describes the work of the religious orders in France.

4 Spalding, M. J., Sketches of the Early Catholic Missions of Kentucky (Louisville: B. J. Webb and Brother, 1844), pp. 219–20, 288–96Google Scholar; S. J.Garraghan, Gilbert J., The Jesuits of the Middle United States (New York: America Press, 1938), vol. 2, pp. 48–102Google Scholar; Wuest, Joseph, C.SS.R., Annales Congregationis S.S. Redemptoris Provinciae Americae (Ilchester, Md. and Boston, 1888–1924), 5 vols.Google Scholar, is a comprehensive study of the activity of the Redemptorists in the U.S.; Yuhaus, Cassian J., Compelled to Speak (Westminster, Md.: Newman Press, 1967)Google Scholar is an account of the Passionists' apostolate in the U.S.; see also Mentag, John V., “Catholic Spiritual Revivals: Parish Missions in the Midwest to 1865,” (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Loyola University, Chicago, 1957)Google Scholar.

5 These figures were calculated from Wuest, , Annales, vols. 1–5Google Scholar.

6 Syndous Diocesana Albanensis Tertia 1884 (New York, 1884), ch. 4, no. 27Google Scholar; Lavelle, Howard D., The Obligation of Holding Sacred Missions in Parishes (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1949), pp. 35–41Google Scholar lists the American synods and councils that included the topic of missions in their legislation.

7 The Mission Book: A Manual of Instruction and Prayers Adapted to Preserve the Fruits of the Mission (2nd ed.: New York, 1859), p. 5Google Scholar.

8 Wissel, Joseph, C.S.S.R., The Redemptorist on the American Mission (New York: John Ross and Co., 1875)Google Scholar; this was expanded to three volumes in 1886 and reappeared in a third edition in 1920; the 1875 edition was used in this study unless noted otherwise.

9 These figures were calculated from Wuest, , Annales, vols. 1–5Google Scholar.

10 Archives of the Paulist Fathers (hereafter APF) Mission Chronicles (hereafter MC), vol. 5, p. 237, copy of Meriden, Conn, newspaper, 1892.

11 These figures were calculated from APF, MC, vols. 1-5.

12 Garraghan, , The Jesuits, vol. 2, p. 57Google Scholar.

13 The pastoral letter of Bishop Wadhams of Ogdensburg, N.Y. August 29, 1874 quoted in S.S.J.Taylor, Mary C., “A History of the Foundations of Catholicism in Northern New York” (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, St. Louis University, 1967), p. 277Google Scholar.

14 Spalding, , Sketches, pp. 288–96Google Scholar; Schauinger, J. Herman, Cathedrals in the Wilderness (Milwaukee: Bruce Publishing Company, 1952), pp. 234–36Google Scholar.

15 Wuest, , Annales, vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 202Google Scholar; there are numerous examples of Protestant rivalry in this work.

16 Parton, James, “Our Roman Catholic Brethren,” Atlantic Monthly XXI (May 1868), p. 563Google Scholar.

17 Wuest, , Annales, vol. 3, pt. 1, p. 203Google Scholar.

18 Penn Yan Chronicle, Feb. 1, 1876; Penn Yan is a town in upper New York state.

19 Wuest, , Annales, vol. 3, pt. 1, p. 344Google Scholar.

20 Quoted in McLoughlin, William G., Modern Revivalism (New York: Ronald Press Co., 1959), p. 87Google Scholar.

21 Archives of the Archdiocese of New York, Diary of Rev. Richard Burtsell, Nov. 24, 1867.

22 McLoughlin, , Modern Revivalism, p. 160Google Scholar.

23 Numerous newspaper accounts and the mission chronicles of various religious orders attest to the extraordinary popularity of the parish mission. Crowds numbered in the thousands and mission confessions and communions corroborate these figures. But it did not follow that such popularity fostered permanent effects in the spiritual lives of the people. The question of the popularity of the missions and their effect on the people are two different issues that I have treated in more detail in “American Catholic Revivalism 1850-1900,” Davis Seminar Paper, Princeton University, Spring, 1974Google Scholar.

24 Archives of the Baltimore Province of the Redemptorists (hereafter ABPR), Sermon book of Rev. Joseph Wissel, pp. 9-10; other Redemptorist sermon collections consulted in the ABPR, located in Brooklyn, N.Y., were those of Rev. E. F. Schauer, S. Breihof, and J. Kautz; other sermons consulted in this study were those of the Paulists, Rev. W. Elliott, A. Young, and C. Walworth, located in the Paulist archives in New York City.

25 APF Sermon book of Rev. Walter Elliott, Sermon on Delay.

26 Ibid.

27 The Winchester Conference (New York, 1901), p. 44Google Scholar.

28 Ibid.

29 Wissel, , The Redemptorist, p. 43Google Scholar.

30 APF, Sermon book of Rev. Alfred Young, Sermon on the Opening of a Mission.

31 APF, Sermon book of Elliott, Sermon on General Judgment.

32 APF, Sermon book of Elliott, Sermon on Mortal Sin.

33 ABPR, Sermon book of Rev. Joseph Kautz, p. 387; also Sermon book of Wissel, p. 29.

34 APF, Sermon book of Elliott, Sermon on Life and Death of a Sinner.

35 Ibid.

36 ABPR, Sermon book of Wissel, p. 39.

37 Ibid.

38 Wissel, , The Redemptorist, (2nd. ed.: 1886), vol. 1, p. 157Google Scholar.

39 APF, Sermon book of Elliott, Sermon on Hell.

40 ABPR, Sermon Book of Wissel, p. 79.

41 APF, Sermon book of Elliott, Sermon on Hell.

42 Germain, , Parler de Salut?, pp. 67–70Google Scholar; Wissel, , The Redemptorist, p. 39Google Scholar.

43 Wissel, , The Redemptorist, pp. 10–12Google Scholar; the debt to Kerckhove is even more explicit in the later editions of this work; the work Wissel referred to was I. de Kerckhove, Van, Manuale Missionum (Gandavi, 1870)Google Scholar.

44 “The Work of Our Missionaries,” Woodstock Letters XXIX (1900), p. 38Google Scholar where it is noted that “all the religious orders and congregations were engaged in the work” of preaching missions in the city of Brooklyn in 1899; also APF, MC, vol. 2, p. 56 where the Jesuits and Redemptorists along with the Paulists were giving missions in Wilmington, Delaware in 1872; cf. also Gatz, , Rheinische Volksmissionem, p. 168Google Scholar.

45 Sevrin, , Les Missions Religieuses, vol. 1, p. 134Google Scholar; Germain, , Parler du Salut? p. 24Google Scholar; Gatz, , Rheinische Volksmissionem, pp. 115–129Google Scholar.

46 APF, Rev. James A. McVann, Manuscript History of the Paulists, ch. 6.

47 APF, Baker Papers, Letter of C. (Morse?) to her sister, Baltimore, April 16, 1853.

48 Archives of the Archdiocese of New York, Diary of Rev. Richard Burtsell, Nov. 18, 1867.

49 APF, Daily Herald, March 15, 1861 (Newburyport, Mass.)Google Scholar.

50 APF, Sermon book of Elliott, Sermon on Death.

51 ABPR, Sermon book of Wissel, p. 61.

52 Ibid., p. 109.

53 APF, Sermon book of Elliott, Sermon on Mortal Sin.

54 Wuest, , Annales, vol. 4, pt. 1, p. 393Google Scholar.

55 APF, MC, vol. 4, p. 64; this was a theme emphasized in the closing sermon of all the preachers studied.

56 Ibid.

57 APF, MC, vol. 3, pp. 23 and 76.

58 APF, Sermon book of Elliott, Sermon on Intemperance.

59 Ibid.

60 ABPR, Sermon book of Wissel, p. 182.

61 Rev. Doyle, Alexander P., “The Attitude of the Roman Catholic Church toward Temperance Reform,” Federation II (March, 1903), p. 34Google Scholar.

62 Ibid.

63 Wuest, , Annales, vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 467Google Scholar.

64 Harrison, Brian, Drink and the Victorians (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1971), p. 185Google Scholar.

65 APF, MC, vol. 1, p. 8.

66 Wuest, , Annales, vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 240Google Scholar.

67 Ibid., vol. 4, pt. 1, p. 411.

68 ABPR, Sermon book of Kautz, p. 441.