Thank God for these men and women

Builders of Catholic America by Albert J. Nevins, M.M.
Our Sunday Visitor, 1985

As we walk up to our nice churches on Sunday, it’s easy to forget it wasn’t always like this. True, the first English settlers quickly built churches, protestant churches, mostly the King’s Anglican variety, but not many Catholic ones. In fact, while Americans in general like to tout the fact that people immigrated to America for religious freedom, the fact is there really wasn’t much, especially if you were Catholic. For the most part, it was just like it was back in England – Catholicism was outlawed, Catholics couldn’t own land, couldn’t hold office, and couldn’t vote (those laws were on the books in North Carolina until 1833!).

Of course, prior to the English, there were the Franciscans and Jesuits who worked as missionaries in North America in the southwest and northeast. The majority of those men of faith suffered martyrdom. Even as late as 1800, an ad in a French newspaper summed up what a missionary priest to America might expect: “We offer you no salary, no recompense, no leadership, no pension, but much hard work, a poor dwelling, small consolation, many disappointments, frequent sickness, a violent or lonely death, and an unknown grave.”

From that stark background emerged the single largest church in the United States, a church responsible for developing much of the social support network of the fledgling nation – orphanages, hospitals, schools, and colleges to name a few. Such an incredible transformation could only take place through the efforts of many outrageously courageous and faith-filled people, people that endured challenges and hardships most of us can’t begin to imagine. Builders of Catholic America illuminates these people's stories.

Albert J. Nevins highlights 16 stalwarts of the church in America, beginning with early pioneers in the Spanish and French territories right up through early twentieth century social activist Dorothy Day. Biographical sketches of each person amount to a brief chapter, usually 12-15 pages. Though brief, each story is incredibly informative, surprisingly thorough, interesting, and entertaining. In short, they're very well written.

As we endure changes in American society that make it harder and harder to publicly proclaim our Christianity, and even more so our Catholicity, this book reminds us of those who would not confine their faith to the convenient places its detractors and unbelievers wish it would reside. This book reminds us how blessed we are to be Catholic, how thankful we should be for those who laid the foundation here in America, and how proud we should be of their efforts.