American Catholic History: A Documentary Reader

by Mark S. Massa (Editor), Catherine Osborne (Editor)

An overview in primary documents of almost four hundred years of the American Catholic experience Among the first European explorers of the Americas, Catholics have a long and rich history in the United States. In this collection of significant letters, diaries, theological reflections, and other primary documents, the voices of Catholics in this country reveal what they have thought, believed, feared, and dreamed. American Catholic History spans the earliest missionary voyages in the sixteenth century, to the present day, illuminating the complex history, beliefs, and practices of what has become North American Roman Catholicism. In an engaging and accessible style, the brief introductions to each text provide historical and biographical context and illuminate broad themes in the development of the American Catholic tradition. From Catholicism's encounters with new frontiers to its long-time position outside mainstream culture, and from its intellectual life and political engagement to patterns of worship and spirituality, this book offers a lively first-hand review of Catholicism's multifaceted history in the United States. This expanded edition includes 34 new documents, and offers more robust coverage of the diverse communities of Catholics in this country.

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Joseph Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent reference book. All of the documents included give an excellent view of the Catholic Church in the United States over the course of its history. Some of the documents are familiar others are basically unknown. But each of them gives insight to the thinking of Catholics and the church itself.