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A Catholic Pilgrimage through American History: People and Places that Shaped the Church in the United States
Awarded third place in pilgrimages/Catholic travel by the Catholic Media Association.
Historian Kevin Schmiesing takes you to more than two-dozen sites and events that symbolize and embody America’s rich and sometimes tumultuous Catholic past, including the Santa Fe Trail, Gettysburg, and the Bourbon Trail. You’ll also meet both famous and infamous Catholics—including Augustus Tolton, Dr. Samuel Mudd, and Frances Cabrini—who impacted our nation’s history. The idea for A Catholic Pilgrimage through American History came from Schmiesing’s mother, he says. She turned every childhood vacation into a pilgrimage, purposely inserting religious sites into the family’s journey to places such as Niagara Falls, Washington, DC, or Myrtle Beach. Catholics have been part of the American experiment since the beginning—in founding the colonies and expanding the west, building education and health care systems, abolishing slavery, fighting on the front lines, and advancing science, technology, and space exploration. Each of the twenty-seven sites on Schmiesing’s virtual itinerary—including, the Washington Monument, Wounded Knee Creek, the University of Notre Dame, and Mission San Diego de Alcalá—transports you to a significant time in US history and connects the dots to our Catholic heritage. You will meet notable Catholics such as John F. Kennedy, Black Elk, and Katharine Drexel, and learn more about their contributions to history. You will explore the various and sometimes conflicting roles Catholics have played in key periods and events through the stories of shrines, memorials, and other historic places
Historian Kevin Schmiesing takes you to more than two-dozen sites and events that symbolize and embody America’s rich and sometimes tumultuous Catholic past, including the Santa Fe Trail, Gettysburg, and the Bourbon Trail. You’ll also meet both famous and infamous Catholics—including Augustus Tolton, Dr. Samuel Mudd, and Frances Cabrini—who impacted our nation’s history. The idea for A Catholic Pilgrimage through American History came from Schmiesing’s mother, he says. She turned every childhood vacation into a pilgrimage, purposely inserting religious sites into the family’s journey to places such as Niagara Falls, Washington, DC, or Myrtle Beach. Catholics have been part of the American experiment since the beginning—in founding the colonies and expanding the west, building education and health care systems, abolishing slavery, fighting on the front lines, and advancing science, technology, and space exploration. Each of the twenty-seven sites on Schmiesing’s virtual itinerary—including, the Washington Monument, Wounded Knee Creek, the University of Notre Dame, and Mission San Diego de Alcalá—transports you to a significant time in US history and connects the dots to our Catholic heritage. You will meet notable Catholics such as John F. Kennedy, Black Elk, and Katharine Drexel, and learn more about their contributions to history. You will explore the various and sometimes conflicting roles Catholics have played in key periods and events through the stories of shrines, memorials, and other historic places
288 pages, Paperback
Published April 8, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 8, 2024
Each chapter is a little snippet into early American Catholicism throughout the country. Very interesting! Makes me want to get a full biography for each chapter
April 23, 2022
Music, message and a touch of humor Kevin Schmiesing takes you on a trip down memory lane on his grandiose pilgrimage through what is called "God's Country". At times biting satire with his whip crack wit, Schmiesing cuts to the core and asks the questions that America may or may not be facing today. The perhaps only one detriment to this book is that Mr. Schmiesing is very wordy. At times too wordy. Regardless, you can pull up a chair and sit yourself next to Cardinal O'Conner, Fulton Sheen and JPII (if he was American) as it feels they are right beside you.
A Catholic Pilgrimage.....Five Stars
A Catholic Pilgrimage.....Five Stars
March 5, 2022
I received an ARC of, A Catholic Pilgrimage through American History, by Kevin Schmiesing. I never realized how many Catholic pilgrimage sites we have in the US. This was a well written book, on the history of the sacred sites.
July 19, 2023
Really enjoyed this book and the variety and people and places he talked about. He kept the chapters short enough to not drag on and long enough to give you a real story of the person. Next time we go on vacation definitely looking in this book to see if any of the sites he mentioned are nearby for us to visit!
June 19, 2023
A look at some of the important people and places in American history that were influenced or impacted by Catholics. In well researched, engaging chapters, Schmiesing examines such places as the Washington Monument and the University of Notre Dame and such people as Mother Cabrini and the first Black priest ordained in America. This is a bit of a travel guide, a bit of a biography. Easy to read and filled with tidbits that are both entertaining and informative. Although certainly aimed at a Catholic audience, anyone interested in American history will enjoy reading this book. I grew up Catholic and spent 12 years in Catholic school, but many of the stories here were new to me. I learned a lot, and now I want to visit some of these sites.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews