Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1915-03-13
Who Was compositor on
'rst Issue of Pittsburg
Catholic.
-
sr Many Years became the
Sole Owner and General
Manager.
BISHOP WROTE FIRST EDITORIAL
By Jamea A. Rooney. LL. D.

BY James A. Rooney, LII. ID.
In the early history of the do
cese OF Pittsburgh. which dates
from August s. 1S4S, some events
Of special interest to Catholics are
to be noted. One Is the foundation
Of the first house OF the Re-
demptorists IN America by Father
Probst in Pittsburgh in 1899, ante,
dating the diocese. Ii was there
that the venerable John Nepo-
mncene Neumann. afterward Bishop
Of Philadelphia. was the first to
Join that order Another is the
foundation in Pittsburgh in 1913 OF
The first convent Of the Sisters OF
Mercy in America. who're Ann Eliza
Herman. daughter Of the wealthy
banker. Michael TieYnan, became
The first postulant of the daughters
Of Mother MCauley IN America. as
Sister Mary Xavier A third is the
founding in Pittsburgh by Bishop
Michael O'Connor, March 16, 1874,
of the Pittsburgh Catholic. now one
Of the five Catholic papers surviving
Of the many published In tile United
States during the first half Of the
last century. the others being the
Catholic Telegraph. of Cincinnati,
founded in 1881; the Boston Pilot,
in 1897; the Freeman's Journal, in
1870. and the Irish American. in
ts4s.
Bishop O'Connor was thirty-three
years old when he was consecrated,
August Is. 1913, ten Of which had
been spent in the missionary field
Of his adopted state the last two as
Vicar General of Western Pennsyl-
vania. His first care as Bishop was
the establishment of parOchial
schools for the 25 600 Catholics
committed to his care: then came
the establishment of St Michaels
Seminary in his own house in 1914,
With the Rev. Dr. r A. Wilson as
President His next thought was
of a Catholic paper TO vindicate
Catholic truth and as weapon Of
defense aga,nss .laS saIssSi es as
.~~-ss as today Being a
nc, I'D, learning, speaking and
VIE, English. irish French,
GerhSZ Italian and Spanish, he de-
eided to assume editorial charge
personally, and on March 16. 1914.
the first number OF the Pittsburgh
Catholic was published by p F.
Boylan as manager and proprietor.
An extract from Bishop O'Connor's
first leading editorial is worthy OF
reproduction, for It is quite as
applicable 10 the present day as to
the time in which he wrote. seventy
one years ago. He wrote
Within the last few years our
enemies have banded together and
what bounds have they placed to
their denunciations2 We have been
represented as enemies 70 God and
traitors to the country. The foulest
crimes which God denounces IN his
sacred oracles are stated TO be our
most cherished dogmas We are
held up to the world as meditating
designs systematically destructive OF
our most cherished Institutions. We
are accused of making religion a
veil for the most deadly treachery.
Our private morals are attacked.
The most vile insinuations are made
against the most consistent and
virtuous among Us. Our only
course then is to enter the lists, and
without forgetting the charity of
the gospel. TO vindicate its truth
It shall be our duty TO enlighten ig-
norance. TO unravel sophistry. to
probe to the bottom the charges
made against our holy faith, and 10
show to men the vile calumnies and
unfOunded mfsrepfesentations by
which they are excited to hate us.
cslumny may recoil on its authors
and many may be led to discover
the unsoundness of the fabric that
is propped up by such unworthy
means"
The Catholics of the diocese
hailed the new publication with de-
light and gave to it willing sup
port. The clergy were among its
strongest advocates and the paper
prospered from the start. EN-
ployed as compositOr from the first
issue was Jacob Porter. bright
young man and a convert TO the
faith. In July. 1S47, he formed a
partnership with Henry McNaugh-
ton and the firm of J. Porter & Co.
the interest Of Mr.. Boy
Ian. They published the paper
until 1850. when Mr.. Porter, who
had been its guiding spirit from the
first, became sole owner and man
ager He enjoyed the entire conf
dence of Bishop O'Connor and when
the latter resigned his see, May 23.
1860. TO enter the Society of Jesus.
one OF his greatest regrets was the
seyering of his editorial connections
with the paper he had founded.
In May. 1889. after an active
career of forty-five years
as pioneer In Catholic journalism,
Porter transferred his interests TO
the Catholic Publishing Company,
under the Presidency of Jeremiah
Dunleayy. IT., but continued his con-
nection with the paper until year
before his death in his eighty-third
wear. January IA. 1908.