The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-02-12
JOHN Culinary SHEA
SKETCH OF LATE CATHOLIC HIS.
ToRIAN--NoTED FOR SOUND
pIETY AND PROFOUND ERuDI-
TON.
Ry N. C. w. C.. News Service

By. N. G. w. C.. News Service.)
John Dawson Culinary Shea was the
father of American Catholic history.
He presided over the first meeting OF
the United States Catholic Historical
Society in New York and while he de-
clined repeated invitations to become
president Of the society, he was al
ways one of the most Jealous and &C.
tive of its members. His works are
prolific and include not only school
histories and text books, but numer.
Gus volumes based on original re.
search work, including grammars and
dictionaries Of Indian languages, as
well as TRANSACTIONS and adaptations
from many foreign tongues.
John Dawson Shea, who later in
life adopted the name Culinary t(Serv.
ant of Nary, was born in New York
on July %, 1924, and studied first un.
der the Sisters of Charity. He gradu.
ated from the Columbia College gram.
mar school, of which his father was
principal. Studying law, he was adj
mitted to the bar in 1916. The fol-
lowing year he forsook the legal pro
fession and entered the Jesuit novi.
tiate at Fordham, remaining until
1852 There he was associated with
the scholarly Father Martin, rector of
St. Mary's College, Montreal, under
whose inspiration he developed a
taste for literary and historical pur.
suits.
Into this field he plunged with great
energy. His first research work re-
suited in series of papers on the
early Indian mission in America
which appeared in the United States
Catholic Historical Magazine. These
we're followed by the publication of
the Discovery and Exploration Of the
Mississippi Valley" in which the orig
inal narratives of Marquette, Allouez,
Membre, Hennepin, and Anastase
Douay were featured.
His History of the Catholic Mis-
sions Among the Indian Tribes" was
published in 1853 and followed in 1857
by the "Cranoisy Series of twenty
six volumes, in which we're republish-
ed rare pamphlets touching on the voy-
ages of early explorers to America.
His Library of American Linguis.
TICS" including fifteen volumes of
grammars and dictionaries of Indian
languages appeared in 1860, and was
followed by "The Life Of Pope Plus"
1.-THE Catholic Churches of New York
City, and "The Hierarchy of the Cath
Ollie Church in the United States. ="
Meanwhile he was contributing
sketches to Justin Windsors History
OF America" as well as notes, biog-
raphies and Autographed accounts. to
different publications. Among these
were articles on the Indians for the
American Encyclopedia" and the
Encyclopedia Brittanica." On sub
iects dealing with the aborigines he
was considered the best-informed man
of his day.
Dr.. Shea was founder and first ed
itor Of the United States Catholic
Historical Magazine" he edited and
directed Sadlier's catholic Dirt ctory
and Almanac" and later was identi-
fed with Frank Leslie's secular pub.
locations as literary editor. He ed
tied the "CathoIic News from 1883
until his death in 1892
His most important work and one
that stands as lasting monument to
his name is his History of the Catho-
lie Church in the United States pub
lished in four volumes, 1862.
It was in 1883, only three years
previous to the publication of the first
volume, that Pope Leo XIII had de-
clared that the modern method Of
treating history had been turned into
a means Of throwing suspicion on the
Church" History. said the Holy Fa-
ther, had become a deadly poison, for
it was. subservient to the interests OF
parties and the passions of men.
DR.. Shea was summoned to Balti-
more during the council Of the HER
archy in 1884 to confer regarding his
new history, and in the same year he
called the first meeting Of the United
States Catholic Historical Society a
pioneer in its field. Similar societies
have since sprung into existence in
many states of the union and these
have combined to form the American
Catholic Historical Association, which
met last December in Washington.
\ The Importance Of the work done
by DR.. Shea can hardly be overesti-
mated. It has been largely instru-
mental in Catholicity being given an
increasingly favorable recognition in
this country and in counteracting the
influence of bigoted and Informed
historians. He was presented, in 1883,
with the first Laetare Medal Of Notre
Dame University. ST. Francis Xavier's
College, Fordham University and
Georgetown University conferred upon
him the degree Of LII. D.
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FRENCH BIRTH RATE
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