Evening star., 1947-08-01
hsgr. Peter 6ui|day,
Authority on American
Catholicism, Dies at63

| IdH 1ullOdy, pIolCSSol u nucIlCdu
church history at Catholic Univer-
sity and an internationally known
scholar on the development of Ca
thohcism in this country, died at
Providence Hospital late yesterday.
Msgr Guilday, who was So, had
been seriously i'll for several weeks.
His body will lie in state at Cald-
we'll Hall on the university campus
from o'clock tonight until 4:30
Sunday afternoon. At that time 1t
will be removed to the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Concep-
ton where the Office of the dead
will be said at o'clock Sunday
night.
The solemn mass of requiem will
be sung there at 10 m Monday and
burial will be In Mount Olivet Gene
terry.
The author of eight volumes and
numerous pamphlets and articles
tracing the history of the Catholic
Church from its earliest days in
the United States, Msgr. Guilday
had made the subject almost his
own since his first interest in it at
the time of World War I.
Helped Found Association.
He brought about the meeting of
more than 10 Catholic writer's and
students of history in Cleveland in
December, 1919, resulting in the
founding of the American Catholic
Historical Association, today the
foremost learned society among
American Catholics.
He published his first book, "The
Life and Times of John Carroll,
First Bishop of Baltimore" in 1922,
and followed in later years with
National Pastorale of the American
Hierarchy" in 1923; The Church in
Virginia" in 1924; "The Life of John
Culinary Shea" in 1926, and "The
Life and Times of John England"
in 1927. In addition, he published a
textbook as help to his students,
titled Introduction to the Study of
Church History" In 1924.
Through the American history
seminar, which he conducted at
Catholic University, where he had
been since 1914, he continued to in
terest large groups of graduate stu
dents in the historical method, phil
osophy, diplomacy, ard in church
history.
Lectured Throughout u. S.
Gifted with exceptional speaking
ability, he lectured before many
learned institutions in all parts of
the United States and Canada. He
received honorary degrees from
Notre Dame, Marquette, st. Mary's
College in California, Loyola of
Chicago and Loyola of Baltimore,
Georgetown and several other col
leges. He was decorated by the
King of Belgium in 1926 for his
work in the restoration of the LOU
vain Library, and in 1924 he was
elected a fellow of the Royal His
torical Society of London.
Pope Plus XII made him domes-
tic prelate with the title of Right
Reverend Monsignor in 1885, and
his investiture took place in the
National Shrine Of the Immaculate
Conception at Catholic University
in March. 1885.
i Msgr. Guilday was born in Ches-
ter, Pa, in 1884. After attending
parochial schools in Chester and
Philadelphia he decided to study for
the priesthood and, at the age of 18,
entered st. Charles Seminary in
Overlook, Pa. for five years. He
won scholarship to the American
College In Louvain to pursue the
study of church history, which was
to become his life's work.
After a period at the University of
Bonn and the University of London,
he was in Ireland to gather material
for a book on Irish colleges and
converts when the World War I
broke out. He returned to this
country to begin teaching at Cath
olic University.
He had been head OF the Ameri-
can history department at Catholic
University since 1923.
Surviving are five brothers and
sisters. Miss Margaret M. Guilday
of Mclean Gardens, Delaney Gull
day, 1906 Park road NV; Sister M
Pierre, IPHM, Winchester, Pa; Felix
Guilday, Chester, and Thomas Gull
l doU Mount Yo1Iu NJ