John Carroll's unique gifts made U.S. church succeed, archbishop says
By Catholic News Service
BALTIMORE (CNS) -- Without Archbishop John Carroll's organizational genius, U.S. Catholics might have remained a tiny minority in the new country or been subject to a foreign-born superior for years, Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan said in the first of a series of lectures honoring the first U.S. bishop.
"Had he not stepped into the wasteland, either the microscopic Catholic Church would have languished, with members leaving, clergy adrift, souls lost to the faith and the church never quite 'making it' in the new country, or Rome would have appointed a foreign superior ... thus making the Catholic Church seem even more an outsider than ever," the archbishop said April 22 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore.
Among the greatest challenges Archbishop Carroll faced was that of remaining canonically loyal to Rome while balancing "the unique traits of American constitutionalism that codified religious freedom and the separation of church and state," said Archbishop Dolan.
But Archbishop Carroll's status as "a deeply committed Catholic, a faithful, pastorally zealous pastor, a quintessential Marylander (and) a patriotic American citizen" made him uniquely suited to lead the fledgling church, he added.
"That such an intelligent, articulate, wealthy, broad-minded, unapologetically patriotic, quintessentially American gentleman could at the same time be a proud, convinced, ardent Catholic went a long way in convincing the new republic's movers and shakers that America and the Catholic Church were indeed compatible," the Milwaukee leader said.
According to Archbishop Dolan, Archbishop Carroll's passion for the Catholic Church drove his efforts to create "a structured, organized, regularized, respected, visible" church, loyal to Rome and ready to face the challenges of the developing American culture.
Archbishop Carroll's efforts in developing an organizational structure for clergy, creating and fostering Catholic educational institutions, including Georgetown University in Washington and St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, and advocating for a visible Catholic presence laid the groundwork for the continued growth of Catholicism in the United States, he said.
Though deeply committed and loyal to the bishop of Rome, then-Father Carroll petitioned for the ability to name an official bishop to provide the canonical leadership necessary to guide the developing church through the turbulent political and social culture in America.
In 1789, the Holy See designated Baltimore as the first diocese of the United States and John Carroll as its bishop.
Continued growth of the church in America led to the need for additional leadership, and Baltimore was designated an archdiocese in 1808, with Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Bardstown (now Louisville, Ky.) as its suffragan sees.
Paul Barker, principal of John Carroll School in Bel Air and one of nearly 400 people who attended the lecture, found Archbishop Dolan's presentation enlightening.
"(Archbishop) Carroll understood what it was to be a loyal Catholic, but he also understood that for the church to grow in an American culture that has democratic values sometimes causes tension with the value of loyalty to the mother church," Barker said.
Archbishop Carroll's struggle with the relationship between religion and politics struck a chord with Jim O'Hara, who is a retired legal historian and professor from Loyola College in Baltimore. O'Hara was impressed by Archbishop Dolan's response to the question about the implications for the church today.
"(Archbishop) Dolan made the comment that the church, as a church, can't be partisan, but the church as citizen can and has the obligation to bring its moral insights into the political debate," said O'Hara, stressing the need for the church to participate actively in the formulation of the moral side of debate surrounding the issues that people must decide.
Dominican Sister Elizabeth Anne Allen, principal of Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, found the lecture an affirmation of Catholic identity, adding, "I think it was perfectly timed, especially following our Holy Father's visit and a wonderful way to start our bicentennial."
Introducing the lecture series, which focuses on the history and heritage of Catholicism in America, Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien said, "We need to deepen ourselves in our love and appreciation of the heritage that's been given us."
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Contributing to this story was Sue Thompson in Baltimore.
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Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops