American Catholic History

Carl Schmitt was a great American artist and thinker of the 20th century. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us that his Catholic faith informed his understanding of how nature, and our ability to produce things like art, fit into the designs and plans of God. The post Carl Schmitt appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first Catholic saint born in America and Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us how this early 19th century former Episcopalian socialite converted; founded a religious community and Catholic schools; and continued raised her own children despite heartbreak and loss. The post St. Elizabeth Ann Seton appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Roberto Clemente was one of the greatest baseball players of his time before his tragic death. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us that it was his off-the-field charitable work inspired by his faith that remains his greater legacy, including the earthquake relief trip that ended his life. The post Roberto Clemente appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The story of the founding of Regina Laudis Abbey in Connecticut is worthy of a movie--and it was made into one. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell the story of the abbey's founding and its determined abbess, which became the movie Come to the Stable, which was nominated for 8 Oscars. The post Regina Laudis Abbey & Mother Benedict appeared first on StarQuest Media.

StarQuest (SQPN) wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We are grateful for all your support in 2020 whether by listening to our programs, sharing them with your friends, or providing financial support. Please consider supporting our media apostolate with a US tax-deductible gift and help us continue making the programs you love. The post Blessed Advent, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year from StarQuest appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Harry who? Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell the story of one of the most prolific and successful American songwriters, Harry Warren, a man of deep Catholic faith who wrote some of the best known songs of the 20th century that appeared on Broadway, in film, and on the radio. The post Harry Warren appeared first on StarQuest Media.

For more than 170 years, an abbey of Trappist monks have established themselves in Kentucky's Bourbon country as a center of prayer at Gethsemani Abbey. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell how they got there as well as the ways they have influenced the faith throughout the US and the world. The post Gethsemani Abbey appeared first on StarQuest Media.

How did President Chester Arthur become the savior of the original American College in Rome? Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell the story of how the Episcopalian president became the unlikely savior of the first American college seminary in Rome in 1884. The post President Arthur and the American College appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The first US Thanksgiving would not have been possible without the help of some Spanish Franciscans and a Native American they rescued from slavery and who became Catholic. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell the story of Squanto, the Pilgrims, and the first Thanksgiving. The post The Catholic Saviors of Thanksgiving appeared first on StarQuest Media.

A man who was simplicity itself has risen to the greatest heights. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us the story of Bl. Solanus Casey, a Capuchin friar who, as the man who answered the door, made people his business and brought the love of Christ to the thousands of people who sought out his aid and comfort. The post Blessed Solanus Casey appeared first on StarQuest Media.

At the start of World War I, the Knights of Columbus were still relatively young, but as Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us, that didn't stop them from providing remarkable support to our servicemen in the US and overseas, a service that would be emulated in WWII and later by the US government itself. The post The Knights of Columbus in The Great War appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The anti-Catholic Pope Night was the pre-Revolutionary War American import of the British Guy Fawkes revelries on November 5. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us how it began, how it was "celebrated," and how it all ended because of George Washington and Canadians. The post Pope Night appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The Exorcist is one of the scariest movies and books of all time, but Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us of the true story behind it: the exorcism of a teenage boy in 1949 in Maryland and Missouri, the tenacious priests who wouldn't give him up, and the Archangel that finally freed him. The post The True Story Behind The Exorcist appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Sts. Isaac Jogues, Rene Goupil, and John de Lalande were the first Jesuit martyrs to give their lives for Christ in what was then New France in the 1640s. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell the story of how they bravely walked among the Mohawk people to proclaim the Gospel despite the prospect of certain death. The post North American Martyrs appeared first on StarQuest Media.

There are least three different shrines in the United States that claim to be the first dedicated to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. Tom and Noëlle Crowe relate how the shrines in Rhode Island, Alaska, and Illinois came to be, their claims to be first, and what makes each unique. The post American Shrines to St. Thérèse of Lisieux appeared first on StarQuest Media.

An important thank you message and update from StarQuest's Dom Bettinelli. The post An Important Update from StarQuest’s Dom Bettinelli appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Fray Antonio was the "Apostle of America" and "The Friar of the Winged Feet" who evangelized much of Central America, Mexico, and present day Texas and Louisiana. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us of this 17th century Franciscan whose miraculous deeds were only matched by his prayer and humility. The post Ven. Antonio Margil de Jesús appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Fr. Gabriel Richard founded the University of Michigan, wrote the motto of the city of Detroit, represented Michigan in Congress, and tirelessly worked for the people of God on the frontier for many years. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us the story of this priest now being considered for sainthood. The post Fr. Gabriel Richard appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Rising above the flat landscape near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, rises Holy Hill and atop the hill stands a grand basilica dedicated to Our Lady. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us the story of how and why this became Holy Hill and a site of pilgrimage known for miraculous healings and quiet prayer. The post Holy Hill Basilica & Shrine appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The Old Cathedral of St. Louis, Missouri, was the first cathedral west of the Mississippi and Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell its story, which is the story of the growth of Catholicism in the Louisiana Purchase territory. Now a basilica, the church is a testament in stone and glass to what and who came before us. The post Basilica of St. Louis, The King appeared first on StarQuest Media.

In her life, Clare Boothe Luce was a Congresswoman, ambassador, playwright, war correspondent, and advisor to presidents. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us how this remarkable woman went from a dissolute socialite to a woman of deep Catholic faith brought about by a personal tragedy that caused her to re-encounter Christ. The post Clare Boothe Luce appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Annie Chambers Ketchum started life as a stereotypical antebellum Southern lady, but as Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us, by the end of her life she'd converted to Catholicism, was an accomplished poet and scientist, and had become a Dominican tertiary. The post Annie Chambers Ketchum appeared first on StarQuest Media.

A special announcement: In 2021, Tom & Noëlle Crowe will lead a pilgrimage to important sites in American Catholic History in Kentucky, including several distilleries in the home of Bourbon that are part of that history. The post The Catholic Kentucky Pilgrimage Announcement appeared first on StarQuest Media.

In part 2 of the story of Sr. Blandina, Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us how the Italian-born nun returned from the Wild West to Cincinnati and spent decades helping Italian immigrants realize the American dream while holding onto their faith and aiding women and children of the streets. The post Sr. Blandina of Cincinnati appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Sister Blandina was a tiny Italian-born nun in the late 19th century sent alone to bring the Gospel to the Wild West. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us how she was a force for good, calming lynch mobs, gaining the respect of the notorious Billy the Kid, and earning the nickname Fastest Nun in the West. The post Sister Blandina, Fastest Nun in the West appeared first on StarQuest Media.

In 1824, a Catholic widow in Washington, DC, experienced a miraculous healing of a debilitating cancer that had kept her bedridden for six years. Tom and Noëlle Crowe explain that the miracle ignited a controversy that divided Catholics and inspired anti-Catholic prejudice with wide-ranging consequences. The post Mrs. Mattingly’s Miracle appeared first on StarQuest Media.

In the early 1800s, John McLoughlin was in charge of essentially all of the Pacific Northwest as local head of major trading company. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us he was also a devoted husband, father, and Catholic whose drive and vision formed the foundation for the entire region of the United States. The post John McLoughlin, Father of Oregon appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Alfred Hitchcock was a master filmmaker who created some of the most compelling movies of the 20th century. Tom and Noëlle Crowe also tell us that Hitchcock was a Catholic for whom the Catholic worldview pervaded his films and informed his view of good and evil and justice. The post Alfred Hitchcock appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Dom Bettinelli shares an important message about the future of this podcast and all the shows at StarQuest. The post An important message from StarQuest’s Dom Bettinelli appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Fr. Vincent Capodanno was a chaplain with the US Marines in Vietnam and a Maryknoll priest. As Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us in this very personal episode, he was known as the Grunt Padre for how he served his Marines. His ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield led to him receiving the Medal of Honor and being placed on the path to canonization. The post Fr. Vincent Capodanno, The Grunt Padre appeared first on StarQuest Media.

John Fitzgerald was a Catholic and one of George Washington's aides de camp. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us that Fitzgerald helped Washington avoid a coup during the war and remained close to his old general after. He may even have gotten the President to donate to building the first Catholic church in Virginia. The post Lt. Col. John Fitzgerald appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Before he was the first president of Boston College, Jesuit Fr. John Bapst served Catholics as a pastor in Maine. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us how Fr. Bapst ran afoul of the anti-Catholic Know Nothings, courageously standing up for his faith and his people to the point of tarring and feathering. The post Fr. John Bapst, SJ, and the “Know Nothings” appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Surviving the French revolution, Rose Philippine Duchesne's dream was to go to the New World and become a missionary to the native peoples. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us that after finally come to the United States, it wasn't until she was over 70 years old that her dream finally came true. The post St. Rose Philippine Duchesne appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Fr. Eusebio Kino, S.J., was a 17th century Jesuit who ministered tirelessly to the native people of Arizona and Sonoran Mexico. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us how the multi-talented missionary provided not just for the spiritual needs of his flock, but also advocated for their rights and established an economy to ensure their material welfare. The post Eusebio Kino appeared first on StarQuest Media.

In 1836, the Potawatomi native Americans, many of whom were Catholic, were forced off their land in Indiana and force-marched to Kansas. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us the tragic story that resulted in much suffering, but also included much grace, including from their pastor, Fr. Benjamin Petit. The post Potawatomi Trail of Death and Father Benjamin Petit appeared first on StarQuest Media.

While Padre Pio was not American, as Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us, he did have some interesting interactions with US servicemen during and after WWII, including reports of a flying friar waving off bombers over San Giovanni Rotondo and rescuing a US pilot over the Pacific whose parachute didn't open. The post Padre Pio and US Servicemen appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Every student learns the poem "Trees" in school. But now Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us the story of its author Joyce Kilmer Catholic convert who wrote that and more poems, including his heroic sacrifice of his life as a soldier in France in World War I. The post Joyce Kilmer appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Dorothy Day famously asked not to be called a saint in her lifetime. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us this Catholic champion of the rights and dignity of the poor and laborers was lauded for her holiness even as others decried her former roots in Communist beliefs. Who was this founder of the Catholic Worker Movement? The post Dorothy Day appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Irene Dunne was one of the most successful and famous actresses of Hollywood's golden age. But as Tom and Noëlle Crowe recall, she was also a down-to-earth wife and mother and a devout Catholic who spent her retirement years in numerous charitable works. The post Irene Dunne appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The histories of whiskey and Catholicism in Kentucky have close ties. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us of the Kentucky pioneers who established Catholicism west of the Appalachians and helped make bourbon that most distinctive of American spirits, then helped save it after prohibition. The post Kentucky Catholics and Bourbon appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Gene Kranz was an unsung hero of NASA's golden age of manned spaceflight. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us that as director of mission control, he oversaw dozens of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo flights, including Apollo 11 and 13. And his Catholic faith underpinned his "failure is not an option" spirit that characterized his tenure. The post Gene Kranz appeared first on StarQuest Media.

From all of us at StarQuest, we wish you a Happy and Blessed Easter with this brief message from our chaplain, Fr. Cory Sticha. The post Happy Easter from StarQuest appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Yogi Berra was perhaps the greatest catcher in baseball history, but he might almost be better known for "Yogi-isms," his homespun, head-scratching bit of wisdom. As Tom and Noëlle Crowe discuss Yogi was also a Catholic who was devoted to his faith and freely shared it with others. The post Yogi Berra appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The Influenza pandemic of 1918 hit Philadelphia particularly hard, killing up to 16,000 people. Tom and Noëlle Crowe explore how the Catholic Church in the city stepped up to help the overwhelmed city services, with over 2,000 nuns filling in as nurses and going door to door in neighborhoods. The post The 1918 Spanish Flu and Philadelphia’s Catholics appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Bishop John Dubois is one of the most important figures in American Catholic history that most people don't know. Tom and Noëlle Crowe follow his escape from the French Revolution to his early time with two Founding Fathers to his founding of Mt. St. Mary Seminary to his leading the Diocese of New York at a crucial moment. The post John Dubois appeared first on StarQuest Media.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Polish Catholics in Milwaukee planned to build a massive new church for their community. Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us construction was set to begin when they discovered Chicago's federal building was for sale. They just had to move it from one city to another. The post St. Josaphat Basilica appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Two Catholics--a priest and a layman--were instrumental to the American victory over the British in the Northwest campaign of the Revolutionary War. Tom & Noelle Crowe tell the stories of how Fr. Pierre Gibault and Francis Vigo rallied Catholic settlers and helped Gen. George Rogers Clark to victory in the Illinois campaign. The post Fr. Pierre Gibault and Francis Vigo appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Mother Beasley was a free Black woman who married into wealth and then gave it all away as a widow in order to found one of the first Catholic religious orders for Black women in the US. Tom and Noelle Crowe tell the story of this courageous woman who also defied the law to educate enslaved children and spent her life serving others. The post Mother Beasley appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Pierre Toussaint was a slave brought from Haiti to New York City in the late 1700s, where he became a celebrated and in-demand hairdresser and even more celebrated philanthropist. Tom and Noëlle Crowe relate how, even after he had the means to buy his freedom, he elected to remain a slave to care for his widowed mistress, among other notable charitable works in his life. The post Pierre Toussaint appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Julia Greeley was a former slave and Catholic convert who lived much of her life after the Civil War. Tom and Noëlle Crowe relate her zealous devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, her evangelistic fervor, and her service to the poor that led to her being declared a Servant of God in 2017. The post Julia Greeley appeared first on StarQuest Media.