2
The Catholic University of America
School of Theology and Religious Studies
TRS 325 American Catholicism Since 1945
Spring 2009
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites/ Department: Any TRS or HSTR 200-level course
Classroom: Gowan 408
Class meetings: Tues-Thurs, 2:10 – 3:25 p.m.
Instructor:
Joseph M. White, Visiting Associate Professor
405 Caldwell Hall
Phone: 202-319-6508 (office); 317-440-3229 (cell)
E-mail:
Office Hours: Tues – Thurs, 1:00 – 1:45 p.m.
Course Description
An interdisciplinary approach to thematic issues in the American Catholic
Experience. Topics include Catholic ethnicity, devotional piety, assimilation,
Interest group conflict, and social movements, along with other social,
Cultural, and historical dynamics that have shaped Catholic identity in the
United States.
Instructional Methods
Lectures, reading assigned books and articles, written assignments, discussion,
occasional videos.
Required Texts:
Mark Massa, Catholics and American Culture: Fulton Sheen, Dorothy Day and the Notre
Dame Football Team. New York: Crossroad, 1999.
Mark Massa, Anti-Catholicism in America: The Last Acceptable Prejudice. New York:
Crossroad, 2003.
Andrew Greeley, The Catholic Revolution: New Wine, Old Wineskins, and the Second
Vatican Council. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2004.
Historical articles mostly from the U.S. Catholic Historian (USCH) available on Black board or distributed in class. Some articles are available online.
Recommended Texts:
A general history of the U.S. Catholic experience is useful for background to the issues, events, and personalities of the pre-1945 period. Most carry over into the post-1945 era.
Several contemporary scholars narrate the story into the post-2000 era.
Patrick W. Carey, Catholics in America: A History. New York: Sheed and Ward, 2008 updates his Roman Catholics in America. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1996.
James T. Fisher, Communion of Immigrants: A History of Catholics in America. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
James M. O’Toole, Faithful: A History of Catholics in America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2008.
The works above have been influenced by two classic works still useful:
James Hennesey, S.J., American Catholics: A History of the Roman Catholic Community in the United States. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.
Jay P. Dolan, The American Catholic Experience: A History from Colonial Times to the Present. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1985.
Course Goals
The purposes or goals of the course are
A. To understand the historical developments of the Catholic community, 1945-2000, within the contexts of trends in society and the nation’s cultural and intellectual life
B. To appreciate the complexity of historical change and the myriad factors that affect change: the economy, race and ethnicity, gender, and regional differences.
C. To map the historical developments in Church and society according to the makers of Tradition, Transition, Transformation-renewal and Reform-Reaction, and Polarization.
D. To appreciate the historical understandings of the 1950s, 1960s, before and after
Vatican II, responses to international issues, changing role of worship, and
Catholics’ relation to contending groups in society and within the Catholic community.
Goals for Student Learning
At the conclusion of the course, the student will be able to…
A. Understand the major events and issues of U.S. Catholic history since 1945
B. Recount how Catholics and their Church encounter national and local cultures
C. Discern how and why issues from the general culture influence the U.S. Catholics
D. Become acquainted with historical consciousness through an understanding of
the social, political, economic and cultural dimensions of human experience.
E. Better understand the concepts of cause, change, and continuity over time.
F. Become aware of the social significance of gender, race, class and ethnicity
in historical events and study.
G. Can pose historical questions about the problems that run through Catholic Church
about history.
Course Requirements
A. Papers: Two Five-page review - reflection papers on
1. Mark Massa, Anti-Catholicism in America, chapters 1-6, Due Feb. 5
2. Andrew Greeley, The Catholic Revolution. Due April 16
B. Interview with a Pre-Vatican II Catholic (Sample questions will be provided.): Due
March 12
C. Tests: mid-term and final exam (non-cumulative)
Expectations and policies
Students are expected to attend all classes and to participate fully. If an absence is expected, the student should contact the instructor before class preferably by email. The student will then need to obtain any and all assignment, notes, and materials of the missed class. Excessive absences may result in loss of credit for the course. Missing more than 20% of class meetings will result in failure in the course.
The assigned readings should be done in advance of class meetings since they relate to the lectures and so that they can be discussed. Most class meetings will consist of the instructor’s overview lectures and discussion of readings. To give a more visual impression of history, videos will occasionally supplement the class lecture and discussion.
Mid-term and final examinations will test the student on matters covered in readings, lectures, discussion, and videos.
There will be three written assignments. In addition to the quality of their content, the student needs to be attentive to spelling, grammar, punctuation, and so forth. For consistency of format, the student may use standard style manuals such as Turabian or the University of Chicago.
Academic Honesty
Cheating and plagiarism are not tolerated. Refer to your student handbook concerning the consequences of plagiarism. If you use, any words, ideas, images, etc., directly or indirectly, that are not your own, you need to note them. For the university’s policies consult http://policies.cua.edu/academicundergrad/integrityprocedures.cfm): “The presumed sanction for undergraduate students for academic dishonesty will be failure for the course. There may be circumstances, however, where, perhaps because of an undergraduate student’s past record, a more serious sanction, such as suspension or expulsion, would be appropriate.”
Assessment
Grading is based on: mid term examination 30%; assignments #1, #2, #3, 15% each; class participation, 5%; final examination, 30%.
Exams will test the student’s understanding based on material covered in lectures, assigned readings, and discussions.
The grading scale for the course is: A = 93-100% for outstanding achievement; A- = 90-92%; for excellent achievement; B+ = 87-89% for very good work; B = 83-86% for good work; B- = 80-82% for marginal work. For unsatisfactory work that demonstrates incomplete or inadequate understanding: C+ = 77-79%; C = 73-76%; C- = 70-72%; D+ = 67-69; D = 63-66%; D- 60-62%; F = below 60%.
Course Schedule
Jan 13 Introduction to the Course: Why 1945? The historical perspective.
Origins of U.S. Catholic Community. Catholic adaptations. Reception of
Catholics and Catholicism in America.
Jan 15 Prelude to 1945: Nineteenth Century U.S. Catholic Life: Immigrant
Catholicism. Anti-Catholic and Nativist Thought and Movements.
Massa, Anti-Catholicism in America, 7-17, 51-58
Massa, Catholics and American Culture, 1-20
Jan 20 Inauguration Day: no class
Jan 22 Prelude to 1945: Early Twentieth-Century U.S Catholic Life: New
Immigration and Immigrant Restriction. Anti-Catholicism in the era. Video: “Al Smith: Irish Catholic Politician”
Jan 27 Prelude to 1945: Catholics Through New Deal and War: Catholics and
New Deal. Dorothy Day and John A. Ryan. World War II.
Massa, Catholics and American Culture, 102-127
Video: “Dorothy Day: Blessed Are the Poor”
Jan 29 1945: Postwar World of U.S. Catholic: U.S. Catholics and the US. Baby
Boom and Social Mobility. Anti-Catholic trends.
Massa, Catholics and American Culture, 21-37, (Leonard Feeney),
38-56 (Thomas Merton)
Massa, Anti-Catholicism in America, 59-76.
Feb 3 Postwar World of U.S. Catholics: Communism and Anticommunism
Cadegan, Una M. “The Queen of Peace in the Shadow of War: Fatima
and U.S. Catholic Anticommunism.” USCH 22 (Fall 2004): 1-15.
Powers, Richard Gid. “American Catholics and the Catholic Americans: The Rise and Fall of Catholic Anticommunism.” USCH 22 (Fall 2004): 17-35.
Massa, Catholics and American Culture, 57-81 (Sen. Joseph McCarthy)
Feb 5 Catholics in U.S. Culture: Media and Entertainment: Rise of
Television. Catholics in Entertainment. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.
Smith, Anthony Burke. “Prime-time Catholicism in 1950s America: Fulton J. Sheen and “Life is Worth Living,” USCH 15 (Summer 1997): 57-74.
Massa, Catholics and American Culture, (Bishop Fulton Sheen) 82-101
Assignment #1 Due: Reflection-Review of Massa, Anti-Catholicism,
Chapters 1-6.
Feb 10 Catholics in the Media and Entertainment: Catholic presence and/or
influence in literature, motion pictures, musical arts, and popular culture.
Labrie, Ross. “The Catholic Literary Imagination.” USCH 17 (Summer
1999): 9-20.
Fisher, James T. “Alternative Sources of Catholic Intellectual Vitality,
USCH 13 (Winter 1995): 81-94.
Feb 12 Catholics and Social Reform: Catholic Social Thought and Action. The
NCWC Program. Catholics and Organized Labor. Interracial Justice.
Curran, Charles. “George Higgins and Catholic Social Teaching.” USCH
19 (Fall 2001): 59-72.
Kelleher, Margaret. “Liturgy and Social Transformation: Exploring the
Relationship.” USCH 16 (Fall 1998): 58-70.
Feb 17 African-American Catholics: Race issues in the US Catholic life.
Evangelization. Segregation and the Church.
Blatnica, Dorothy Ann. “‘In Those Days’: African-American Catholics in
Cleveland, Ohio, 1922-1961.” USCH 12 (Winter 1994): 99-118
Feb 19 Catholics and the Life of Faith: National Increase in Religious Practice.
Relationship of Catholic religious practice with Catholic identity
Greeley, Catholic Revolution, 7-33.
Massa, Anti-Catholicism in America, 77-99.
Ellis, John Tracy, “American Catholics and the Intellectual Life,” Thought
30 (Autumn 1955): 351-388 or excerpt
Feb 24 Religious Situation in the late 1950s and early 1960s: Catholic-
Protestant Tensions and Growth. Catholics in public life. Role of John Courtney Murray. Elections of Pope John XXIII and John F. Kennedy
Massa, Catholics and American Culture, 128-147 ( JFK)
Video “JFK-RC”
Feb 26 Mid-Term exam
Mar 2-9 Spring Break – no class
Mar 10 U.S. Catholics and Vatican II Era: LBJ and the Great Society Reforms.
Catholics in public life. Civil Rights Movement. Civil unrest and protest.
Greeley, The Catholic Revolution, 34-40
Massa, Catholics and American Culture, 148-171 (1st Sunday of Advent
1964)
Komonchak, Joseph A. “The American Contribution to Dignitatis
Humanae: The Role of John Courtney Murray, S.J.” USCH 24 (Winter
2006): 1-20.
Video: “John Courtney Murray: American Theologian”
Mar 12 Second 1960s: Significance of 1968 and Humanae Vitae
Humanae Vitae, online:
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Paul06/p6humana.htm
Assignment #2 Due: Interview with Pre-Vatican II Catholic
Mar 17 Vietnam War and Catholic Peace Movement: Vietnam Issue. Catholics
and Issues of War and Peace. Berrigan Brothers. U.S. Bishops.
Morgan, Joseph G. “A Change of Course: American Catholics,
Anticommunism, and the Vietnam War.” USCH 22 (Fall 2004): 117-130.
Review Massa, Catholics and American Culture, 102-127 (Dorothy Day)
Mar 19 Reactions to Vatican II: Progressives
Greeley, The Catholic Revolution, 34-60
Massa, Catholics and American Culture, 172-194 (IHMs and McIntyre)
Mar 24 Reactions to Vatican II: Conservatives
William Dinges, “‘We Are What You Were’: Roman Catholic Traditional-
ism in America,” in Being Right: Roman Catholic Traditionalism in
America, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1995, .
Mar 26 1970s: Transformations in Catholic Culture and Population:
Joseph P. Chinnici, O.F.M., “Changing Religious Practice and the End of
Christendom in the United States 1965-1986,” USCH 23 (Fall 2005): 61-
82.
Mar 31 1980s: Catholicism in Tension: Culture wars. Bishops’ pastoral letters
on War and the Economy. Relations with the Holy See.
Economic Justice for All (1986) or summary
http://www.osjspm.org/economic_justice_for_all.aspx
Challenge of Peace (1983) or summary: http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0883.asp
Apr 2 1980-1990s Multicultural Society: Immigration Since 1965. Changing
U.S. Catholic Population. Latino and Asian Catholics
Gina Marie Pitti, “The Sociedades Guadalupanas in the San Francisco
Archdiocese, 1942-1962,” USCH 21 (Winter 2003): 83-98.
Gerald E. Poyo, “’Integration Without Assimilation’: Cuban Catholics in
Miami, 1960-1980,” USCH 20 (Fall 2002): 91-109.
Peter C. Phan, “Vietnamese Catholic in the United States: Christian
Identity Between the Old and the New,” USCH 18 (Winter 2000):19-
35.
Apr 7 Women’s Issues: Catholic women’s movements and issues. Changing
place and roles of women in Catholic life. Development of Lay ministries.
Catherine Mowry LaCugna, “Catholic Women As Ministers and
Theologians,” America (October 10, 1992): 238-248. Available on
Academic Search Premier
Apr 9 Holy Thursday – no class
Apr 14 Anti-Catholicism
Massa, Anti-Catholicism, 100-62
Apr 16 Anti-Catholicism Continued
Assignment #3 Due, Reflection-Review Paper on Greeley, The
Catholic Revolution
Apr 21 U.S. Catholicism Since 1990: Sexual Abuse Crisis early years.
Continued Polarization.
Cardinal Avery Dulles, “‘Humanae Vitae’ and the Crisis of Dissent,”
Origins, April 22, 1993, 774-777.
Hagen Jr., John D., “Humanae Vitae’s Legacy,” Commonweal, 131 (June
4, 2004): 8-9
Leslie Woodcock Tentler, “Humanae Vitae’s Legacy,” Commonweal,
131 (June 4, 2004): 9-10.
Apr 23 Catholic Revolution
Greeley, Catholic Revolution, 168-195
Apr 28 Post 2001 Issues and Controversy
Massa, Anti-Catholicism, 165-198
Scott Appleby, “The Church At Risk: Remarks to the USCCB”
http://www.usccb.org/bishops/steinfels.shtml
Margaret Steinfels, “The Present Crisis Through the Lens of the Laity,”
http://www.usccb.org/bishops/steinfels.shtml
Apr 30 Summary and Review
May 7 Final Examination: 1:30-3:30