When the Baltimore Basilica was built it was America’s first cathedral, and the result of hard work and grand planning by Archbishop John Carroll.
Episodes about "18th century"
Shrines of St. Anne
Shrines of St. Anne usually sprung up among French settlers, and are among the oldest Catholic establishments in the U.S., with dramatic stories.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was the wealthiest man in the colonies before the Revolutionary War and the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence
Father Stephen Badin
Fr. Stephen Badin was the first priest ordained in the United States, he ministered to the Catholics in Kentucky, and is connected to Notre Dame.
The History of St. Patrick’s Day
As great as St. Patrick is and important to Ireland, as Tom and Noëlle Crowe tell us, the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day didn’t become the cultural phenomenon it is until Irish-Americans essentially created it and exported it around the world.
Father Ferdinand Farmer
When Jesuit Father Ferdinand Farmer came to the US colonies before the Revolution, they were bitterly divided by religious intolerance. Tom and Noëlle tell us how his selfless, tireless efforts did much to break down the walls and help the Catholic faith to gain respect.
George Washington, Catholic?
Ever since he died, there has been speculation that George Washington converted to Catholicism on his deathbed. Tom and Noëlle Crowe look at the reasons why some think our first President did and the attitudes and actions in his life that were favorable toward Catholics.
Carnival and Mardi Gras in the United States
Mardi Gras and Carnival have been celebrated around the world before they came to the New World. Mobile celebrated it before New Orleans took over.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Elizabeth Ann Seton was a wealthy socialite and then a convert. She founded parochial education and the daughters of charity, and is the first American-born saint.