Philadelphia’s First Catholic Cathedral

...gton and John Adams attended Vespers there in October of 1774. On September 13, 1788, the Pennsylvania Legislator passed an act incorporating the new trustees of St. Mary’s. When Philadelphia was made a diocese in 1808 there were only four Catholic Churches in the city: Old St. Joseph’s, Old St.

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Parish and School Closing

...ey were a necessity that secured the financial stability of the Archdiocese for the future. They also led to a new beginning – when Blessed Katharine Drexel in Chester had its first Mass on July 1, 1993, the church was filled to capacity as parishioners began a new era. Halvey_670J_056

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Thomas Nast Anti-Irish Cartoons

...red American society. In the immediate aftermath of the Orange Riot of July 12, 1871 in New York City, in which Irish Catholics clashed with the National Guard protecting an Irish Protestant parade, Nast drew a number of anti-Irish cartoons for Harper’s Weekly. One cartoon illustrated the Draft Riots of

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Archbishop Ryan

...ther Katharine wrote the rule for her new order.   Ryan's Funeral, February 16, 1911 Ryan would serve as Archbishop of Philadelphia for 27 years until his death on February 11, 1911. Before his funeral, his body lay in state at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul were

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