John Barry: The Catholic Captain of the American Revolution
When we think of the American Revolution, names like Washington, Franklin, and Adams often come to mind. Yet among these towering figures stands a lesser-known but deeply significant hero: John Barry. An Irish-born immigrant and devout Catholic, Barry not only played a pivotal role in securing American independence at sea
Philadelphia’s First Catholic Cathedral
Old St. Mary’s traces its history to 1763, when a second church was needed for the growing number of Catholics in the city. Built on land originally bought to serve as a cemetery for Old St. Joseph’s, Old St. Mary’s was referred to as “Mission Number 1” as St.
Friendly and Adopted Sons
On St. Patrick’s Day in 1771, a group of Irish immigrants met to form a social group, Members included, Stephen Moylan (later secretary to George Washington), Thomas Fitzsimmons (one of only two Catholics to sign the Constitution), and George Meade (banker and trustee of Old. St. Mary’s).[1] The group was
Mathew Carey
A major figure in the fields of literature, religion, and economics in the post Revolution America, has often been overlooked and forgotten. That figure is Mathew Carey, an Irish Catholic immigrant who helped shape the intellectual landscape of Philadelphia. Born on January 26, 1760 in Dublin, Carey entered a printing