The Roman Catholics

This reference work provides an historical overview of the people and events that have shaped Roman Catholicism in the United States. The first part of the book is a narrative history of Catholicism in America. This section begins with a look at the roots of the American Catholic tradition during the time of Columbus and the arrival of missionaries to the New World. The chapters that follow trace the history of Catholicism from the colonial period to the present day. The second part of the volume is a biographical dictionary of the most important figures in the American Catholic tradition. Each biographical sketch briefly profiles and assesses the career and contributions of a key figure. Each profile closes with a brief bibliography of the most important works by and about the figure, and the volume concludes with an extensive bibliographical essay.