by Jay P. Dolan
First published 1987
Jay P. Dolan traces the evolution of Catholic parishes from colonial settlements to modern suburbia. He examines how immigrant communities built churches, established schools, and created social networks around parish life. The book explores tensions between Irish, German, Italian, and Polish Catholics as they competed for influence within the American church hierarchy. Dolan analyzes how parishes adapted to changing neighborhoods, economic pressures, and shifting religious practices. He documents the rise and decline of parochial schools, the role of priests in community leadership, and the impact of Vatican II reforms on traditional worship. The work reveals how Catholic parishes served as anchors for ethnic identity while simultaneously promoting American assimilation. Dolan shows readers how these religious institutions shaped urban development, political movements, and cultural traditions across three centuries of American Catholic experience.
Genres: history, non-fiction, church-history, cultural-studies, catholic, american-history
Vibes: informative, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: community-anchors, cultural-assimilation
Setting: America, United States
Period: Colonial, 19th-Century, 20th-Century
2 pages · Hardcover · Paulist Pr