Social Catholicism Engages the American State: The Contribution of Archbishop Edward J. Hanna

Abstract

American Catholic history during the second quarter of the twenti eth century, a period described by the historian David O'Brien as the era of Catholicism,1 was a period when many church leaders sought to rectify the evils of society. Deriving their beliefs and inspira tion from the precepts articulated in such seminal papal encyclicals as Rerum Novarum (1891) and Quadragesima Anno (1931), the Bishop's Program for Social Reconstruction (1919), issued by the National Catholic Welfare Council (Conference after 1922—NCWC), and the militant perspective of the message of Jesus Christ as expressed by dis ciples of the Protestant Social Gospel Movement, groups and individu als sought to remedy human suffering and correct systemic injustice under the banner of Catholic Action.2 The Catholic Worker Move ment, started by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, Friendship House, the genius of Baroness Catherine de Hueck Doherty, and Young Chris tian Workers (YCW), founded by the Belgium priest (later Cardinal) Joseph Cardijn, were three groups that brought relief to the marginal ized of society and challenged American Catholics to rethink the basic Christian call to discipleship and holiness. Labor priests such as Peter Yorke, Charles Owen Rice, and Peter Dietz advocated workers' rights through the promotion of trade unions. Monsignor John Ryan, with the assistance of Fr. Raymond McGowan, directed the Social Action