Anniversary

July 19 became a historic date 150 years ago when the Diocese of New York was considered by Pope Pius IX important enough to be made an archdiocese, with a broad territory and a colorful and controversial archbishop, John Hughes.

To commemorate the anniversary, Msgr. Thomas J. Shelley has written a fascinating profile of the times, the immigrant population and the first Archbishop of New York who made it the most important archdiocese in the country.