Saturday, July 7, marks the 160th anniversary of the day Archbishop John Hughes of New York gave his approval to the Paulist Father's first "rule" (on July 7, 1858).
The Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle ("The Paulist Fathers") was established in 1858. The society was the first community of Catholic priests founded in the United States. Fr. Isaac Hecker and his associates received permission to form the society from Pope Pius IX on March 6, 1858.
We are sharing this clip of "Isaac Hecker and the Journey of Catholic America" on March 6, 2018, to help mark the 160th anniversary of a key moment in Paulist Fathers history. On March 6, 1858, Pope Pius IX dispensed Fr. Clarence Walworth, Fr. Augustine Hewit, Fr. George Deshon and Fr.