President’s Spring Message

Dear Colleague:

Welcome to the Web site of the American Catholic Historical Association. For over 90 years we have been the premier scholarly association for those in Catholic studies. We extend a warm welcome to graduate students and young scholars working in the field. Our award-winning journal and our two annual meetings provide an excellent forum for sharing the fruits of scholarship. We hope that his website too will be a scholarly crossroads for our members. Soon, we will be posting brief articles highlighting the work of various of our members.

For those visiting the site for the first time, we strongly urge you to consider membership. You can learn more about the many benefits of ACHA membership in this section of our site.

Preparations are underway for our program next January in Boston. We meet concurrently with the American Historical Association and sponsor an array of sessions that highlight some of the work done by our members and others. We hope to have sessions that survey the current state of American Catholic studies (Leslie Tentler of Catholic University will lead the discussion) and the role of historians in the beatification/canonization process of the Roman Catholic Church. Dr. Kathleen Cummings (Notre Dame), Father Cyprian Davis, OSB (St. Meinrad) and Father Paul Robichaud, CSP (Executive Secretary of the ACHA) will be the discussants. Both Davis and Robichaud have worked on cases now in process before the Congregation of Saints. Sessions on Catholic Higher Education, American Catholic Women, Medieval studies and Catholicism in modern Europe will also be on the program. Please plan to attend–January 6-9,2011.

At the Boston meeting we will be bestowing our annual book prizes–the Shea, the Ellis, and the Marraro. We will also be conferring honorary awards for Lifetime Scholarship, Service to Catholic Studies and Teaching. Check the criteria for these awards on the website and submit the names of those you feel should be considered for these honors.

Thanks to all members for their service and dedication to Catholic studies. The ACHA is a strong and growing Association as we continue to build on the firm foundation laid by those who founded and lead the Association over the years.

Rev. Steven M. Avella,
President, American Catholic Historical Association, 2010