During my period of graduate studies at The Catholic University of America, I had the opportunity one day to speak with fabled American Catholic Church historian, Monsignor John Tracy Ellis, who at the time was a resident at the nursing facility operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor on Harewood Road. While speaking to Monsignor Ellis, he asked, “Why did you come to see me? You want a dissertation topic, don’t you?” I responded that I came to meet him since I had read many of his books and simply wanted to pay my respects, but if he was willing to offer suggestions for a dissertation topic I was certainly listening. I told him that I was interested in the life of Archbishop Edward Hanna of San Francisco, but he responded that a serious study of that nature would require a more seasoned historian due to some historical uncertainties concerning the last years of Hanna’s life. He told me that biography in general, however, was a great topic.
About a year later, while attending a class taught by Professor Christopher Kaufman, who later became my mentor, the contribution of Paulist priest James Martin Gillis was raised in class. At the time no serious historical study had been done on his life. There was lots of information extant and the archive for the Paulist Fathers was within walking distance of the University and where I was living. I made an appointment with the archivist, Father Paul Robichaud, CSP, who gave me an overview of Gillis’ life and showed me the significant holdings with respect to his papers as well as a complete set of his writings, including his monthly editorials written during his tenure as editor of the Catholic World.
These two important events during my course of doctoral studies launched me into a research pattern that has been very productive, personally enriching, and highly educational for me. Besides my work on Gillis and later Edward Hanna (I discovered what Monsignor Ellis was referring to in his comment), I have been privileged to study the lives of Father Patrick Peyton, CSC, Bishop Vincent McCauley, CSC, and most recently Monsignor Nelson Baker of Buffalo, New York. Presently I am looking into the possibility of a similar study on the life of Father John Francis (Jake) Laboon, SJ, who distinguished himself as a naval chaplain between 1958 and 1980.
Biography for me is a genre of research that requires the writer to enter as fully as possible into life of the individual under investigation. The more one can place his or her feet into the shoes of the individual under study, the better an eventual biographical study will be. Like history in general, the specific discipline of biography is much more than a chronicle of facts, events, and the opinions of those who knew the individual in question. Not only is interpretation required, but the biographer has the additional task of entering the mindset of the individual under study and to try to understand how and why that individual thought, leading often to certain behavior, specific actions, or comments. For example, in the lives of both Patrick Peyton and Nelson Baker devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary was central and, in many ways, led directly to certain decisions. Though both men cherished this specific popular devotion, the origins of their piety were completely different. Consequently their approaches to ministry in utilizing the inspiration of Mary were similarly varied. In the case of James Gillis it was necessary to formulate a rationale for his almost utter disdain for Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a time when most American Catholics saw him as a great champion. Walking in the shoes of Gillis allowed me to better understand not only why he viewed the President in this way, but the origins of his thought.
A second essential element to biographical study, along with any generally good history, is context. All humans are strongly affected, positively or negatively, by historical events, association with various groups and individuals, opportunities for education, and ethnic origin to name only a few of many factors. Context for historical study provides perspective, but for the biographer it additionally provides both ammunition and evidence to more closely and accurately understand the subject under study. Ammunition to draw conclusions about opinions and actions of an individual is enhanced greatly by historical context. Similarly, the same context gives evidence to show that the individual under study was consistent or inconsistent with prevailing American Catholic thought.
Biography in general and more specifically those of American Catholic figures, has been a fascinating study for me. Other historians, quite obviously, have also found this same discipline especially rewarding. Such studies allow the researcher the privilege of entering the mental mindset of an individual and, using the tools of extant data and hermeneutics, to analyze a person’s life and contribution to American Catholic life. It is a genre that holds much merit and one that other historians, especially young ones, might consider for their own research endeavors.
Richard Gribble, CSC