Boston Catholics: A History of the Church and Its People

Rating:
Summary: evocotive, witty ,informative, thought provoking study
Review: As a former student of Dr. O'Connor's (B.C. 1960) and as a Bostonian in spirit , when I read this book I felt I was back in his class at Gasson Hall. I was kept interested by the information and down to earth comments that Dr. O'Connor always used to help his students understand the more complex concepts in his U.S. History courses. He was always witty and used his non-threatening personality to get his students to fully appreciate the value of his beloved subject. This book was a revelation to me in many ways. Having grown up in St. Benedict's parish in Somerville, I lived through many of the situations Dr.O'Connor writes about: parochial education, C.Y.O. baseball teams, whist parties attended by my neighbors, the days of Cardinal Cushing and his radio rosary( which I remember saying in grammar school and at Columbus High in the North End), the May Processions, the identifying yourself by naming your parish first and a hogepoge of other simple facts which will get students of the 40's and 50's to reminisce pleasantly about their past. The little known fact about the saying of the first mass in Boston in King's Chapel on Tremont St. by a Franciscan priest for a young French officer bludgeoned to death while on a provisions mission for his ship was particularly informative.It was the type of effort Dr. O'Connor always made to keep his classes interesting. The research done about Cardinal O'Connell and how he went about building the Church in Massachusetts is a blueprint for young executives building the foundation of their own companies. The primary value of the book for me was a look back to my days growing up in Boston and being educated in the Catholic tradition of the time.It gave me a historical perspective of a period which was filled with controversy and strife in many ways and an organization which provided a stabilizing force which was badly needed. Dr. O'Connor's book will be particularly interesting not only to readers who grew up in Boston but also to those who want to fill in their desire to know more about how one organization can effectively serve a large population in a positive manner.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this informative, thought provoking and supremely readable work.

Rating:
Summary: Not as good but still interesting if you like Boston History
Review: This book was basically a rehash of O'Connor's Boston Irish book. The book revolved almost exclusively around the Irish Catholic experience to the almost virtual exclusion of all other Catholic ethnic groups. Still the book is a very interesting portrayal of the evolution of Boston's culture. I would suggest this book to anyone with an interest in Boston history

Rating:
Summary: A remarkable and informative history
Review: Thomas O'Connor is University Historian and Professor of History, Emeritus, at Boston College and draws upon his years of scholarship to provide an informative, engaging, splendidly written and flawlessly presented history of the Catholic church and laity in Boston, Massachusetts in Boston Catholics: A History Of The Church And Its People. From the earliest days of immigration when "no Catholics need apply" was a pervasive barrier to jobs, education, and housing, to the years of growth and assimilation spearheaded by an active and involved church, to the social and ecclesiastical changes of recent decades, this remarkable and informative history will be read with interest by Catholics and students of American history and culture.