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Jan 1, 1494
The First Missionaries Arrive
In 1494, twelve Spanish priests, who were commissioned by the pope, accompanied Columbus on his second voyage to America. -
Jan 1, 1521
Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Built
The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista was the first Roman Catholic Church built on US soil and is still standing today. -
Jan 1, 1543
The First Martyr in America
Father Juan de Padilla, a Christian missionary, was killed by native Americans in Kansas. Father Juan is considered the protomartyr of the United States(Proto- means first). -
Feb 1, 1571
Father Juan Bautista de Segura
Father Juan Bautista de Segura and eight other Jesuit missionaries were killed by natives near Jamestown, Virginia. Their goal had been to establish a mission called St. Mary's Mission. -
First Holy Communion
In 1607 the first recorded celebration of Holy Communion in the New World took place in Jamestown, Virginia. -
Catholic Settlers arrive in Maryland
Two ships carried the first settlers for the new colony of Maryland which was headed by Cecil Calvert, more commonly known as Lord Baltimore. It was intended to be a place of freedom for Catholics, who suffered discrimination in England and were unwelcome as well in most of the American colonies. -
Harvard was founded
In 1636, Harvard college was founded. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Although not affiliated with the Church, the college origionally trained cleregy members. -
Marquette and Joliet undertake Mississippi expedition
Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, and Louis Joliet undertook the Mississippi expedition where they explored northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and the Mississippi River valley -
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, known as Lily of the Mohawks, converted to Catholicism and is now the first Native American to undergo the process of canonization as a saint. -
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge founded
In 1698, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge was founded. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) is the oldest mission organisation. The Society was founded to encourage Christian education and the production and distribution of Christian literature. -
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala
On this date, Father Junipero Serra founded Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala. This was the first California mission and is located in San Diego. -
Charles Carroll signs the Declaration of Independance
Carles Carroll was an influential figure in colonial Maryland, Carroll was the sole Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. -
John Carroll is ordained a bishop
On this date, John Carroll was named the first bishop in the United States. He did many things during his term including the founding of Georgetown University, the construction of the first Cathedral, and the establishment of many diocese. -
Mathew Carey publishes first American edition of Douay-Reims bible
On this date, Mathew Carey published the first American edition of the Douay-Reims bible. The Douay-Reims bible is a translation of the Bible from Latin into English. -
First priest ordained in U.S.
On this day, Father Stephen Badin became the first Catholic priest ordained in the United States. He was ordained by John Carroll and was an early missionary in the territories of Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. -
Dioceses of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Bardstown created
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Saint John Nepomucene Neumann
On this date, Saint John Nepomucene Neumann was appointed the fourth bishop of Philadelphia. He became the first American Bishop to be canonized and he presided over the building of fifty churches and nearly 100 schools. -
Founding of Paulist Fathers
In 1858 Father Isaac Hecker founded the Missionary Society of St. Paul. These Paulist Fathers are especially dedicated to outreach to the non-Catholics of the United States and they began their ministry in New York. -
Augustine Tolton was ordained
Augustine John Tolton was the first ROman Catholic priest in the United States who was black. -
St. Frances Cabrini arrives in U.S
St. Francis Cabrini had desired to be a missionary in China, but Pope Leo XIII advised her, "Do not go to the East, but to the West." She was the founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and she established schools and hospitals across the nation. -
US removed from jurisdiction of Propaganda Fide
This means that the US was no longer classified as a mission status. This can be viewed as the Church "Coming of Age". -
Formation of National Catholic Welfare Council
The National Catholic Welfare Council represented the efforts of the Catholic bishops to act collectively as a national body. This organization issued statements on matters of national policy such as education, welfare, and health care. Today it is the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
