Description:

This program examines the growth and vitality of diocesan newspapers in the 19th century, especially in defending the immigrant church against anti-Catholic bias, then considers how the Catholic press came to flourish in the 20th century and its changing place in Catholic life since Vatican II. Among those providing commentary are historians John Tracy Ellis and Alden Brown, journalists James O’Gara and George Higgins and editors Charles McNeil, Robert Burns and Michael Leach.