The Catholic Telegraph
Encyclopedia
The Catholic Telegraph is a newspaper
published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
, which covers the Cincinnati
metropolitan area, the greater Dayton area
and other communities in the southwest region of Ohio
, with a total diocesan population of approximately 500,000. The Telegraph is described on its official website as the oldest continuously-published Catholic diocesan newspaper in the United States.
, O.P., the Archdiocese's first bishop. The paper's use of the word "telegraph" predated the invention of the communication device by over a decade. As one of the first Catholic newspapers in the nation, the Telegraph was sold in cities throughout the country's middle section, including Louisville, Kentucky
, Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, D.C.
, St. Louis, Missouri
, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
Early in the episcopal reign of John Baptist Purcell
, the Telegraph fell into significant financial difficulties. As its closure appeared imminent, large numbers of common Catholics formed the Roman Catholic Society for the Diffusion of Knowledge, with its primary purpose being the rescue of the Telegraph. Their goal being accomplished, the Society's success became famous throughout the American Catholic Church, and a similar organization, patterned after the one in Cincinnati, was established in the Archdiocese of Baltimore
. From 1837 to 1907, the Telegraph had a German-language
sister publication, known as Der Wahrheitsfreund
; it was the county's first Catholic periodical published in German.
. In an editorial, the Telegraph condemned the New Orleans Catholic newspaper, Le Propagateur Catholique
for running an advertisement about a mulatre
who was available for rent or sale. The Telegraph opined that "It is not necessary to be an abolitionist... to condemn a practice so repugnant to Catholic feeling." In April, 1861, the month the Civil War
started, the Telegraph continued to urge accommodation with the slave states so strongly that an abolitionist, Unionist bishop condemned the editorial stance as "aid of treason."
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
, which covers the Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
metropolitan area, the greater Dayton area
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
and other communities in the southwest region of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, with a total diocesan population of approximately 500,000. The Telegraph is described on its official website as the oldest continuously-published Catholic diocesan newspaper in the United States.
History
The Telegraph was established in October 1831 by Bishop Edward FenwickEdward Fenwick
Bishop Edward Dominic Fenwick, O.P. was born on the Patuxent river, Maryland to Colonel Ignatius Fenwick and Sarah Taney...
, O.P., the Archdiocese's first bishop. The paper's use of the word "telegraph" predated the invention of the communication device by over a decade. As one of the first Catholic newspapers in the nation, the Telegraph was sold in cities throughout the country's middle section, including Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
Early in the episcopal reign of John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833 until his death in 1883, and was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 1850.-Biography:...
, the Telegraph fell into significant financial difficulties. As its closure appeared imminent, large numbers of common Catholics formed the Roman Catholic Society for the Diffusion of Knowledge, with its primary purpose being the rescue of the Telegraph. Their goal being accomplished, the Society's success became famous throughout the American Catholic Church, and a similar organization, patterned after the one in Cincinnati, was established in the Archdiocese of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
. From 1837 to 1907, the Telegraph had a German-language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
sister publication, known as Der Wahrheitsfreund
Der Wahrheitsfreund
Der Wahrheitsfreund or Der Wahrheits-Freund was the first German-language Catholic newspaper in the United States and one of four German newspapers in Cincinnati, Ohio. Published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, proceeds went to the St...
; it was the county's first Catholic periodical published in German.
Opposition to abolition
Under Archbishop Purcell, who emphasized the "prudential motives" that made the abolition of slavery inadvisable, the Telegraph condemned slavery but opposed AbolitionismAbolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
. In an editorial, the Telegraph condemned the New Orleans Catholic newspaper, Le Propagateur Catholique
Le Propagateur Catholique
Le Propagateur Catholique was an American, French-language, Roman Catholic newspaper. It was founded in 1842 at the newspaper of the Archdiocese of New Orleans by Archbishop Napoléon-Joseph Perché. The first editor was Adrien Rouquette. Le Propagateur was published until 1888.- References :...
for running an advertisement about a mulatre
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
who was available for rent or sale. The Telegraph opined that "It is not necessary to be an abolitionist... to condemn a practice so repugnant to Catholic feeling." In April, 1861, the month the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
started, the Telegraph continued to urge accommodation with the slave states so strongly that an abolitionist, Unionist bishop condemned the editorial stance as "aid of treason."