Yesterday a new friend and I wandered around Philadelphia from Northern Liberties to Queen Village and then from Independence Mall to City Hall. We examined religion and social reform, considered valuation of mixed currencies during the 1840s, the meaning of the signatures behind the Declaration of Independence, and what it all means for an era where “life” may become an augmented subscription service. As Cesium ushers in an Open Metaverse pixelated empire, Wharton alumni set up speculative ventures in human capital futures. All of this is happening in my back yard. I suspect much of this is happening in your backyards, too. I invite you to look around your labyrinth and consider sharing a video here or writing a guest post. Once we can see where the walls are, we can begin to find our way out.
Love your art, Alison. Do you know the work of Andy Goldsworthy?
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Wow, quite the Philly mini-history tour ~ hats off. Thanks for sharing all those stops with us. So much I never saw while visiting the city and you’ve once again offered many significant revelations to once semi-familiar local territory and folklore.
On John Neumann’s connection to his predecessor, John Carroll, the first bishop + archbishop of the United States (and my HS alma mater), I remember you mentioning him previously & was compelled to share this character’s history recap here for others unfamiliar with that talk of yours:
“The Catholic hierarchy had been established in the United States only five decades earlier with the appointment of John Carroll in 1784 as prefect-apostolic and then Bishop of Baltimore, and until 1908, all of the United States was still regarded in the Catholic Church as mission territory under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (or Propaganda). There were no parishes in the strict sense, and in his own writings, Neumann always observed correct technical usage in referring to a portion of a diocese as a “mission,” “congregation,” or “quasi-parish.”
Father John Carroll was confirmed by Pope Pius VI, on June 6, 1784, as Superior of the Missions in the thirteen United States of North America, with power to give the sacrament of confirmation. This act established a hierarchy in the United States and removed the Catholic Church in the United States from the authority of the Vicar Apostolic of the London District (an operative from 1688-1850). The Holy See then established the Apostolic Prefecture of the United States on November 26, 1784.” Wiki +
John’s older brother, Daniel Carroll, was an American politician and plantation owner from Maryland and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He supported the American Revolution, served in the Confederation Congress, was a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 which penned the Constitution of the United States, and was a U.S. Representative in the First Congress. Daniel Carroll was one of five men to sign both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. He was one of the few Roman Catholics among the Founders.
His cousin, Charles Carroll, would become the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence, and the first United States Senator (1789) from Maryland.
John Carroll was founder of the Jesuit-run Georgetown University:
“Instruction at the school began on November 22, 1791 under the direction of its first academic President, Robert Plunkett, with future U.S. Representative (Congressman) William Gaston as its first student.” Wiki
John Carroll created the First diocesan synod in the United States:
“That first year of 1791, Carroll convened the first diocesan synod in the United States…
The decrees of this synod represent the first local canonical legislation in the new nation. Among the regulations were that parish income should be divided in thirds: one third for the economic support of the clergy, one third for the maintenance of church facilities, and one third for the support of the poor.”
John Carroll oversaw the construction of the first cathedral, in 1806, the Cathedral of the Assumption (today called the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) in Baltimore. It was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, architect of the United States Capitol. The cornerstone of the cathedral was laid on July 7, 1806, by Carroll.”
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My Irish RC father took our entire family in to Logan’s circle in ’79 to see Pope John Paul II conduct a Mass ritual on his birthday. Talk about mass participation. My dad was obviously in a state of ultimate joy, believing it to be one of his greatest birthday gifts to have the Pope there that day. I never got the allure and like you, also remember that tour initiated the memorable “Pope-mobile” among other things.