Herman Joseph Heuser Papers
MC 1
Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center
10.4 Linear feet
; 27 Boxes
1872-1933
Herman Joseph Heuser, D.D. (1851-1933) was a Catholic intellectual and prolific writer who influenced scholarly circles and clerical life in the United States and abroad through his literary work. Heuser edited the
American Ecclesiastical Review (1889-1975) as well as published
The Dolphin (1900-1908), a Catholic literary magazine. These publications reflected Heuser's varied interests from clerical subjects to the arts. He published fourteen books, eight of which appeared serially in
The Dolphin. This collection includes primarily correspondence, sermons, prayers, scrapbooks, and personal writings. It also includes materials related to Patrick Augustine Sheehan.
Heuser, Herman Joseph, 1851-1933
Overview of Arrangement
The records are arranged in five series, three of which have been further arranged in subseries:
Series I. Correspondence
a. Incoming Correspondence
b. Outgoing Correspondence
c. Caroline B. Perot Letters
Series II. Patrick Augustine Sheehan
a. Incoming Correspondence
b. Outgoing Correspondence
c. Letters to Heuser about Sheehan
d. Miscellaneous
e. Manuscripts
Series III. Manuscripts
a. Emily Mary Shapcote Manuscripts
b. Sister Teresa of the Holy Ghost
c. Manuscript Materials
Series IV. Sermons
Series V. Miscellaneous
Preferred Citation note
Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here]. Heuser, Herman Joseph papers, 1851-1933 (MC 1), Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center.
Conditions Governing Access note
This collection is open for research.
Scope and Contents note
This collection largely contains correspondence, both personal and professional in nature. A significant portion of the correspondence is between Heuser and prominent figures within the Catholic Church including Cardinal James Gibbons of Baltimore, Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan of Philadelphia, Katharine Drexel, and Thomas C. Middleton. Other correspondents include Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Princess Catherine Radziwill, Thomas Eakins and Leopold Stokowski. Some of the topics covered include Catholicity in Russia, church architecture, Catholic American Indians, and the religious aspects of the issue of vasectomy.
A significant amount of materials in the collection relates to Canon Patrick Augustine Sheehan of Doneraile, Ireland, specifically Sheehan's book,
My New Curate, which appeared serially in Heuser's magazine. Other notable series include manuscripts by hymnist Emily Mary Shapcote, author of
Mary, The Perfect Woman, which also appeared in the magazine. The manuscript materials of Sister Teresa of the Holy Ghost that addresses the history of the Order of the Holy Ghost are also included.
Items, such as drafts and research notes, deriving from Heuser's work with the
American Ecclesiastical Review and
The Dolphin, are also included. The collection also contains prayers, sermons, some genealogical information, and scrapbooks with miscellaneous materials.
Most of the materials in the collection are in English, though some are written in German, French, Latin, and Italian.
Biographical/Historical note
Herman Joseph Heuser was born on October 23, 1851 in Potsdam, Germany. Heuser was the first child of Herman Joseph and Julia Neese Heuser, and had a sister two years his junior, Julia. Heuser attended secondary schools in Berlin, Germany and Breslau, Poland focusing on religious education. He also took classes in science, language, art and music. His family emigrated to the United States in 1867 leaving him behind to continue his studies in Poland.
Heuser immigrated to the United States at the age of seventeen and in 1868 he began to attend a diocesan preparatory seminary in Glen Riddle, PA , approximately 15 miles from Philadelphia. Heuser served as a ‘seminarian professor’ at Glen Riddle, leading instruction in Latin, French and Gregorian chants. In 1871 he began teaching at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary at its new campus in Overbrook, PA. He was ordained on February 2, 1876. He became a full time seminary professor and taught there for over fifty years. Heuser also served as an adviser to the Pontifical Commission on Anglican Orders in 1896. In 1905 Heuser received a Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa from Pope Pius X. In 1907, during the controversy over Modernism, Heuser was appointed by the Apostolic Delegate as general censor for all Catholic publications in the United States.
Monsignor James Andrew Corcoran, also a faculty member at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, and helped found the
American Catholic Quarterly Review. Heuser aided in editing the publication for 13 years. Through his involvement, he learned about the logistical aspects of running a publication such as scheduling, managing contributors and subscribers and financial concerns.
Heuser began editing the
American Ecclesiastical Review in 1889. Serving as the main contributor for the
AER, Heuser used the motto “For the upbuilding of the Church” (1 Cor. 14:5) and in order to appeal to and benefit both priests and laity. As a supplement to the
AER, Heuser published
The Dolphin, a more basic Catholic magazine from 1900-1908. In both these publications attention was paid to music and the arts with articles about the history of Church music, architecture, art as well as included illustrations. Heuser used his position as editor to allow for a debate of diverse subjects and topics. Heuser served as the editor of the
AER, with a brief interruption from 1914-1919 when Reverend William Turner took over, until 1927 when he turned over the publication to the Catholic University of America in Washington DC.
Heuser died on August 22, 1933.
Bibliography
Hubbert, Joseph G., CM. "'Less Brains and More Heart': Father Herman J. Heuser, Founder of the American Ecclesiastical Review."
U.S. Catholic Historian 13 (1995): 95-112.
Other Finding Aids note
This is a revised finding aid. The Ryan Memorial Library: Historical Collections previously published an extensive item-level finding aid to this collection circa 1960s:
Heuser, Herman Joseph, D.D. Papers. 1872-1933 . A copy of the the older finding aid can be found here:
http://www.pahrc.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Heuser_older-finding-aid-edited.pdf
Processing Information note
The arrangement of the collection as outlined in the original finding aid has been altered to allow for better access to materials within the collection.
Separated Materials note
Materials misplaced into the collection that are dated posthumously have been removed.
Provenance
Accession number 1990.001.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Corcoran, James Andrew, 1820-1889
Drexel, Katharine Mary, Saint, 1858-1955
Eakins, Thomas, 1844-1916
Gibbons, James, 1834-1921
Guiney, Louise Imogen, 1861-1920
Hickey, Emily Henrietta, 1845-1923
Homes, Oliver Wendell, 1841-1935
Mercier, Desideratus Josephus, Cardinal, 1851-1926
Perot , Caroline B.
Repplier, Agnes, 1855-1950
Riis, Jacob A. (Jacob August), 1849-1914
Ryan, Patrick John, 1831-1911
Shapcote, Emily Mary , 1828-1909
Sheehan, Patrick Augustine, 1852-1913
Sister Teresa of Holy Ghost
Stokowski, Leopold, 1882-1977
Catholic Church--Periodicals
Catholic Church--United States--History--19th century.
Catholic intellectuals
Catholics--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
Clippings
Correspondence
Letters
Philadelphia (Pa.)
Prayers
Research Notes
Scrapbook
Sermons
Correspondence
Scope and Contents note
This bulk of this series is composed of incoming and outgoing correspondence. The topics of the letters are mainly literary and religious. Some subjects addressed are: Catholicity in Russia, Church architecture, sacred heraldry, difficulties of Catholic Indians on Government Reservations, and the religious aspects of the issue of vasectomies. Most of the correspondence is regarding contributions to
American Ecclesiastical Review and
The Dolphin.
One of the notable correspondents is Katharine Drexel (1858-1955), the founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament dedicated to addressing to the needs of Native Americans and African Americans protesting the injustice of racism. Born to a family which owned a banking fortune, Drexel used her wealth to fund missions and schools. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 20, 1988 and canonized on October 1, 2000. The correspondence is from 1907-1930 and are type or handwritten and includes questions about the new constitution for her order, requests for Latin translations, gratitude for well wishes while she was ill and thanks for his feastday greetings. Other correspondents include American realist painter Thomas Eakins (1844-1916), poet and essayist Louise Imogen Guiney (1861-1920), author and abolitionist Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823-1911), Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935), essayist Agnes Repplier (1855-1950), photographer and social reformer Jacob Riis (1849-1914), and conductor Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977).
The Caroline B. Perot Letters contain incoming and outgoing correspondence between Heuser and Perot between 1909-1933. The two friends generally discuss personal issues, health concerns and visits. An item of note is a letter dated February 2, 1929 Heuser writes about the author and hymnist Emily Mary Shapcote and how her work,
Mary, The Perfect Woman, appeared serially in
The Dolphin from 1902-1904.
Arrangement note
The subseries, Incoming Correspondence, is arranged alphabetically. The subseries, Outgoing Correspondence, is arranged by topic and chronologically. The subseries, Caroline B. Perot Letters, are arranged chronologically.
Please note that not all names are listed in this finding aid. For a complete detailed list of correspondents, please see the item-level finding aid found here:
http://www.pahrc.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Heuser_older-finding-aid-edited.pdf
Incoming Correspondence
Aertnys - Albert
1
1
Albright
1
2
Aldering - Assisium
1
3
Audsley
1
4
Azarias
1
5
Baart - Baldwin
1
6
Baptist - Benson
1
7
Benziger
1
8
Benzig - Borgmann
1
9
Bouquillon - Brownson
1
10
Brucker
1
11
Bruehl - Burke
1
12
Burnett
1
13
Burns - Byrne
1
14
Cabroz - Cavanaugh
2
1
Chadet - Cloutier
2
2
Coakley - Comes
1
3
Conaty - Cormican
2
4
Cosgrove - Corrigan
2
5
Craft - Cuthbert
2
6
Dale - Dammann
2
7
Day - DeLaTaille
2
8
Delplace - DeWaal
2
9
Dewees - Donahue
2
10
Donelly
2
11
Donavan - Doyle
2
12
Drexel
2
13 & 14
Drinkwater - Dyer
2
15
Eakins - Eaton
3
1
Ebersweiler - Edgerton
3
2
Edmonda - Eiffe
3
3
Elder - Elsenheimer
3
4
Emard - Ermoni
3
5
Eschbach - Ewing
3
6
deFabribeckers - Falconio
3
7
Farley - Finlay
3
8
Finn
3
9
Finn - Fitz-Maurice
3
10
Fitzmaurice - Ford
3
11
Fontana - Frick
3
12
Friends, Society of - Funke
3
13
Gabriels - Galbally
3
14
Galen - Garrigan
3
15
Garvey - Geyser
3
16
Gibbons - Glennon, J.J.
4
1
Glennon, M.L. - Gravel
4
2
Grennan - Guinan
4
3
Guiney - Guldner
4
4
Hagan - Harty
4
5
Harvard University - Herder
4
6
Heuser - Hildegarde
4
7
Hill - Hobson
4
8
Hogan
4
9
Holaind - Holmes
4
10
Holweck - Howley
4
11
Hudson
4
12
Hughes - Hussey
4
13
Ignatius - Ita
5
1
Jacobi - Junker
5
2
Kain - Kelly
5
3
Kelly - Keogh
5
4
Kerby
5
5
Ketcham - Kyle
5
6
LaFarge - Lambing
5
7
LaRose - Laux
5
8
Lavelle - Lehmkuhn
5
9
Lenihan - Lodge
5
10
Longmaus - Lynch
5
11
Maas - McDermott
6
1
McDevitt - MacDonald, A.
6
2
McDonald, I. - McGinley
6
3
McGinnis - McLachlan
6
4
MacMahon - McNabb
6
5
MacNeil - McVey
6
6
Maes - Mannix
6
7
Maria - Marty
6
8
Mother Mary Agnes - Matz
6
9
Mayer - Middleton
6
10
Misner - Moran
6
11
More - Murtagh
6
12
Naph - Notre Dame, Sisters of
7
1
O'Brien - O'Hare
7
2
O'Keefe - Ottonia
7
3
Pace - Peterson
7
4
Petit - Prendergast
7
5
Price - Putzer
7
6
Quigley - Riggs
7
7
Riis - Robins
7
8
Robinson, P.
7
9
Roderer - Ryder
8
1
Sabetti
8
2
Sadlier - St. Ignatius
8
3
St. John, Mother - Schremb
8
4
Schroeder
8
5
Schulte - Shapcote
8
6
Sheehan - Spencer
8
7
Stadelman - Stoeckli
8
8
Stokowski - Sword
8
9
Talbot - Thurston
9
1
Tierney - Tyrrell
9
2
Universal Knowledge Foundation - Williemsen
9
3
Williams - Zielenbach
9
4
Outgoing Correspondence
Regarding
American Ecclesiastical Review and Personal Letters
9
5
Undated, 1884-1904
Regarding
American Ecclesiastical Review and Personal Letters
9
6
1904-1914
Regarding
American Ecclesiastical Review and Personal Letters
9
7
1914-1930
Superior Generals et al. and Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
9
8
1905-1916
Caroline B. Perot Letters
1909-1933
General note
In the original arrangement Box 10 was Box 26.
Letters
10
1
1896-1909
Letters
10
2
1922-1929
Letters
10
3
1930
Letters
10
4
1931-1933
Patrick Augustine Sheehan
Scope and Contents note
This series contains materials from and regarding Canon Patrick Augustine Sheehan. Canon Patrick Augustine Sheehan (1852-1913) was an Irish Roman Catholic priest. Born in Mallow, County Cork to Patrick Sheehan and Joanna Regan he attended Long Room National School followed by secondary school at St. Colman’s College in Fermoy and to prepare for priesthood St. Patrick’s College in Maynooth. In 1884 he was appointed parish priest in Doneraile, one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Cloyne. Sheehan used weekly meetings of parishioners to focus on topics like modern agricultural methods, social issues and understanding land issues brought up by the Land Purchase Acts. The most well known novel by Sheehan is
My New Curate, which centers around a fictional parish priest dealing with social issues. He also wrote other books including
Luke Delmege (1901),
Glenanaar (1904), and
The Intellectuals: An Experiment in Irish High Club-Life (1911) as well as articles and was published in many other languages including German, Spanish, Czech and Italian. Heuser wrote a biography about Sheehan,
Canon Sheehan of Doneraile (1917).
The correspondence features letters about articles in the
American Ecclesiastical Review as well as letters to Heuser about Sheehan. It also includes
My New Curate, which was specifically written by Sheehan for, and appeared serially in
The Dolphin.
Arrangement note
The subseries Incoming Correspondence, Outgoing Correspondence, and Letters to Heuser about Sheehan are arranged alphabetically. The subseries Miscellaneous and Manuscripts are arranged by topic.
Please note that not all names are listed in this finding aid. For a complete detailed list of correspondents, please see the item-level finding aid found here:
http://www.pahrc.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Heuser_older-finding-aid-edited.pdf
Incoming Correspondence
Egan - Holmes
11
1
McNabb - O'Riordan
11
2
Russell
11
3
Outgoing Correspondence
Unknown, [Raphael] - Ryan
11
4
Letters to Heuser about Sheehan
Unknown - Nunan
11
5
O'Connell - Spalding
11
6
Miscellaneous
Clippings and Research
11
7
Folder Cover
11
8
Manuscripts
My New Curate, Chapters 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18
12
1
My New Curate, Chapters 19-24
12
2
My New Curate, Chapters 25-31
12
3
Luke Delmege: Idiota, Chapters 1-8
12
4
Luke Delmege: Idiota, Chapters 9-15
12
5
Luke Delmege: Idiota, Chapters 16-22
12
6
Luke Delmege: Idiota, Chapters 23-27
12
7
Luke Delmege: Idiota, Chapters 28-33
12
8
Luke Delmege: Idiota, Chapters 34-38
12
9
Luke Delmege: Idiota, Chapters 39-42
12
10
Manuscripts
Scope and Contents note
This series contain manuscripts written by Emily Mary Shapcote, Sister Teresa of the Holy Ghost and materials written by Heuser.
Emily Mary Shapcote was born in 1828 in Liverpool, England as Emily Mary Steward. She married Edward Gifford Shapcote, a priest, in Pancras, London while he was a Curate of Odiham in Hampshire. She was a hymnist and her work includes "Heavenly Father, from Thy Throne," "Jesus, Holy, Undefiled," and "O Jesus, Dearest Lord, I Cry to Thee." She died in 1909. The manuscripts in this series are handwritten books ranging in date from 1904-1909.
Origin and Development of the Archconfraternity of the Servants of the Holy Ghost, 1877-1880 is a handwritten manuscript inscribed to Heuser from Sister Teresa of the Holy Ghost with warm regards as "from the author, with my sincere regard." It chronicles the formation of the archconfraternity and also includes prayers and hymns of the Servants of the Holy Ghost. The Servants of the Holy Ghost was established in 1877 at the Church of St. Mary of the Holy Angels in Bayswater, London. It received papal confirmation and special indulgences in 1878.
It also includes manuscript materials written by Heuser on various subjects including the Holy Trinity, Priesthood, Canon Law, and Dogma.
Arrangement note
The subseries Manuscript Materials is arranged by topic and a pre-existing numbering system found on sections of text.
Bibliography
Herbermann, Charles G.
The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, and History of the Catholic Church. New York: The Encyclopedia press, inc, 1913. 121. Print.
Emily M. Shapcote Manuscripts
Affinities with the Unseen World
13
98 pp.
Undated
Autobiography of a Souls
13
3 volumes, 764 pp. with Index
1904
Autobiography of a Soul, Part II
13
278 pp.
1905
Immaculata the Pearl of Great Price
13
40 pp.
1904
The Little Pilgrim in Search of the King's Highway
13
85 pp.
1904
Mysteries of the King
13
201 pp.
1904
St. Mary Magdalen
13
278 pp.
1904
The Little Pilgrim's King Highway
13
190 pp.
1905
Discourses with Myself in the Watches of the Night
13
2 volumes; 121 pp. and 78 pp.
1906, 1908
Simple Reflections
13
2 volumes; 215 pp. and 150 pp.
1908, 1909
Truth or the Mysteries of the Mystic
13
177 pp.
1909
Dual Unity in the Church
13
62 pp.
Circa 1909
Sister Teresa of the Holy Ghost
Origin and Development of the Archconfraternity of the Servants of the Holy Ghost
13
36 pp.
1877-1880
Manuscript Materials
The Holy Trinity, 2-16
14
1
The Holy Trinity, 17-27B
14
2
The Holy Trinity, 27C-29
14
3
The Holy Trinity, 29-36
14
4
The Holy Trinity, 37-41
14
5
The Holy Trinity, 42-49
14
6
The Holy Trinity, Unnumbered
15
1
The Holy Trinity, 5-8
15
2
The Holy Trinity, 9-15
15
3
The Holy Trinity, 50-56
15
4
The Holy Trinity, 57-65
15
5
The Holy Trinity, 56-67
15
6
The Holy Trinity, 68-72
15
7
The Holy Trinity, 73-77
15
8
The Holy Trinity, 78-80
15
9
The Holy Trinity, 33, 1-4
16
1
The Holy Trinity, 33, 5-9
16
2
The Holy Trinity, 33, 14-18
16
3
The Holy Trinity, 33, 19-20
16
5
The Holy Trinity, 33, 21-24
16
6
The Holy Trinity, 33, 25-30
16
7
The Holy Trinity, 33, 31-35
16
8
The Holy Trinity, 33, 36-42
16
9
The Holy Trinity, 33, 43-49
16
10
The Holy Trinity, 33, 50-54
16
11
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 1-4
17
1
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 5-8
17
2
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 9-17
17
3
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 18-19
17
4
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 20-26
17
5
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 27
17
6
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 28-36
17
7
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 37-42
17
8
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 43-47
17
9
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 48-52
17
10
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 53-56
17
11
The Holy Trinity and Penance, 34, 57-61
17
12
Methods of Catholic Theology, 1-2
18
1
Methods of Catholic Theology, 3-5
18
2
Methods of Catholic Theology, 6-10
18
3
Methods of Catholic Theology, 11-18
18
3
Methods of Catholic Theology, 19-22
18
4
Priesthood, 19-22
18
5
Priesthood, 23-26
18
6
Priesthood, 27-29
18
7
Priesthood, 30-32
18
8
Sunday Gospel Sermons, 35, 33-34
18
9
Sunday Gospel Sermons, 35, 35-37
18
10
Sunday Gospel Sermons, 35, 38-39
19
1
Sunday Gospel Sermons, 35, 40-41
19
2
Various Subjects, 1-2
19
3
Various Subjects, 3-5
19
4
Various Subjects, 6-7
19
5
Various Subjects, 8-9
20
1
Various Subjects, 10-11
20
2
Various Subjects, 12-13
20
2
Various Subjects, 14-18
20
4
Various Subjects, 19-20
20
5
Notes, 1-2
20
6
Notes, 3-5
20
7
Notes, 6-7
20
8
Notes, 8-10
20
9
Notes, 11-12
21
1
Notes, 13-18
21
2
Notes
21
3
Notes
21
4
Notes
21
5
Notes
21
6
Notes
21
7
Notes
21
8
Notes
21
9
Notes
21
10
Notes
21
11
Notes
22
1
Notes
22
2
Notes
22
3
Notes
22
4
Notes
22
5
Notes
22
6
Blessed Herman Joseph Heuser, His Life and Labors
22
7
Sermons
Arrangement note
This series is arranged by a pre-existing numbering system.
Scope and Contents note
This series is comprised of sermons written by Heuser regarding varying topics such as the belief in miracles, the Blessed Virgin, how to pray, purgatory, religious orders and desire.
#5-41, and 5 unnumbered
23
1
#43-62
23
2
#63-78
23
3
#82-99
23
4
#101-112
23
5
#114-123
23
6
#124-134
23
7
#136-171
24
1
#172-184
24
2
#185-198
24
3
#202-218
24
4
#220-240
24
5
#241-260
24
6
Miscellaneous
Scope and Contents note
This series contains various materials including correspondence, pamphlets, clippings, ephemera, personal notebooks as well as botanical scrapbooks. The correspondence includes a letter from Father Finlay regarding Canon Patrick Augustine Sheehan and letters from Emily Hickey and are primarily written German and English.
Correspondence
25
1
Emily Mary Shapcote Writings
25
2
On Religion and Art
25
3
Regarding the Ecclesiastical Review
25
4
Clippings and Ephemera
25
5
Poetry
25
6
Programs, Pamphlets and Printed Papers
25
7
Notebooks
25
8
Notes
25
9
Notes
25
10
American Report on Irish Education and
The Life of Cardinal Manning
25
11
Foundation of the Institution and a Harvard address
25
12
Commentarius de Judicio Sacramentali
26
1897
(Blue) Notebook
26
1870
(Black) Notebook
26
Notes on Retreat Meditation & 5 Instructions
26
Mosses and Memories (Botanical Scrapbook)
26
1871-1883
C'est a Rire (Scrapbook)
26
1907
Analysis Florum Sylvestruim
27
1870
Monita
27
Meditations during Advent
27
Liturgy
27
1883-1885