Culture

An 1807 edition of "The Poor Man's Catechism," housed in the Archdiocese of Boston Archive. Pilot photo/courtesy Archdiocesan Archives

From the Archdiocesan Archives

Friday, August 22, 2025Culture

Whether you're waking up your e-reader, pressing "play" on an audiobook, or turning the pages of a physical tome, it's hard to deny the power of reading. Books, in all shapes and forms, open doors to new knowledge, present different perspectives, and can offer an escape from the everyday.
Indeed, "books are the world's memories," as put forth in an Aug. 22, 1925, Pilot article titled "Care of Books in Early Monasteries." Ancient abbots understood that "with a collection of books the brothers would improve spiritually, and so libraries were collected . . . For the furtherance of Christianity."
This article cites St. Benedict as a staunch proponent of reading, describing Benedictine monasteries' communal stocktaking of their libraries' books during Lent. During these inventories, "if a brother had not read (the book he borrowed) carefully, he asked forgiveness for his neglect." Novices were tasked with the cleaning, repair, and protection of the books, and the books were meant to stay within the monastery walls.
These days, books might join you during your commute, at the beach, or during some blessed downtime at home. Indeed, "during the leisure hours of vacation occasions for reading are plentiful," mused Pope Pius XII in a discourse on the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Aug. 22, 1940. Throughout the years and regardless of medium, the pastime of reading remains steadfast.

In his discourse, summated in The Pilot on Aug. 25, 1940, the pope further reflected that "to read is to enter into the thoughts of others," some good and some bad. Good books, he argued, serve as guides on the path to God, and have enduring impacts and benefits for their readers. Unlike friends, who may come and go, "the book you had abandoned remains faithful . . . And always ready to give you once more the aid of its teachings, the salutary bitterness of its reproaches, the clear light of its counsels," he asserts. A good book "will be the lamp of the Sanctuary, always ready to point out to the faithful, who approach it, the holy Tabernacle and the Divine Guest."
Of course, Pope Pius' choice of date for his 1940 discourse was no coincidence; St. Ignatius was another saintly advocate of reading. After being wounded in the Battle of Pamplona, then-Captain Inigo (Ignatius) de Loyola spent his recovery reading such works as "The Life of Christ" by Ludolfo of Saxony and "The Legends of the Saints" by Fra Jocopo of Vorggino. Pope Pius describes how while he "would have willingly become engrossed in books of chivalry" and "novels of love and valor," through reading these books, his soul was soon "infiltrated by a purer, sweeter and more brilliant light than all the vain glare of courts of love, of tournaments of chivalry, of the bravery of battle."
In Boston, too, the importance of reading for the Catholic faith has not been lost on our archdiocese. Perhaps one of the most meaningful examples of this significance in the archive's collections is an 1807 edition of "The Poor Man's Catechism" gifted (and inscribed!) by Bishop Jean-Louis de Cheverus to a family of Catholics in Maine. In remarkably good condition for its age, this catechism reflects Bishop Cheverus' dedication to spreading the word of God and maintaining the faith of his flock.
In a November 1940 speech now held in the Archdiocesan Archive, Cardinal Cushing echoed Pope Pius' sentiments from earlier that year. "Our opinion of our fellow-men and our outlook on life depend not only on the company we keep, but on the kinds of books we read." In this regard, Cardinal Cushing recommends that the lives of saints can sate many literary appetites: for romance, for drama, or travel. "When we pray, we speak to God, but when we read, God speaks to us," Cushing reflected, "and nowhere does he speak to us more effectively than in those books that pertain to the lives and works of His Saints."
Cardinal Cushing's predecessor, Cardinal William O'Connell, served on the Board of Trustees for the Boston Public Library from 1932 to 1936. Correspondence from this time illustrates his commitment to this role, including his tenure as president of the board in 1934. Cardinal O'Connell saw this as a welcome opportunity "to promote the welfare of the (Boston) Public Library, an institution in which I have ever been vitally interested," as he wrote to Mayor James Curley in his November 1932 acceptance of this post.
Here in the Archdiocese of Boston Archive, books are present around almost every corner. Our Reference Collection includes books on history, Catholicism, and theology, and is immensely useful for our staff and for researchers who visit our reading room. Undoubtedly, our largest collection of books is the Sacramental Registers, which stand as a testament to the continuing faith of this archdiocese through their documentation of sacraments dating back to 1789. To ensure long-term preservation of these significant volumes, we are currently conducting a quality check and inventory of the entire collection. Registers in poor condition or at risk of deterioration will be stored in microclimate boxes, which will limit external factors such as air circulation, physical handling, light, and temperature/humidity. Other books may need to be rebound or sent offsite for professional conservation. For more information, or to contact the Archives Department, please visit bostoncatholic.org/archives.

REBECCA MAITLAND IS AN ARCHIVIST OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON.