On Saturday, January 7, 2023, the ACHS was honored to open its doors to members of the American Catholic Historical Association, who were in Philadelphia for their annual conference. The ACHA, founded in 1909, is the primary professional organization in the United States for scholars of Catholic history. To conclude their annual meeting, they celebrated a liturgy at Old St. Mary’s Church and then crossed the street to the ACHS for a festive reception.

In addition to having a shared mission to promote research and scholarship into the richness of the Catholic past, the ACHS and the ACHA share some common founders, including Dr. Lawrence Flick, the first president of the ACHA, whose portrait and Laetare Medal hang in the upstairs rear parlor of the ACHS. The two organizations have a long history of cooperation, and we were glad to be able to rekindle those bonds. 

We wish them well and look forward to having them back the next time they gather in Philadelphia.