Chris Gibbons, member of the ACHS Board of Managers, was recently interviewed by Dave Parker of Holy Spirit Radio about his upcoming book, “Aflame is the West,” where he discusses his search for the alumni of Roman Catholic High School who gave their lives in World War I. Listen to...

Event recap: Chaplain Kane: The Life and Ministry of Stalag 17’s POW Priest
Thank you to all those who joined our January lecture by Deacon Alex Solsma, “Chaplain Kane: The Life and Ministry of Stalag 17’s POW Priest.” In February 1943, Stephen Kane, an Irish-born Catholic military chaplain from Iowa, was captured by the Germans in North Africa. He declined repatriation so he...

Daniel M. DiLella — 2026 ACHS Commodore Barry Award honoree
Chairman, Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. DiLella is a principal of Equus Capital Partners, Ltd., serving as the Firm’s Chairman. Under DiLella’s leadership, Equus has grown to become a multi-faceted national real estate investment company with expertise in development, investment, asset management, and property management. DiLella’s career as a real estate...

Society president, Michael Finnegan interviewed by Global Philadelphia
Society president, Michael Finnegan was recently interviewed by Global Philadelphia, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Philadelphia as an influential World Heritage City. In the interview, they discuss: Read the interview about the evolution of ACHS and the Barry Award Dinner.

2025 Barry Award Dinner honors Kerry Alys Robinson, Catholic Charities USA President and CEO
Thank you to all our members, friends, and benefactors who joined us at our 43rd Annual Barry Award Dinner to celebrate this year’s honoree, Kerry Alys Robinson. It was a most joyous evening, with nearly 200 individuals filling the Lincoln Ballroom at the Union League of Philadelphia. “The Barry Award...

Michael Finnegan interviewed on Holy Spirit Radio
In October Michael Finnegan, president of the ACHS, was interviewed by Dave Parker of Holy Spirit Radio about the American Catholic Historical Society. If you’d like to get some great insight about the society, you can listen to a recording of the interview. Listen to the interview In the interview,...

Event recap: The 1831 Scandal of Sister Gertrude: America’s First Runaway Nun
Thank you to all those who joined our September lecture by Dr. Joseph Mannard, “The 1831 Scandal of Sister Gertrude: America’s First Runaway Nun.” In this presentation, Dr. Joseph Mannard revealed how American Catholic leadership, male and female, engaged in successful damage control following the 1831 flight of Sister Ann...

John W. Hallahan Girls’ High School exhibit
We’re proud to present the new John W. Hallahan Girls’ High School exhibit at the ACHS headquarters. The Hallahan Alumni Association donated the artifacts on display to celebrate the proud history of the country’s first all-girls diocesan Catholic high school. The school was opened to give girls from all backgrounds...

Catholic Newspaper Digitization
The ACHS has historically collected Catholic newspapers from around the United States. Today, the society holds one of the largest collections of Catholic newspapers in the country. In total, there are 313 titles with an estimated 1.25 – 1.5 million pages. These newspapers range in date from 1824 to 1968...

2025 Annual Newsletter
Check out our 2025 annual newsletter to learn about the American Catholic Historical Society, its recent activities, and our schedule of events for the upcoming 2025-26 year! Members will receive their print copy in the mail. We invite you to share the newsletter with family, friends, associates, and anyone who...

