Parish Boundaries

Parish Boundaries

By John T. McGreevy

Book Description

In the heart of America's urban neighborhoods, Catholic parishes have long served as more than places of worship. They have functioned as anchors of community identity, shaping how residents understand their place in the world and their relationships with neighbors who may look different from themselves.

John T. McGreevy explores this fascinating intersection of faith, geography, and race relations in twentieth-century America. Through detailed examinations of parish life in major cities including Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia, he reveals how the Catholic Church's territorial approach to organizing communities created unique dynamics in urban America.

Unlike Protestant or Jewish congregations that draw members from wider areas, Catholic parishes traditionally served specific geographic boundaries. This system kept parishioners rooted in particular neighborhoods, creating both deep community bonds and complex challenges when it came to racial integration. McGreevy demonstrates how this commitment to place influenced the daily interactions between Euro-American Catholics and their African-American neighbors.

The narrative traces the Church's evolving response to racism and its growing African-American membership, showing how religious teachings about human dignity played out in communities experiencing racial tension. Following these developments through the transformative period of Vatican II and the civil rights movement, McGreevy illuminates how questions of community and justice sparked broader conversations about the nature of American Catholic identity.

This thoughtful examination offers valuable insights into how religious communities navigate social change while remaining true to their spiritual foundations.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~10 hours)

📄 Length: 362 pages

What You'll Discover

  • ✓ Explore Religious aspects of Race relations
  • ✓ Explore Conditions sociales
  • ✓ Explore SOCIAL SCIENCE
  • ✓ Explore Steden
  • ✓ Explore Catholic Church
  • ✓ Explore Rooms-katholicisme
  • ✓ Explore Northeastern States
  • ✓ Explore Stadt

Topics Covered

Religious aspects of Race relations Conditions sociales SOCIAL SCIENCE Steden Catholic Church Rooms-katholicisme Northeastern States Stadt Race relations, religious aspects Communities Minority Studies Race relations Church and social problems, catholic church Histoire United states, history, 20th century Race relations, religious aspects, christianity Église catholique Ethnische Beziehungen Communauté Relations raciales Catholic church, united states Catholics, united states Inner cities Discrimination in housing United states, race relations Social conditions Religious aspects Paroisses Katholische Kirche Discrimination & Race Relations African Americans Nordstaaten Northern ireland, social conditions Parishes Noirs américains Negers Aspect religieux Discrimination dans le logement Community History

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