The United States of America owes her existence to countless brave men and women who answered the call to greatness. Among these elite Americans are Catholics whose faith influenced not only their personal lives, but also the country they helped build. While we might be familiar with a few of these Catholic characters from history such as the Carrolls, I want to share four other key individuals who helped shape our nation in its infancy.
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The man who coined “United States of America”
Born in Ireland, Stephen Moylan and his family left their home country, as the British government prohibited the education of Catholics. Moylan was educated in the United States and went on to work in the family business, becoming a successful gentleman merchant. At the beginning of the American Revolution, he was recommended to General George Washington, who appointed him as “Muster Master General to the Army of the United Colonies.” His roles during the war would change, and he endured both successes and struggles throughout his changing military career. He is perhaps best known for helping outfit the Navy of the United Colonies, which would become the U.S. Navy. Many historians also believe him to be the first to coin the term “the United States of America.” This came the day after General Washington and the Continental Army processed in a parade in what is now Somerville, Massachusetts. On January 2, 1776, Moylan wrote a letter to a friend, expressing that the newly formed army could benefit from a relationship with Spain, saying:
I should like vastly to go with full and ample powers from the United States of America to Spain.
This penned evidence is the earliest indication of this phrase being used, though it may have been used verbally among the Founding Fathers.
While he was a great asset to the Revolutionary War, Moylan’s Catholic roots remained with him throughout his life. In 1771, he and Thomas Fitzsimmons (a signer of the United States Constitution) founded the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, a fraternal and charitable group that supported fellow Irish immigrants. Moylan was elected its first president, and the group was particularly devoted to helping their Irish brethren suffering from starvation and exile.
Certainly, Moylan served his fellow man by helping Irish immigrants in a prejudiced New World, and his impact carried on through the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick throughout the years. Even after Moylan’s death, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick ministered to those affected by the Great Irish Famine (1845-1852), and they also provided aid to victims of the Spanish-American War (1898) and to those who suffered the San Francisco Earthquake (1906).
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Saving early American lives
A Catholic Irish immigrant to the colonies, Mary Waters was a skilled nurse in our country’s early history. She was later convinced by Catholic priest Fr. Ferdinand Farmer to continue in her profession as a nurse. During the Revolutionary War, she served in the hospitals tending to the American soldiers. As she cared for these injured soldiers, Waters caught the attention of Dr. Benjamin Rush, who would later become one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. In his admiration for her skills, he began to compile notes for a planned biography about this dedicated and talented nurse.
While not much else is known about Mary Waters, her impact is no less important to America’s earliest years. Her medical contributions surely saved the very lives of men who would help build the country post-Revolution.
Influencing the nation’s leader
Another Irish Catholic immigrant, John Fitzgerald, joined the American Revolution as one of General George Washington’s aides-de-camp and served with him during the encampment at Valley Forge. He was Washington’s personal express courier, indicating the immense trust the American general had in him. At the end of the war, Fitzgerald became the mayor of Alexandria.
In November 1775, General George Washington became aware that some colonists were burning the Pope in effigy on Guy Fawkes Day. A friend to Catholics who employed a good number of them, including John Fitzgerald, Washington quickly stopped his troops from continuing this horrendous, anti-Catholic practice.
While there is no clear evidence that Fitzgerald himself was directly involved, perhaps he and the other respected Catholics close to Washington positively influenced him to defend other American Catholics from prejudices and discrimination.
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Pioneer of Catholic education in America
Born into an Episcopalian family, Elizabeth Ann Seton (née Bayley) was connected to a number of founding fathers, most notably the Hamiltons. The Bayleys were neighbors of founding father Alexander Hamilton, one of the writers of the Federalist Papers and the first Secretary of the Treasury. Elizabeth also volunteered with Hamilton’s wife Eliza for the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children.
After her husband’s death and her conversion to the Catholic Faith, Elizabeth founded a school in Baltimore in 1808 to support her children. When other women joined her, they quickly formed a new religious community, the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph in 1809. Serving orphans and poor families in the community, Elizabeth founded what is considered to be the first Catholic school for girls in Emmitsburg in 1810. By 1813, her school was filled to capacity and had a long waiting list!
Elizabeth died in 1821 and was canonized as the first American-born saint in 1975. Her all-girls academy made an undeniable impact on the nation, as it laid the foundation for the parochial school system in America. Today, over 1.8 million students attend U.S. Catholic schools — all thanks to one woman providing for her children and following God’s will for her life!
This list is certainly not fully comprehensive — there are many other Catholic Americans who helped form and shape our nation throughout the years. As we celebrate 250 years of American heritage, let us thank God for the Catholic men and women who helped to change their community and country for the better.