Marvin R. O'Connell. Edward Sorin. Notre Dame: Press, 2001. xi + 792 pp. $49.95, cloth, ISBN 978-0-268-02759-9.

Reviewed by William Doherty

Published on H- (April, 2002)

Sorin of Holy Cross: A Religious Vocation in deep. His confdence in his own powers was the Nineteenth Century founded on his conviction of the "righteousness of Fr. Edward Sorin (1814-1893), Congregation his goals" and the trust born of the belief that God Sainte Croix (C.S.C.), is best known as the founder and the Virgin (devotion to Mary was at the core of the University of Notre Dame, yet his life is also of Sorin's faith) had placed him in America to "ac‐ crucial to any history of Holy Cross in North complish a great work" (p. 183). America and in Europe, the origins of St. Mary's Sorin's refusal to admit failure showed Ameri‐ College for women, and the American Roman ca's infuence. He took to the entrepreneurial Catholic Church in the nineteenth century. ethos with enthusiasm and embraced American As a man and a priest, Sorin, marked by the practicality and its emphasis on the active life Catholic revival of the nineteenth century, was an even before the "Americanist" bishops--Ireland, ultramontane ("other side of the mountain"), at Keane, J.L. Spalding, et al.--came along near the one with those who supported the centralization end of the century. He became a citizen in 1850 of power in Rome and defended papal authority. and secured a post ofce for Notre Dame, becom‐ Typical of the ultramontane were devotions of the ing its postmaster in 1851. As head of Holy Cross Virgin Mary, the Sacred Heart, and the rosary. A at South Bend, he was businessman, salesman, relic maven (he sent them home by the trunkful) land speculator, public relations fack, and fund and indulgence collector, O'Connell credits Sorin raiser. In the latter role, for the building of Sacred with organizing the frst pilgrimage to Rome from Heart church in 1869, for $50.00 (you could pay in America (as O'Connell observes, a spirituality installments) a donor received grace from daily such as Sorin's is not to every "sophisticated" Mass for ffty years, or if less than $50.00, the ben‐ Catholic's taste, but suggests that taste in devotion efts came pro rata. Sorin held "lavish dinner par‐ and doctrine may be moving again toward ties" (p. 669) on campus for the wealthy Studebak‐ Sorin's). In any event, Sorin's piety and faith went ers and the Olivers of South Bend, and routinely H-Net Reviews sent cakes and liqueurs to these and other town "was as understandable as Sorin's conduct was worthies and the publishers of the two local daily reprehensible" (footnote 23, p. 548), but then com‐ newspapers. God helps those who help them‐ ments that the money would not have made much selves and it was in that spirit that Sorin in early diference as Sainte Croix was so heavily in debt. 1850 formed a company of seven, four of them Sorin behaved toward Moreau in ways he would brothers, to dig for gold in California. Part of the have never permitted in one of his subordinates: hundreds of the area who left for the gold felds in he threatened to quit a half-dozen times; once, in 1849 and 1850, the venture failed, but it illustrates 1862, he asked to be released from his vows; he Sorin's willingness to risk. resisted an order to explain himself at headquar‐ Sorin was no saint and O'Connell is no hagiog‐ ters in France; he refused to accept appointment rapher. Sorin "was capable of duplicity and petti‐ in Bengal, India; he declined the bona fdes of a ness and even ruthlessness" (p. 183), a "careless visitor sent by Moreau; he claimed the right to and sometimes deceitful" (p. 177) keeper of ac‐ separate from Sainte Croix. When Moreau trav‐ counts, and an authoritarian, even a "despot" (p. eled to South Bend in 1857 Sorin soured the occa‐ 400). The bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sion by insisting that a sum of money provided by moved to write Sorin in 1881 that it was "hard to Notre Dame du Lac to the motherhouse be repaid do business" with him and that more than one with interest, money that Moreau regarded as a friend had turned against him "as being tricky, gift. and in reality you give yourself the appearance" In the end Sorin's victory over Moreau was (p. 586). Sorin reached a low when, out of jealousy complete. In his frequent trips to Europe (some perhaps, he forced out the able president of Notre sixty ocean crossings), Sorin ingratiated himself to Dame, Fr. , the hero-priest of Gettys‐ Rome. Named provincial of North America by burg. He vilifed Corby as the "very personifca‐ Propaganda de Fide in 1864, four years later Sorin tion of vanity," one who "habitually consults only was elected superior general replacing Moreau. sycophants." The word "projection" will occur to With Holy Cross in Europe declining every year, amateur psychiatrists. O'Connell observes that by 1880 two-thirds of Holy Cross was in the New such behavior "was hardly worthy of [Sorin], World. In 1870 Sorin uncharitably used his victo‐ though not entirely out of character for him" (p. ry over Moreau to interpret the latter's living out‐ 673). Yet for courage and determination Sorin side the community (in a small house shared with "was hard to match." The same Fr. Corby, at his aged sisters) as a request for a dispensation Sorin's death, magnanimously, sincerely, and ac‐ from all connections and all duties with the order. curately called him "the great captain who led the Sorin soon had opportunity to rub the wound army of Holy Cross to fnal triumph" (p. 718). again by ofering Moreau a refuge at Notre Dame Much of the book is an account of the bitter during the Franco-Prussian War amid heavy fght‐ controversites between Sorin and Fr. Basil More‐ ing at in January, 1871, twice asking au, the founder of Holy Cross and his superior. Moreau to "pardon and forget the past." O'Connell O'Connell makes an efort to do justice to Moreau, admits only to Sorin's postscript--"Is it not mar‐ but almost always comes down on the side of velous that Providence has prepared in America a Sorin. One clear exception occurs in a footnote refuge for the Congregation?"--as being "a little dealing with Sorin's refual to honor a debt of self-serving," and credits Sorin with a "handsome 15,000 francs owed to the order's headquarters, gesture" (p. 578) and sincerity. Readers may not Sainte Croix, in Le Mans, France. O'Connell states agree and few will blame Moreau for not replying that "Moreau's resentment" at Sorin's conduct to the ofer. Sorin was far from being the only one

2 H-Net Reviews who sinned against charity; when it comes to mal‐ and crafts until age twenty-one, and the "minims," ice, the clergy need no lessons from the laity. boys as young as fve or six from good families The story of the University of Notre Dame be‐ taught theirs letters and numbers who might go gins with Sorin at age twenty-seven, ignorant of on to attend the "university." English, arriving in Vincennes, Indiana in 1841 Growth was slow (twenty-fve students in with six brothers of the order. After an unhappy 1844; forty in 1848), and Notre Dame's existence year in proximity to Bishop Celestin Hailandiere remained precarious until 1851 when the railroad (for whom, apparently, no one has ever had a reached South Bend. Now it could attract students good word), each saw the benefts of putting dis‐ from the whole Midwest. In 1857 one hundred tance between them. Sorin and four companions and forty students matriculated, belonging, as arrived in the South Bend area in November, Sorin observed, "to a higher and more comfort‐ 1842, to take up land that the bishop had ofered. able class" (p. 380) than the local farmboys who >From the time of his arrival in America, had been the rule. Catholic and non-Catholic at‐ Sorin saw the establishment of a "college" (in his tended Mass twice a week, Catholics made confes‐ mind something on the order of a French high sions once a month; no visits to private rooms, si‐ school) as the way to fnancial and religious suc‐ lence except during recreation, no tobacco, liquor cess. Only through the revenues that such a foun‐ absolutely forbidden (Sorin drank wine but spar‐ dation would bring would the infant order of the ingly), no leaving the grounds without permis‐ Congregation of Holy Cross (Congregation Sainte sion. Feet were to be washed in winter on Satur‐ Croix, or C.S.C.) succeed in America. Beyond tu‐ day, in summer the students bathed twice a week ition fees, a residential college would mean voca‐ in the lake. Sorin routinely censored all mail and tions and alumni, as well as infuence with the when one was given permission to leave on a trip, parents. Neither an intellectual nor a scholar, as a the luggage was always examined. Such harsh dis‐ pragmatist Sorin preferred the "appearance" of cipline led to two student riots in 1859. Sorin scholarship over the reality if it might increase blamed bad food, overzealous discipline, and enrollment or attract funds. "particular friendships," code for homosexuality. Notre Dame began in 1843 as a "random col‐ For O'Connell, Sorin's "fnest hour" (p. 342) lection of modest brick structures and log shacks, may have come in the summer of 1854. A half- attended by no more than a half-dozen students, dozen unrelated deaths through accidents and ill‐ and stafed by a faculty only a few of whom spoke nesses were shortly followed by typhus and other English with any facility" (p. 141). That there were diseases. Eighteen died--sisters, brothers, and few books in English did not matter much either priests, one ffth of Holy Cross mission in South as few of the faculty could read them. Nonethe‐ Bend--and most of the rest, including the faculty, less, in January, 1844, the Indiana state legislature were grievously ill. Sorin understood "intuitively" granted articles of incorporation as a university to (p. 342) the need to keep the public, especially the Notre Dame du Lac with all the rights of "all the seventy boarding students (who somehow largely great colleges" (p. 141). Even Sorin admitted that escaped, only one having died), in ignorance of the title was not justifed, but in time "it cannot the blight. In circumstances "almost surreal" (p. fail to have the most profound results for the 343), Sorin insisted that normal routines be main‐ good" (p. 141). Besides the college's students, tained and the dead be buried secretly at night! Notre Dame would number seminary students, a Most readers will judge Sorin's behavior after Manual Labor School for orphan boys aged the great fre of April, 1879, as his fnest hour. The twelve and over educated separately in trades six story Main--classrooms, dormitories, library,

3 H-Net Reviews refectories, professors' rooms, and ofces--was ut‐ tions, and their mother, Mary Phelan, funding to terly destroyed and four buildings nearby were Notre Dame, as well as considerable talent. For ex‐ also consumed. (Fortunately, untouched was the ample, the real editor of the successful Ave Maria present church built in 1875.) Sorin, who had left magazine, founded in 1865, was Sr. Angela. for the East to go abroad, was sent for and There was no difculty in attracting young brought back. Having seen the "destruction of his women to the order and the Marianites were life work," Sorin spoke to the community in the more successful and more numerous than the Sal‐ chapel in what one witness described "as the most vatorists (priests) and the Josephites (brothers) sublime words he had ever listened to. There was combined. They made a name for themselves as absolute faith, confdence, resolution in his very nurses in the Civil War and by 1888 ran nineteen look and pose. 'If it were ALL gone, I should not academies, twenty-eight parochial schools, fve give up' were his words in closing. The efect was hospitals, three orphanages--in all, ffty-fve foun‐ electric....A sad company had gone into the church dations spread throughout the nation. To the last that day. They were all simple Christian heroes as Sorin wanted the sisters under Holy Cross with they came out" (p. 652). Before and after photos himself continuing as their head, but in 1889, his attest to the completeness of the destruction and great ally Sr. Angela dead, the Sisters of the Holy its replacement by a new Main, far "grander" (p. Cross ratifed their severance from the priests and 655), and ready in time for the fall term. A truly brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross. magnifcent accomplishment. By the 1880s be‐ O'Connell, author of several books on Catholic tween three hundred and four hundred students history, beneftted from three rich archival hold‐ were in residence, and in 1886, forty-four years ings: Notre Dame's university archives, the order's after arriving at South Bend, some 1100 persons Indiana Province archives, and most particularly lived at Notre Dame. It "survived because Edward the order's Rome archives that contains the Sorin Sorin--domineering, charming, supple, coura‐ collection. The latter includes Sorin's own chroni‐ geous, sometimes duplicitous and always devoted cles of Notre Dame du Lac, covering the years to God's cause as he saw it--refused to fail" (p. 1841-1866 and 1880. (O'Connell judiciously warns 400). that Sorin's chronicles were composed after the The third leg of the Holy Cross mission in fact and thus require clarifcation and sometimes America would be the religious sisters, the Mari‐ correction from contemprorary documents.) anites. From their arrival in 1844 the sisters had O'Connell also cites the rich scholarship on Notre done the cooking, cleaning, and laundry at Notre Dame and Holy Cross. Dame and tended the cows and poultry. Increas‐ Of special note as a source is the two volume ingly, nuns turned to teaching as Sorin had in‐ biography of the founder of the Congregation of tended from the start, but he was ever loath to do Holy Cross, Basil Anthony Mary Moreau, by Eti‐ without their domestic services. enne and Tony Catta. Originally published in In 1853 Eliza Maria Gillespie followed her French in 1950-1953, O'Connell used the more into Holy Cross. As Sr. Angela, her good than 2,100 pages of the English version but judgment and able advice made her indispens‐ scrupulously often cites the French and then his able to Sorin. A cousin was the statesman James translation so that readers can judge his success Gillespie Blaine. The Gillespies were also related in capturing nuances. The Cattas' work's value for to the Ewings, their neighbors in Ohio, one of O'Connell is the great detail of the narrative and whom married the Civil War general William T. the quotation of large numbers of fugitive docu‐ Sherman. The Gillespies brought status, connec‐ ments. However, it "is marred by its deeply apolo‐

4 H-Net Reviews getic and hagiographical tone, by its undisguised hostility toward Sorin," and its unusable index (p. 19). The book is handsome, with but few typo‐ graphical and factual errors. This work will surely stand as Sorin's defnitive biography. Quarrels with its interpretation of the Sorin-Moreau rela‐ tionship may arise, but if O'Connell is too forgiv‐ ing of Sorin he has provided all the ammunition against him that anyone needs. At more than 700 pages, however, the book will have fewer readers than it deserves. It has the defects of its virtues: length and rich detail. It would be a service if O'Connell and the University of Notre Dame Press produced a shorter book for the reader who, while vitally interested in the topic, does not re‐ quire such detail.

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Citation: William Doherty. Review of O'Connell, Marvin R. Edward Sorin. H-Indiana, H-Net Reviews. April, 2002.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=6169

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