Charles Constantine Pise
Encyclopedia
Charles Constantine Pise (1801–1866) was a Roman Catholic priest and writer.
Born in Annapolis, Maryland
, "the son of an Italian father and a mother who came from an old Philadelphia family," he was educated at Georgetown College
in Washington, D.C.
, entered the Society of Jesus
, and was ordained in 1825.
He also spent the years 1821-1822 at St. Mary's College and Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. During his stay there, his classmates included three future archbishops: McCloskey, Purcell, and Hughs.Thorp, Willard. Catholic Novelists in Defense of Their Faith, 1829-1865. New York: Arno Press, A New York Times Company (1978) A single volume in the complete set The American Catholic Tradition, ISBN 0-405-40840-9.
He wrote several works in prose and verse, and was a distinguished lecturer and preacher. Among his many literary works, he wrote three Catholic devotional novels and one semi-fictional work, Letters to Ada. Between 1827 and 1830, he published a five-volume History of the Church from Its Establishment to the Present Century though the work stopped at the sixteenth century. In honor of this effort, Pope Gregory XVI
made him a knight of the Sacred Palace and Count Palatine, "the first time these honors had come to an American." At this point, he was also made a knight of the Holy Roman Empire
and was granted a Doctor of Divinity degree by examination.
During these years, Pise was an assistant at St. Patrick's Church in Washington, DC. Henry Clay
arranged for him to be appointed Chaplain of the Senate for 1832-1833. Pise was the first (and, to date, only) Roman Catholic United States Senate Chaplain, coming into that office on December 11, 1832. Answering objections to the presence of a Catholic in such a prominent government role, and prefiguring a similar speech by John F. Kennedy
more than 125 years later, on July 4, 1833, Pise made "an eloquent address" before the Maryland House of Delegates
describing in what sense he felt an American Catholic owed 'allegiance' to the Pope
.
Pise had a career of such prominence that it was unusual he was not made a bishop. One biographer suggests that his friendship with Catholic intellectual Orestes Brownson
may have been the problem, at a time when the American Church was turning away from intellectualism as a result of growing Irish domination. Alternatively, the same biographer suggests that it may have been an anti-Irish, anti-Jesuit streak in Ambrose Maréchal
, Bishop of Baltimore, which led him to suppress this logical cap to Pise's career.
Born in Annapolis, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, "the son of an Italian father and a mother who came from an old Philadelphia family," he was educated at Georgetown College
Georgetown College (Georgetown University)
Georgetown College, infrequently Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences, is the oldest school within Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The College is the largest undergraduate school at Georgetown, and until the founding of the Medical School in 1850, was the only higher education division...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, entered the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, and was ordained in 1825.
He also spent the years 1821-1822 at St. Mary's College and Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. During his stay there, his classmates included three future archbishops: McCloskey, Purcell, and Hughs.Thorp, Willard. Catholic Novelists in Defense of Their Faith, 1829-1865. New York: Arno Press, A New York Times Company (1978) A single volume in the complete set The American Catholic Tradition, ISBN 0-405-40840-9.
He wrote several works in prose and verse, and was a distinguished lecturer and preacher. Among his many literary works, he wrote three Catholic devotional novels and one semi-fictional work, Letters to Ada. Between 1827 and 1830, he published a five-volume History of the Church from Its Establishment to the Present Century though the work stopped at the sixteenth century. In honor of this effort, Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI , born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, named Mauro as a member of the religious order of the Camaldolese, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846...
made him a knight of the Sacred Palace and Count Palatine, "the first time these honors had come to an American." At this point, he was also made a knight of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and was granted a Doctor of Divinity degree by examination.
During these years, Pise was an assistant at St. Patrick's Church in Washington, DC. Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
arranged for him to be appointed Chaplain of the Senate for 1832-1833. Pise was the first (and, to date, only) Roman Catholic United States Senate Chaplain, coming into that office on December 11, 1832. Answering objections to the presence of a Catholic in such a prominent government role, and prefiguring a similar speech by John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
more than 125 years later, on July 4, 1833, Pise made "an eloquent address" before the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
describing in what sense he felt an American Catholic owed 'allegiance' to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
Pise had a career of such prominence that it was unusual he was not made a bishop. One biographer suggests that his friendship with Catholic intellectual Orestes Brownson
Orestes Brownson
Orestes Augustus Brownson was a New England intellectual and activist, preacher, labor organizer, and noted Catholic convert and writer...
may have been the problem, at a time when the American Church was turning away from intellectualism as a result of growing Irish domination. Alternatively, the same biographer suggests that it may have been an anti-Irish, anti-Jesuit streak in Ambrose Maréchal
Ambrose Maréchal
Most Reverend Ambrose Maréchal, S.S. was the third Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland.Motto: Auspice Maria; "Under the protection of Mary."Ambrose Maréchal was born at Ingré near Orléans, France, on August 28, 1764...
, Bishop of Baltimore, which led him to suppress this logical cap to Pise's career.
Further reading
- Brann, Rev. Henry A. Rev. Charles Constantine Pise, The Only Chaplain in the Congress of the United States in Historical Records and Studies Vol. II: 354-357 (1901).
- Moffat, Sister M. Eulalia Teresa. Charles Constantine Pise, chapter in Historical Records and Studies, United States Catholic Historical Society Vol.XX:64-98 (1931).
- Purcell, Richard J. DAB (Dictionary of American Biography, year and volume number unknown).