Louis J. Gallagher
Encyclopedia
Louis J. Gallagher, SJ was an American Jesuit, known for his educational and literary work.
, Louis J. Gallagher entered the Society of Jesus
on August 15, 1905, and was ordained as a priest in 1920, and worked for a while as the headmaster of Xavier High School in New York City
(1921–22).
In the aftermath of the Russian famine of 1921
, Gallagher went to Russia as the Assistant Director of Papal Relief Mission, which was headed by another American Jesuit, and Gallagher's close friend, Edmund A. Walsh
(1922–23).
Besides providing help to the starving of the Volga, the two Jesuits had a special task, given to them by Pope Pius XI
as one the first things he did as the Pope: to "seek and find" the Holy Relics of their 17th-century colleague, Blessed Andrew Bobola
, which had apparently disappeared from Polotsk during, or soon after, the Russian Civil War
or the Soviet-Polish War. Eventually, in September 1923 the Bolsheviks told the American Jesuits that Bobola's relics had been taken to a medical museum ("Hygiene Exhibition" of the People's Commissariat for Health in Moscow, and agreed to allow them to be taken to the Vatican
. Accordingly, on October 3 Walsh and Gallagher securely packed the body (later described by an American journalist as a "remarkably well-preserved mummy") at the museum, and took it to one of Moscow's train stations. Traveling as a diplomatic courier
, Gallagher
delivered the Holy Relics to the Vatican right in time for All Saints' Day (November 1) of 1923, by the way of Odessa
, Istanbul
and Brindisi
.
Back in the USA, Gallagher served as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Georgetown University
(1924–26), Assistant to Provincial of the New England Province
of the Society of Jesus (1926–32), and President of Boston College
(1932–37).
In April 1938, the same Pius XI who had started his pontificate charging the two Jesuits in Moscow with the task of searching for Bobola's relics, had Bobola canonized, less than a year before his (Pope's) death. The next year Gallagher published an English translation of the new Saint's biography.
Gallagher also was one of the founders of the Institute of Social Order (1941–43), and served as the archivist of the New England Province of the Society of Jesus, and later (1954–1970) as the historian for the Jesuits of Georgetown University.
When Edmund A. Walsh died in October 1956, Gallagher, described by a modern historian as Walsh's closest friend, wrote an obituary for him, which was published in the Jesuit journal Woodstock letters in 1957. In 1962, Gallagher published his friend's biography, which remained the only book-length biography of Walsh until 2005.
Biography
Born in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Louis J. Gallagher 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...
on August 15, 1905, and was ordained as a priest in 1920, and worked for a while as the headmaster of Xavier High School in New York City
Xavier High School (New York City)
Xavier High School is a independent Jesuit university-preparatory high school for young men located at 30 West 16th Street, in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was founded in 1847, as the College of St. Francis Xavier by Father John Larkin, S.J...
(1921–22).
In the aftermath of the Russian famine of 1921
Russian famine of 1921
The Russian famine of 1921, also known as Povolzhye famine, which began in the early spring of that year, and lasted through 1922, was a severe famine that occurred in Bolshevik Russia...
, Gallagher went to Russia as the Assistant Director of Papal Relief Mission, which was headed by another American Jesuit, and Gallagher's close friend, Edmund A. Walsh
Edmund A. Walsh
Fr. Edmund Aloysius Walsh, S.J. was an American Jesuit Catholic priest, professor of geopolitics and founder of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, which he founded in 1919–six years before the U.S...
(1922–23).
Besides providing help to the starving of the Volga, the two Jesuits had a special task, given to them by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
as one the first things he did as the Pope: to "seek and find" the Holy Relics of their 17th-century colleague, Blessed Andrew Bobola
Andrew Bobola
Andrew Bobola was a Polish missionary and martyr of the Society of Jesus, known as the apostle of Lithuania and the "hunter of souls".-Biography:...
, which had apparently disappeared from Polotsk during, or soon after, the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
or the Soviet-Polish War. Eventually, in September 1923 the Bolsheviks told the American Jesuits that Bobola's relics had been taken to a medical museum ("Hygiene Exhibition" of the People's Commissariat for Health in Moscow, and agreed to allow them to be taken to the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
. Accordingly, on October 3 Walsh and Gallagher securely packed the body (later described by an American journalist as a "remarkably well-preserved mummy") at the museum, and took it to one of Moscow's train stations. Traveling as a diplomatic courier
Diplomatic courier
A diplomatic courier is an official who transports diplomatic bags as sanctioned under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Couriers are granted diplomatic immunity and are thereby protected by the receiving state from arrest and detention when performing their work...
, Gallagher
delivered the Holy Relics to the Vatican right in time for All Saints' Day (November 1) of 1923, by the way of Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
.
Back in the USA, Gallagher served as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
(1924–26), Assistant to Provincial of the New England Province
New England province
The New England province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division of eastern North America. The province consists of the Seaboard Lowland, New England Upland, White Mountain, Green Mountain, and Taconic sections.-Geology:...
of the Society of Jesus (1926–32), and President of Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
(1932–37).
In April 1938, the same Pius XI who had started his pontificate charging the two Jesuits in Moscow with the task of searching for Bobola's relics, had Bobola canonized, less than a year before his (Pope's) death. The next year Gallagher published an English translation of the new Saint's biography.
Gallagher also was one of the founders of the Institute of Social Order (1941–43), and served as the archivist of the New England Province of the Society of Jesus, and later (1954–1970) as the historian for the Jesuits of Georgetown University.
When Edmund A. Walsh died in October 1956, Gallagher, described by a modern historian as Walsh's closest friend, wrote an obituary for him, which was published in the Jesuit journal Woodstock letters in 1957. In 1962, Gallagher published his friend's biography, which remained the only book-length biography of Walsh until 2005.
Literary work
Louis J. Gallagher wrote, or translated into English from Latin and Italian, a number of books, usually connected with the history of the Jesuit Order.- The Test Heritage (1938)
- The life of Saint Andrew Bobola of the Society of Jesus, martyr, by Cesare Moreschini; translated by Louis J. Gallagher and Paul Vincent DonovanPaul Vincent DonovanPaul Vincent Donovan was a bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo in the state of Michigan from 1971-1994.-Biography:...
. B. Humphries, inc. (Boston), 1939. - The China That Was (1942)
- China in the Sixteenth Century: The Journals of Matteo Ricci (1942; reprint 1953) - an English translation of Matteo RicciMatteo RicciMatteo Ricci, SJ was an Italian Jesuit priest, and one of the founding figures of the Jesuit China Mission, as it existed in the 17th-18th centuries. His current title is Servant of God....
and Nicolas TrigaultNicolas TrigaultNicolas Trigault was a Flemish Jesuit, and a missionary to China. He was also known by his latinised name Trigautius or Trigaultius, and his Chinese name Jīn Nígé .-Life and work:...
's De Christiana expeditione apud Sinas suscepta ab Societate Jesu - Episode on Beacon Hill (1950)
- Edmund A. Walsh, S.J., a Biography (1962)