Boston Catholics: A History of the Church and Its People

Placing his account of the Archdiocese within the context of national and regional events, O'Connor discusses Puritan Boston's animosity toward all things Roman Catholic, describes the inevitable clashes between native Bostonians and waves of Irish Catholic immigrants, and examines the rise of Catholics from oppressed minority to influential players in shaping the character of twentieth-century Boston. He also analyzes contemporary problems of ethnic diversity, declining attendance, diminishing vocations, and divisive social issues.