Catholic Encyclopedia

The Catholic Encyclopedia , which one names today Old Catholic Encyclopedia , is an encyclopedia in English, published in 1913 by The Encyclopedia Close. It was created in order to provide " the information authorized on the complete cycle of the catholic interests, action and doctrine".

Goals

The encyclopedia was designed to serve the Roman Catholic church, excluding any information without relation with the Church and providing explanations in conformity with the official catholic doctrines, such as it existed at the time of the Pontificat of Pie X. It collects the successes of catholics and some others in almost all the intellectual and professional fields, including artists, teachers, poets and scientists. Although it is limited than of other encyclopedia, it covers a much broader spectrum than the preceding catholic encyclopedias which were interested only in the internal businesses of the Church.

For the subjects which divide the Catholicism of the other Churches and the Protestantes communities, the text presents only the catholic point of view. Since she was undertaken, in 1913, certain article of the encyclopedia are not up to date any more, as well concerning the secular field the ecclesiastical part. In particular, it is former to the Concile Vatican II, which induced important changes in the catholic practices.

History

The writing of the encyclopedia began the January 11th 1905 under the supervision from five editors:

Charles G. Herbermann, Latin professor of and librarian of the College off the City off New York
Edward A. Pace, professor of Philosophy to The Catholic University off America of Washington.
Cop B. Pallen, editor
rev. Thomas J. Shahan, professor of history of the Church to the Catholic University.
rev. John J. Wynne, S.J, editor of the The Messenger

The editors, who all come from the United States hold their first leading meeting in the offices of The Messenger , on the West 16th Street with New York. It received a Nihil obstat (" approval officielle") of Rémy Lafort, official critic of the church, on November 1st 1908 and a Imprimatur (" authorization of publier") of Cardinal John Farley, which is then Archevêque of New York. The work of drafting is accelerated by the re-use of preceding publications. In addition to frequent informal meetings and a permanent epistolary communication, the editors hold 134 formal meetings in order to consider the extent and progress of the project, to finish by its publication the April 19th 1913. A complement will be published in 1922.

The encyclopedia is then updated under the auspices of The Catholic University off America as well as a New Catholic Encyclopedia in 17 volumes which will be published first once in 1967, then in 2002. The New Catholic Encyclopedia is available on line in certain libraries.

In 1993, Kevin Knight, a young inhabitant of Denver (Colorado), 26 years old, inspired by the visit of Jean-Paul II in his city for the world Day of youth, lance the project to put on Internet the edition of 1913 of the encyclopedia. Knight founds the site New Advent to shelter it. Volunteers of the the United States, Canada, of France and Brésil contribute to the transcription of the original. The site is put in line in 1995 and the transcription completed in 1997.

The complement of the encyclopedia of 1922 is also in the public domain, but it was still not put on line.

See too

Catholic Encyclopedia free, printed in 1913-1917.
List of encyclopedias on Internet

Work

The Catholic Encyclopedia; International year Work off Refers. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1913.

Source

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