AMERICAN MUSCULAR CATHOLICISM: A BRIEF HISTORY OF CATHOLIC ATHLETICS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1890-1950

Abstract

This dissertation examines a brief history of the Catholic Church’s engagement with athletics in the United States between 1890 and 1950. In the standard narratives of American religious history, Catholics in the United States were eventual (if reluctant) adopters of the masculine, character-building ideals traditionally associated with certain sports as espoused by the Protestant-centric Muscular Christian movement. I argue that Catholics had their own motivations for turning to sports and articulated its positive value through Catholic religious ideals, what I call Muscular Catholicism. Muscular Catholicism is distinct from Muscular Christianity for its emphasis on communitarianism over rugged individualism and promotion of material religious practices, like partaking in the sacraments, as crucial elements to athletic success. I explore the dimensions of Muscular Catholicism through a synthesis of archival and secondary sources which elucidate on the intersections of Catholic history, masculinity, and athletics in the United States. After a brief review of relevant academic literature and discussion of the Muscular Christian approaches to sports, I highlight the application of Muscular Catholicism through three models of Catholic athletics: the University of Notre Dame’s football team in South Bend, the athletic programs at Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia, and the athletic leagues of the Catholic Youth Organization in Chicago. Each of these models illustrate the investment of institutional Catholicism in utilizing athletics to mold Muscular Catholics and provide them with the confidence to assert their place in American society. I conclude this work with a summary of my findings, acknowledgement of the limits of analysis that this project possesses, and offer suggestions on how this dissertation provides a theoretical foundation for future scholarship.