A Conflict in Catholic Higher Education Between Jesuits and Christian Brothers in Late Nineteenth-Century America | AXIS: Journal of Lasallian Higher Education

Ronald Eugene Isetti, FSC, Ph.D.

Abstract

“The Latin Question” controversy in late nineteenth-century America involved a dispute between the Jesuits and Christian Brothers over educational roles. In this review, the author examines the interplay experienced by the Brothers of the Christian Schools, who began teaching Latin in 1854 in St. Louis, and the opposition they experienced. Despite initial permissions, tensions and investigations arose. The 1894 general chapter reaffirmed the ban on Latin, causing significant concerns among American bishops. Brother Gabriel Marie enforced the ban, exiling leading American “Latinists.” In 1923, Pope Pius XI intervened, reversing the ban and acknowledging societal changes. This controversy highlighted exaggerated claims of Jesuit interference and the evolving roles within the Church’s educational orders. Originally published in The Catholic Historical Review in 1990, this article offers fascinating details and insights into this dilemma.

Full Text

The Latin Question: A Conflict in Catholic Higher Education Between Jesuits and Christian Brothers in Late Nineteenth-Century America

Keywords

Latin Question, Latinists, Christian Brothers, Society of Jesus

See Full Issue: Vol 15, No 2 (2024)

About the Author

At the time of the original publication of this article, Brother Isetti was a professor of history at Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga. He earned his doctorate at the University of California-Berkeley.