Father Charles P. Connor, the Historian of the Diocese of Scranton, received his early education in Saint Rose School, Carbondale, Penna. He is a graduate of the University of Scranton, where he also received his Master's Degree in United States History. In 1979, he received his PH.D, in United States History from Fordham University, New York City.
He served as Adjunct Professor of History at the University of Scranton, and his articles have appeared in numerous scholarly journals and Catholic publications. His column OUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE appears in each issue of The Catholic Light, official newspaper of the Diocese of Scranton. Two of his books have been published by Ignatius Press, San Francisco: Classic Catholic Converts in 2001, and DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH IN WORD AND DEED in 2003.
Father has co-produced several series for the Eternal Word Television Network, including: The History of the Catholic Church in the United States,
Historic Catholic Converts
Defenders of Faith in Word and Deed
Doctors of the Church
The Catholic Priesthood through the Ages
Therese of Lisieux: The Saint for the Third Millennium, and most recently, The Sacraments through the Ages. He has appeared several times as the guest of Mother Angelica on her nationally syndicated program, MOTHER ANGELICA LIVE, as well as with Marcus Grodi on the Journey Home, and THE WORLD OVER, E.W.T.N's national news program.
Father Connor received a PH.D in Philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, and an S.T.B and M.A. in Theology from the Gregorian and Angelicum Universities in Rome, where he received his priestly formation at the North American College.
Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Scranton in 1990, he served for ten years as Assistant Pastor of Saint Patrick's Parish in Scranton. He has served as Pastor of Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Susquehanna, Penna., and on July 3, 2003 was named Pastor of Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Carbondale, Penna.
EWTN - Eternal Word Television
Network - MP3 Audio Archives
Fr. Charles
Connor |
Historic
Catholic Converts to Catholicism
Produced by EWTN Fr. Charles Connor Fr. Charles Connor, Ph.D. brings to life historic Catholic Converts with an in-depth, scholarly approach to biography. See what attracted them to Rome, who helped them over their doctrinal objections, and the price many paid for their conversion. Fr. Connor places these converts into their historical context, explaining what was going on in Christianity that made them want to become Catholic. Listen to a Journey Home Show Summary on Catholic Converts. |
Fr. Charles Connor, a Church historian, presents this 16 part series from EWTN on well-known Catholic converts in history from the United States, England, France and Germany. In his eloquent, captivating style, Father Connor tells the compelling stories of men and women from all walks of life whose spiritual journeys led them to Rome. Full of interesting historical and biographical details, this informative series shows how these converts to Catholicism bring to light the richness of the faith and the fullness of truth. Among the many converts presented in this series are G.K. Chesterton, Elizabeth Seton, John Henry Newman, Edith Stein, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, Malcolm Muggeridge, Ronald Knox, Jacques Maritain, Cornelia Connelly and many more
These
audio files require a Realplayer Download Free Realplayer | Elizabeth Bayley Seton: - (Aug 28 1774–Jan 4, 1821) Elizabeth Seton was the first native born American saint. After the untimely death of her husband William, she befriended some Catholic neighbors. She converted to Catholicism after witnessing these friends devotion while receiving the Holy Eucharist. After converting to Catholicism, she went on to found the American Sisters of Charity and began the first Parochial school in the United States |
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| The
Oxford Movement began
in the 1830’s and was championed by John Henry Cardinal Newman. The
Movement was begun by Anglican theologians who attempted to trace the
Apostolic succession from Peter to the existing Anglican High Church.
The more they studied, the more these theologians realized that they
were unable to do this. These people began to examine the Anglican
faith and found that it lacked the full deposit of faith found only in
the Catholic Church. |
Orestes
Brownson and I. Hecker Orestes Brownson - (1803-1876) was a New England intellectual and activist, preacher and labor organizer. Brownson is best remembered as a publicist, a career which spanned his affiliation with the New England Transcendentalists, through his subsequent conversion to Catholicism. Robert Benson and C. C. Martindale |
| John
Henry Cardinal Newman (Feb 21 1801–Aug 11 1890) saw in
the Oxford movement the opportunity to
fight against “liberalism” in religion. This liberal thought was
teaching that there was no truth, that we are not more acceptable to
God by believing this or that, that our merit lies in seeking not in
possessing, that belief belongs only to the intellect and not to the
heart as well. As Newman studied the early church fathers he came to
understand that the Catholic Church was the only church that contained
the complete deposit of faith that had been passed down from Christ to
the apostles and their successors. |
Gilbert
Keith Chesterton (May 29 1874–Jun 14 1936) was An
influential English writer of the early 20th century. His prolific and
diverse output included journalism, philosophy, poetry, biography,
Christian apologetics, fantasy, and detective fiction. Jacques Maritain (Nov 18 1882–Apr 28 1973) A French Catholic philosopher. He was a convert to Catholicism and the author of more than 60 books. He is responsible for reviving St. Thomas Aquinas for modern times and is a prominent drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. |
| Rose
Hawthorne Lathrop (May 20 1851–Jul 9 1926) Daughter of famous
American author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Rose Hawthorne
Lathrop converted to Catholicism and began the “Hawthorne Dominican”
sisters. Her order was the first to provide hospice care and spiritual
ministry for those diagnosed with terminal cancer. |
Karl
Sterne French and British Converts Monsignor Ronald Knox - (Feb 17 1888-Aug 24 1957) Was an English theologian, priest and crime writer. |
| Cornelia
Peacock Connelly (1809 - Apr 18 1879) After their conversion to
Catholicism, Cornelia Peacock Connelly and
her husband seperated and while he went on to join the priesthood and
then leave it, she became and remained a nun. She began an order called
the Sisters of the Holy Child. Ignatius Spenser and Fidelis Kent Stone Two passionist priests. |
Dorothy
Day (Nov 8 1897 – Nov 29 1980) An American journalist turned
social activist and devout member of the Catholic Church. She became
known for her social justice campaigns in defense of the poor,
forsaken, hungry and homeless. Converts of Fulton J. Sheen Malcom Muggeridge |
