Born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 9, 1974, Joseph McSorley graduated from St. John's College in 1891 and entered the Paulist novitiate the following August. He received a Licentiate Degree in Sacred Theology at Catholic University in 1897, the first Paulist to do so, and was ordained later the same year in New York City.
His first assignment was to the parish of St. Paul the Apostle in New York, but he returned to Washington in 1899 to join the faculty at St. Thomas College as a professor of Dogmatic Theology.
He succeeded Walter Elliott as College Superior in 1901 and became a leading progressive scholar for most of the decade, developing a close relationship with British modernist George Tyrrell.
When the "modernism crisis" intensified in 1907 Fr McSorley was relieved of his academic post and sent to Italy for Italian language study. Returning in 1909 he worked with Italian immigrants at St. Paul the Apostle. In 1918 he joined the U.S. Army to serve as a chaplain in Europe but poor health led to his discharge in 1919.
During Fr Thomas Burke's term as Superior General, Fr. McSorley served as First Consultor and pastor of St. Paul the Apostle, and then succeeded Burke in 1924 as the community's Superior General. Under his leadership the Paulist radio station WLWL was founded, the novitiate moved from Connecticut to Oak Ridge, a Juniorate was built in Baltimore and the Los Angeles foundation opened.
Defeated for a second term in 1929 by Fr John Harney, Fr McSorley was assigned as assistant at St. Peter's parish in Toronto. Out of office in the 1930's and 40's, he was extremely active in giving retreats for priests and nuns across the country.
As late as 1950 (at the age of 76) he gave twenty addresses, conferences, and retreats to audiences throughout the mid-Atlantic region. A prolific writer as well, he contributed dozens (if not hundreds) of articles to "The Catholic World" and wrote several popular books. He also served as confessor and spiritual director to Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement.
Fr Joseph McSorley died in New York City at the age of 88 after 65 years as a Paulist priest.
His first assignment was to the parish of St. Paul the Apostle in New York, but he returned to Washington in 1899 to join the faculty at St. Thomas College as a professor of Dogmatic Theology.
He succeeded Walter Elliott as College Superior in 1901 and became a leading progressive scholar for most of the decade, developing a close relationship with British modernist George Tyrrell.
When the "modernism crisis" intensified in 1907 Fr McSorley was relieved of his academic post and sent to Italy for Italian language study. Returning in 1909 he worked with Italian immigrants at St. Paul the Apostle. In 1918 he joined the U.S. Army to serve as a chaplain in Europe but poor health led to his discharge in 1919.
During Fr Thomas Burke's term as Superior General, Fr. McSorley served as First Consultor and pastor of St. Paul the Apostle, and then succeeded Burke in 1924 as the community's Superior General. Under his leadership the Paulist radio station WLWL was founded, the novitiate moved from Connecticut to Oak Ridge, a Juniorate was built in Baltimore and the Los Angeles foundation opened.
Defeated for a second term in 1929 by Fr John Harney, Fr McSorley was assigned as assistant at St. Peter's parish in Toronto. Out of office in the 1930's and 40's, he was extremely active in giving retreats for priests and nuns across the country.
As late as 1950 (at the age of 76) he gave twenty addresses, conferences, and retreats to audiences throughout the mid-Atlantic region. A prolific writer as well, he contributed dozens (if not hundreds) of articles to "The Catholic World" and wrote several popular books. He also served as confessor and spiritual director to Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement.
Fr Joseph McSorley died in New York City at the age of 88 after 65 years as a Paulist priest.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 9, 1974, Joseph McSorley graduated from St. John's College in 1891 and entered the Paulist novitiate the following August. He received a Licentiate Degree in Sacred Theology at Catholic University in 1897, the first Paulist to do so, and was ordained later the same year in New York City.
His first assignment was to the parish of St. Paul the Apostle in New York, but he returned to Washington in 1899 to join the faculty at St. Thomas College as a professor of Dogmatic Theology.
He succeeded Walter Elliott as College Superior in 1901 and became a leading progressive scholar for most of the decade, developing a close relationship with British modernist George Tyrrell.
When the "modernism crisis" intensified in 1907 Fr McSorley was relieved of his academic post and sent to Italy for Italian language study. Returning in 1909 he worked with Italian immigrants at St. Paul the Apostle. In 1918 he joined the U.S. Army to serve as a chaplain in Europe but poor health led to his discharge in 1919.
During Fr Thomas Burke's term as Superior General, Fr. McSorley served as First Consultor and pastor of St. Paul the Apostle, and then succeeded Burke in 1924 as the community's Superior General. Under his leadership the Paulist radio station WLWL was founded, the novitiate moved from Connecticut to Oak Ridge, a Juniorate was built in Baltimore and the Los Angeles foundation opened.
Defeated for a second term in 1929 by Fr John Harney, Fr McSorley was assigned as assistant at St. Peter's parish in Toronto. Out of office in the 1930's and 40's, he was extremely active in giving retreats for priests and nuns across the country.
As late as 1950 (at the age of 76) he gave twenty addresses, conferences, and retreats to audiences throughout the mid-Atlantic region. A prolific writer as well, he contributed dozens (if not hundreds) of articles to "The Catholic World" and wrote several popular books. He also served as confessor and spiritual director to Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement.
Fr Joseph McSorley died in New York City at the age of 88 after 65 years as a Paulist priest.
His first assignment was to the parish of St. Paul the Apostle in New York, but he returned to Washington in 1899 to join the faculty at St. Thomas College as a professor of Dogmatic Theology.
He succeeded Walter Elliott as College Superior in 1901 and became a leading progressive scholar for most of the decade, developing a close relationship with British modernist George Tyrrell.
When the "modernism crisis" intensified in 1907 Fr McSorley was relieved of his academic post and sent to Italy for Italian language study. Returning in 1909 he worked with Italian immigrants at St. Paul the Apostle. In 1918 he joined the U.S. Army to serve as a chaplain in Europe but poor health led to his discharge in 1919.
During Fr Thomas Burke's term as Superior General, Fr. McSorley served as First Consultor and pastor of St. Paul the Apostle, and then succeeded Burke in 1924 as the community's Superior General. Under his leadership the Paulist radio station WLWL was founded, the novitiate moved from Connecticut to Oak Ridge, a Juniorate was built in Baltimore and the Los Angeles foundation opened.
Defeated for a second term in 1929 by Fr John Harney, Fr McSorley was assigned as assistant at St. Peter's parish in Toronto. Out of office in the 1930's and 40's, he was extremely active in giving retreats for priests and nuns across the country.
As late as 1950 (at the age of 76) he gave twenty addresses, conferences, and retreats to audiences throughout the mid-Atlantic region. A prolific writer as well, he contributed dozens (if not hundreds) of articles to "The Catholic World" and wrote several popular books. He also served as confessor and spiritual director to Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement.
Fr Joseph McSorley died in New York City at the age of 88 after 65 years as a Paulist priest.
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