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Not many people today are familiar with Rev. Clarence Walworth, a Catholic priest described as the most powerful Catholic mission preacher in the U.S. during the mid 1800s.

Some musicians might recognize Father Walworth as the author of the lyrics to the hymn "Holy God We Praise Thy Name." His is a fascinating biography of family intrigue, an ecumenical journey from Presbyterianism to Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism, engagements with ecclesial and familial controversies, and a pastoral zeal to proclaim the Gospel.

Renowned for his oratorical skills, support of the temperance movement and dedication to education, Father Walworth spoke before the Regents of the State of New York when they bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate in 1887.

Father Walworth was pastor of historic St. Mary's parish in Albany for 40 years. He was a regular contributor to the Times Union newspaper, both under his own name and a pseudonym.

The priest and his niece, Ellen, co-authored a biographical profile on Blessed Kateri Tekawitha titled "The Lily of the Mohawks," the first collection of materials on the life and sanctity of this young Native American woman.

Moved by a sermon he heard Father Walworth preach in New Orleans, Cardinal James Gibbons (1834-1921) claimed that Walworth inspired his vocation.

Who was this popular priest? Born into a prominent political family in Plattsburgh in 1820, Clarence was the son of Reuben Hyde Walworth - the last chancellor of New York State and a Presbyterian - and Maria Ketchum Averill, who was of Puritan ancestry.

The future priest set out to practice law after graduating from Union College in Schenectady, with the intention of following in his father's footsteps. During his apprenticeship in Canandaigua, he joined the Episcopal Church.

He received his license to practice law in 1841, but abandoned the legal profession and entered the Episcopal General Theological Seminary in New York City at a time when the Oxford Movement was impacting that house of study.

Influenced by the writings of John Henry Newman (who was recently beatified by Pope Benedict XVI), young Clarence found himself on a spiritual odyssey. He joined the Roman Catholic Church in 1845 and within days left for Europe to enter the Redemptorist order.

Joining him was another convert, Isaac Hecker, who would become founder of the Paulist Fathers. When Father Walworth was ordained to the priesthood in Holland in 1848, he would be the first American-born Redemptorist priest.

After serving with the Redemptorists in the U.S., Father Walworth affiliated with the Albany Diocese - though, for a brief period, he joined Father Hecker and the Paulist community.v
In 1863, Father Walworth published "The Gentle Skeptic," which addressed divine revelation and evolutionary theories. He sent of copy of his book to John Henry Newman, who wrote back from England.

While researching Father Walworth's letters at the Walworth Museum in Saratoga Springs, I came upon Blessed Cardinal Newman's thank-you note, expressing his gratitude for the book and affirming Father Walworth's attempt to provide a service to Catholics by addressing a timely topic.

At the same time, Blessed Newman also notes his reservation about commenting on the subject matter. The letter speaks of Blessed Newman's pastoral concern for sound guidance and edification of the Catholic faithful.

Blind in his later years, Father Walworth died in Albany on September 19, 1900 - 110 years to the day before the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, whose writings were responsible, in part, for Father Walworth becoming Catholic. Father Walworth is buried in the Catholic section of Greenridge Cemetery in Saratoga Springs.

(Father Draves-Arpaia has been researching Father Walworth since 2007. He is director of whole community catechesis at St. Clement's parish and coordinator of Catholic student life at Skidmore College, both in Saratoga.)

(10/21/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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