This past Fall’s pilgrimage of the Roman Catholic Pope Francis to honor Christians in America has renewed our Colonial American heritage everywhere. Take, for instance, the Holy Church of the Blessed Sacrament established in Bally, Berks County where thousands of people were devout members. An iconic Catholic Church founded By Father Theodor Schneider in 1743, where mass was conducted twice on Sundays among the PA Dutch ethnic farmers. One of the major American frontier churches that was responsible for establishing our Americana civilization is still active in modern times today.
Among its members was the German immigrant, John George Hohman, who was the Christian faith healer who used the Lord’s word and prayer to cure frontier pioneers who needed healing with the help of God. His cherished book of healing, printed in 1820 using the Holy Trinity, was reprinted almost as many times as the Holy Bible in Pennsylvania. At a time, too, when militant Muslims have killed Christians, Pope Francis reminded us how humane and civilized the Catholic religion has made the civilized world.
Richard H. Shaner is director of the American Folklife Institute in Kutztown.
