Hugh F. Blunt
Encyclopedia
Monsignor
Hugh Francis Blunt, LL.D.
(January 20, 1877–1957), was a Catholic
priest, author, poet, and apologist. He was born in Medway, Massachusetts
to Irish immigrants Sgt. Patrick Blunt and Ann Mahon. Blunt began writing while attending St. Laurent College
in Montreal
. After his graduation in 1896, he attended St. John's Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts in order to become a Catholic priest, and was ordained on December 20, 1901. He was appointed to churches in Stoneham, Dorchester, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and did a great deal of writing over the course of his career. His most famous books include The Great Magdalens: Famous Women Who Returned to God Following a Life of Sin, The Great Penitents and Great Wives and Mothers, all of which are still in print. He also served as chief editorial writer for The Pilot
newspaper and editor of the Sacred Heart Review.
Father Blunt had a strong interest in education and was known to be very strict. In a biography of former U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives
, Tip O'Neill
, a story is told about how O'Neill and other children of the parish were warned by Father Blunt that they would be eternally damned if they visited the YMCA
, since it was a Protestant institution. Blunt later performed O'Neill's wedding.
Father Blunt received the Marian Poetry Prize in 1919 and the Catholic Press Poetry Prize in 1929. In 1920, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Notre Dame
for his contributions to Catholic literature.
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Hugh Francis Blunt, LL.D.
Legum Doctor
Legum Doctor is a doctorate-level academic degree in law, or an honorary doctorate, depending on the jurisdiction. The double L in the abbreviation refers to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both Canon Law and Civil Law, the double L indicating the plural, Doctor of both...
(January 20, 1877–1957), was a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest, author, poet, and apologist. He was born in Medway, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to Irish immigrants Sgt. Patrick Blunt and Ann Mahon. Blunt began writing while attending St. Laurent College
Cégep de Saint-Laurent
Cégep de Saint-Laurent is a Cégep located in the Saint-Laurent borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec. It is a few doors south of Vanier College, another Cégep.-History:...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. After his graduation in 1896, he attended St. John's Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts in order to become a Catholic priest, and was ordained on December 20, 1901. He was appointed to churches in Stoneham, Dorchester, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and did a great deal of writing over the course of his career. His most famous books include The Great Magdalens: Famous Women Who Returned to God Following a Life of Sin, The Great Penitents and Great Wives and Mothers, all of which are still in print. He also served as chief editorial writer for The Pilot
The Pilot (newspaper)
The Pilot is the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston and claims the title of "America's Oldest Catholic Newspaper", having been in continuous publication since its first issue on September 5, 1829...
newspaper and editor of the Sacred Heart Review.
Father Blunt had a strong interest in education and was known to be very strict. In a biography of former U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
, Tip O'Neill
Tip O'Neill
Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. was an American politician. O'Neill was an outspoken liberal Democrat and influential member of the U.S. Congress, serving in the House of Representatives for 34 years and representing two congressional districts in Massachusetts...
, a story is told about how O'Neill and other children of the parish were warned by Father Blunt that they would be eternally damned if they visited the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, since it was a Protestant institution. Blunt later performed O'Neill's wedding.
Father Blunt received the Marian Poetry Prize in 1919 and the Catholic Press Poetry Prize in 1929. In 1920, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
for his contributions to Catholic literature.
Published works
- Listen, Mother of God: Thoughts on the Litany of Loreto. Ozone Park, N.Y.: The Woodhaven Press, 1940.
Additional sources
- Walter Romig, The Book of Catholic Authors
- Paul R. Clancy and Shirley Elder, Tip: The Biography of Thomas P. O'Neill, Speaker of the House
- John A. Farrell, Tip O'Neill and the Democratic Century
- Paula M. Kane, Separatism and Subculture: Boston Catholicism, 1900-1920
- J. Gordon Melton, Religious leaders of America: a biographical guide to founders and leaders
- Francis O'Neill, Irish minstrels and musicians: with numerous dissertations on related subjects
- John Drane and Piers Paul Read, The Gospel of St. John: the story of the Son of God
- George E. Ryan, Figures in our Catholic History