Popery! As It Was and as It Is. Also, Auricular Confession

In Short

Drawing from personal experiences within the clergy, this nineteenth-century polemic argues that the Roman Catholic Church operates primarily as a political machine aimed at undermining constitutional governance. It details alleged ecclesiastical abuses, secret baptisms of Protestant children by domestic workers, and the invalidation of civic oaths by priestly authority. The work achieved lasting notoriety in American anti-Catholic literature by framing the growth of Catholic institutions not as a matter of religious diversity, but as a deliberate effort to subvert democratic principles and individual liberties.

The Story

The narrative opens with the author establishing his credentials as a former Roman Catholic priest who once served the parish of St. Mary's in Philadelphia. Driven by a desire to protect his adopted homeland, he addresses an American public he believes is naively unaware of ecclesiastical designs against republican institutions. He contends that his personal separation from the priesthood naturally made him a target for character assassination, as the church routinely seeks to discredit former insiders who can testify against its practices.

From this personal framing, the text expands into an indictment of Catholic doctrines and administrative practices. It asserts that the primary allegiance of Roman Catholics is directed to the Pope in Rome rather than to the United States Constitution. According to the argument, priests instruct their flocks that civil oaths of allegiance are non-binding when they conflict with spiritual duties to the Papacy. The text further highlights specific practices, such as the prohibition against joining secret fraternities like the Freemasons or Odd Fellows, arguing that Rome opposes these groups simply because it cannot control them.

Moving into domestic life, the author details accounts of Roman Catholic nurses taking Protestant infants to priests for secret baptisms without parental knowledge or consent. He presents this as a widespread pattern driven by the belief that unbaptized infants face damnation and that unchurched mothers render their households accursed.

The scope then broadens to encompass international affairs and historical precedent. The author cites historical conflicts, ecclesiastical decrees such as the annual Bulla in Coena Domini, and recent geopolitical events—including Jesuit involvement in Tahiti—to argue that the Church systematically works against Protestant governance worldwide. He details a specific legal dispute over the charter of St. Mary's church in Pennsylvania, alleging that church leadership attempted to subvert state court rulings and clear legal titles to secure property for Rome.

In its final stages, the work appeals directly to the "American Republican" political movement, urging citizens to unite across party lines to restrict Catholic influence in public administration. The argument concludes with a warning that failure to resist these ecclesiastical encroachments will lead to the erosion of American civil liberties.

How It Unfolds

The former priest speaks The author outlines his background as a former pastor in Philadelphia and explains that his sole motive is to safeguard the free institutions of the United States from clerical intrigue.

Oaths and allegiances The text argues that Catholic doctrine places loyalty to the Pope above civil laws, rendering oaths of allegiance to the United States government meaningless in the eyes of the priesthood.

Secret baptisms exposed Detailing his time at St. Mary's, the author claims to have personally baptized thousands of Protestant children brought to him covertly by Catholic domestic nurses.

Curses and canon law The narrative examines historic and annual papal bulls, asserting that Rome explicitly anathematizes all Protestants and non-Catholic government officials every year.

The battle for St. Mary's A local legal dispute in Pennsylvania is detailed, where the author claims the bishop attempted to nullify a church charter and bypass the state supreme court to secure property.

Global Jesuit intrigue The focus shifts to international events, pointing to a Jesuit operative in Tahiti as proof that foreign agents actively subvert Protestant societies under various disguises.

A call to political action The work closes with an urgent appeal to American political groups to pass legislation restricting Catholic participation in government to preserve national freedom.

The People

The Author (William Hogan) A former Roman Catholic priest who broke away from the institution. He seeks to expose clerical practices to the American public, framing himself as a defender of constitutional liberty whose credibility the church continuously attempts to destroy.

The Pope / Papacy Portrayed as an absolute monarch seeking global temporal and spiritual dominance. The Papacy functions as the central antagonist of the text, issuing annual curses against Protestants and directing worldwide efforts to undermine republican governments.

Roman Catholic Priests and Bishops Depicted as ecclesiastical operatives who enforce strict obedience, invalidate civil oaths for their parishioners, and manipulate political and legal systems to secure property and influence for the Church.

American Protestants Viewed by the author as well-meaning but dangerously naive citizens who fail to recognize the covert threat posed to their legal, political, and domestic lives by Catholic expansion.

In Its Own Voice

"When I officiated as a Roman Catholic priest, in Philadelphia, I baptized hundreds, I may say thousands of Protestant children, without the knowledge or consent of their parents, brought to me secretly by their Roman Catholic nurses..."

The author recalls his own past duties to demonstrate how Catholic domestic workers secretly bring Protestant infants to local churches.

"...to keep no faith with heretics, but to destroy them, is one of the most solemn duties of a Catholic..."

Here the writer asserts that clerical obligations explicitly permit the violation of agreements made with non-Catholics.

"They admit their determination to bring these United States, if possible, under the spiritual control of the court of Rome."

This passage summarizes the author's primary assertion regarding the long-term geopolitical goal of the Papacy in America.

What It's Really About

At its core, the text is an argument about sovereignty, national identity, and the compatibility of authoritative religious systems with democratic governance. It addresses deep-seated nineteenth-century fears regarding mass immigration, foreign influence, and the preservation of republican institutions. By focusing on secret rituals, domestic interference, and legal maneuvering, the work attempts to prove that spiritual allegiance to a foreign entity inevitably compromises civic duty. It ultimately questions whether a constitutional republic can survive when a segment of its populace answers to an external hierarchy.

Why Read It Today

This work offers a raw look into mid-nineteenth-century American nativism and anti-Catholic polemics. Readers interested in religious history, political rhetoric, and the origin of American nativist movements like the "Know-Nothings" will find it a primary document of significant cultural value.

The reading experience is intense and uncompromising, marked by the urgent, combative tone typical of period controversial literature. It relies heavily on sweeping claims, dramatic personal anecdotes, and aggressive rhetoric. Modern readers should be prepared for explicit period prejudices, harsh denunciations, and a starkly polarized worldview. Its value lies not in objective historical reporting, but in its vivid demonstration of how religious anxiety and political nationalism combined to shape nineteenth-century public debate in the United States.