The Extraordinary Life & Legacy of Archbishop Noll of the Church
Champion of the Church
Ann Ball
With Father Leon Hutton
Every reasonable effort has been made to determine copyright holders of excerpted materials and to secure permissions as needed. If any copyrighted materials have been inadvertently used in this work without proper credit being given in one form or another, please notify Our Sunday Visitor in writing so that future printings of this work may be corrected accordingly.
Copyright © 2006 by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc. Published 2006
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All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts for critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without permission in writing from the publisher. Write:
Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
200 Noll Plaza
Huntington, IN 46750
ISBN-13: 978-1-59276-149-4
ISBN-10: 1-59276-149-6 (Inventory No. T200)
LCCN: 2005937558
Cover design by Monica Haneline
Cover photo courtesy of Our Sunday Visitor archives
Interior design by Sherri L. Hoffman
Interior photos used with permission
Printed in the United States of America
Crest of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, in the window of the Archbishop’s home
Archbishop Noll’s official seal, showing coat of arms detail
Contents
Foreword by Gregory R. Erlandson
Preface by Ann Ball
Introduction by Fr. Leon Hutton
3. Minor Seminary — a Rugged Trial
4. Major Seminary — Closer to the Goal
God’s Nomad
A Young Pastor
Armed with a Pen
Hartford City
Our Sunday Visitor
Church Envelopes
Good Catholic Books
The Journalist
A Finger in Every Pie
The Sisters
Missions
National Catholic Welfare Conference
A Hateful Campaign
The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
The Light of the World
The N.O.D.L. and the Legion of Decency
“The Bish” at Home on the Island
Fishing for Men and Fish
At Home on Washington Street
Everyone’s Archbishop
Our Sunday Visitor’s Contributions
The Archbishop’s Final Days
The “Lone Ranger”
Dedication
No other prelate has had a greater impact or more lasting influence on the Catholic Church in America than Archbishop John Francis Noll. His ideas turned into action, which flowed into reality. His works live on, continuing to explain the truth and bring the beauty of the Catholic Faith to millions of Americans. His spirit lives on in Our Sunday Visitor and in those who strive to educate in defense of the Church and Christian values