author
Augustus J. Thébaud
1807–1885
A French-born Jesuit priest who built much of his life and career in the United States, he wrote on religion, history, and public affairs with the energy of a teacher and the curiosity of a lifelong student. His books and essays reflect both deep Catholic learning and a strong interest in the story of America.
1 Audiobook
The Irish Race in the Past and the Present
by Augustus J. Thébaud
About the author
Born in Nantes, France, on November 20, 1807, Augustus J. Thébaud became a priest before joining the Society of Jesus. He came to the United States in 1838, where he went on to teach, write, and serve in several important Jesuit roles.
Thébaud is especially remembered for his connection to St. John's College, now Fordham University, where he served as its first Jesuit president. Alongside his work as an educator and pastor, he developed a busy literary life, publishing books on religious and historical subjects as well as fiction.
He wrote with range and stamina, contributing articles to Catholic periodicals and producing works that engaged with Irish history, church questions, and American life. He died in New York on December 17, 1885, leaving behind the record of a scholar-priest who helped shape Catholic intellectual life in nineteenth-century America.