Little more than a century ago, the National Shrine was just an idea; a shared dream of Catholic Americans desiring a testimony of national devotion. It wasn’t until 1910 that the official committee for the cause of the church was founded, and only through the work of generations of Catholics that the National Shrine became a reality.
But none of it would have been possible without an organization called Salve Regina.
In today’s post, we invite you to learn about this former official agency of the National Shrine, and how it helped bring America’s Catholic Church to life.
What was Salve Regina?
In Jubilee 2009, Basilica Archivist and Curator Dr. Geraldine M. Rohling explains:
“Salve Regina was the official agency of the National Shrine and carried its message of Marian devotion and financial appeal for the construction of the National Shrine to persons throughout the world.”
It was in 1910 that Bishop Thomas Shahan first established a committee for the cause of the National Shrine, kicking off the effort with a new publication called Salve Regina, meaning “Hail, Holy Queen.” Its inaugural issue declared its dual purpose of fundraising and providing updates on the undertaking of the National Shrine.
Serving as chairs for the committee were two Catholic philanthropists named Mrs. Lucy Hoffman and Miss Fannie Whelan, who initially founded a group called the National Organization of Catholic Women (NOCW), with the chief purpose of raising funds for the National Shrine via membership fees and networks of local chapters.
The National Organization of Catholic Women spearheaded much of the fundraising for Salve Regina. One of the ways they spread the word about the National Shrine was with coupon books called “one-dollar books.” Available for purchase from Salve Regina, these booklets included 10 pages of 10 one-cent stamps featuring artwork of the planned Shrine building. Not only would the money raised through purchases go to the project, but the stamps ensured that awareness about the Shrine was spread from senders to recipients. There were also “ten-dollar books,” which included 10 pages of the 10-cent subscriptions.
At the beginning of 1914, nearly 50% of the $22,000 raised for the project came from ten-dollar book proceeds. Lonely widowers, struggling families, and people of all incomes, ages, and nationalities sent donations big and small. There is even record of a donor from Australia contributing to the cause!
Leadership Changes for Salve Regina
By spring of 1915, the NOCW had distributed over 7,000 copies of the Salve Regina magazine. That same year, however, marked a shift in management of Salve Regina. In summer 1915, Father McKenna was appointed as secretary to Bishop Shahan, and charged with many of the duties that formerly lay with Mrs. Hoffman and Miss Whelan, managing all donations for the National Shrine. Under McKenna’s leadership, the length of the magazine’s issues doubled to 16 pages, and while Salve Regina offered free subscriptions, the organization encouraged donations by promising spiritual benefits and enrollments to donors.
In two years’ time, Salve Regina was printing 100,000 copies of its magazine, distributing eight issues a year. By 1917, the subscription books were no longer needed with the birth of The National Salve Regina League, the organization which supplanted the NOCW. It was league memberships that brought in funds from then on, with the help of postcards featuring full-color illustrations of the planned Shrine.
Construction Begins for Salve Regina and for the National Shrine
With the completion of a superstructure for the National Shrine years away, Bishop Shahan soon oversaw the construction of a chapel and headquarters for Salve Regina. On May 18, 1918, construction began for the Salve Regina Chapel, a $125 structure from Sears-Roebuck, and on March 25, 1920, construction began on Salve Regina Hall, the National Shrine’s fundraising headquarters.
1920 didn’t just mark a building milestone for Salve Regina; it was also the year the foundation stone of the National Shrine was placed. Even this momentous occasion incorporated the partnership of the Shrine’s supporters; when the foundation stone was placed, a metal container holding the membership rolls of the Salve Regina League was sealed into the stone. And for those not in the D.C. area, Father McKenna printed extra copies of the foundation ceremony program to be sold for $1 apiece, with seven-color illustrations.
Salve Regina Through the Years
In the decades that followed, Salve Regina carried on the vital work of financial development for America’s Catholic Church, but the death of Bishop Shahan in 1932 and subsequent resignation of Msgr. McKenna marked the beginning of a period of uncertainty for the magazine. In 1936-1937, all publication ground to a halt, and in the years that followed, its issues fluctuated in size and length, varying from a greeting-card-sized, 16-page booklet, to a larger eight-page volume.
By the late ’50s, Salve Regina had already helped the National Shrine achieve the funds necessary for the completion of its superstructure. And with this sanctuary now open to the public, the name of its flagship publication was changed to Mary’s Shrine in May 1959.
Now, 65 years later, America’s Catholic Church continues to produce the Mary’s Shrine newsletter on a semi-annual basis, keeping its faithful supporters availed of the latest news, events, and additions to the patronal church of the United States.
Stay Up to Date with the Mary’s Shrine Newsletter
Curious to read the latest news and information about the Basilica? Download the Fall/Winter edition of the Mary’s Shrine newsletter today, featuring:
- A message from the Rector about how we can ensure Mary’s Shrine is a place of hope for the faithful for generations to come
- A note about the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the Our Lady of Hope Chapel
- Highlights from the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage
- The schedule of upcoming pilgrimages and EWTN broadcasts happening at Mary’s Shrine
- An announcement about the upcoming Jubilee Year
- A reflection on the practice of worship throughout history
- Gifts from Mary’s Shrine
- Information about how to leave a legacy gift to the National Shrine
Don’t miss this opportunity to stay connected to life at the Basilica – America’s Catholic Church!