Ep. 2. 37: Hospitals and Prisons

This episode reflects on the closing chapters of the Civil War and its impact on St. Louis through the contrasting lives of Father John Bannon and Franz Sigel. Monsignor and Teresa revisit Bannon’s motivations for siding with the Confederacy—rooted in fears of Northern nativism and anti-Catholic sentiment—and contrast them with Sigel’s radical democratic ideals and commitment to abolition. They explore Archbishop Kenrick’s “prudent silence,” his efforts to shield outspoken priests, and the challenges faced by Catholic institutions like Christian Brothers College, which was seized and converted into a military prison. The episode also highlights the humanitarian role of Sisters of Charity and Mercy in caring for wounded soldiers, Father Patrick Ryan’s ministry to Confederate prisoners, and Father Hogan’s struggles on Missouri’s western frontier. It concludes with the contentious postwar issues of slavery’s abolition and loyalty oaths, setting the stage for Missouri’s constitutional convention and the fight for religious liberty.