Fr. Guy (or anyone else who might know): Are any of you familiar with a two-volume set entitled "Armorial of Catholic Clergy" by the Rev. Gerard Brassard (1933)? Apparently a copy exists in the archives of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. Just curious.
I own a copy. It was just two volumes of an uncompleted multi-volume work. The historical value is great. The artwork in it is HORRIBLE!
Do you know if there will be any "modern" follow-up, or did the whole concept die with Father Brassard? (Noting the date of the book, I am assuming he is no longer with us.)
If anyone were ever to attempt to produce such a series, it would most likely be Michael Francis McCarthy who has at least some of the research already published in a number of books. The books that he has published may be seen here: http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~thylacinepress/
Greetings from Neuchatel, Switzerland!
I can’t remember whether or not Brassard (he is/was a Brother, not a priest) is still living. I also don’t know whether or not anyone plans an attempt at undertaking such a huge work. Michael McCarthy has encouraged me to give it a try! His knowledge of and access to American ecclesiastical heraldry is limited. He produced a similar book about the Church in his native Australia (where he was dealing with far fewer bishops than in the USA) but it would be challenging and a bit fun to try and emulate it. Along that line I have begun to research what I hope might be a beginning in the form of a complete armorial of the bishops in the Province of Newark which covers just the state of New Jersey.