Fraught with Wonderful Possibilities: Father Jimmy Tompkins and the Struggle for a Catholic Progressivism, 1902-1922. NALL Working Paper.

This document examines the role of Father Jimmy Tompkins in the struggle for a Catholic Progressivism in the Diocese of Antigonish in Nova Scotia, Canada, from 1902 through 1922. The discussion begins with a brief overview of the diocese and the editorial policy and content of the diocesan newspaper, "The Casket," which had maintained a tradition of aggressively condemning far-off events and offering shallow commentary on local events. After presenting a few key details on Father Tompkins' early life and education, the discussion turned to Tompkin's years as vice president and Prefect of Studies at St. Francis Xavier University from 1906 through 1922, during which time he focused primarily on staffing the university with better-prepared professors and encouraging several professors to pursue scientific studies and return to St. Francis to help transform it into a "university of the people" embodying the tenets of progressivism. Presented next were key points from the progressivist writings of several of the professors whom Tompkins had nurtured. The remainder of the discussion focuses on the activities of Father Tompkins and a reform cadre of priests between 1918 and 1928, at which time they devoted their energy to resolving the problems "engendered" by industrialization. The discussion culminated in an examination of the struggle between the Integrists and the Progressives. There are 123 endnotes. (MN)