The Love of Excellence

John Lancaster Spalding (1840-1916) was the first bishop of Peoria, Illinois–born in Lebanon, Kentucky of one of the oldest Catholic families in America. Ordained in 1863 and consecrated bishop in 1877, he quickly showed outstanding abilities as both an administrator and a spiritual and cultural leader. His interest in higher education led him to play a large role in the founding of the Catholic University of America. He was known for both his lectures and his poetry, but this essay on the commitment to excellence demonstrates the superior power of his essays.

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