Popery! As It Was and as It Is. Also, Auricular Confession; And Popish Nunneries

by William Hogan

"Popery! As It Was and as It Is" by William Hogan, Esq. is a critical historical account written in the mid-19th century. The book serves as a denunciation of Roman Catholicism, authored by a former Roman Catholic priest who exposes perceived threats posed by Catholicism to American values and institutions. Hogan's work focuses on the practices of the Catholic Church, particularly regarding auricular confession and the influence of popish authority. The opening of the book introduces Hogan’s motivations, stating his desire to protect the democratic freedoms of his adopted country against what he views as the encroaching dangers of Catholicism. He reflects on his past experiences with the church and lays out a case for readers to understand the power dynamics at play within the Catholic Church, particularly the role of Jesuits. Hogan expresses concern regarding the potential for Papal influence over American governance and warns of the historical context that demonstrates the Church's ambitions for temporal authority, summarizing the dangers that could arise if such influences are left unchecked in a republic founded on freedom of conscience.