Francis X. Talbot

Francis Xavier Talbot (January 25, 1889 – December 3, 1953) was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit who was active in Catholic literary and publishing circles, and became the President of Loyola College in Maryland. Born in Philadelphia, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1906, and was educated at St. Andrew-on-Hudson and Woodstock College. He taught for several years in New York City and at Boston College, before entering publishing as the literary editor of America magazine in 1923, of which he became the editor-in-chief in 1936. While in this role, he was also active in founding and editing several academic journals, including Thought, and establishing various Catholic literary societies and book clubs. During World War II, he was chaplain to a Catholic organization that previewed movies for the National Legion of Decency. He also supported Franco's rule in Spain because of its support of Catholicism and opposition to communism; he also supported the US war effort. He was described as one of the early leaders of the revival of Catholic literature in the United States.

In 1947, Talbot was named the President of Loyola College in Maryland. He held the office for three years and then was briefly an archivist at Georgetown University before becoming a priest and historian of St. Aloysius Church. He was then assigned to Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown, where he died.

Early life Francis Xavier Talbot was born on January 25, 1889, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to parents Patrick Talbot and Bridget Talbot née Peyton. He was one of seven children and attended St. Edward's Parish School, He lived in Philadelphia until the age of seventeen, when he entered the Society of Jesus on August 15, 1906, proceeding to the Jesuit novitiate of St. Andrew-on-Hudson in Poughkeepsie, New York. where he received a Master of Arts in philosophy in 1913.

He then taught English at Loyola School in New York City from 1913 to 1916 and religion at Boston College from 1917 to 1918, before returning to Woodstock College to study theology for four years. While there, he was ordained a priest by Owen Corrigan, the Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore, on June 29, 1921. and completed his tertianship in 1923.

Literary career Talbot spent much of his life working in Catholic literary circles and was described as one of the early leaders of the revival of Catholic literature in the United States. He publicly defended the quality of Catholic intellectual life against criticisms

He became the literary editor of America magazine in 1923 after the death of Walter Dwight. He became a trustee of the American Catholic Historical Society in 1925. Talbot also became the first editor of the academic journal Thought in 1926. He formed the Catholic Poetry Society of America in 1930, whose goal was to bring together all the Catholic poets in the United States, and served as its chaplain from 1934 to 1936. He was also active in the founding of the Spiritual Book Associates in 1932 and served as chairman of its editorial committee. He then assisted in the founding of the Pro Parvulis Society, whose focus was on children's books.

Talbot contributed to the Encyclopædia Britannica, including generally reviewing it to reduce anti-Catholic bias, and the 1936 edition contained two articles written by him. Due to its support of Catholicism and rejection of modernism and communism, Talbot supported Francoist Spain. His tenure as head of America came to an end in 1944. In recognition of his work in publishing, students of New York City Catholic high schools created a book club in 1942 called the Talbot Club.

Academic career During World War II, Talbot became an auxiliary chaplain at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. At Loyola College, he constructed the college chapel. His tenure as president came to an end on August 14, 1950, His requiem mass was said by John Michael McNamara, the Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, at Holy Trinity on December 6,

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