Nina Polcyn Moore Papers

Fonds

Identifier: POL

Staff Only

Scope and Content

Polcyn's diary, 1941-1943, relating experiences with Bishop Bernard Sheil; correspondence, including letters from Frank Sheed, Maisie Ward, Catherine de Hueck Doherty, Eddie Doherty, Hans Ansgar Reinhold, Donald Attwater, Renard Koehnemann, Ann Harrigan Makletzoff and a letter from Dorothy Day; clippings concerning Bishop Bernard Sheil, John Cogley, and Pat and Patty Crowley, 1941-1979.

One folder concerning the unionization of the CYO, consisting of correspondence, memoranda, and contract proposals from the United Office and Professional Workers of America (CIO), 1946-1950.

With a University of Chicago Divinity School paper by Eileen Brewer, "Spirit, Organization and Development of the Chicago Youth Organization of Chicago, 1930-1940" (1978); and printed matter including Bishop Sheil and the CYO by Roger L. Treat (1951), a report of a Chicago meeting on contemporary Catholic trade books (1953), and The Apostolate of the Church by Samuel Cardinal Stritch (1955).

Also records of St. Benet's Book Shop including a guest book (1931-1943), financial records (1937-1973), and catalogs (1950s-1973); and a photograph of Sara Benedicta O'Neill.

Dates

Creation: 1931-1979.

Creator

Moore, Nina Polcyn (Person)

Language of Materials

English.

Background

Associate director of the Sheil School, Chicago, 1942- 1953, and a leader in the Catholic lay apostolate movement.

Saint Benet's Book Shop of Chicago (later Saint Benet's Library and Bookshop) was founded by Sara Benedicta O'Neill in 1931. In 1943 its assets were transferred to Bishop Bernard Sheil's Catholic Youth Organization. Nina Polcyn served as manager (1943-1957), bought the shop in 1957, and sold it in 1973.