An introduction to 52 Masses

My name is Daniel Markham. I’m a lifelong practicing Catholic who worships at St. John the Evangelist in West Chester, Ohio. I have also been writing professionally for almost 30 years. Over the past year, these two biographical data points collided.

Starting in June 2021, I embarked on a mission to attend Sunday Mass in each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. At each parish or place I visited, I wrote about something going on there, a short profile of the many interesting and inspiring people and endeavors in the Catholic Church in the United States. Upon completion of my year-long trip, the journey was chronicled in the book, 52 Masses.

These won’t necessarily be groundbreaking types of stories — merely interesting ones. It’s my assertion that every parish has at least one story to tell, if not many. Every day, Catholics across the country are doing amazing things, putting their faith into action in innumerable ways. The hope is that through this collection of stories, I can paint a broader picture of life in the Catholic Church in 2021.

More information can be found at www.52masses.com.

God Bless