The National Federation of Catholic College Students, NFCCS, was a lay student organization that began in 1937 and folded in 1967. This organization was mainly concerned with expressing student grievances at Catholic colleges regarding international issues as well as defending political movements in the name of social justice. The main aim of the organization was to recognize that Catholic Colleges were isolated on issues concerning religious, political, economic, and social issues in society. The organization was to foster leadership amongst men and women at Catholic Colleges to defend the positions of the Church. Until 1955 the organization worked directly under the National Catholic Welfare Conference, NCWC, after 1955 the NFCCS worked with the NCEA national Chaplain to work on issues of social justice.
The height of NFCCS was 1955-1966 with their involvement in racial and social justice. Much of these issues were dealt with at the National Congress which was held every year. These National Congresses served as an outlet for all the regional chapters of the NFCCS to meet and deal with Church policy ranging from international affairs to liturgical policy. Another function of the NFCCS was to defend academic freedom on Catholic College campuses as defined by Cardinal Newman on his definition on a Catholic College/University. The organization went into decline following the passage of much of the Civil Rights and "Great Society" policies due to the dissatisfaction with the organizations lack of enthusiasm for protesting and working outside the rigid regional setup of the organization.
Most of the correspondence is from Rev. Eugene Dehner (1914-2004), a biology professor at the Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He earned his bachelor's degree at St. Benedict's College and his master's and doctorate at Cornell University. In 1935 he became a monk at St. Benedict's Abbey and finished his theological training and was ordained in 1940. His teaching career began in 1946 where he became involved in many student activities including the NFCCS. His involvement led to his elevation as moderator, the NFCCS term for president, for the mid-west region of the NFCCS for 1955-1961. For the following two years Dehner was the national chaplain and was instrumental in the fight for social justice, in particular interracial harmony. Overall, the Dehner correspondence shows the dedication and involvement of Catholic College students working with the church to fight for the major political causes of the 1950's and 1960's.
The National Federation of Catholic College Students moderator records consist of five series. The first series is a box of personal correspondence of Rev. Eugene Dehner with other Catholic organizations, colleges, and universities while he was moderator for the Midwest region and national chaplain. There is also correspondence with other moderators during the National Congress Sessions that Dehner attended, 1955-1964. The second series is a box of correspondence and publications on Interracial Justice, 1963-1966. There are also minutes and booklets from the 1964-1966 Interracial Justice conferences. These booklets include the congressional record on major civil rights legislation. Lastly, there is a complete report done by the NFCCS for the government on "Desegregation of Health and Medical Services in the Border States".
The third series are two boxes on the NFCCS annual National Congress Conference, 1955-1964. These conferences were when all the regions of the NFCCS met to discuss issues within the Church and issues concerning academic freedom. This series includes a pamphlet from each year's conference as well as minutes and committee reports from each year's congress. The fourth series is a box of the NFCCS National Congress correspondence from 1955-1964. This correspondence is between the NCWC and the regional moderators and their positions on issues during the convention. The final series of this collection are three boxes of NFCCS reports and publications. These reports are on different committee findings on international issues such as the Church in Latin-America, poverty in Africa, and building universities in the third world. The pamphlets consist of general information on the NFCCS for new College chapters as well as pamphlets on social issues and the organization's position on different social policies. Overall, this collection gives good insight into the politics of American Catholic college students during the late 1950's and early 1960's.
Series 1: NFCCS Correspondence from Rev. Eugene Dehner, 1958-1986, Box 1
Series 2: Interracial Justice Correspondence and Publications 1963-1966, Box 2
Series 3: NFCCS National Congresses, 1955-1966, Boxes 3-4
Series 4: NFCCS National Congress Correspondence, 1948-1964, Box 5
Series 5: NFCCS Reports and Publications, 1954-1967, Boxes 6-8
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This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Donated to CUA in 1986 by Rev. Eugene Dehner.
Processing completed in 2012 by Raymond Moore. EAD markup completed in 2012 by Raymond Moore.
This series contains the personal correspondence of Rev. Eugene Dehner from the time he was the Midwest regional moderator, president, for the NFCCS as well as his two years as national chaplain for the NFCCS, 1962-1964. There are also a few follow up letters that he wrote to former students in 1986 about past conferences and a retrospective about his time as moderator and national chaplain.
A detailed explanation of the summit, 1986, and the minutes
Rev. Dehner's reappointment
Correspondence with Rev. Frederick Stevenson from NCWC about conference
Pamphlets and forms
Minutes of resolution as well as a detailed newspaper article
Full resolution on issues such as Civil Rights, urban poverty, education, and moral issues
Includes newspaper clippings and a booklet entitled "The Student Challenge" by Ann Hunt.
A mailing list to all member colleges and universities
Includes an address to the National Moderators Conference
includes financial statements
Dehner correspondence with Midwest officers for Congress
From Bishop of Manchester
Rev. Fidelis Dunlap
Collection of minutes and correspondence from congress concerning Dehner.
This series is a collection of several conferences, with their minutes and notes, on interracial justice during the Civil Rights era. There are detailed resolutions on legislation passed in congress, with the full bills from the congressional record. There are also many detailed reports on desegregation in the south with recommendations made by the NFCCS that was submitted to congress
Several letters condemning the attendance of an economics professor from South Africa.
Conference minutes and booklets of reports on desegregating health and welfare services in the south, school desegregation, and voting rights.
A report on the 1965 Voting Rights Act with the congressional record for the bill, a resolution made by the conference, and an article on home rule for the District of Columbia.
A full report on the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 and a report by the conference on its implementation and the improvements that need to be made.
Minutes from the conference as well as congressional record publications on civil rights legislation proposed in 1963.
Minutes and Correspondence on the conference
This series contains all the minutes and reports from the NFCCS national congresses from 1955-1964. This collection also includes a program booklet from each year and there is correspondence from the national officers with regional officers. The issues dealt at this conference range from interracial issues, poverty, academic freedom, international relations in the third world, and Catholic leadership in government.
includes full report on resolutions from congress
Includes correspondence leading up to the conference
Year's focus on social issues
minutes and reports
minutes and reports
focus on worker rights
financial reports and college reports
financial reports and college reports
Committee reports from 1962 National Congress
focus on Civil Rights march on Washington, "March for Jobs"
Includes Agendas, Reports, and Minutes
focus on Civil Rights and the relationship of a Catholic college student within the university.
financial reports and college reports
This series contains correspondence with different leaders of the NFCCS for the NFCCS National Congresses of 1955-1964. There is also correspondence for the planning of the congress and arranging the agenda for each year's congress. There are also pamphlets on rules for the congress such as a basic outline of parliamentary procedure for NFCCS. Lastly, there are other correspondences and materials for other NFCCS related conferences
includes a pamphlet
Pamphlets and handbooks of what the NFCCS and the bylaws that were given out to different regional organizations.
Notes in creating the Midwest region of the NFCCS, with notes by Rev. Dehner as well.
Also includes photo of officers for that year and copies of "The Voice", Midwest region newspaper.
includes a pamphlet
Booklets on student programs such "Progress and Prospects" and "An Understanding of Our Time"
Correspondence with different regional moderators leading up to 1964 NCEA convention, includes convention program.
agenda for conference
Invitation to the conference explaining the agenda.
Booklet explaining the organization and several organizational newsletters explaining the progress of the program.
Includes a pamphlet, a memorandum, and correspondence on the main issue of 1964: "Christianity in the Age of Transition".
Includes address given by Rev. Dehner to the council.
Correspondence with different bishops and other dignitaries about the congress and its agenda.
Reports from all the moderators and a profile of the national officers for that year.
Reports from executive council includes pamphlet on the World University Service to the third world.
Correspondence with other national moderators as well as priests overseas, includes handwritten notes and postcards.
This series contains the reports made by the NFCCS on issues such as academic freedom, civil rights, international, and domestic poverty. This series also contains publications made by the NFCCS such as monthly newsletters, public service pamphlets, and mailings to member colleges and universities. The newsletters are mainly copies of "The Rambler" which was the newsletter for the Midwest region. Lastly, the newsletters show the decline of the NFCCS on a national level through the view of the Midwest region.
These are the committee reports made by the Chaplains Advisory Board for the 1955-1960 conferences.
A voting record on resolutions passed in committee and a detailed description of the resolutions.
Includes a newspaper article on the resolution committee at St. Benedict's College.
A sample letter and booklet of resolutions passed that was sent to member colleges and universities.
National newspaper of the NFCCS, includes a 1962 copy of "America" magazine which has an article on the organization.
A detailed report from this particular department, the main issue of the report is student government as a vehicle of awareness.
Single page updates that were mailed to members as well as a full report on Interracial Justice Week and the publications that came with that, 1962 "Albany Report".
News Update mailings as well as mailings on liturgical reform and a pamphlet in support of switching to a vernacular mass.
Pamphlets and newsletters on the European travel/study abroad program run by the NFCCS.
Includes a pamphlet from the first travel abroad program from 1954.
Includes a booklet explaining the Council of Catholic Youth and mailings from the organization.
Mailings explaining what happened at the congress and the new national officers.
NFCCS Pamphlets on The Social Apostolate of the Student.
Includes pamphlets on a new constitution and the committee reports that drafted it.
Includes a program manual for the 1964 leadership conference.
Reports on religious freedom in the Eastern Bloc and political agitation in Latin America.
Organizational newsletter and a copy of "The Shield" magazine.
Newsletters for the year and a booklet on "State Programs in Migrant Education".
Copies of Midwest newsletters sent out to members, includes a program from 1964 regional congress.
A program to the 17th National Student Congress, a yearly report by the National Student Association, and member mailings.
Newsletter from the NFCCS that explains what students are involved such as the "Get Out the Vote" program.
Includes annotations made by Rev. Dehner in 1986 on the decline of the organization.