Ritchie, Arthur

(June 22, 1849-July 9, 1921). Anglo-catholic leader. He was born in Philadelphia, and received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1867. After teaching at the Episcopal Academy, Philadelphia, 1867-1868, he entered the General Theological Seminary. He received his S.T.B. in 1871. He was ordained deacon on July 2, 1871, and priest on June 22, 1873. He served brief ministries at the Church of the Advent, Boston, St. Clement's, Philadelphia, and Mount Calvary, Baltimore. He was rector of the Church of the Ascension, Chicago, from 1875 to 1884. From 1884 until 1914 Ritchie was the rector of St. Ignatius' Church, New York, where he introduced incense, holy water, confessionals, non-communicating high mass-the so-called “Shortened Mass”-and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, possibly for the first time in the Episcopal Church. From Dec. 1, 1888 to Nov. 1, 1904, he edited The Catholic Champion, and he was a founder of The Clerical Union for the Maintenance and Defense of Catholic Principles. He died in Nyack, New York.