Over the past 110 years, the U.S. Catholic population has grown from 14.3 million to 68.5 million. There have been plenty of historical firsts and statistics of note along the way; here is a selection from the archives of America magazine.

From 1964: It was Easter that made up the core of the “good news” preached by the apostles.

From 1933: Prohibition has been a bitter experience, and a time of disaster.

From the archives: "With all good wishes for the New Year, Father, and my sincere thanks again."

From 1997: While I am eager to live, I am also eager to take the journey when God calls me.

Does Catholic social teaching permit you to mount a machine gun at the door of your family’s fallout shelter? In 1961, this was not an idle question.

From 1954: The turn taken in the McCarthy-Stevens hearings beginning May 4 dramatized across the nation the grave constitutional issue posed by Senator McCarthy’s “methods.”

America has published thousands of book reviews over 110 years...and some of them were more spot-on than others...

From 1962: What grounds exist for reasonable confidence in the Council’s outcome?

From 2000: Perhaps the N.R.A. has met its match. All the money in the world cannot contend with the rage of a mother torn from her child.

Our reviewers were not enthusiastic about two award-winning plays.

From 1969: The difficulties encountered by those who worked long and hard to give us a truly contemporary prayer language in English are here set forth by one who participated in the mammoth task.

From 1955: How wide should the concerns of the Catholic journalist be?

From 1944: When President Roosevelt led the nation in prayer on D-Day's night, an event unique in modern history took place.

For the Feb. 23, 1974, issue, the editors invited William Peter Blatty, author of the novel The Exorcist and a producer of the film, to respond to America’s critics.    

A poem by Jessica Powers from The Second “America” Book of Verse, a collection of the best of America poetry, 1930 to 1955.

From 1939: It was a busy year for America’s film reviewer, who wrote as many as four reviews a week.

From 1944: May the English-born Saint Boniface, through his intercession with God, bring out of the battles of today the peace of tomorrow.