 He was born into a prominent Maryland family and became a close adviser to Archbishop John Carroll, the first Catholic bishop in the United States.He was also well connected with Washington's political elite, allowing him to preside over the first Catholic ceremony in the White House, and the only Catholic wedding in its history.He believed that because Catholics enjoyed the freedom to practice their religion in the United States under the Constitution, they had a duty to contribute to the "moral and physical good" of their communities.