Grand Rapids, Mich. - Dr. John C. Pinheiro, Professor of History and Director of Catholic Studies at Aquinas College, is the recipient of the 2015 Father Paul J. Foik Award for his book “Missionaries of a Republicanism: A Religious History of the Mexican-American War.” Given annually to the author of the publication judged the most important contribution to Texas Catholic history, the award from the Texas Catholic Historical Society was announced in March 2015 during their annual meeting.

Dr. Pinheiro joined the history department at Aquinas in 2004 and began as Director of the Catholic Studies program in 2008. He is also the author of the book "Manifest Ambition: James K. Polk and Civil-Military Relations during the Mexican War." His articles on the early American republic have appeared in various publications.

Published in April 2014, “Missionaries of a Republicanism: A Religious History of the Mexican-American War,” traces the rise to prominence of this discourse, beginning in the 1820s and culminating in the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. The book provides a new perspective on Manifest Destiny, American republicanism, anti-Catholicism, and Mexican-American relations in the nineteenth century.

The Texas Catholic Historical Society was founded in conjunction with the Texas State Historical Association and organized with the objectives of discovery, collection, preservation, and publication of historical material relating to the Catholic community in Texas. Members are professors, archivists, historians, and interested individuals working to expand knowledge and appreciation of the role of Catholics in the history of Texas and the Southwest. The Texas Catholic Historical Society is an affiliated unit of the Texas Catholic Conference, and its board is composed of the Roman Catholic Bishops of Texas.