Sept. 21, 2017 will mark 200 years since the birth of Father Joseph Maria Finotti, who served in the Archdiocese of Boston from 1852 to 1876. Father Finotti was born in Ferrara, Italy, on Sept. 21, 1817. He entered the Society of Jesus at age 16, and in 1845 arrived in the United States to continue his studies at Georgetown College in Maryland. While studying, he also served as assistant to college librarian, and was ordained a priest two years later, in 1847.

Following ordination, he stayed at the college, serving as a faculty member and librarian. In the latter role, he attempted to compile a subject catalog of the library's collection which consisted of over 13,000 volumes. Though he made great progress, the project was abandoned as he left Georgetown in 1849 to serve at missions in Maryland and Virginia, before departing for Boston in 1852.