The German Roman Catholic Central Verein of North America known today as the Catholic Central Union of America is a central body of various German Roman Catholic societies in North America. The organization was founded on April 15, 1855 in Baltimore, Maryland as a federation of parish mutual aid societies. Although the German Catholic community had a strong reputation for conservatism, by 1900 it took the lead as the most reform-oriented of American Catholic societies under the leadership of Nicholas Gonner of Milwaukee (189-1903) and Frederick P. Kenkel (1908-1952).
Today its headquarters are located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The current president is Michael J Cross.
The Central Catholic Verein of America's primary mission is the publication of the Social Justice Review, a journal which was founded in 1908 to promote Christian humanism with respect for the dignity and rights of all human beings.