Part 6 is about Catholicism in America. Have no doubt, Catholicism has played an important role in the foundation and building of the US. At least one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and two of the framers of the Constitution were Catholic. Many of our country's oldest cities were founded by Catholics, such as those built around the Spanish Missions. And the immigration of Catholics played a large part in our modern diversity.
The obvious place to start is with the Spanish, and we need to include the French in this as well. Two driving forces brought Spanish Franciscans and French Jesuits to North America, secular greed and a religious obligation to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As Catholicism was the religious power in both nations, where ever the people went, so did the Priests and Monks. As new settlers arrived in new places, they would have a contingent of Priests as well as soldiers. St. Augustine FL, New Orleans LA, and San Francisco and Los Angeles CA were all built around Catholic Missions and Spanish or French forts. It is important to remember the territories including Texas and Louisiana changed hands a few times between the Spanish and French. This laid the foundation for many of the modern Dioceses in the US. With the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican Cession, millions of people became Americans, and would simply retain their Catholic faith.
When Henry VIII split the Church of England from Rome, there were some Britons who retained belief in Papal Authority. As the Colonies began to thrive, certain of them such as Maryland became good places for Catholics to escape the internal strife of England. They would still find religious strife on this side of the pond, however for the most part they were able to live peaceful lives. There was anti-Catholic sentiment in the predominantly Protestant Colonies, however as early English Catholics kept themselves to certain enclaves and were not a significant portion of the population, strife was kept to a minimum. Five Colonies did at one time or another have anti-Catholic laws, but all such legislation was ended upon the enactment of the First Amendment. During the Revolution, the Catholic Bishop of London cut all ties with those priests who supported the American Revolution, allowing for the Pope to create a Diocese in the US. This would set the stage for later immigration.
In my last blog, I mentioned the Potato Famine in Ireland, however that was one of many factors which contributed to the immigration of Catholics to the US in the 19th century. A large portion of Catholic Immigrants were Irish, but food problems and political strife also brought us Poles, Germans, and other Central European Catholic immigrants during the 19th century. From Portugal, Italy, and Sicily, overpopulation and political strife also sent many across the sea in search of new opportunities. This would see an increase in anti-Catholic sentiment in the US, creating political strife and causing riots. However, in 1960 the US would elect its' first Catholic President, John F. Kennedy, which finally saw a downturn in anti-Catholic sentiment.
The major contributing factor to the Northern and Central European immigrations would be what is now known as the Little Ice Age, a period of approximately 850 years in which global cooling reduced food supply in much of Europe. One of the worst of these periods was the Maunder Minimum, which was a period of minimal solar activity. It created food shortages with bitterly cold and long winters. This was shortly followed by the Dalton Minimum. During these periods food shortages grew critical, which is what placed political strain on nations that were politically Catholic and directly contributed to the French Revolution. The negative effect was also felt in other nations. Eventually, many of those that could find a way left Europe for the US, where even if they weren't readily accepted in most of the rural areas, they would be able to find work and food. Catholic immigration to the US greatly contributed to the Industrial Revolution, filling factories with laborers who worked hard to feed their families. And while the Climates of the northern states in which Catholics took up their residence was just as bitter as the homes they left, the Southern and Midwestern states were producing enough food to feed the masses.
From Spain, Portugal and Italy, the opposite is true. While the Little Ice Age meant cooler and longer winters, it did not have an adverse effect on food production. Overpopulation and political strife brought on by the Napoleonic Wars and the corruption of many high ranking Church officials brought about the need for many to leave their homelands. These were the people who would settle much of the Midwest and West during the gold rushes, finding that the Spanish Mission/Mexican culture was very similar to their own. Many would settle in the East, finding abundant industrial jobs and supportive Dioceses, but being they were more likely to have the financial ability to spread out, they quickly established presences all over the US.
The most recent period of immigration has been predominantly Filipino and Latin American. This has been brought about by those immigrants who come to the US in search of jobs or to escape the political turmoil still ongoing in their homelands. Since the founding of our nation, Catholics have grown from less than two percent of the population to 22 percent. They have contributed much culturally to our nation. Catholic Social Services serve hundreds of thousands of people every year with unmet needs. Catholic schools educate more than 2 million students every year. Catholics fight in our armed forces and serve as police officers and fire fighters. They hold political offices and own businesses. They are very much a part of America's Spiritual Landscape.
