Immigration Immigration and and

Anti-CatholicismAnti-Catholicism

1800 - 19201800 - 1920

ImmigrationImmigration

Statistics on Catholics in Statistics on Catholics in U.S.:U.S.: By 1800 - 40,000By 1800 - 40,000 By 1820 - 195,000By 1820 - 195,000 By 1850 - 1½ millionBy 1850 - 1½ million By 1860 - 3 millionBy 1860 - 3 million By 1820 - 18 millionBy 1820 - 18 million

The increase is almost entirely due to The increase is almost entirely due to immigrationimmigration

FrenchFrench

1790 – 18001790 – 1800 Caused by French RevolutionCaused by French Revolution Influences:Influences:

Highly authoritarianHighly authoritarian Love of ritualLove of ritual Devotion to Blessed VirginDevotion to Blessed Virgin

Early 19Early 19thth century, majority of century, majority of bishops were French immigrantsbishops were French immigrants

Bishop DuBourg of St. Louis Bishop Flaget of

Bardstown

Bishop Machebeuf of

Denver

Bishop Lamy of

Santa Fe

GermanGerman

1820 – 19201820 – 1920 Caused by search for economic Caused by search for economic

opportunity and, after 1870, opportunity and, after 1870, persecution of Catholics in Germanypersecution of Catholics in Germany

Mostly farmers and tradesmenMostly farmers and tradesmen Settled in “German Triangle” between Settled in “German Triangle” between

Cincinnati, St. Louis and Milwaukee Cincinnati, St. Louis and Milwaukee

Influences:Influences: Involved in their local parishesInvolved in their local parishes Catholic schoolsCatholic schools

The first Catholics to settle in Ohio The first Catholics to settle in Ohio were German immigrants who were German immigrants who settled near Somersetsettled near Somerset

IrishIrish

1820 – 19001820 – 1900 Came fleeing persecution in Ireland, Came fleeing persecution in Ireland,

famine, and looking for economic famine, and looking for economic opportunityopportunity

Settled in large cities of East Coast Settled in large cities of East Coast and Great Lakesand Great Lakes

Mostly under 25, illiterate, unmarriedMostly under 25, illiterate, unmarried

Influences:Influences: Importance of educationImportance of education Stress religious vocations in their Stress religious vocations in their

childrenchildren Rely on clergy – the priest is the most Rely on clergy – the priest is the most

important person in the parishimportant person in the parish

By 1900:By 1900: 50% of all Catholics are Irish50% of all Catholics are Irish 65% of clergy are Irish65% of clergy are Irish 70% of bishops are Irish70% of bishops are Irish

HispanicsHispanics

U.S. conquered 1/3 of Mexico in 1848 U.S. conquered 1/3 of Mexico in 1848 – California, Arizona, New Mexico, – California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, ColoradoTexas, Colorado

80,000 Hispanic Catholics became 80,000 Hispanic Catholics became part of the U.S.part of the U.S.

Immigration has increased the Immigration has increased the number – Hispanics are nearly 25% number – Hispanics are nearly 25% of American Catholicsof American Catholics

Influences:Influences: Popular devotionsPopular devotions Importance of Importance of

home-based home-based religious traditionsreligious traditions

Our Lady of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Guadalupe – patroness of the patroness of the AmericasAmericas

Anti-CatholicismAnti-Catholicism

Historic Roots of Anti-Historic Roots of Anti-CatholicismCatholicism

English attitudes towards CatholicsEnglish attitudes towards Catholics Feeling that Catholics are not loyal to Feeling that Catholics are not loyal to

the government because of their the government because of their allegiance to the popeallegiance to the pope

Protestant beliefs that Catholicism is Protestant beliefs that Catholicism is not a Biblical religion because of its not a Biblical religion because of its reliance on papal teachings, its reliance on papal teachings, its veneration of Mary and saints, and veneration of Mary and saints, and ritualsrituals

NativismNativism(Part 1)(Part 1)

1820 – 18461820 – 1846 Caused by –Caused by –

Increased immigrationIncreased immigration The rise of Protestant RevivalismThe rise of Protestant Revivalism An economic downturn and the fact that An economic downturn and the fact that

immigrants were willing to work for immigrants were willing to work for lower wageslower wages

Question of teaching religion in public Question of teaching religion in public schoolsschools

1830, magazine “The Protestant” 1830, magazine “The Protestant” founded to “founded to “inculcate Gospel doctrines inculcate Gospel doctrines against Romish corruptions.” against Romish corruptions.”

1834 burning of Ursuline convent and 1834 burning of Ursuline convent and school in Charlestown, Mass.school in Charlestown, Mass.

1836 publication of “The Awful 1836 publication of “The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk” – a Disclosures of Maria Monk” – a supposed memoir of life in a convent in supposed memoir of life in a convent in MontrealMontreal

Frontispiece from an edition of The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk

Philadelphia RiotsPhiladelphia Riots

Over the issue of Over the issue of allowing Catholic allowing Catholic students to use the students to use the Catholic Douay-Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible in Rheims Bible in religion class in public religion class in public schoolsschools

Led to anti-Catholic Led to anti-Catholic riots during which riots during which several churches were several churches were burned and 14 people burned and 14 people dieddied

NativismNativism(Part 2)(Part 2)

1854 – 18601854 – 1860 ““Know Nothing Party” establishedKnow Nothing Party” established

Only “native born” Protestant Americans Only “native born” Protestant Americans of European ancestry should be allowed of European ancestry should be allowed to be citizensto be citizens

Attempted to prevent Catholic citizens Attempted to prevent Catholic citizens from votingfrom voting

““Bloody Monday” – Louisville, 1855Bloody Monday” – Louisville, 1855

Became majority in Became majority in Congress – able to Congress – able to pass anti-Catholic pass anti-Catholic laws (all of which laws (all of which were overturned in were overturned in the courts)the courts)

Died out by 1860 Died out by 1860 because they had because they had no stand on the no stand on the slavery issueslavery issue

Idealized portrait of a member of the Know Nothing

Party

““I have been educated to enmity I have been educated to enmity toward everything that is Catholic; toward everything that is Catholic; sometimes, in consequence of this, I sometimes, in consequence of this, I find it easier to discover Catholic find it easier to discover Catholic faults than Catholic merits.” faults than Catholic merits.”

Mark TwainMark Twain

NativismNativism(Part 3)(Part 3)

1887 – 18981887 – 1898 Main Issue: Catholic SchoolsMain Issue: Catholic Schools

Belief that Catholic education is subversive Belief that Catholic education is subversive and students are being taught to be loyal and students are being taught to be loyal to the pope rather than good American to the pope rather than good American citizenscitizens

Fear that Catholics will overthrow the Fear that Catholics will overthrow the government and replace it with a government and replace it with a theocracy, getting rid of the Bill of Rightstheocracy, getting rid of the Bill of Rights

Immigration is still an issue, Immigration is still an issue, especially as more immigrants from especially as more immigrants from Eastern Europe are entering the Eastern Europe are entering the countrycountry

Important spokesperson – political Important spokesperson – political cartoonist Thomas Nastcartoonist Thomas Nast

The Ku Klux KlanThe Ku Klux Klan

1920s1920s See themselves as protecting See themselves as protecting

America for white, Protestant America for white, Protestant Americans against Blacks, Jews, Americans against Blacks, Jews, Catholics and Mexicans Catholics and Mexicans

Against Al Smith, the first Catholic candidate for president

Most organized anti-Catholicism ends Most organized anti-Catholicism ends with the election of John F. Kennedy with the election of John F. Kennedy to the presidencyto the presidency

"I am not the Catholic "I am not the Catholic candidate for President. candidate for President. I am the Democratic I am the Democratic Party's candidate for Party's candidate for President who also President who also happens to be a happens to be a Catholic. I do not speak Catholic. I do not speak for my Church on public for my Church on public matters — and the matters — and the Church does not speak Church does not speak for me.“ Kennedy to the for me.“ Kennedy to the Greater Houston Greater Houston Ministerial Assc. In 1960Ministerial Assc. In 1960

Anti-Catholicism TodayAnti-Catholicism Today Little organized anti-CatholicismLittle organized anti-Catholicism A few Fundamentalist Christian groups A few Fundamentalist Christian groups

– especially Jack Chick Publications– especially Jack Chick Publications Anti-Catholic attitudes are still fairly Anti-Catholic attitudes are still fairly

common – it has been called “the last common – it has been called “the last acceptable prejudice” recentlyacceptable prejudice” recently

The clergy pedophilia cover-up The clergy pedophilia cover-up brought a lot of those attitudes outbrought a lot of those attitudes out