Figure 1.-- Here we see a Catholic procession at the St. Gabriel's Church in 1923. Notice the cars and neighborhood. By the 1920s Catholics were beginning to enter the American mainstream.

The Catholic role in building America is not always promantely featured in historical assessments, in part because America until the late-19th century was so overwealmingly Protestant. There were Catholics in colonial America, most prominately in Maryland. Ironically, Catholics because they were a minority were a force for toleration in America, in contrat to their general role in Europe. Many disident Protestant groups came to America, but relatively few Catholics. (Unlike the French, Portugese, and Spanish, the British did not attempt to enforece religious orthodoxy in their colonies.) Catholic missions played a role in developing California during the Spanish colonia period. They thus served as the backbone of the industrial work force and the American labor movement. Many Catholics entered the American middle-class after World War II, assisted by the GI Bill. Protestants continued to look with suspicion on Catholics in the early- and mid-20th century. Catholic Al Smith was decisively defeated in the 1928 election in part because he was Catholic. He was not only unpopular in the South, but also the predominately Protestant areas of the Midwest. Even at this time, however, were increasingly entering the American midstream. Catholics came to play an importan political role in America. Acceptance to Catholic voters largely determined whether a Democrat or Republican was elected following President Roosevelts New Deal era. Large numbers of Catholics were the first in their family to attend university as a result of the GI bill following World War II. They also participated in the move to the suburbs after the War. The major turning point for Catholics in America was the 1960 presidential election which Senator Kennedy was elected.

Created: 8:54 PM 5/28/2009
Last updated: 8:54 PM 5/28/2009