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Catholics today are the largest single Christian denomination in America, although collectively there are more Protestants. The Catholic role in building America is not always prnately features, 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. Catholic missions played a role in developing California during the Spanish colonia period. The first major group of Catholic immigrants were the Irish, as a result of the Potato Famine (1840s). In the same decade the Mexican-American War (1844-46) resulting in the acquisition of the Southwest brought Mexicans into the United States. After the Civil War (1861-65), large scale immogration from Europe began. This included many Catholics from Italy and the great European empires, especially the Austro-Hungarian (Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia)) and Russian (Lithuania and Poland) Empires. We are not sure about the religion of the immigrants from the German Empire, but most German-Americans seem to be Protestant. Most immigrants before the Civil War sought lands for farming. Many Catholic immigrants after the Civil War sought work in the rising industrial cities of the mid-West from Chicao east to western Pennsylvania. They thus served as the backbone of the industrial work force and the American labor movement. As the public schools were stringly influened by Protestants, Catholics beginning with the arival of he Irish began bulduing a separate prochial school system. 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. Catholics came to play an importan political role in America. Acceptance to Catholic voters largely determined whether a Democrat or Republican was elected folloing the New Deal. The major turning point for Catholics in America was the election of President Kennedy (1960). The increase in the Hispanic population since the 1960s has substantially increased the Catholic population in America.
Catholics today are the largest single Christian denomination in America, although collectively there are more Protestants. The Mexican-American War and the Irish Potato Famine brougt many Catholics to America (1840s). Even larger numbers came with the wave of immigration following the Civil War (late-19th and early 20th century). The increase in the Hispanic population since the 1960s has substantially increased the Catholic population in America.
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.
The first major group of Catholic immigrants were the Irish, as a result of the Potato Famine (1840s). In the same decade the Mexican-American War (1844-46) resulting in the acquisition of the Southwest brought Mexicans into the United States. After the Civil War (1861-65), large scale immogration from Europe began. This included many Catholics from Italy and the great European empires, especially the Austro-Hungarian (Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia)) and Russian (Lithuania and Poland) Empires. We are not sure about the religion of the immigrants from the German Empire, but most German-Americans seem to be Protestant. Most immigrants before the Civil War sought lands for farming. Many Catholic immigrants after the Civil War sought work in the rising industrial cities of the mid-West from Chicao east to western Pennsylvania.
America was settled as a Protestant country. There were some Catholics in Maryland, but America in the early-19th century was a predominantly Protestant country. It was not until the Irish Potato Famine (1840s) that large number of Catlholics came to America. The Irish while largely of rural origins, primarily settled in the major cities of the northeast. The Mexican-American War (1845-46) brought large numbers of Catholic in what is now the southwests. The numbers of Catholics increased significantly in the late-19th century with the arrival of Italians and eastern Europeans such as the Poles. Many of these immigrants settled in the rising American industrial cities of the northeast and midwest. There were relatively few Catholics in the northwest and southeast of the United States. The south continued to be predominately Protestant into the 20th century. There were some Catholics in Maryland and Louisiana. Maryland Catholics descended from the original settlers. Louisana Catholics are commonly referred to as Cajuns. They are descendents of the Acadians (French settlers of eastern Canada) who were expelled by the British (1750s). Since World War II, the Catholic population has become much more difused througout the country.
Serving as an altar boy was an important experience in the life of many Catholic boys. This is primarily a Catholic experience, although some Protestant churches such as the Anglicans (Episcopalians) also have altar noys. America was settled as a Protestant country. There were some Catholics in Maryland, but America in the early 19th century was a predominantly Protestant country. Many disident Protestant groups came to America, but relatively few Catholics. It was not until the Irish Potato Famine (1840s) that large number of Catlholics came to America. The numbers increased in the late 19th century with the arrival of Italians and eastern Europeans such as the Poles. Many of these immigrants settled in the rising American industyrial cities. We do not have any images of American altar boys from the mid-19th century. We do have some from the late 19th and turn of the 20th century. There seems to have been awide range of vestment styles worn by the boys. Some boys wear very elegant surplices while others wear very simple garments. We do not have much information on actual altar boy experiences.
First Communion is a major milestone in the lives of Cathloic boys all First Communion was a particularly important event in the lives of many immigrant American families, especially Irish and Italian communities. New suits were often purchased for the occasion. Sometimes, but not always, the suits were white symbolizing the purity of the children. It was much more common to buy white dresses for the girls than white suits for the boys. Irish and Italian mothers were more likely to insist on white suits. The suits before the 1910s were mostly kneepants suits. Beginning in he 1910s, through the 1930s they were often Knicker suits and less commonly short pants suits. Beginning in the 1940s long pants suits were most common, although some boys wore short pants suits through the 1960s. Some parents chose white suits to emphasize the childrens purity, but dark black or navy suits were more common as they could be worn for other occasions after the First Communion ceremony. I am not sure when it became common to buy a boy a new suit for his First Communion. Certainly it was the standard practice in America by the ealy 20th century. Families that coud afford it bought their sons brand new suits. Some wre suits that could be worn for other formal events. Others were special white suits that were just for First Communion. Not all families could afford this. Suits since the 1960s have become increasingly less common with the boys only wearing ties and white shirts with a pair of slacks. The purchase of a new suit, especially a white suit, just for first communion has gradually passed out of fashion--cost being the primary factor especially as a white suit has few other uses. Now boys in many places simply wear white shirts. Girl still often are outfitted in dresses purchased just for the occassion.
We notice some special events for children at Catholic schools. One popular event was the blessing of the animals.
This involves a procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, is led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Animals. In medieval times this was often for farm animals, but in modern America is is primarily for children's pets. This is especially the case as Catholicism in American wa primarily an urban religion, nrought by European immigrants after the Civil War who mostly settled in cities. The ceremomy is conducted in remembrance of Saint Francis of Assisi and his love for animals. St. Francis loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and his first vrithers, staying in a small hovel, actually allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey. Francis wrote the famous 'Canticle of the Creatures' which was an ode to God's living things. "All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures." We notice other events in Catholic churches involving children, but can not always identify just what is going on.
Public schools began to develop in the early 19th century. They were controlled by protetant officials who in many cases were hostile to Catholocism. As large numbers of Catholic immigrants (primarily Irish) began to arrive in the 1840s, the Church decided to create their own separate Catholic schools. Suceeding waves of immigration from Catholic countries (especially Italy) greatly expanded the U.S. Catholic population. The Catholic schools at one pont were education more than 20 percent of American children. The Catholic schools unlike the state public schools insisted on a school uniform. I'm not sure why the Church made this decision, but may be due to the Irish and Italian influence or the fact that immigrant Americans were generally low income families and would be sensitive to preceived differrences in the clothing that poorer children might be wearing. The uniforms worn by the boys are usually white shirts and ties, sweater, and solid color--often blue pants. Usually the boys wore long pants, but many elementary schools now permit shorts.
The United States has a largely Protestant foundation. There was, however, no one single denomination. There were several Protestant disenrting churches in the northern colonies of varying importance. The Plymouth colony was founded by the Pilgrims, one of the dissenting groups. As more English colonists arrived, more denominations took root, inclusing the Anglican Church of England wgich became the established church as in England. The English/British appointed governor promoted the Anglican Church of Engand. In the souther colonies there were fewer disenting groups and the Anglican Church had even a greater importance. With the Revolution, the Constitution was basically silent on religion with the exception of Article 6 which states "[N]o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." It is the Bill of Rights (the First Amendmwnt) that established the principle of Freedom of Religion which overode the religious provisions in state constitutions. This was very different than in England where Catholics faced a range of legaly based descrimination. There were Catholic cgurches in Maryland, but the Catholic population in other states was relatively small. They faced varying degrees of discrimination, but not based in any legal bias. The first Catholics who came to America in large numbers were the Irish fleeing the famine (1840s). Other Catholics began coming to America in large numbers from Italy and other countries with Catholic populations. Most of the Catholic immigrants settled in the growing indistrial cities. Parish churches were formed around ethnic groups. Thus the churches had a common theology, but national orientationn uch as Irish, Italian, Polish, and others. Catholic bishops as opposed to Parish priests began to see a need for comstructing an Ameican Catholic church free of ethnic identity. Until this happened, Protestant America would continue to see Catholics as immigrant outsiders and not fully trust Catholics. And Catholic bishops began to pursue this goal. Archbishop John Ireland of Minneapolis was the strongest advocate of Americanizing the Church. He and other bishops like Cardinal Cushing in Boston pursued the goal of stripping the ethenic identity of parish churches and persuading parishoners become fully American. The bishops realized that until this happened, Protestant America would look at Catholics as immigrant outsiders feeding into anti-Catholic feeling. As a result, the Catholic hierarchy began breaking the ties between the new arrivals and Europe. And the hierarchy embraced a range of American ideas such as freedom of speech and religion. At the same time other other development acted to unravel European ties, including 1) ecomomic opportunity created by American capitalism, 2) a fine public school system, 3) political power gained at the ballot box, 4) World War I, 6) World War II, and 7) finally the post-World War II move from the inner city to the suburbs where new parishes were founded without an ethnic foundation. As a result, Catholic Ameicans began sounding and looking like Protestant Americans, often with a more fervent patriotic edge than Protesants. A new development is mass legal and illegal immigration from Latin America, largely because of the failure of socialist policies in those countries.
There are several Catholic shrines in America. There are shrines located all over the country in more than half of the states. Shrine is like most English words relatung to Cristianity, derived from a Latin word--'scrinium' This meant a case or chest for books or papers, meaning a container for a treasured item. As it evolved it came to mean a sacred place dedicated to a specific deity or person of importance, usually a religious figure or national hero. history. The shrine is thus a place where they can be venerated or in the case of a diety worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other objects associated with the figure who is being venerated. In English speaking countries, shrines are most often associated with Christianity. Not all Christian denominations have shrines, but they are common in the Catholic Church, as well as the Episopal (Anglican) and Orthodix churches. They are no associated with Protestantism because most shrines are dedicated to saints. The Roman Catholic Code of Canon law (canons 1230 and 1231) reads: "The term shrine means a church or other sacred place which, with the approval of the local Ordinary, is by reason of special devotion frequented by the faithful as pilgrims. For a shrine to be described as national, the approval of the Episcopal Conference is necessary. For it to be described as international, the approval of the Holy See is required." As far as we can tell, most of the American shrines are shrines decicated to saints, not places where something of religious significance occurred.
American immigrants tended to organize along national lines. The Irish were the first to cvome in strength (1840s). Other Catholic hroups were hesitant to emigrate to a largely Protestant country. This did not chnge until asfter the Civilm War (1861-65). Apparently the lure of American prosperity overcsme religious comncerns. Important national groups came from Ireland, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, and smaller countries, at the time provinces of the multi-national Austro-Hungarian Empire. The result is that many national groups can be found in specific cities. And the same was true for neigborhoods in the larger cities. Many Catholic churches had national orientations. And some of the national churches were associated, but not part of the Catholic Church. There were quite a number different Catholic denominations. We see some of this in the photographic record with the parisiiners, espcially the girls wearing national styles for special occassions.
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