As we come off the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, Catholics have reasons for gratitude, pride, and renewed resolve.
In recent months, The Tablet has been detailing the Catholic experience in the American experiment. From the hard scrabble of colonial anti-Catholicism to the flowering of religious liberty and the vibrant Catholic presence in American life today, their story is one of perseverance,
patriotism, and providential contribution to the common good.
In the original 13 colonies, Catholics were a small and often suspect minority. Maryland, founded in 1634 as a haven for English Catholics under the leadership of the Calvert family, offered early promise with the Maryland Toleration Act of 1649.
Yet Protestants dominated politically and economically, and waves of anti-Catholic sentiment, often fueled by memories of the Protestant Reformation, led to legal discrimination, private worship only, and public rituals such as burning the Pope in effigy on Guy Fawkes Day Masses were often celebrated in secret by circuit-riding Jesuit priests.
The American Revolution marked a turning point. Seeking alliances with Catholic France and French Canada, General George Washington forbade the anti-Catholic observances among his troops. Maryland Catholics responded with zeal.
The “Maryland 400,” many of whom were Catholics, fought heroically at the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776. Their sacrifice on what is now sacred ground in Brooklyn reminds us that Catholic blood was shed for American independence.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, embodied this patriotic commitment. After the war, President Washington’s warm reply to Bishop John Carroll affirmed the Catholic contribution and helped lay the groundwork for the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty.
The seeds planted in Maryland’s experiment in toleration influenced the broader American commitment to freedom of conscience. The path ahead was not smooth, but by the 20th century, Catholic integration advanced through military service, education via the GI Bill, and electoral milestones of Al Smith and John F. Kennedy winning office.
Today, Catholics number in the tens of millions and contribute across every sector of society. That same spirit of gratitude and responsibility was reflected over the holiday weekend by Pope Leo, who prayed that America’s founding ideals would continue to shape the nation’s future.
“I join you in asking God’s blessings upon America’s future that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice, and peace,” he said.
This anniversary calls us to patriotism: grateful for the blessings of liberty and opportunity this republic has provided, honest about its historical shortcomings and failures to live up to its founding ideals. Religious liberty, won in part through Catholic sacrifice, remains essential not only for us but for all believers amid rising secular pressures.
As we celebrate, let us honor the saints and heroes who built the Church in America, and rededicate ourselves to forming the next generation in faith and civic virtue.
May the country, under Providence, continue its experiment in ordered liberty for another 250 years and beyond. May God bless the United States of America