Joshua Bennett
Catholicism is a Christian religion with a significant global following. However, despite its widespread observance, Catholicism has been the target of hatred and prejudice throughout history. This sentiment, known as anti-Catholicism, has manifested in various forms, from violent riots and church burnings to political movements and discriminatory policies. While anti-Catholic sentiment has diminished in recent times, it still persists, as evidenced by the rise in anti-Catholic hate crimes since 2013. This enduring hostility towards Catholicism warrants examination to understand its historical roots, present-day manifestations, and impact on Catholic communities worldwide.
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What You'll Learn
Anti-Catholic sentiment in the US
In the 19th century, anti-Catholic nativism emerged, fuelled by xenophobic, ethnocentric, and racist sentiments directed towards waves of Catholic immigrants, particularly from Ireland, Italy, Poland, Germany, Austria, and Mexico. This led to incidents such as the 1844 riots in Philadelphia provoked by anti-Catholic "Native Americans". The growth of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 20th century further fuelled verbal and ideological attacks on Catholics, with prominent figures like US senator Hugo Black giving anti-Catholic speeches.
Anti-Catholic sentiment continued to impact politics in the 20th century. Al Smith's presidential bid in 1928 was hindered by Lutheran and Baptist opposition, and John F. Kennedy faced similar obstacles during his 1960 campaign. However, Kennedy's election as the first Catholic president marked a turning point, as anti-Catholic sentiment gradually diminished. This shift was influenced by various factors, including the assimilation of Irish and Italian Catholics into the American middle class, reducing them as targets of ethnic and religious animus.
Despite progress, anti-Catholic sentiment has persisted in the US, with the Catholic Church facing scrutiny over sex abuse scandals and opposition to its teachings on human sexuality, contraception, and abortion. Additionally, intra-ecclesial conflicts among Catholics have also contributed to divisions within the community. While some argue that anti-Catholic discrimination is largely a non-issue today, FBI statistics show a recent increase in anti-Catholic hate crimes, indicating that anti-Catholic sentiment still exists in the US.
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Anti-Catholic riots in Philadelphia
In 1844, Philadelphia witnessed some of the bloodiest rioting of the pre-Civil War era, as anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant mobs attacked Irish-American homes and Roman Catholic churches. The violence was part of a wave of riots that swept through American cities starting in the 1830s, but the Philadelphia riots of 1844 stood out for their duration and severity. The riots were fuelled by ethnic and religious antagonism, with nativist groups targeting the city's Irish Catholic population. This period of unrest would eventually lead to the consolidation of Philadelphia County in 1854 and the establishment of standing police forces.
The immediate cause of the riots can be traced to a disagreement between Catholics and Protestants over religious instruction in public schools. Catholics objected to their children being taught from the Protestant King James Version of the Bible and protested the use of Protestant prayers and hymns in schools. They also rejected anti-Catholic books and materials that were often used in classrooms. The Catholic Bishop of Philadelphia, Francis Kenrick, communicated these complaints to the Board of Controllers of Public Schools in late 1842, sparking a swift and overwhelmingly negative reaction from Protestants.
On May 3, 1844, the American Republican Party, a precursor to the nativist "Know-Nothing" Party, held a meeting in a predominantly Irish part of the Kensington District. Irish residents attacked the platform where the speakers were standing, and the nativists retreated. Two days later, on May 5, the nativists returned in greater numbers and inflammatory remarks during the rally sparked fighting between local Irish Catholics and nativists. The violence spilled outside, where nativists were shot at by people in nearby buildings, resulting in at least one death.
The riots continued on May 6, with nativists attacking the Seminary of the Sisters of Charity and several Catholic homes. Two more nativists were killed, and a mob marched to Kensington carrying an American flag and a banner declaring, "This is the flag that was trampled by Irish papist." On May 7, nativists denounced Catholics and called on Americans to defend themselves from "the bloody hand of the Pope." The violence escalated on May 8, with nativists burning down St. Michael's Catholic Church and rectory, as well as several homes, before soldiers arrived and contained the fire. Another nativist mob gathered within Philadelphia and burned down St. Augustine's Catholic Church, despite the presence of city troops and pleas for calm from Mayor John Morin Scott.
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Catholics' views on homosexuality
The relationship between the Catholic Church and homosexuality is complex and often contentious, involving conflicting views between the Church and some in the LGBTQ community. While the Catholic Church does not consider same-sex attraction to be a sin, it does view homosexual acts as "grave sins against chastity". The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which contains the Church's dogmas and teachings, describes "homosexual tendencies" as "objectively disordered" and states that homosexual persons are "called to chastity".
According to the Catholic theology of sexuality, all sexual acts must be open to procreation and express the symbolism of male-female complementarity. The Church does not recognize or perform sacramental marriages between same-sex couples, and some Catholic organizations have campaigned against LGBTQ rights worldwide, advocating for chastity and celibacy among LGBTQ Catholics. However, the Church also teaches that all same-sex individuals must "be accepted and treated with respect, compassion, and sensitivity", and Pope Francis has taken a notably different approach from his predecessors, supporting civil unions for same-sex couples and denouncing sodomy laws.
The views of Catholics around the world vary regarding same-sex marriage and homosexuality in general. In Western Europe, large majorities of Catholics in countries like the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany support legal same-sex marriage. In the Americas, majorities of Catholics in Canada, Argentina, and the United States also believe that society should be accepting of homosexuality. However, in Central and Eastern European countries, most Catholics oppose same-sex marriage, with high percentages in Ukraine, Hungary, and Poland believing it should be illegal.
The Catholic Church's position on homosexuality has developed over time, influenced by papal interventions, theologians, and the Church Fathers. While the Church does not officially approve of reparative therapy, it has, in the past, opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and instructed that those with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" cannot be admitted to the seminary or holy orders. The Church's teachings on homosexuality are based on interpretations of the Bible, including passages from Genesis, Leviticus, Romans, and Corinthians, which are understood to condemn homosexual behavior.
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Catholics' concealment of information
The Catholic Church has long maintained a culture of secrecy, particularly regarding the Seal of Confession, also known as the Seal of the Confessional or the Sacramental Seal. This seal imposes an absolute duty of confidentiality on priests regarding any information they learn from penitents during the Sacrament of Penance (confession). Canon 21 of the Fourth Council of Lateran in 1215 laid the foundation for this obligation of secrecy, and it has been reinforced by subsequent Catholic doctrines and laws.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly states that priests are bound under severe penalties to maintain absolute secrecy regarding the sins confessed to them. This secrecy extends beyond the specific details of the sins and includes any knowledge about the penitent's life that may be revealed during confession. The Church considers this secrecy so sacred that it punishes with excommunication anyone who divulges or records, by any technical means, the contents of a confession.
However, the obligation of secrecy in the Catholic Church extends beyond just the Seal of Confession. The Church has been criticised for its culture of secrecy and clericalism, which has been linked to the sexual abuse scandals involving Catholic clergy. In some cases, Church leaders have prioritised confidentiality and the priest's right to privacy over the prevention of harm to victims and the vindication of their rights. There have been instances where Church leaders kept information from parishioners and pressured victims not to inform authorities or the public about abuse allegations.
Additionally, the Church has been accused of institutional cover-ups and following a "playbook for concealing the truth" regarding sexual abuse allegations. A Pennsylvania grand jury investigation uncovered a pattern of behaviour by Church authorities aimed at covering up crimes and protecting the perpetrators. This included the use of euphemisms to minimise the severity of sexual assaults, conducting inadequate internal investigations, and actively avoiding involvement of law enforcement.
While the Church defends its position on secrecy as necessary for preserving the sanctity of confession and religious freedom, it has also faced legal challenges. Several U.S. states, including Washington, New Hampshire, and Texas, have enacted laws mandating priests to disclose information about sexual abuse revealed in confession, despite the Church's stance on the inviolability of the Seal of Confession. These conflicting obligations between civil law and Church law have created a complex dynamic, with priests facing the difficult choice between upholding Church doctrine or complying with secular authority.
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Catholics' persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses have faced persecution from various governments and groups throughout their history. While it is challenging to find specific instances of direct Catholic persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics and Jehovah's Witnesses have had tense relations, and Catholics are among the groups that have contributed to the broader societal persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Jehovah's Witnesses experienced significant persecution in Nazi Germany. From the 1890s to the 1930s, they were targeted by the Nazi regime due to their refusal to take an oath of loyalty to Adolf Hitler, perform military service, or conform to the totalitarian ideology of National Socialism. Regional governments, particularly in Bavaria and Prussia, broke up their meetings, ransacked their offices, and confiscated their publications. The distribution of a "Declaration of Facts" in 1933, asserting the group's political neutrality, prompted further persecution. By the end of 1932, over 2,000 legal actions were instigated against them, and members faced dismissal from jobs and schools, deprivation of income, and physical abuse.
In the United States, Jehovah's Witnesses also faced persecution during the 1930s and 1940s. Authors like William Whalen and former members like Barbara Grizzuti Harrison have argued that the group's provocative actions and outspoken condemnation of authorities and other religious groups contributed to the persecution they faced. The American Civil Liberties Union recorded 1,488 attacks on Witnesses in 300 communities between May and October 1940, with mob violence and arrests occurring.
In more recent times, Jehovah's Witnesses have faced persecution in Russia, where they have been branded as an "extremist" group and had their property confiscated by the government. Similarly, in Eritrea, members of all ages have been arrested and imprisoned without trial, leading to international rights groups calling for an end to the persecution.
It is worth noting that Jehovah's Witnesses have also faced opposition from Catholic groups. In 1933, the Australian government banned sermons by Witness leader Rutherford, which included diatribes against the Catholic Church. Additionally, in 1917, Rutherford released a book that strongly criticized Catholic clergy and their involvement in World War I.
While the specific reasons for the tension between Catholics and Jehovah's Witnesses require further exploration, it is clear that the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses has been multifaceted and complex, involving various religious, political, and societal factors.
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Frequently asked questions
People say Catholics hate because of the Church's teachings on issues relating to human sexuality, contraception, and abortion.
In 1844, mobs burnt Catholic churches and hunted down victims in Philadelphia. In 1989, members of ACT UP and WHAM! disrupted a Sunday Mass at Saint Patrick's Cathedral to protest the church's position on homosexuality, sex education, and the use of condoms.
Anti-Catholic sentiment in the US has a long history, including the "'Native Americans'" who rioted in Philadelphia in 1844, the Know-Nothing Party of 1854-1856, and the growth of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 20th century.
Some people disagree with or oppose Catholicism due to its teachings on sin and virtue, its ceremonial practices, and its concealment of information.
The Catholic Church maintains that it does not hate anyone but rather loves all persons deeply and wants them to find eternal happiness with Christ.
