Joshua Bennett
Boston is an influential center for American Catholicism. According to the 2010 Religion Census, 45% of Massachusetts residents consider themselves Catholic, and 36% of Boston residents identify as Catholic. The Archdiocese of Boston is the fourth-largest in the United States, encompassing Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk Counties in Massachusetts. The history of the Catholic Church in Boston is marked by waves of immigration, particularly from Ireland, and the establishment of the Diocese of Boston in 1808. Boston's Catholics have faced discrimination and persecution, but have risen to prominent positions of political, economic, and social power. The Boston Archdiocese was also at the center of the Catholic Church's clergy sex abuse scandal in the early 2000s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Boston residents who identify as Catholic | 36% (as of 2014) |
| Boston's rank among cities with the largest Catholic populations in the US | 1st (tied with New York City and Pittsburgh) |
| Number of dioceses in Boston | 8 |
| Number of Catholics in Boston | 850,000 |
| Boston's rank among the largest Catholic archdioceses in the US | 4th |
| Boston's first cathedral | Church of the Holy Cross |
| Current archbishop of Boston | Richard G. Henning |
| Boston's first bishop | Jean Cheverus (a French-born missionary priest) |
| Boston's first archbishop to be named cardinal | William O'Connell |
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What You'll Learn
Boston: a centre for American Catholicism
Boston has long been a centre for Catholicism in the United States. The city's first Catholic church, Holy Cross Church, was established in 1788 by Abbé de la Poterie, a former French naval chaplain. In the same year, Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Boston, taking all of New England from the Diocese of Baltimore. The first bishop of Boston, Jean-Louis Lefebvre de Cheverus, was a French-born missionary priest who had been working in the area for years.
Boston's Catholic community grew rapidly in the 19th century, fuelled by waves of immigrants arriving in the region from Ireland, Germany, Italy, and elsewhere. By 1843, the Diocese of Boston had grown so large that it was divided into three new dioceses: the Diocese of Hartford, the Diocese of Burlington, and the Diocese of Portland. The Archdiocese of Boston, established in 1808, is now the fourth-largest archdiocese in the United States, encompassing Essex County, Middlesex County, Norfolk County, and Suffolk County in Massachusetts.
Boston's Catholics have played a significant role in the city's political, economic, and social life. They have produced skilled leaders such as William O'Connell, Boston's first archbishop to be named cardinal, and even America's first and only Catholic president, JFK. However, the Catholic Church in Boston has also faced challenges, including a decline in membership in the 1960s due to social change and a sexual abuse scandal in the early 2000s.
Today, Boston remains an influential centre for American Catholicism. According to the 2010 Religion Census, 45% of Massachusetts residents consider themselves Catholic, and 36% of Boston residents identify as Catholic. The Archdiocese of Boston continues to play a significant role in the life of the city and the wider Catholic Church in the United States.
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Boston's history of Catholic immigrants
Boston has a long history of Catholic immigration, which has played a significant role in shaping the city's culture and demographics. The presence of the Catholic Church in Boston dates back to the colonial era, with the arrival of Catholic Irish immigrants as early as 1654. These early Irish immigrants often faced persecution and were "sold" into indentured servitude, with Catholicism being outlawed in the region. Despite this, they established themselves in and around Boston, with many settling in what is now Maine and New Hampshire.
The American Revolutionary War marked a turning point for Catholics in Boston. With the colonies' alliance with Catholic France, attitudes towards Catholics began to shift. The Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, written by future US President John Adams, established religious freedom for Catholics in the state. This was a significant development, as the Massachusetts Constitution served as a model for other state constitutions and eventually the federal constitution. By the end of the 18th century, Boston's first Catholic church, the Holy Cross Church, was established, and the Diocese of Boston was erected in 1808.
In the 19th century, Boston experienced waves of immigration, including a significant number of Irish Catholics. This led to heightened anti-Catholicism and suspicion toward foreigners, with the burning of the Ursuline Convent in 1834 being a notable example of anti-Catholic sentiment. Despite this hostility, the Catholic population in Boston continued to grow, and by the end of the century, they had made important advances in the social order, including the election of the first Catholic mayor.
The early 20th century saw a continuation of Catholic immigration to Boston, particularly from Southern Europe and Latin America. This period also witnessed the centralization of power under Archbishop (later Cardinal) O'Connell, who worked to assert a strong Catholic identity in the city. O'Connell oversaw the expansion of the Archdiocese, and by the early 21st century, Boston was considered one of the most Catholic cities in the United States, with 36% of residents identifying as Catholic according to a 2014 study.
However, the Catholic Church in Boston has also faced significant challenges, including the sexual abuse scandal that badly damaged the Boston Archdiocese and led to a decline in the number of Catholics in the region. In recent years, there has been a surge of immigrant parishioners, particularly from Latin America, Brazil, Haiti, and Vietnam, which has brought new energy and diversity to the Catholic community in Boston.
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The Diocese of Boston
The Boston Archdiocese is considered a uniquely American Catholic institution, with a significant history in the birthplace of American Puritanism. Boston's Catholics have risen to high levels of political, economic, and social power, with a strong parish system and skilled leaders. However, the archdiocese faced a decline in the 1960s due to social change and struggles with authority, sparking widespread opposition to the Church's teachings on birth control.
The Archdiocese of Boston encompasses several counties in Massachusetts, including Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk. It includes most of Plymouth County, except for the towns of Marion, Mattapoisett, and Wareham. The mother church of the archdiocese is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, and it is currently headed by Archbishop Richard G. Henning, who has served since October 31, 2024.
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Boston's Catholic sex abuse scandal
Boston is one of the most Catholic cities in the United States, with 36% of its residents identifying as Catholic. People of Irish descent represent more than a quarter of the city's Catholics and an even higher percentage of its ruling class. The history of the Catholic Church in Boston is a success story, but it took a turn in the 1960s when the Boston Archdiocese, along with the Catholic Church in the rest of the US, went into decline. In 1968, Pope Paul VI issued an encyclical reaffirming the Church's opposition to artificial birth control, which sparked opposition from priests and laity. This led to a decline in church attendance and fewer priests entering seminaries.
In the decades before World War II, Boston's Catholics rose to prominence in politics and built a strong parish system. They also faced discrimination from the city's Protestant-dominated institutions. Boston's first archbishop to be named cardinal, William O'Connell, served from 1907 to 1944 and was a militant champion of Catholicism, refusing to cooperate with Protestants.
Starting in 2002, the Boston Archdiocese faced a sexual abuse scandal that sparked investigations of Catholic Church sexual abuse cases across the United States. The Boston Globe exposed the scandal, publishing around 800 articles on the topic. The scandal involved allegations of sexual misconduct by priests and the cover-up of these crimes by Catholic bishops, who reassigned accused priests to other parishes, allowing them to continue their crimes. One of the most notorious cases was that of Father Geoghan, who was put in charge of three youth groups, including altar boys, and sexually abused children for years despite multiple complaints and sick leaves. The Boston Globe's investigation revealed that the Archdiocese of Boston had privately settled sexual abuse claims made by Catholic families against 70 of its priests over the previous decade. The scandal had far-reaching consequences, with Cardinal Law resigning, 150 priests in Boston being accused of sexual abuse, more than 500 victims filing abuse claims, and church donations to the archdiocese slumping by 50%.
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The Catholic Church's decline in Boston
Boston has long been considered one of the most Catholic cities in the United States. In 2014, 36% of Boston residents identified as Catholic, according to the Public Religion Research Institute's (PRRI) study. However, according to a new poll from the PEW Research Center, only 30% of Boston adults identify as Catholic today, indicating a decline in Catholic Church membership in the city.
The history of the Catholic Church in Boston is a story of both success and decline. The city's Catholics have overcome persecution and risen to prominent positions of power. Boston's first Catholics were Irish immigrants who faced discrimination and hostility from the city's Protestant majority. Despite these challenges, they built a strong parish system and produced influential leaders, such as William O'Connell, Boston's first archbishop to be named cardinal. O'Connell centralised power and constructed numerous religious and educational institutions, including churches, schools, seminaries, convents, and hospitals.
However, the Catholic Church in Boston began to face challenges in the 1960s. The Boston Archdiocese, along with the Catholic Church across the United States, struggled to adapt to social changes and retain priests and parishioners. Pope Paul VI's encyclical reaffirming the Church's opposition to artificial birth control sparked widespread opposition, leading some Catholics to stop attending mass or leave the Church. The Church's stance on birth control also resulted in couples having fewer children, impacting the future generations of Catholics.
In recent years, the Catholic Church in Boston has faced further challenges, with some members feeling alienated by its conservative beliefs. The Church's stance on LGBTQ+ issues and infertility treatments, such as surrogacy, has been a source of controversy. The sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic Church, which came to light in 2002, has also contributed to the decline in membership. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic and certain statements from the Vatican have further distanced some Catholics from the Church.
Despite these challenges, there are still devoted Catholics in Boston, such as Madeline Marlett of Dignity Boston, who is working to support Catholic LGBTQ+ youth. While the Catholic Church in Boston may be declining, it continues to play a significant role in the lives of many residents and in the history and fabric of the city itself.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the Public Religion Research Institute's (PRRI) 2014 study, 36% of Boston residents identify as Catholic.
Boston is tied with New York City and Pittsburgh as the most Catholic city in the US.
Boston's large Catholic population is due to several factors, including immigration. The city has seen waves of Catholic immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Italy, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and other Latin American and Caribbean countries. Additionally, Boston's Catholics developed a strong bond with their priests, who helped immigrants with various needs, such as paying rent and filling out citizenship papers.
