The Old Curmudgeon Muses on the Fourth of July

First of all, how many American Catholics realise that on 4 July 1776 the Catholic Church was illegal in the majority of the Colonies?

Even in Maryland, founded by Lord Baltimore as a haven for Catholics, with religious freedom for all Trinitarian Christians, the Church had been outlawed as soon as the Anglicans took control. Charles Carroll of Carrollton in Maryland, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, was probably the richest man in the colonies and a trained lawyer. His wealth did not help him, tho', since he was banned by law from voting or practising as an attorney.

One of the 'crimes' for which King George was 'indicted' in the Declaration of Independence was 'For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:'

This was a reference to the British North America (Quebec) Act 1774, commonly called the Quebec Act, one of the 'Intolerable Acts' according to the rebels.

Amongst its provisions, it:

• Removed the reference to the Protestant faith from the Oath of Allegiance so that Catholics could swear the Oath.
• Guaranteed the free practice of the Catholic faith, illegal in most of the other Colonies
• Restored the Catholic Church's power to impose tithes to support itself.

The idea that Catholicism should be freely practised in any part of British North America was 'intolerable' to the rebels.

This is why when Dr Franklin and Carroll of Carrollton led a delegation to Quebec to try to convince the Quebecois to join the rebellion, the Bishops ordered obedience to the Royal authority and the delegation was escorted out of the Province by the Catholic Canadiens.

And the anti-Catholicism did not magically disappear on 4 July 1776. There were serious anti-Catholic riots with Church burnings and attacks on convents as late as the 1840s, as I mention in the post on Abp Hughes of New York, linked below.

So, leaving aside for the moment my feelings as a monarchist and my natural distaste for republicanism, I see no reason for any Catholic to celebrate the Fourth of July. Yes, love your country. Patriotism is a virtue, but remember what Archbishop 'Dagger John' Hughes of New York said in 1850:

Our mission [as Catholics is] to convert the world –including the inhabitants of the United States – the people of the cities, and the people of the country, . . . the Legislatures, the Senate, the Cabinet, the President, and all!

So 'celebrate' the Fourth by getting out there and evangelising and in God's own time, the anti-Catholic Fourth of July will only be a footnote in the history books!