Catholics in the U.S.
Catholics Sites
Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul - 1723 Race St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Daylesford Abbey (Links to an external site.) - founded in 1954 as the Daylesford Priory at the former Alexander Cassatt Estate in Daylesford, Pennsylvania. The priory moved to Paoli in 1963 where a new building had been constructed. A 700-seat adjoining church was added in 1966.
Click HERE for tips and guidelines for how to visit a Catholic church.
Readings/Resources
Dolan, Jay P. The American Catholic Experience: A History from Colonial Times to the Present. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1985.
Matovina, Timothy. “Remapping American Catholicism.” U.S. Catholic Historian 28, No. 4. Remembering the Past, Engaging the Present: Essays in Honor of Moises Sandoval (FAll 2010): 31-72. Link to full text HERE.
McGreevy, John T. Catholicism and American Freedom: A History. W. W. Norton & Company, 2003.
Orsi, Robert. The Madonna of 115th Street: Faith and Community in Italian Harlem, 1880-1950, Third Edition. Yale University Press, 2010.
Swidler, Leonard. “Human Rights and Religious Liberty – From the Past to the Future,” In Religious Liberty and Human Rights, 1986.
Roman Catholicism
With over a billion devotees worldwide, Roman Catholicism is one of the largest religious denominations on the planet, and the largest branch of Christianity which stems from the teachings of Jesus Christ.
History & Beliefs
The beginning of Roman Catholicism can be traced back to the beginning of what we know as Christianity; that is to say the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, his death, and his resurrection.
Jesus Christ: Also known as Jesus of Nazareth, Christ lived during the 1st Century A.D. and is perceived as the Son of God in Catholic religion. Details on the life of Jesus vary, but many believe that historically Jesus was born a Roman citizen, he was of Jewish descent, and he worked as an artisan/carpenter.
The Virgin Mary: the mother of Christ, giving birth to him on what is now recognized in the Catholic community as the holiday of Christmas.
The Apostles: the original followers of Jesus Christ, and the teachers of his message after his death and resurrection.
Life, Death, and Resurrection: the belief that Jesus was indeed a real person, that he died on the cross and was resurrected three days later; his establishment of Catholic foundations symbolizes the Catholic Church as an extension of his teachings.
Holy Trinity: Catholics believe that God as a supreme deity is composed of three individuals: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Spread of Christianity: after his death, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ were spread by his apostles, particularly Paul who incorporated people into the sect who were not Jewish, leading to a more inclusive denomination.
Before churches were established in cities, followers of Jesus would conduct early forms of what we now recognize as masses within the confines of their homes.
The Pope and the Vatican: many cite the Gospel of Matthew as being evidence in scripture of a foundation of the role of the papacy, proclaiming Peter as the leader of the church.
The Pope is known as the infallible spiritual authority of Catholicism, residing in Vatican City, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
Seven Sacraments: established by Jesus Christ and instituted by the Catholic church as a sacred tradition of devotion to the son of God:
Baptism - water ceremony typically done shortly after birth in order for an infant to be relieved of inherent sin and granted access to the kingdom of God.
Eucharist - also known as “communion,” the process of ingesting bread and wine, which are in Catholic faith actually the “body and blood” of Christ.
Confirmation - the understanding and accepting of what it means to be a member of the Catholic church, typically done as the child is older and can appreciate the situation.
These first three sacraments are known as the “Sacraments of Initiation.”
Penance - also known as “confession,” this involves the reconciliation and absolution of sin by a priest in order to be relieved of past wrongdoings.
Anointing of the Sick - also known as “last rites,” this is typically done when an individual is near death, and a priest uses sacred oils and words to comfort and forgive the dying before they pass.
These two sacraments are known as the “Sacraments of Healing.”
Marriage - the sacred bond of holy matrimony held between a baptized man and woman.
Holy Orders - the rising through the ranks within the hierarchy of the church, in which one can become a deacon, priest, or bishop.
These last two sacraments are known as the “Sacraments of Service.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church: a publication that essentially explains the foundations and beliefs of Catholicism and its faith; the writing includes prayers, sacramental teachings, and the Apostle’s Creed.
Catholicism in the United States
As many Europeans were traveling to America in the 16th Century, Catholic missionaries were often greeted with skepticism, contention, and violence by Native Americans. As the colonies were established in later decades, Catholics were treated as minorities and excluded in many of the English colonies.
Coming to the New World to escape the oppression of the Church of England, many colonists were skeptical of Catholics and their Pope. The similarities in elements such as doctrine between the Church of England and Roman Catholicism instilled fear in these Protestant immigrants and established a synonymous relationship between English heritage and anti-Catholic sentiment.
As Protestantism became the majority religious denomination in the newly formed United States after the American Revolution, Cathlic immigration increased in America forming gradual tension between Protestants and Catholics.
Many Catholics were arriving from areas such as Ireland, Germany, and Poland.
All were looking to establish a foundation for themselves and were met with discrimination by Protestants.
In 1844, Philadelphia played host to a series of violent events known as the Bible Riots, which illustrated the height of anti-Catholic sentiment in the United States. (See separate case study)
As immigrants arrived and settled, many Catholic churches differed in either promoting ethnic or territorial parishes:
Ethnic parishes welcomed members of one language group i.e. Polish, Italian, German, Irish, etc.
Territorial parishes reached out to all who lived in the neighborhood around the church.
As years passed, Catholicism not only increased in popularity but also modernized with the times and established itself with prominence within the United States.
Readings/Resources
Casanova, José. "Roman and Catholic and American: The Transformation of Catholicism in the United States." International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society 6, no. 1 (1992): 75-111. http://www.jstor.org.libproxy.temple.edu/stable/20007073.
Cummings, Kathleen Sprows. "American Saints: Gender and the Re-Imaging of U.S. Catholicism in the Early Twentieth Century." Religion and American Culture: A Journal of Interpretation 22, no. 2 (2012): 203-31. doi:10.1525/rac.2012.22.2.203.
Hirschman, Charles. "The Role of Religion in the Origins and Adaptation of Immigrant Groups in the United States." The International Migration Review 38, no. 3 (2004): 1206-233. http://www.jstor.org.libproxy.temple.edu/stable/27645430.
How to Visit a Catholic Church
The Catholic presence in Philadelphia dates to the early eighteenth century. Early Catholics in the area were immigrants from Germany and England, but they were followed by newcomers from Ireland, Italy, Poland, and other parts of Eastern Europe. Today many parishes have services that reflect the languages of more recent immigrants including Spanish and Vietnamese.
When to visit: Worship services or masses are held throughout the week, but many Catholics attend on Sunday morning.
What to wear: Both men and women should dress modestly. Men can wear jackets and ties, but they should at least wear long pants and a button-down shirt. Women should wear a long dress or long skirt and blouse.
What to expect during the service: As congregants enter the sanctuary, they may dip their first two fingers into the holy water font and make the sign of the cross on their bodies. They may also partially kneel before taking a seat in the pew. The service itself contains two basic elements. The first is known as the Liturgy of the Word and includes the reading of scripture, the reciting of prayers and a short homily or sermon given by the priest. The second part of the service is known as the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The priest will read from a liturgical text and consecrate the elements of bread and wine. Ushers will guide congregants to come forward to receive a portion of the bread and wine. Catholics believe that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is made present during the mass.
Participation by Non-Catholic Visitors: Guests are expected to stand when others are standing but non-Catholics are not expected to kneel. Non-Catholics are asked to refrain from partaking in the Eucharist.
Length of the Service: Sunday masses typically last around one hour but masses during other times of the week may be shorter.
The Sacred Space:
Altar: this is the table upon which the ritual of the Eucharist is performed.
Chancel: is the space surrounding the altar where the priest stands and is set apart from the congregation.
Nave: this refers to the place where congregants sit in pews that face in the direction of the altar. The pews have a kneeling rail that can be lowered during certain points of the service.
Holy Water Fonts: These are containers of water located at the entrance to the sanctuary. Catholics dip their first two fingers in the water and then make the sign of the cross.
Baptistery: the place where baptisms take place. It is often located near the altar.
Pulpit: located at the front of the sanctuary, this is the podium where the scriptures are read the sermon is preached.
Confessional Room: this is a small divided booth where Catholics confess sins to a priest behind a screen. Confession is also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Ritual Objects:
Bread and Wine: These elements are believed to become the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ during the Eucharist ritual.
Paten and Chalice: The paten is a round metal plate which holds the bread and the chalice is a metal cup that holds the wine.
Candles: represent the light of Christ.
Statues: of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and other saints may be found throughout the church. Congregant may pause to kneel and pray before these figures.
Religious Leadership:
Priest: the priest is the leader of the congregation and reads the Gospel Lesson, delivers the homily (sermon) and administers the Eucharist. Priests are typically addressed by their last name with “Father” i.e. Father Miller.
Lector: the lector reads some of the scripture passages and sometimes leads prayer.
Catholic Holy Days:
Christmas: holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ – held on December 25.
Ash Wednesday: is celebrated 40 days before Easter and initiates a 40-day period of fasting and penitence known as Lent.
Holy Week: this is the week that precedes Easter and includes the following special days:
Palm Sunday: celebrated the Sunday before Easter, this day commemorates the entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem where he was crucified.
Maunday Thursday: this is a celebration of the Eucharist that takes place just before Easter. It commemorates the “Last Supper” that Jesus had with his disciples.
Good Friday: this takes place two days before Easter and commemorates the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus.
Easter: holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Observed on a Sunday in late March or early April.
Pentecost Sunday: this day is celebrated fifty days after Easter to commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit up on early Christians.
Feast Days: Catholics are expected to attend mass for many other special days held throughout the year.
For current dates, consult the Inter-Faith Calendar at http://www.interfaithcalendar.org
For more information about area Catholic churches, visit the Archdiocese of Philadelphia website at www.archdiocese-phl.org
