Catholic countries

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eelpis

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Are there any countries left where the Catholic Church is the established religion?
 
As far as I am aware, the Republic of Ireland is still an "official’ Catholic country. Although I could be wrong about that. However, I do know that Ireland will be forced to adopt un-Catholic practices as a result of their membership in Europe. By this I mean that they may be forced to adopt european laws pertaining to abortion, stem cell research etc.
 
In Poland, it is not officially, but the current concordat does include some provisions that make it close to being so.
 
Perhaps also Malta and Spain (if Zapatero and the socialists have not changed that recently?) Bolivia also has a Communist in the leading position.

What’s left of Christendom then? Is it totally devastated or could there be a Monarch who will establish it again?
 
Wikipedia lists the following as countries which currently have Catholicism as their state religion:
Jurisdictions which recognize Roman Catholicism as their state or official religion:
Argentina
Bolivia
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Liechtenstein
Malta
Monaco
Slovakia
Some cantons of Switzerland (state religion):
Appenzell Innerrhoden (declared “religion of the people of Appenzell Innerrhoden”)
Nidwalden
Schwyz
Uri
Vatican City (official religion)
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Jurisdictions which recognize one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches as their state religion:
Greece (Church of Greece)
Cyprus (Cypriot Orthodox Church)
Republic of Moldova (Orthodox Church)
Finland: Finnish Orthodox Church has a special relationship with the Finnish state. The internal structure of the church is described in the Orthodox Church Act. The church has a power to tax its members and corporations, the majority of which is owned by them. The church does not consider itself a state church, as the state does not have the authority to affect its internal workings or theology.
Russian Federation: Russian Orthodox Church, one of the four state religions of Russia alongside Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.
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I found it very interesting.
 
IrishAm said:
Wikipedia lists the following as countries which currently have Catholicism as their state religion:

I found it very interesting.
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“By the rivers of Babylon, where we sat down we wept when we remembered Zion.”

Perhaps these South American countries will be the base for a revival of the Catholic faith on a global scale.

“How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?”
 
eelpis said:
“How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?”
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Knowing that Wikipedia can be sometimes unreliable, I wondered if some of those “strange lands” were imaginary . . . where the heck is Appenzell Innerrhoden, Nidwalden, and Schwyz?
 
IrishAm said:
Knowing that Wikipedia can be sometimes unreliable, I wondered if some of those “strange lands” were imaginary . . . where the heck is Appenzell Innerrhoden, Nidwalden, and Schwyz?
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In der Schweitz presumably. The Swiss still protect the person of the Holy Father.😃
 
The special position of the Catholic Church was removed from the constitution via referendum in 1973. It had originally been introduced into the consituition of Eire when that replaced the Irish Free State in 1937 as point of historical interest.
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I am very suprised the Irish people would vote for this and I would like to know more about it. I thought Ireland remained one of the most Catholic countries in Europe and I assumed that they were proud of their fidelity to the Church.

On what basis was the special position of the Church removed? Why did the nation vote for this? I would like nothing more than to live in a country that grants special status to the Catholic Church. Surely such a status can only bring good things. This is why I don’t understand the situation that occured in Ireland.
 
eelpis said:
Are there any countries left where the Catholic Church is the established religion?
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The Philippines is 85% Catholic and here we walk, talk and breathe Christ daily. Nobody is embarrassed to talk about God and nobody gets offended when you do. Most conversations somehow will involve talk about Jesus and Mary.
 
Dempsey1919 said:
I am very suprised the Irish people would vote for this and I would like to know more about it. I thought Ireland remained one of the most Catholic countries in Europe and I assumed that they were proud of their fidelity to the Church.

On what basis was the special position of the Church removed? Why did the nation vote for this? I would like nothing more than to live in a country that grants special status to the Catholic Church. Surely such a status can only bring good things. This is why I don’t understand the situation that occured in Ireland.
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From what I remember from a talk I had to give on religion in Ireland a few years back.
The Fifth Amendment in 1973 removed from the constitution a reference to the “special position” of the Catholic Church as well as recognition of certain other named religious denominations.
Éamon de Valera in 1936-37 when drafting the constitution decided to mention and in some ways recognise religion in explicit detail - Article 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ireland.
De Valera, his advisers faced conflicting demands in his drafting of the article on religion. There was a demand at the time that that explicit recognition be given to the Catholic Church and with it made the state church. However at the same time there were the fears of non-Roman Catholics who were worried that in a predominantly Roman Catholic society they would face discrimination.
Additionally the prevailing attitudes of anti-semitism at the time in many European countries causing discrimination led De Valera to make special mention of many non-Catholic demonination and religions by name as being recognised by the state.
At the time many people were unhappy that the Caqtholic church wasn’t given special status as a state church. In fact a conservative Catholic group (Maria Duce) fought for this to happen till sometime in the 1950. Catholicism was given an undefined “special position” as the church of the majority. Many non-Catholics praised the 1937 constitution especially leaders of Irish Protestant churches and leaders of Jewish groups. Conservative Catholics condemned it as “liberal.”

By 1972 many people felt that this section of the constitution had become outdated and was not in line with modern thinking on the relationships between the churches. Additionally many people felt that the “special status” given the Catholic church was a stumbling block in North-South relationsips. Consequently a referendum was called in 1973 and 84% of people voted for article 4 to be removed. If you want to read more I would reccomend
Micheál Ó Cearúil, Bunreacht na hÉireann: A Study of Its Irish Text or
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1972(Full text at IrishStatuteBook.ie)
Gearoidin
 
I was researching this recently and found out that countries that celebrate CORPUS CHRISTI with a PUBLIC HOLIDAY are catholic countries… and my country was listed there TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.
So i guess you can count us in too.
 
By 1972 many people felt that this section of the constitution had become outdated and was not in line with modern thinking on the relationships between the churches. Additionally many people felt that the “special status” given the Catholic church was a stumbling block in North-South relationsips. Consequently a referendum was called in 1973 and 84% of people voted for article 4 to be removed. If you want to read more I would reccomend
Micheál Ó Cearúil, Bunreacht na hÉireann: A Study of Its Irish Text or
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1972
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I knew this would have been a factor in the removal of the “special status,” although I don’t see how this would have helped improve relations with the protestant north.
 
Try this for size. When I was in Venezuela in the 90’s, I was told that it was a Catholic country AND that every Marian Feast day was a national holiday. I don’t know how much of that has changed under Chavez.
prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B
 
Try this for size. When I was in Venezuela in the 90’s, I was told that it was a Catholic country AND that every Marian Feast day was a national holiday. I don’t know how much of that has changed under Chavez.
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I wish I lived in a country that still valued faith. In my last job, I wasn’t allowed any time off to go to Mass on Holy Days of Obligation. I even had to work a 12 hour shift on Good Friday. Needless to say, I wasn’t pleased about it.

I can’t imagine anyone in Venezuela having the same problems.
 
You will find the majority of devout Catholics are of my fathers age group or similar (60 plus).
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Unfortunately, England is the same. It would appear that the Catholic faith is dying in both Britain and Ireland. My Priest has predicted nothing but gloom for the future of the faith in the British Isles. The only place I have seen Catholics of my age group is America. The faith is much more alive and vibrant there.
Regarding the north, it would be a mistake to contend that is it ‘Protestant’ or ‘Catholic’ it is of course a mixture of both, but how much each religion is adhered to is debatable and the respective terms are often used more as crude tribal identities.
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Yeah, you’re right about that. I have close friends from both sides of the divide and none of them even mention religion when discussing the “troubles.” Sure, they call themselves Catholic or Protestant but it ultimately doesn’t matter. As you said, it’s more of a “tribal identity.” But this is a conversation for another time and another place.

It’s a shame that Ireland has lost it’s Catholic identity. Ireland was praised for it’s Priests and it’s Saints.
 
I was going to make this point myself (as a Derry woman born and bred) but you beat me to it! The north is approx 50% (just under) Catholic and the other half Protestant. You are correct that religion is used as a tribal identity but I would argue that the religious beliefs here are very strong. The churches here are actually extremely well attended on both sides of the divide…in fact I would argue that religion is taken much more seriously in the North of Ireland than in the South or in the UK. People have died here because of there respective religions not very many years ago…and when you are prepared to die for your faith you have to give it serious consideration. The South of Ireland has taken a big blow to its Catholic identity with the Church scandals and then the Celtic Tiger boom…money is the new religion. In the North we haven’t had that luxury and like any country where people suffer they hold on to their faith.
 
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