Question to Non- Catholics of the USA (Catholics can chip in too!)

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MartinJordan

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Im an Indian of Asian descent so pls forgive me if I am ignorant of the laws of the United States. However, I happened to read an article about Stephen F. Austin (who’s name is where Austin, Texas originates) who has been stated to say

I wish the settlers to remember that the Roman Catholic is the religion of this nation. I have taken measures to have Father Miness formerly of Nachitoches, appointed our Curate, he is a good man and acquainted with the Americans–and we must all be particular on this subject and respect the Catholic religion with all that attention due to its sacredness and to the laws of the land…

Source: digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=541

Pls note bolded part.

Is the Roman Catholic religion the religion of the State of Texas?

Thanks in advance for any clarifications.

Peace

MJ
 
No Catholicism is not the religion of Texas, far from it. When anglo americans were settling in Texas, Texas was a part of Mexico, a Catholic state and the anglos had to ostensibly become Catholics but mostly in name only.

After the Texas revolution Texans broke off any ties to Mexico and they no longer had to pretend to be Catholic, and Texas became an unofficial but real Baptist state and has remained so since.
 
andrewstx said:
No Catholicism is not the religion of Texas, far from it. When anglo americans were settling in Texas, Texas was a part of Mexico, a Catholic state and the anglos had to ostensibly become Catholics but mostly in name only.

After the Texas revolution Texans broke off any ties to Mexico and they no longer had to pretend to be Catholic, and Texas became an unofficial but real Baptist state and has remained so since.
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I don’t know about the extent to which Texas can any longer be called a Baptist state. Baptists make up the largest group of Protestants in Texas, but there are more Catholics than Baptists in Texas, and I suspect that the gap will widen.
 
MartinJordan said:
Im an Indian of Asian descent so pls forgive me if I am ignorant of the laws of the United States. However, I happened to read an article about Stephen F. Austin (who’s name is where Austin, Texas originates) who has been stated to say

I wish the settlers to remember that the Roman Catholic is the religion of this nation. I have taken measures to have Father Miness formerly of Nachitoches, appointed our Curate, he is a good man and acquainted with the Americans–and we must all be particular on this subject and respect the Catholic religion with all that attention due to its sacredness and to the laws of the land…

Source: digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=541

Pls note bolded part.

Is the Roman Catholic religion the religion of the State of Texas?

Thanks in advance for any clarifications.

Peace

MJ
Click to expand...
There are no “state” religions in the United States, unless one calls secularism a religion. 😃
 
andrewstx said:
No Catholicism is not the religion of Texas, far from it. When anglo americans were settling in Texas, Texas was a part of Mexico, a Catholic state and the anglos had to ostensibly become Catholics but mostly in name only.

After the Texas revolution Texans broke off any ties to Mexico and they no longer had to pretend to be Catholic, and Texas became an unofficial but real Baptist state and has remained so since.
Click to expand...
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Not.

Texas has no state religion. No state does. And there are many more Catholics than Baptists in Texas now.
 
RyanBlack said:
I don’t know about the extent to which Texas can any longer be called a Baptist state. Baptists make up the largest group of Protestants in Texas, but there are more Catholics than Baptists in Texas, and I suspect that the gap will widen.
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I guess that would depend on what part of Texas you are talking about. Here in westexas Baptists huge parts have been voted dry, and even the latinoes are becoming Baptist and Pentecostal.
 
Not around here. True there is no official state religion, but try buying a drink west of I35, orgoing to a foot ball game and not having a Baptist "dear heavenly Father, in Jaysus name aymin baptist prayer shoved down your ears in impossible.
 
RyanBlack said:
I don’t know about the extent to which Texas can any longer be called a Baptist state. Baptists make up the largest group of Protestants in Texas, but there are more Catholics than Baptists in Texas, and I suspect that the gap will widen.
Click to expand...
Cool:D

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)uts. I am aware there is no official religion of the State or USA for that matter, but its great they still keep the names as they are especially the town names. Austin is short form of Augustine so Im happy 👍

MJ
 
He’s an ancestor of mine! I’m a descendant from his brother. Stephen didn’t have any children. This was pretty cool because that side of my family is the Catholic side, so I was wondering the other day if he was a Catholic. This is pretty cool. 😃 I digress. Carry on. hahaha.
 
You’ve received some good answers already MartinJordan, concerning the historical aspects of the “Catholicness” of Texas.

The take-home message, for all States of the United States, is that there is no established religion whatsoever, anymore. Texas used to be Mexican territory, and thus, Catholic by law. Likewise, Utah Territory (despite being officially US territory) was once a practical Mormon theocracy. Large sections of Pennsylvania were once heavily Mennonite, and the Congregational Church was the officially recognized Church of Connecticut up until the founding of the nation. None of these states are such, now.

History has informed the relative strength of various religions in various regions, but as these regions become more heterogenous, laws which respect religion have been challenged in court and (usually) ruled unconstitutional. Over time, the monotone religious fervor becomes diluted with immigration from other states and the overall religious demography of the US becomes less like a patchwork and more like a melting pot.
 
xixxvmcm85 said:
You’ve received some good answers already MartinJordan, concerning the historical aspects of the “Catholicness” of Texas.

The take-home message, for all States of the United States, is that there is no established religion whatsoever, anymore. Texas used to be Mexican territory, and thus, Catholic by law. Likewise, Utah Territory (despite being officially US territory) was once a practical Mormon theocracy. Large sections of Pennsylvania were once heavily Mennonite, and the Congregational Church was the officially recognized Church of Connecticut up until the founding of the nation. None of these states are such, now.

History has informed the relative strength of various religions in various regions, but as these regions become more heterogenous, laws which respect religion have been challenged in court and (usually) ruled unconstitutional. Over time, the monotone religious fervor becomes diluted with immigration from other states and the overall religious demography of the US becomes less like a patchwork and more like a melting pot.
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Yes, Ive got some good answers.

I suppose these kind of developments would mean names of places such as Corpus Christi would eventually have no meaning. 🤷

MJ
 
Texas…as of year 2000 in my words per wiki

The largest Church …the Catholic Church 4,368,969

The largest denomination…the Southern Baptist Convention 3,519,459
 
MartinJordan said:
Especially in Corpus Christi 😃

MJ
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And don’t forget

San Antonio
San Augustine
San Benito
San Diego
San Juan
San Marcos
San Patricio
San Perlita

Seriously, though, some number of Mexicans do end up leaving the Catholic Church - not all of them are involved and devout Catholics even in their home country. They go to church long enough to go through the sacraments up through First Communion and then they may or may not be confirmed. They are more “cultural Catholics” than really devout. So if they are recruited by determined Baptists or Pentacostals, they can’t really stand up to the pressure because they have no teaching to rely on. As many of us know, the Protestants who actively try to convert Catholics have a good spiel down.

:mad:
 
Porknpie said:
Texas…as of year 2000 in my words per wiki

The largest Church …the Catholic Church 4,368,969

The largest denomination…the Southern Baptist Convention 3,519,459
Click to expand...
So then the question becomes are there 900,00 members of the Missionary Baptist and other “Baptist” named organizations in Texas
 
4Squarebaby said:
So then the question becomes are there 900,00 members of the Missionary Baptist and other “Baptist” named organizations in Texas
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I know zero about Baptists. What’s with the different names when it comes to population of this Faith vs the Catholic Faith (in Texas)?

MJ
 
andrewstx said:
I guess that would depend on what part of Texas you are talking about. Here in westexas Baptists huge parts have been voted dry, and even the latinoes are becoming Baptist and Pentecostal.
Click to expand...
In the New Braunfels - Seguin area, up to Kerrville and Fredericksburg, it is strongly Lutheran, though I don’t know if Lutheran is the majority.

Jon
 
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