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

[dzheremi]

Here in New Mexico it’s similar, as you might imagine…though I don’t think it would be necessary to have a movement to secularize place names. Even people who speak Spanish (which is a lot of our population; in my city, there are more Hispanics than Anglos, and even many of the Anglos speak Spanish) generally don’t make the religious connection with city names like “Las Cruces”, “Santa Fe”, etc. They’re just place names now.

 

[Immacolata]

Wasnt Maryland Catholic until the protestants came in and took over. If I remember correctly the first American Bishop was in Baltimore? Correct me if Im wrong Again…if Im remembering correctly… Catholicism was outlawed on pain of death?

Indeed; Maryland was founded as a safe haven for the minority Catholics of England, whom were heavily antagonized by Protestants - Maryland was even the site of the first Catholic Mass celebrated in the Colonies.

However, when Anglicanism was declared the official religion of Virginia, a group of Puritans came to Maryland and were given a land of what is now Annapolis. The Puritans rebelled against the Catholic-controlled government, declaring Catholicism (as well as Anglicanism) illegal, burning all of the original Catholic churches in Maryland. A few years later, the Calvert family (who founded the colony, and were Catholic) resumed control of the government, and re-instituted the Maryland Toleration Act, which defined tolerance of the several denominations of Christianity; however, after the Glorious Revolution in England, Maryland again declared Catholicism illegal, and it remained illegal until after the American Revolutionary War.

 

[ltwin]

Wasnt Maryland Catholic until the protestants came in and took over. If I remember correctly the first American Bishop was in Baltimore? Correct me if Im wrong Again…if Im remembering correctly… Catholicism was outlawed on pain of death?

It was founded by Catholics, the Calverts, and it was a safe haven for Catholics. However, legally, it was never officially Catholic. It tolerated all Christian faiths, so there were both Catholics and Protestants in Maryland. The Protestants clashed with the Calverts on a lot of issues, not just religion. They got the king in England to issue a new charter that ousted the Calverts from leadership and paved the way for the establishment of the Church of England.

Catholics were disenfranchised, however, there is indication that the anti-Catholic laws were not rigidly enforced. Catholics were barred from holding political office, but some Catholics still held office.

 

[ltwin]

California, with its strong Mexican history, has a LOT of places wth “religeous” names. We have a small movement here which wants to secularize all place names. What a job that would be, and they have no idea. Just count the number of cities starting with San or Santa. And let’s not forget our state capital: Sacramento. Can we not just get over it?

It’s not just a Spanish American thing either. Think of how many places throughout the country have names like Fall’s Church, VA; Salem, MA; Mt. Sinai, NY; Bethesda, MD; Mt. Zion, SC; Trinity, NC; Nazareth, KY; Bethlehem, MO; Bible Grove, IL; Gospel Hill; TX; Calvary, GA.

 

[andrewstx]

You left out the Footwashin’ Baptists…

Actually my paternal Grandmother was a “foot washin Baptist”, But the real name is Free Will Baptists.