What does it mean to be Irish Catholic?

[adawgj]

I really don’t know where to put this.

But, maybe someone can help me out. What does it mean to be an Irish Catholic?

My grandparents were Irish and Catholic, does that make them Irish Catholic?

 

[pensmama87]

In my experience, it’s more of a cultural designation than a religious one. My husband’s family is Italian, and a lot of his relatives no longer practice Catholicism but consider themselves “culturally Catholic” because they still practice a lot of the Italian holiday traditions they grew up with.

For the Irish, there may be an additional incentive to identify as “Catholic” in addition to ethnicity because of politics, but someone who knows more about those can explain in greater detail.

I think sometimes people hear “Roman Catholic” and think that it designates where a Catholic comes from, which is not accurate.

 

[phil19034]

An “Irish Catholic” is a person who is Catholic and considers themselves to be Irish.

I.E. all Catholics living in Ireland. Or Irish diaspora living in other parts of the world who strongly identify with their Irish roots.

Same thing with Polish Catholics.

Irish Catholics tend to be proud of their history in America (and rightly so) because they played a huge role in building the Catholic Church in America during the 1800s and were often the ones who faced the most prejudice from English Protestants in the US.

Disclaimer: I’m not Irish. My Catholic heritage is of Italian & Spanish decent; though I’ve always attended Catholic parishes with mostly Irish & German decent.

 

[Exiled_Child]

My Grandpa Jack was Irish Catholic. I agree completely with both pensmama87 and phil19034, but I’d like to learn more about it, too. This subject really interests me.

 

[randomusername]

My Grandpa Jack was Irish Catholic. I agree completely with both pensmama87 and phil19034, but I’d like to learn more about it, too. This subject really interests me.

There’s nothing else to learn. Irish refers to nationality, while Catholic refers to religion. Irish Catholicism is not a rite. It’s just Catholicism in Ireland. An Irish Catholic is a Roman Catholic who is Irish.

 

[JRKH]

I believe this is largely an “American” thing.
Between about 1800 and 1900 several waves of immigration occurred from various parts of Europe. As each group came to a given city they formed their own “community” based on church, language, culture etc. The Church allowed for this and in many cases there were parishes established along ethnic lines very lose and even overlapping each other.

In my own family history, my mother lived on a street just a few blocks from two Catholic churches. Sts Peter and Paul were about 7 blocks one way and Sacred Heart was about 5 blocks the other way. Sts P&P was the German Catholic Church and Sacred Heart was the Irish Catholic Church. Because my mom’s family was of German heritage, they went to Sts P&P even though SH was closer.

Obviously the differing cultural backgrounds of the parishes would result in very different “flavors” in each parish, but as far as teachings go they would be the same.

Hope this helps.

Peace
James

 

[pianistclare]

My husband is Irish, born in Ireland Irish. Not a zillion generations back.
He identifies himself as Irish. And Catholic.
Not any hyphenated thing.
I believe it’s an American colloquialism. Like it’s somehow “quaint” or “blindly” Catholic.
He views it as a negative label. Like Irish Catholics just do like their parents did, with no thought process or learned opinions. Just obey the priest and sit down. He hates it.
He’s Catholic. Proud to be. And he’s Gaelic speaking Irish.

100%.

 

[Exiled_Child]

There’s nothing else to learn. Irish refers to nationality, while Catholic refers to religion. Irish Catholicism is not a rite. It’s just Catholicism in Ireland. An Irish Catholic is a Roman Catholic who is Irish.

Well, yeah, actually I know that. I’d just like to hear more about Irish Catholics is all. Like Phil said, “Irish Catholics” have played a big part in America’s history. For instance, among many other things, my Grandfather was deeply involved in the 1934 Longshoreman’s strike in San Francisco. It has absolutely nothing to do with Catholicism, per se, but there were tons of Irish immigrants who were Roman Catholic and who took part in that strike. That sort of history interests me a great deal.

 

[LongingSoul]

I’ve always perceived the term ‘Irish Catholic’ as a badge of honour sort of like saying I’m a Vietnam Vet or Holocaust Jew. My grandfather immigrated with his family to Australia as a child and was brought up very ‘Irish Catholic’. Their sense of being Catholic faithful is very much interwoven with their history of struggle with war and starvation and 'tragic’immgration. For a generation or two in new countries those of Irish decent identify in much the same way as exiled Jews who were booted from Egypt, wandered aimlessly until settling in a strange land.

 

[Exiled_Child]

I’ve always perceived the term ‘Irish Catholic’ as a badge of honour sort of like saying I’m a Vietnam Vet or Holocaust Jew. My grandfather immigrated with his family to Australia as a child and was brought up very ‘Irish Catholic’. Their sense of being Catholic faithful is very much interwoven with their history of struggle with war and starvation and 'tragic’immgration. For a generation or two in new countries those of Irish decent identify in much the same way as exiled Jews who were booted from Egypt, wandered aimlessly until settling in a strange land.

Australia’s history has always seemed especially cool to me, but I don’t know a thing about Irish Catholics down under. I’m curious, are Irish Catholics a very big demographic there?

 

[phil19034]

I believe this is largely an “American” thing.
Between about 1800 and 1900 several waves of immigration occurred from various parts of Europe. As each group came to a given city they formed their own “community” based on church, language, culture etc. The Church allowed for this and in many cases there were parishes established along ethnic lines very lose and even overlapping each other.

In my own family history, my mother lived on a street just a few blocks from two Catholic churches. Sts Peter and Paul were about 7 blocks one way and Sacred Heart was about 5 blocks the other way. Sts P&P was the German Catholic Church and Sacred Heart was the Irish Catholic Church. Because my mom’s family was of German heritage, they went to Sts P&P even though SH was closer.

Obviously the differing cultural backgrounds of the parishes would result in very different “flavors” in each parish, but as far as teachings go they would be the same.

Hope this helps.

Peace
James

My grandparents were born in a small coal mining town in the Pocono Mountains ¶. The town had less than 5000 people and nothing around it. There were 4 Catholic Parishes though.

One Byzantine Catholic Church and 3 Roman parishes. One Roman parish for the Italians, one for the Polish (and/or Germans, not 100% sure which) and one for the Irish!!!

Today, the 3 Roman parishes merged a few years back and then they reopened the Italian parish as a Chapel and Shrine.

 

[Avocadomom]

Where I’m from, the term “Irish Catholic” is a quick way to let someone know that the person you’re speaking of likes to drink, cuss, occasionally gets into a barroom brawl; but also goes to daily Mass.

 

[Irishmom2]

In my own family history, my mother lived on a street just a few blocks from two Catholic churches. Sts Peter and Paul were about 7 blocks one way and Sacred Heart was about 5 blocks the other way. Sts P&P was the German Catholic Church and Sacred Heart was the Irish Catholic Church.

Wow, that could be where I live now… Interesting…

 

[LongingSoul]

Australia’s history has always seemed especially cool to me, but I don’t know a thing about Irish Catholics down under. I’m curious, are Irish Catholics a very big demographic there?

We’ve got a relatively short history (200 years) and because of the smaller population, interbreeding probably diluted that strong sense of ‘Irishness’ that seems to be still a feature of US life. There’s never really been Irish enclaves in cities or strongly Irish parishes. Catholics of every flavour have just tended to muck into together. The Italians, Greeks and Asians have been better at retaining cultural enclaves here. Even St Patricks day celebrations which are still significant here basically presents just another excuse for the everyman to raise a beer with each other just wearing a green hat.

 

[randomusername]

Australia’s history has always seemed especially cool to me, but I don’t know a thing about Irish Catholics down under. I’m curious, are Irish Catholics a very big demographic there?

Irish criminals got shipped to Australia. Quite a few early Australian officials were Irish and there is quite a large proportion of Australia that is descended from Irish people. The difference is that in Australia people are less likely to refer to themselves as the nationality of their ancestors than some Americans who seem to hate saying the word American unless it has another nationality and a hyphen infront of it.

 

[pianistclare]

Irish criminals got shipped to Australia. Quite a few early Australian officials were Irish and there is quite a large proportion of Australia that is descended from Irish people. The difference is that in Australia people are less likely to refer to themselves as the nationality of their ancestors than some Americans who seem to hate saying the word American unless it has another nationality and a hyphen infront of it.

It’s the melting pot thing. Nobody wants to be “just American”.
But then, if you identify as Spanish-American, people blast you for not accepting American culture. You can’t win. That’s why these labels are so bad.
It’s not simply a matter of pride. It’s a negative most of the time. I’ve had friends who are part Native American, and other ridicules them like they are only mentioning it because they think they’re better. As long as we are not children of God first, we’ll always be pointing the finger at others.

 

[tafan]

I think one should use the term Catholic Irish, as opposed to Irish Catholic. Same with other countries: I will happily say I am a Catholic American, I would never say I am an American Catholic.

In grammar: the adjective is stronger than the noun, or to put it simpler: one’s nationality should affect one’s Catholicism very little, but I hope my Catholicism affects my Americanism a great deal.

 

[choose_to_love]

@phil19034: Your grandparents were from Freeland? Close?