Many people hold a distorted idea about the presence of the Catholic Church in the origins of the United States, fueled by myths, black legends, and stereotypes spread by Hollywood.
The image of the Inquisition Court or the inquisitor Torquemada, often evoked, belongs more to the realm of imagination than reality: that institution was limited, focused only on Catholics, and its jurisdiction did not extend beyond the Spanish Empire, as seen in the famous chapter “The Grand Inquisitor” of Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, set in Seville.
Persecution and the Search for Religious Freedom.
Catholics faced persecution since the Protestant Reformation, especially in England after the break with Rome by Henry VIII, the Act of Supremacy (1534), and the martyrdom of Thomas More. This oppression drove the migration of Catholics to America in search of religious freedom.
Maryland: A Catholic Refuge.
The Province of Maryland was founded in 1632 by Cecil Calvert, second Lord Baltimore, under the auspices of Charles I —in honor of his wife, Queen Henrietta Maria— as a refuge for persecuted Catholics and as an experiment in religious tolerance. The first group of settlers arrived there in 1634, and the first Mass on continental soil was celebrated.
In 1649, Maryland passed the famous “Maryland Toleration Act,” the first law in North America to extend freedom of worship to all Trinitarian Christians.
Catholics as Founders.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence (1776). He was one of the wealthiest colonists, received Jesuit education in Europe, and became a prominent voice for religious freedom. His cousin, Daniel Carroll, was also a key figure: he signed the U.S. Constitution and was the brother of the country’s first Catholic bishop, John Carroll —founder of Georgetown University.
Legacy and Cultural Influence.
Over time, Catholic migration flows increased from Ireland, Germany, France, and territories such as the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The western regions, bringing with them an already established Latin culture, had consolidated socio-religious structures, with catechized indigenous peoples who followed the Laws of the Indies.
The Catholic Church maintained its institutional unity —Apostolic and Roman— unlike the many independent Protestant denominations. A notable example is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., built in Byzantine-Romanesque style, considered the largest Catholic church in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world.
Defense of Life and Current Cultural Struggle.
The Catholic Church in the U.S. has been a strong voice against abortion and euthanasia. A notable moment was when Mother Teresa stated (August 3, 1993) that “the greatest threat to peace today is abortion, because it is war against the innocent child.”
In contrast with many Protestant churches that have adapted to new trends (such as same-sex marriage), the Catholic Church maintains a firm commitment to its traditional teachings, resisting ideologies such as secular atheism or “wokism.”
Catholic influence in the U.S. is profound —from the founding of Maryland, the signing of foundational documents by Catholic figures, to contemporary architecture and moral leadership— when many simplified narratives should be reconsidered with historical facts and serious sources.
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