Posted on 07/02/2012 12:06:36 PM PDT by marshmallow
SHELBY, N.C. — The day after a newspaper in the small town of Shelby, N.C., reported that the Te Deum Foundation had acquired nearby land for a new Catholic seminary and monastery, a group of nuns in habits stopped at a local service station.
Fifty years ago — 10 years ago and, to some extent, even today — many Southerners regarded Catholics as unsaved and Catholicism as a non-Christian mystery religion.
But that day, everyone at the station greeted and welcomed the sisters. One woman even asked the nuns to pray for her injured nephew.
This acceptance marks a sea change in the Southern Baptist and evangelical Protestant-dominated South, where Catholics make up less than 10% of the population, compared with double-digit percentages in most northern states.
The Diocese of Charlotte, where the seminary will be located, is a prime example of Catholicism’s explosive growth in the South. Formed in 1972, the diocese had an initial 11,200 registered Catholic families.
By 2010, there were more than 63,000 registered families and an estimated 291,000 unregistered Catholics, including many of Hispanic origin. This brings the total Catholic population up from just 1.3% in 1972 to 9.7% today.
Much of the growth comes from immigration: northern Catholics following technology jobs southward and Catholics arriving from Spanish-speaking countries. But Catholics from the north can’t expect to find the pockets of cultural Catholicism typical of the ethnic enclaves of big cities, and Hispanic Catholics won’t find a village whose rhythm revolves around feast days.
Within hours of their arrival in the South, newcomers will be welcomed heartily by their Protestant neighbors — and invited to their church services.
“In such an environment,” wrote Father Jay Scott Newman, pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Greenville, S.C., in his website welcome to parishioners, “those who are casual....
(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...
But Scarlett O’Hara was a Catholic! (As was her creator).
Oh, well. Thanks very much for posting.
Really? Famouse Southern civil war General P.G.T Beauregard was a Catholic and nobody seemed to have a problem with it.
Catholicism in Louisiana goes back a long way.
Oh now, can’t go spoiling the myth of the ignorant Catholic hating southerner, it’s very useful in certain circles. Why, next thing you know, somebody might figure out that much of Louisiana is Catholic and always has been.
I guess Louisiana isn’t the South?
Sort of like the libs talking about the anti-semetic history of the south until you point out that the Secretary of War for the CSA was Judah Benjaman - a Jew. He was without a doubt the most effective politician of the confederacy. I believe he ultimately held two cabinet positions because he was the only one who could get things done.
Of late, I’ve been running across more acknowledgment from those in Baltimore, DC, NYC, et al that there IS racism among the people there but “nothing like you’ll find in the DEEP South”.
Start with a false premise, wind up with a faulty conclusion.
Depends on which part of Louisiana. In southern Louisiana plenty of Catholics. In north Louisiana, not so much. During the construction of St. Joseph church in Shreveport men had to stand guard over the materials because they were threatened by the KKK. This was back in the 20s.
The KKK was active in Iowa back in the 20.
btw; in 1975, the Klan announced an organizing meeting at Unionville in northern Missouri and three men showed up.
Two were deputy sheriffs and one guy was from the FBI in Kansas City.
Was being "saved" a prerequisite for fighting in the Confederate forces?
I think we can both agree that your statement in no way speaks to the issue of whether Catholics are "saved" in the eyes of Southern Protestants.
I know a few Catholics at work but most of them transferred here from up North. We have one Catholic church in our area that I know of that is for American Catholics but most are Hispanic churches for all the illegals.
I feel than anybody from any denomination can be Christian. What church you belong to has nothing to do with anything as long as you follow the biblical guidelines for salvation.
The only real problem I have with the Catholic faith is their error in believing that they have to confess to a priest to keep themselves out of trouble. The Catholics that I know at work have the attitude that they can do anything they want (curse, lie, ect.) and just go confess it tomorrow and it will all be fine. Forgiveness for sin comes with responsibility to not do the same sin in the future to the best of your ability even though humans are very sinful creatures. Forgiveness is not a license to keep doing wrong. Priests don’t have the authority to forgive anything.
A friend of mine is Catholic but her husband is not. He asked her a biblical question once and she replied, “now George, you know I’m Catholic and we don’t know anything about the Bible”.
I have lived in the South all of my life. I don’t think they are bad or evil, just a little confused about what the Bible really says, but most organized religions are, even the Southern Baptists. I am a Southern Baptist and I hear a lot of Pastors preach on things that are not 100% biblical. I have attended a Catholic church a few times and in some ways prefer it to the Baptist. They are very peaceful and respectful places to be.
I am 57 years old and have never seen a real life Nun. Since I have attended Catholic churches and never seen one they must be pretty rare creatures. :-)
I don't know that there is any unifed, monolithic position on this "in the eyes" of Southern protestants any more than with Northern protestants. Different pockets go different ways.
My Missionary Baptist friend does NOT consider me a Christian since I am a Catholic. She tells me that HER sect is directly descended from Jesus even though I can name the person who started hers and the year (1889 or something like that). I had NEVER heard that Catholics aren’t considered Christian Takes all kinds.!!
The Cathedral in Raleigh is about the size of our Chapel here.
True, but in 1925 the governor and over half the legislature belonged to the KKK
in INDIANA
Your friend was being facecious when she said “Catholics” don’t know anything about the Bible”!! A practicing Catholic will have read the NT in three years of going to Mass on Sundys, since all three of our readings are ALL FROM THE BIBLE! And if she went to a Catholic school or CCD classes, she also learned all of the Bible. It’s just to make Protestants feel better about themselves!!!
No, I promise you that this lady knows nothing about the Bible. She is one of those Catholics, like some Baptists, that only attend church on Christmas and Easter. I do know some Catholics that are very knowledgeable about the Bible but I know just as many that are not.
Your friend is NOT Catholic if she doesn’t follow the rules of the Church.....she might CALL herself Catholic, but she isn’t really. She was BAPTIZED Catholic, but she ISN’T Catholic.
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