[redgolum]

Mexico hasn't been a Catholic, or even a Christian, country since the early part of the 20th century. The Mexican Revolution had as one of its goals, the ending of Christianity. The Catholic's in Mexico suffered a lot, and to a great extent have never really recovered.

[Nihil Obstat]

Good point. I was just reading about an article abut the Mexican anti-clerical laws. From the article:

The constitution of 1917 highlighted and institutionalized many of the nineteenth-century secular reforms. The new constitution included at least five articles that affected all religious groups, regardless of denomination. These articles, appeared to preclude any national role for the Catholic Church. Article 3 forbade churches from participating in primary and secondary education. Article 5 prohibited the establishment of religious orders. Article 24 mandated that all religious ceremonies occur within church buildings. Article 27 gave the state ownership of all church buildings.

Article 130 contained the most extensive restrictions on the Roman Catholic Church. The article stated that the Roman Catholic Church lacks legal status; ecclesiastical marriages have no legal standing; state legislatures can determine the maximum number of clergy operating within their boundaries; and operation of church buildings requires explicit government authorization. Among the most contentious provisions of Article 130 was Section 9: "Neither in public nor private assembly, nor in acts of worship or religious propaganda shall the ministers of the religions ever have the right to criticize the basic laws of the country, of the authorities in particular or of the government in general; they shall have neither an active nor passive vote, nor the right to associate for political purposes."

I can't imagine living like that. Many priests were shot and killed just for wearing the collar in public. The laws were not repealed until 1992.