[GonzoII]

"But what role did Catholics play in forming the institutions of this country? "

Daniel Carroll a Signer of the Articles of the Confederation/ U.S.
Constitution and U.S. Representative in the First Federal
Congress (1789-179)

Charles Carroll a Signer of the Declaration of Independence and a
Senator in the First U.S. Federal Congress (1789-1791)

Thomas Fitzsimons a Signer of the U.S. Constitution and U.S.
Representative in the First Federal Congress (1789-1791)

[chesley]

Yes, but how does that compare to, say, the number of Anglicans and other Protestants.

The founders of America were overwhelmingly British Protestants, at least nominally.

this is not to disparage the contributions that others made, but still. The Spanish Catholics, the Mexican CAtholics, the Viking Catholics, and the Irish Catholics, etc., while they may have been here, even first, did not play a significant role in the founding of this country, whatever they may have done since.