Completely subjugated? You have a strange definition of not-so-long-ago, The last explicitly pro-Catholic government was under Maximillian I from 1864-1867. From 1917 through the 30’s Mexico was ranked with the USSR and Republican Spain when it came to friendliness towards the Church—complete with firing squads for the priests.
Max was impeached with extreme prejudice in 1867.
His castle, Chapultepec, is a Mexico City tourist trap.