As unfortunate a fact as this is, the idea of religious freedom in America has always faced challenges. The nation was founded in support of the Lockean ideals of life, liberty, and property (later expanded by Thomas Jefferson into “the pursuit of happiness”). Ideally, this “liberty” would include religious liberty, the freedom to follow the faith of one’s choice without government interference. Unfortunately, given that the majority of America’s founding population hailed from England, this was not initially the case; Catholics were not allowed to engage in such Lockean liberties.
At the risk of stating the obvious, England is indisputably the most culturally anti-Catholic country in the West, with antagonism towards the Church having manifested itself as a core tenet of the country’s identity for centuries. Like it or not, England associates Catholicism with the Gunpowder Plot and Mary Tudor’s burnings of Protestants; put simply, Catholicism is equated with political upheaval and murder on the British Isles. Granted, English historian Hilaire Belloc has produced evidence suggesting that the Gunpowder Plot was staged by Protestants in an attempt to further antagonize Catholics, and one could argue that punishing an entire Church for the (admittedly bloody) misconduct of one individual monarch is not entirely fair. But the fact remains: the popular sentiment among the English at the time was decidedly anti-Catholic, and this impacted Catholics’ treatment in the early American republic.
There are plenty of concrete historical examples that confirm this. Maryland, initially established as a safe haven for Catholics fleeing England’s bloody persecution, had banned public worship and Catholic education within a century. Maryland’s legislature further prevented Catholics from even holding civil office to rub salt in the wound. New York, one of the most influential colonies, took things further. Catholics could not vote, and Catholic clergy were not even allowed to set foot within the colony’s borders. The Puritans’ descendants, who populated New England, were similarly antagonistic.
Perhaps the anti-Catholic sentiment of the time was best encapsulated by the statements of John Jay, another founder best known for his work on the Federalist Papers. In 1774, Parliament produced the Quebec Act, which, among other things, allowed toleration of Catholicism in the Canadian territory. Jay responded with a letter to the English strongly reprimanding them for this action, littering his vitriolic tirade with a series of vague ad hominem attacks against Catholics, and claiming that even allowing Catholics into Canada would result in upheaval and murder. To summarize, the early American republic was not the easiest place to be a Catholic.
However, the purpose of this article is not to be needlessly cynical and pessimistic. The fact of the matter is that, from the nation’s infancy, the Lockean-turned-American value of liberty will come under attack once religion enters the picture. It was true then, and it is true now; but when liberty is challenged, there will always be those who strive to defend it. Charles Carroll, one of our nation’s Founding Fathers, is one of these champions of religious liberty, and his example proves that challenges to liberty can indeed be overcome through determination and good will.
A Marylander born in 1737, Carroll was of Irish descent, and received a Jesuit education growing up. He inherited a great deal of wealth, and an affluent estate, from his father. As he grew older and entered public life, Carroll gained influence, in part due to his economic status, but also because of his outspoken support of colonial independence from England. A driving factor in his mission was his desire to see religious freedom return to America, which he believed could come about if the fledgling nation broke ties with England.
Paradoxically, despite his prestigious position in the country, his status as a Catholic meant he was not legally a true citizen, which led to his authoring the letters in which he advocated for independence under the pseudonym “First Citizen.” Carroll had seen firsthand the effects of religious prejudice on his fellow Catholics, growing up nearly thirty years after Maryland made its decision to wipe any semblance of Catholicism from its borders. In his mind, breaking away from England and establishing a new, wholly American government offered a chance to right this wrong — and this was a chance he was willing to take.
Eventually, Carroll got his wish as the colonies officially broke away from England. In recognition of his efforts, he was given the opportunity to sign the Declaration of Independence. The colonies were now faced with the unenviable task of securing this independence through armed conflict, and Carroll courageously lent his support. In addition to the minor obstacle of facing the strongest military superpower in the world at the time, the colonists were plagued by surges of infighting and monetary struggles. Carroll’s influence was a major factor in overcoming both of these hurdles. Believed by many to be the richest man in the colonies, Carroll used his personal fortune to finance the war effort in the midst of its difficulties. Furthermore, using his position on the Continental Congress, Carroll emphatically campaigned to keep George Washington at the helm of the colonists’ army, preventing him from being replaced by his unhealthily ambitious, flagrantly self-seeking rival Horatio Gates.
There is a strong argument to be made that without Carroll, the colonists’ war efforts would have eventually fallen through, but thanks to him, America won its independence. Once this took place, Carroll got his wish: freedom of worship for Catholics was granted by the new American government, in part due to his sacrifices for his country. The odds were stacked against him, but he was inspired by his faith to fight for America’s future, and he succeeded.
Carroll continued to remain relevant to the American public scene after the war. He continued to use his wealth to support America, financing the new government, and donating to Catholic hospitals, schools, and charities. He worked to support his home state as Maryland’s senator, spoke out against slavery, and stayed true to his principles by freeing his own slaves. The longest-living signer of the Declaration of Independence, he died at 95, receiving the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist one last time before passing away.
In the present day, while we still live under the American government that gave Charles Carroll the ability to practice his faith without facing political consequences, the ideal of religious freedom certainly needs its defenders. America’s cultural landscape is not what it once was, and with plenty of organized religious groups facing conflict today for their stances on abortion and other pivotal issues, religious people across the country have made enemies by standing up for their moral beliefs. But Carroll faced very similar struggles in his own day, and despite being surrounded by enemies of his faith, he was able to make a positive difference in the history of America.
Nowadays, Christians in America are in a similar position to Charles Carroll. Though concrete circumstances have greatly changed, it is undeniable that Christian values are under heated attack in the public sector. There is much work to be done to promote them, and to change the hearts and minds of those who oppose them. Carroll’s life story, centuries later, is a strong reminder for us that victories for religious freedom can be won, if supporters of religion share his courage, conviction, and willpower.
For further reading:
- Carter, Charles Carroll. “Catholic Founding Fathers – the Carroll Family.” Www.catholiceducation.org, http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/history/catholic-founding-fathers-the-carroll-family.html. Accessed 3 Feb. 2024.
- “Religious Toleration and the New York State Constitution Editorial Note.” Founders.archives.gov, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-01-02-0216. Accessed 3 Feb. 2024.
- Winters, Michael Sean. “Anti-Catholicism & the Founders.” National Catholic Reporter, 1 Sept. 2010, http://www.ncronline.org/blogs/distinctly-catholic/anti-catholicism-founders. Accessed 5 Feb. 2024.
- Zimmermann, Mark. “A July 4 Remembrance of America’s Catholic Founding Father.” Crux, 4 July 2016, cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2016/07/july-4-remembrance-americas-catholic-founding-father. Accessed 5 Feb. 2024.
