James McMaster Quotes
There has never been a day in which Catholics, in the communion of the Church and uncensored by her, have not held slaves.
James McMaster, 1820-1886, Editor, “The Twin Relics of Barbarism,” New York Freeman’s Journal, April 7, 1860
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Though Leo XIII was very much opposed to slavery, his claim that the Catholic Church “from the beginning” sought to end slavery overlooks the inconsistent reality of several of his predecessors’ teachings. For an example of this inconsistency one may find a relevant example as late as the 19th century, see the teachings of Gregory XVI {611428}, Pius IX {612304}, and Leo XIII {611844}
In addition to being a Roman Catholic priest, Father Coughlin was an outspoken radio commentator who was well known for his controversial political opinions, see {598783}, {598784}.
The Roman Catholic Church in America had a very difficult problem with slavery. Catholics were themselves a minoirty, hated and distrusted by many Protestants. In most of the country, the distrusr was based on their large immigrant population, but in the South Catholic theology was hated and the Vatican and Pope were particular targets. The Catholic Clergy generally did not want to take sides in the most contentious issue in America since its inception. The Southern Catholic Clergy did not have that option as in the South, anyone who was not a supporter of slavery was an "enemy of the community and subject to all kinds of violence." Some Southern priests were willing to take the personal risk but did not want to put their followers at risk. In a strange consequence, Catholics--especially Irish Catholics--fought on both sides of the Civil War and often against each other. While it was not an exemplary moral behavior for the Church, there were difficult pressures on Catholic leaders. Further, most of the lowest and most difficult, undesirable jobs were filled by Catholics and most Catholic laymen so and end to slavery as the start of pitting the Catholics against the Blacks. So there was not a groundswell for abolition in most Catholic parishes even in the North.
He had been born and brought up as a Roman Catholic but converted to Islam. The Catholic Church was for much of European History, the Government or a co-equal of Government in terms of power. As such it primary not only represented the power structure was the power structure and tended to always support the status quo. In America, the Catholic Church was also in a complicated situation. There was extensive anti-Catholic bigotry and sentiment in early America some of which still exists. The South with its poorer level of education and its protestant fundamentalist bent was the source of a disproportionate level of anti Catholicism. The Catholic hierarchy chose not to make a moral issue out of slavery and stayed away from abolitionist coalitions in order to curry favor and have Catholics seen in a favorable light by slave owning southerners who were the power elite. Like the Pope choosing not to combat Hitler given all the German Catholics, the Church generally supported slavery.
Most historians agree that by “superstition,” Grant was referring to the Catholic Church, which had been steadily growing will more and more immigrants arriving in America. There was great hostility between Protestants and Catholics at the time.
While this apostolic letter condemned the slave trade, it fell short of clearly implicating the entire practice of slavery. It is clear that the Catholic Church at this time was reluctant to abandon its earlier teaching which approved of “just title” slavery. This distinction approved of “slavery” in circumstances in which the person was deprived of their liberty justly. Specific examples in the past have included slaves captured in war, persons condemned to slavery for a crime, and those who sold themselves into slavery.
American Catholic bishops were divided during the Civil War over the slavery question. For a bishop’s view opposing abolition of slavery, see Hughes {611579}.
Smith was the first Roman Catholic to run for President. He was very popular but there was a substantial amount of anti-Catholicism in America at the time. He lost, probably by the margin of the anti-Catholic vote.
Prior to Vatican II, freedom of conscience was not explicit in Catholic Doctrine. The controlling view had been that of Pope Pius IX a hundred years earlier. See {612299}.
James McMaster was a 19th-century American Roman Catholic newspaper editor and activist known for his conservative political views and ultramontane religious values. McMaster was a "states rights" Democrat, "...ever intemperate and always arch-conservative."
