Happy 500th Anniversary!
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit….” Matthew 28:19
No, that is not a typo in the title. While we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, 2026 is also the 500th anniversary of the first Catholic Mass offered in what is now our country. In 1526, Dominican friars Antonio de Montesinos and Anthony de Cervantes celebrated the first Catholic Mass in the short-lived Spanish colony, San Miguel de Gualdape on the Carolina coast.
Catholics were instrumental in the founding of our country, starting with Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World. In the 16th century, several Jesuit, Franciscan and Dominican missionaries spread the gospel throughout Florida. In the late 17th century, French explorer Louis Jolliet and Jesuit missionary Fr. Jacques Marquette became the first Europeans to explore and map the upper Mississippi River region. In the late 18th century, Fr. Junipero Serra embarked on establishing missions throughout California. Even the Declaration of Independence includes the signature of a Catholic, Charles Carroll.
Since the original 13 colonies were settled by English colonists, Catholicism was not widely accepted. Maryland was the most tolerant colony towards Catholics, though there were also small Catholic communities in Pennsylvania and New York. The other 10 openly discriminated against Catholics. Still, George Washington was a strong proponent of religious tolerance and was known to attend services of numerous faiths, including Catholic Masses. There are even stories circulating that he converted to Catholicism prior to his death. Today, approximately 20% of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, the largest faith group in the country.
As we continue celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary, pause to contemplate the important role Catholics played in the founding of our nation. The people and events mentioned above only scratch the surface; there are so many more. Happy Independence Day and God bless America!