Compare and Contract Catholicism and Judaism

Catholicism and Judaism America is a country of diversity and freedom. It is commonly referred to a land of immigrants. This is a proud facet of American history; however, what are not proudly discussed are the difficulties faced by immigrants. Religion and ethnicity served as the basis for discrimination, as the Irish Catholics and Jewish population found out.

These two groups in particular share similar experiences, both discriminated against, both groups wanted to assimilate in their new country, but differ on their approach to these challenges and the severity of the prejudices these groups faced. Catholicism in the United States has a long history. Catholics were part of the original thirteen colonies, with a based in Maryland, where they could practice with no repercussions (Lippy, p.128).

During this era, the majority of Catholics were English; there would be other prominent ethnic Catholic groups such as German and French Catholics. The dominance of Catholicism as the largest single religious group would not happen until the middle of the 19th century with the influx of the "famine Irish." The influx of large numbers of Irish immigrants increased the suspicions of Protestant America.

Protestants already distrusted Catholics, "because of the mistaken idea that Catholics could never be good citizens or patriots since they were loyal to the pope" (p.128) among other reasons that stem from the religious conflicts in 16th century England. The Catholic religion saw their influence expanding with the increasing number of immigrants, even spreading to the west in the 1840s. However, the surge in religious devotion is confused with an attempt by Irish immigrants to adapt to their new surroundings.

The Irish, especially Irish domestic workers, saw their prosperous Protestant employers involved in organized religion (p.131), therefore believing that a living a religious life was a way of displaying their new American identity. Immersing themselves in Catholicism served two purposes, retaining their Irish heritage and showing their American pride. American Catholics wanted to demonstrate their compatibility with American life and published newspapers, built schools that served all denominations.

However, despite their attempts of assimilation, American Catholics particularly the Irish faced violent attacks, an example of this is the violence perpetrated by the Know-Nothing Party a nativist political group, in the Philadelphia region in 1844 (p.135). The Jewish experience is similar because, like the early Catholics, can be divided into eras associated with particular ethnic groups. Early Jews were of the Sephardic tradition, and were predominately in the colony of South Carolina. After American independence, there was an influx of Jewish immigrants who were of Ashkenazi heritage.

The German influence (Ashkenazi) came to dominate American Jewish life, like the Irish came to dominate American Catholic life. American Judaism during the mid-1800s saw the emergence of Reform Judaism, which began in Germany but flourished in America (p.138). The Reform movement saw changes to Judaism that reflected Western and American culture such as synagogues imitating Christian styles, offering religious instruction for both genders at Sunday schools, promoting.