By Rev. Fr. Timothy J. Sauppé, S.T.L. (August 17, 2026)
The following is a survey of Catholicism and the role that individual Catholics have played in the formation of the United States. It will focus on the District of Columbia and the role of the Carroll family members, Catholic connections to President George Washington, and then followed by shorter sections covering Illinois history and the Spanish settlements on the West Coast. I hope to show how Catholicism played a small but integral role in our nation’s founding and expansion. As a postscript, I briefly address the issue of slavery and the Catholic Church. As you read, I invite you to dig deeper into this history and then, in particular, to take public pride in our One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church; for God’s Providence has given us this nation, with an ethos of religious liberty that allows us to freely choose the good and the moral, and to avoid vice.
Contents:
1. Founding of the City of Washington: District of Columbia2. Colonial Maryland and Catholic Roots
3. The Carroll Family and Catholic Roots
4. General/President George Washington and Catholicism
5. Bishop John Carroll and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
6. Outside the Thirteen Colonies
7. Conclusion
8. Prayer for Our Government by Bishop John Carroll (1791)
Help Share America’s Catholic Heritage!
Are you passionate about the history of Catholicism in America? Would you like to help bring this rich and often-overlooked history to your parish, Catholic school, or local community?
If you’re interested in learning more or helping promote this important part of our nation’s Catholic heritage, we encourage you to contact the author, Rev. Fr. Timothy J. Sauppé at Stmary1903@yahoo.com, for additional information and opportunities to share his research.
Together, let us inspire future generations to discover and appreciate the profound contributions of Catholics to the founding and development of our great nation!
