by Jay P. Dolan
First published 1994
Mexican Americans form the biggest group among U.S. Hispanics. Their relationship with the American Catholic Church spans the longest history and involves the deepest struggle for institutional acceptance. Three prominent historians tackle this overlooked religious story in a major study. They focus their research on Mexican American faith communities across three regions: the Southwest, California, and the Midwest. The authors examine how these communities developed their religious practices and fought for recognition within the broader Catholic structure. This work fills a significant gap in understanding how Mexican Americans shaped and were shaped by American Catholicism during the first two thirds of the twentieth century. The book reveals the tensions between traditional Mexican Catholic practices and American church expectations while documenting the persistent efforts of Mexican American believers to claim their rightful place in American religious life.
Genres: 20th-century, american, ethnic-studies, church-history, academic, cultural-studies, catholic, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-tensions, institutional-acceptance, religious-practices
Setting: Southwest, California, Midwest
Period: 1900-1965
352 pages · Hardcover · Univ of Notre Dame Pr