The Catholic Church in the Twentieth-Century American West: Spatial Realities, Demographic Growth, and Roman Observations

Abstract

The population of the American West—defined here as the states west of the Missouri River, including Alaska and Hawaii—grew dramatically during the twentieth century. Lured by product demand, tourism, improved transportation, and heavy federal government investment, Americans flocked to these states, especially California and Texas. This demographic surge led to an increase in the numbers of Catholics in the West and an explosion of new dioceses. As the West grew, the Vatican took notice. Correspondence between authorities in Rome and U.S. bishops reflect Western Catholicism's growth and transnational identity but also evidence the particular challenges of Catholic expansion. This essay maps the West's dramatic growth and Rome's response, bringing to Western historians' attention the significance of the region's Catholic presence and providing a lens for better understanding the American West's social and cultural experience.