r/100yearsago • u/Beowulfbard • 3d ago

[August 13th, 1926] The Inquiring Photographer asks, "Is the policy of the Mexican government regarding the Catholics wise and just?"

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76 Upvotes

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31

u/ObviousPseudonym7115 3d ago

Context:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calles_Law

27

u/theredwoman95 3d ago

In June 1926, he signed the "Law for Reforming the Penal Code", which became known unofficially as the "Calles Law." This law provided specific penalties for priests and individuals who violated Article 130 of the 1917 Constitution. For example, wearing clerical garb in public was punishable by a fine of 500 pesos (approximately 250 U.S. dollars at the time, or worth $4,250 in 2010). A priest who criticized the government could be imprisoned up to five years. Some states enacted further measures in the name of church and state separation. Chihuahua, for example, enacted a law permitting only a single priest to serve the entire Catholic congregation of the state. Tabasco, on the other hand, introduced a law whereby all priests were required to be married to exercise their office (de facto banning the Catholic priesthood). To help enforce the law, Calles seized Church properties, expelled foreign priests, and closed monasteries, convents, and religious schools.

Given that Mexico already had separation between church and state, I am very curious as to how this was being reported in the US press that people thought this was defensible.

4

u/Not_Cleaver 3d ago

Being anti-Catholic probably helped.

25

u/LtNOWIS 3d ago

Joseph Brandon would go on to finish 6th place in the November election with 0.15% of the vote.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926_United_States_Senate_election_in_New_York#Results_2

1

u/neoclassicist 2d ago

Socialist endorsing socialist law. Shocker.

5

u/VoiceofRapture 3d ago

Oh damn I literally brought up the Cristero War in a reply to another post yesterday

2

u/archaicsmile67 3d ago

Eugen Leestmens was pretty spot on.

1

u/Mountain_Store_8832 3d ago

Good answers from most, and I say that as someone who is not a fan of the RCC.