Friday, November 4, 2011

How George Washington Destroyed The Anti Catholic Guy Fawkes Day- Do we another Need Washington?

It's that time of the year again and Guy Fawkkes day is upon us in a good bit of the English speaking world.

Unlike most areas of the old British Empire now the Anglo Sphere Guy Fawkes day never became a big day in the United States. We have one man largely to thank for destroying an largely anti Catholic holiday. That was George Washington. I did a rather extensive post on that here at Today Is Huge Day In American Catholic History- George Washington Orders End To Guy Fawkes Day .

Anti Catholicism by no means ended but it was a critical moment in Catholic and indeed American history as a whole that is often forgotten.

One wonders if we another George Washington to appear on the scene. Some strains of anti Catholicism can be seen now more than ever but come from a more secular viewpoint. In fact looking at it reminds me of some of the bizarre anti Catholic literature of the late 1800's.

But regardless we should be thankful that a man like Washington appeared on the scene when he did.

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