So Dubuque Is Very Catholic, But What Does That Really Mean? (Des Moines: 2009, neighborhoods)

[dakota79]

It seems quite often in the other threads I've read about Dubuque, that people always remark on how Catholic Dubuque is, anyhere from 66-95%. Ok, I understand that. It also seems that they say it more as a warning rather just than a stat.

I am not judgemental about people's religious choices, and am very open to different beliefs and ideas, so maybe I am blind as to how being Catholic impacts a city.

Of course, it might play a part in the size of one's social network, but what else? What could I expect to find or not find in Dubuque that would separate it from somehwere else that was not as Catholic? Is the overall behavior of people different? Are certain things frowned upon or accepted that maybe a less Catholic city would not care about? I know things like that pexist in heavily LDS areas, but I don't know anything specific about Catholic areas.

My 92 year old aunt tells me stories from her childhood about how Catholic children could not interact with the non-Catholics. But that does not seem that common today, but maybe I'm wrong. Would a non-Catholic face discrimination in the workplace or elsewhere in Dubuque?

I am just curious, and is it really that big of an issue? Other than the number of churches, what would make someone visiting Dubuque be able to say "You can tell this a very Catholic place?"

Thank you in advance for any insight!

[El Rhino]

I guess there are just slight cultural differences and observances. I grew up/currently live on the South Side of Des Moines which is very Catholic (or at least more so than most parts of the city/state) and as a kid I remember not having homework, sports practices or other extracurricular activities on Wednesday nights, fish served on Fridays, advertisements for lent friendly meals, seeing people with ashes on their forehead on lent, priests holding a bit of prestige in the community, pasta dinners at churches and so on.

Other than a few small quirks I doubt it would be much different than living in a place that was heavily protestant.

[QuadCityImages]

Originally Posted by El Rhino

I guess there are just slight cultural differences and observances. I grew up/currently live on the South Side of Des Moines which is very Catholic (or at least more so than most parts of the city/state) and as a kid I remember not having homework, sports practices or other extracurricular activities on Wednesday nights, fish served on Fridays, advertisements for lent friendly meals, seeing people with ashes on their forehead on lent, priests holding a bit of prestige in the community, pasta dinners at churches and so on.

I don't consider the QC to be overly Catholic, but we have all that same stuff. What church you go to doesn't really come up around here when people meet for the first time, so I don't think it would affect much.

[Omaha Rocks]

It means that there are a LOT of Catholic Churches and bars in Dubuque.

50 years ago it would have been rather scandalous for Catholics to be friends with non-Catholics. But that's not true today.

[zz4guy]

Dubuque is catholic compared to the rest of Iowa. Only 23% of people in Iowa are Catholic but you double or tripple that amount in Dubuque. I think most of the surprised "oh my God everybody's Catholic" comments are from protestants from central and southern parts of the state.

I lived there a year and a half and never heard of anybody shunning you if you weren't catholic. There is a large protestant base and at least one protestant college/seminary in Dubuque.

[Wingfoot]

Usually a heavily Catholic city like Dubuque or Green Bay means that while many,esp. older Catholics are conservative, it 's not the wacko in your face kind, that one sees in the south or places where "born again " folks predominate.
Middle of the road places in my expierence

[Chicago60614]

Yeah, it's certainly not in-you-face Catholic. I've been there multiple times and have friends from Dubuque (catholic). While they're religious people, they're all pretty much fair-weather fans of the church.

I believe Dubuque and the surrounding area is more known for its Catholic history and Catholic infrastructure of churches, etc. than it actually is an active place where Catholisism reaches down into everyone's daily life in 2009.

I have two non-religious friends who moved to Dubuque a year ago, and it's never even come up in conversation. They probably don't even realize how Catholic the city actually is.

[geekduo]

It might play a part in the resistance being shown to Planned Parenthood's new facility and the lack of sex education in the schools.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by dakota79

My 92 year old aunt tells me stories from her childhood about how Catholic children could not interact with the non-Catholics. But that does not seem that common today, but maybe I'm wrong. Would a non-Catholic face discrimination in the workplace or elsewhere in Dubuque?

Surprised to see this observation. I came from a very Catholic family, but the stories I hear from aunts and uncles of your aunt's generation have to do with Protestants looking down their noses at Catholics. In the early to mid-20th century Catholics were barred from joining the YMCA and the YWCA. (The "C" statnds for Christian, for crying out loud!). Neighborhoods in the NE where I'm from were divided by ethnic lines, so Catholics and Protestants didn't mix much, except for the Catholic kids who went to public schools.

Maybe it has to do with which group is the majority in the community as to who looks down on whom? In Dubuque, the majority would definitely have been Catholics when your aunt was a child. Regardless, I think MOST US communities are well past that, even in the South.

[Chicago60614]

^ that's crazy. I'm so glad my parents raised me with no religion!!