What are the most CATHOLIC parishes in Louisiana? (New Orleans, Baton Rouge: living, moving)

[2ner]

Here's map on percent Catholic by Louisiana Parish.

[Tall Traveler]

I grew up in South Louisiana in a Catholic majority area but my parents were north Louisiana Protestants so we were Baptists. For our church basketball team, we recruited mostly catholic guys for our team and won the state basketball baptist church league for several years. I since married Catholic girl and converted to Catolica just so we went to the same church....Catholic or Protestant are both fine for me.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Here in Baton Rouge most of my friends are Baptist, Methodist or non-denominational and it seems these predominate particularly around Livingston Parish, Central, and Zachary. Some of these were raised Catholic but have converted to other denominations so its interesting to see how these maps change through the years. I think this is part of a national trend that's not unique to Louisiana. Also most black people here are non-Catholic unlike in the New Orleans area where there are many black Creole Catholics.

[ral31]

There are a good number of Catholics here in the Alexandria area; though the area overall is more dominated by Protestants; it seems the Catholic population is highest in the city of Alexandria and in rural areas in the plain of the Red River (southeast of Alexandria going towards Avoyelles Parish, and northwest where there's a significant Belgian population).

Catholics here seem generally pretty conservative (fiscally and socially, except for alcohol/gambling). Much of my family is Catholic.

[2ner]

Originally Posted by ral31

There are a good number of Catholics here in the Alexandria area; though the area overall is more dominated by Protestants; it seems the Catholic population is highest in the city of Alexandria and in rural areas in the plain of the Red River (southeast of Alexandria going towards Avoyelles Parish, and northwest where there's a significant Belgian population).

Catholics here seem generally pretty conservative (fiscally and socially, except for alcohol/gambling). Much of my family is Catholic.

I knew someone who moved to Lafayette from Shreveport. When she went back home for the holidays after living in Lafayette for a while, she said her mom was shocked when she cracked open a beer for dinner. She said that people in Lafayette do that all the time, but that it was unusual in Shreveport.

[ral31]

Originally Posted by 2ner

I knew someone who moved to Lafayette from Shreveport. When she went back home for the holidays after living in Lafayette for a while, she said her mom was shocked when she cracked open a beer for dinner. She said that people in Lafayette do that all the time, but that it was unusual in Shreveport.

When I went to college in Ruston, I was surprised that my Baptist roommate wanted nothing to do with Mardi Gras. He was opposed to alcohol even in moderation.

But I think that even Protestants are becoming more tolerant towards alcohol. Pineville, across the river from Alexandria, which is heavily Baptist recently approved sales of alcohol by a pretty good margin.

[cBach]

Growing up in Lake Charles I went to a Catholic School. 90% of the people were Catholics there and maybe 5% Methodist, 3% Episcopal, and 2% Baptist. There was one Jewish gal in my class.

Maybe it's because my family was very traditional Catholic but all of my friends until high school were Catholic.

Oddly enough when I started dating that's when I went out with Baptists and found weird things like they prohibited dancing and stuff (Foot Loose anyone?) Baptists have since changed their policy.

The issue that holds most people together in Louisiana is abortion. This is the reason 99.9% of the Republicans vote Republican. When I realized that more babies were saved via Democratic social issues (i.e. better healthcare for the pregnant mother means less chance of stillborn or miscarriage) then I realized that Democrats are actually better on the issues but most people blindly see abortion as the only issue instead of seeing the furtherment of all live being the goal.

New Orleans is Democratic mainly because of the black population.

Louisiana will continue declining in national importance as it's not keeping pace with national population growth. They need to grow 7% per year to just not lose a representative seat.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Originally Posted by cBach

Growing up in Lake Charles I went to a Catholic School. 90% of the people were Catholics there and maybe 5% Methodist, 3% Episcopal, and 2% Baptist. There was one Jewish gal in my class.

Maybe it's because my family was very traditional Catholic but all of my friends until high school were Catholic.

Oddly enough when I started dating that's when I went out with Baptists and found weird things like they prohibited dancing and stuff (Foot Loose anyone?) Baptists have since changed their policy.

The issue that holds most people together in Louisiana is abortion. This is the reason 99.9% of the Republicans vote Republican. When I realized that more babies were saved via Democratic social issues (i.e. better healthcare for the pregnant mother means less chance of stillborn or miscarriage) then I realized that Democrats are actually better on the issues but most people blindly see abortion as the only issue instead of seeing the furtherment of all live being the goal.

New Orleans is Democratic mainly because of the black population.

Louisiana will continue declining in national importance as it's not keeping pace with national population growth. They need to grow 7% per year to just not lose a representative seat.

It seems Louisiana is booming especially around Baton Rouge and Lake Charles with all the oil industry jobs. And most transplants seem to be Protestant and not Catholic. And yes Louisiana Catholics are more conservative than Catholics elsewhere especially in the Northeast where they are very liberal. The typical American Catholic today is actually a Hispanic immigrant, Louisiana and the Northeast are two of the few places with large numbers of white Catholics.

I wonder how many Catholics in the most Catholic parts of the state have left the church and now this effects these numbers. I'm surprised at the number of people who said they were raised Catholic but am not sure if they're Catholic anymore. Many have also become non-denominational or Baptist.

The most prominent churches in Baton Rouge are mostly non-denominational (like Healing Place and Bethany) or Baptist with a couple large Methodist churches though there remains a large Catholic presence here too.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by 2ner

Here's map on percent Catholic by Louisiana Parish.

Nice map! Really stark difference between Catholics in southern Louisiana and Protestants in northern Louisana. Wow.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

It seems Louisiana is booming especially around Baton Rouge and Lake Charles with all the oil industry jobs. And most transplants seem to be Protestant and not Catholic. And yes Louisiana Catholics are more conservative than Catholics elsewhere especially in the Northeast where they are very liberal. The typical American Catholic today is actually a Hispanic immigrant, Louisiana and the Northeast are two of the few places with large numbers of white Catholics.

I wonder how many Catholics in the most Catholic parts of the state have left the church and now this effects these numbers. I'm surprised at the number of people who said they were raised Catholic but am not sure if they're Catholic anymore. Many have also become non-denominational or Baptist.

The most prominent churches in Baton Rouge are mostly non-denominational (like Healing Place and Bethany) or Baptist with a couple large Methodist churches though there remains a large Catholic presence here too.

I was raised catholic in St. Pauls on Gus Young. I am atheist now.