Catholic Women and Patriotism: Acción Católica Mexicana and Women’s Organizing in World War II

Abstract

Mexico entered World War II in 1942, and the government quickly instituted a draft of young men. Catholic women’s lay organizations immediately organized to support the troops, claiming patriotism as their religious calling. This article examines Catholic women, ideas of patriotism and support for the national war effort. Despite the previous antagonism between Catholics and the post-revolutionary government, the rapprochement between the Catholic Church and the government of the 1940s allowed Catholic women participating to finally embrace a national project through dedicating their charity and service to the war effort, they defined their citizenship as a religious calling.

Keywords

• women
• Catholic
• World War II
• patriotism
• community