Catholicism: The Imposed Foundation

Catholicism arrived with colonization as a tool of control, yet enslaved and colonized peoples transformed it into something distinctly Caribbean. Today, approximately 80% of French Caribbeans identify as Catholic, but their Catholicism would surprise many Europeans.

"Our Catholicism dances," explains Father Jean-Claude Dufeal of Martinique. "It incorporates drums that once called African gods, uses flowers and herbs that Indigenous peoples considered sacred, includes prayers that sound suspiciously like Indian mantras. The Church fought this for centuries. Now we realize this syncretism is our strength."

Saints and Spirits

Caribbean Catholics maintain special relationships with saints that transcend orthodox theology:

Saint Expedit - Beloved in Réunion and increasingly in the Caribbean for urgent requests Notre-Dame de la Délivrande - Protector of Guadeloupe, whose feast features African drumming Saint Michael - Warrior angel who also appears in Vodou as guardian of crossroads Saint Anthony - Finder of lost things and, in folk practice, lost loves

"My grandmother taught me to pray to Saint Martha for domestic problems, but she also showed me how to arrange the candles and flowers 'properly,'" shares Marie-Josée Martial. "Years later, I learned these arrangements matched African spiritual practices. Our ancestors hid their beliefs in plain sight."

Liberation Theology Caribbean Style

The Catholic Church's role remains contradictory—historically supporting slavery while individual priests fought for justice. Contemporary Caribbean Catholicism increasingly embraces liberation theology with local characteristics:

- Masses in Creole - Integration of local music and instruments - Social justice focus on poverty and inequality - Environmental theology responding to climate change

"Jesus was colonized too," preaches Father Harry Lucien in Saint-Martin. "A brown man killed by empire, misrepresented by European art. We understand him differently here."