May 5: Cinco de Mayo

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is May 5th, and our story is Cinco de Mayo. On May 5th, 1862, the armies of Mexico and France reenacted the Battle of David and Goliath. France, the number one military power of the day, had sent troops to Mexico the previous year to collect its unpaid debts. When the American Civil War broke out, the country's leader, Napoleon III, decided to leave his troops in Mexico, thinking perhaps the time had come to get back into the North American real estate game.

The events of the 5th of May, however, almost, but not quite, gave him pause. On that day, in the Battle of Puebla, an outmanned and outgunned Mexican army defeated the far superior French forces. Tactically, the victory meant little. Symbolically, it was a different story. Just four days later, Mexico's president declared the anniversary of the battle an annual national holiday.

Americans of Mexican descent living in California joined in on the celebrations almost as soon as they began. From 1863 onward, Cinco de Mayo became an unofficial holiday in the state. In the 1940s, as the Mexican-American population moved northward and westward, so did celebrations of Cinco de Mayo. By 2006, more than 150 different cities across the United States hosted official Cinco de Mayo celebrations, while countless more hosted unofficial ones.

Many of those unofficial celebrations take place every year in America's Catholic parishes. Latinos now comprise more than 40% of U.S. Catholics, while 26% of U.S. parishes and more than 80% of U.S. dioceses have Latino ministries. With more than 50% of Catholics in America under the age of 25 coming from a Hispanic background, those numbers continue to grow. Although no one knows how such changing demographics will affect the culture of the Catholic Church within the United States, one thing is for certain.

More and more Catholics in the coming years will likely find themselves commemorating the long-ago victory of the small Mexican army every 5th of May. Celebrations like Cinco de Mayo honor not just military triumphs, but the enduring human spirit, calling Catholics to remember that God works through perseverance, unity, and hope even in difficult times.

Celebrate an act of courage or faith in your life or community this week, big or small. Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, May 6th, for another story of faith and courage in America.