Catholic Church: International Influence and Growing Secularism in Mexico

     The Roman Catholic Church, being an international institution, has provided and continues to provide great influence over Mexico. This is so because the Vatican sees Mexico as “pivotal to the diffusion of orthodox belief in Latin America” (1). Additionally, Mexico is a country with one of the highest number of Catholics within a population, with over 80 percent of individuals self-identifying as Catholic (2). There has been a gradual secularization within Mexico that has resulted in Catholics not “follow[ing] Church teachings exactly. For example, many use birth control, live in civil unions, have abortions, and do and accept things that are officially proscribed by the Catholic Church” (3). This reality therefore demonstrates the somewhat lack of conservative influence the Catholic Church once had over Mexican society, which in part may have had some influence over the passage of the 2007 legislation, as well as the polarization that occurred over the abortion issue.
     Ultimately, the abortion issue in Mexico has resulted in a secular division. Oritz-Ortega argues that the issue and division “is thus defined by the distance between, on the one hand, conservative religious agendas and, on the other, feminist, social, and gay activism, as well as political openings secured by these social movements” (4). With the reduction of conservative catholic influence, modern social movements have been able to develop and gain support. Yet, it is important to realize that the Catholic Church continues to influence mexican society. Ortiz-Ortega argues that true reform cannot happen until a complete separation of church and state, “Legal reform and changes in public attitudes toward abortion are not therefore enough to secure change in this area. A thoroughgoing separation of church and state is required at all levels, along with the economic changes that would enable Mexicans to meet the costs incurred in securing full access to their sexual and reproductive rights” (5). Mexico’s apparent secularization may continue to grow, yet at an institutional level, change cannot completely occur until separation occurs. With the strong history the Catholic Church has within Mexico, it seems unlikely that this complete separation is possible.

(1) Kulczycki, Andrzej. The Abortion Debate in the World Arena. New York City, NY: Routledge, 1999. 97.
(2) Sánchez Fuentes, María Luisa, Jennifer Paine, and Brook Elliot-Buettner. "The decriminalisation of abortion in Mexico City: how did abortion rights become a political priority?" Gender & Development 16, no. 2 (July 2008): 345-60. 352.
(3) Sánchez Fuentes, María Luisa, Jennifer Paine, and Brook Elliot-Buettner. "The decriminalisation of abortion in Mexico City: how did abortion rights become a political priority?" Gender & Development 16, no. 2 (July 2008): 345-60. 355.
(4) Ortiz-Ortega, Adriana. "Law and the Politics of Abortion." In Decoding Gender: Law and Practice in Contemporary Mexico, by Ann Varley, Victoria Chenaut, and Helga Baitenmann, 197-212. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2007. 201.
(5) Ortiz-Ortega, Adriana. "Law and the Politics of Abortion." In Decoding Gender: Law and Practice in Contemporary Mexico, by Ann Varley, Victoria Chenaut, and Helga Baitenmann, 197-212. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2007. 201.

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