California's fifth consecutive Catholic governor exemplifies the faith's deep roots

Key Points:

• California has elected five consecutive Catholic governors, highlighting Catholicism's deep cultural influence in the state, with Latino Catholic voters playing a key role in recent elections, including the election of California's first Latino governor, Xavier Becerra.
• Catholic voters in California are politically diverse and do not vote as a unified bloc, with differences reflecting the complex interplay between Catholic teachings and political issues like abortion, the death penalty, and immigration.
• California's Catholic population is ethnically diverse, including many Latin American and Filipino immigrants, and Catholic faith and history are integral to many residents' identities, despite the complicated legacy of the Spanish missions.
• The legacy of the missions is both culturally significant and historically fraught, with recent educational efforts aiming to present Native American perspectives and acknowledge the negative impacts of missionary activities on Indigenous populations.
• Catholicism's influence extends beyond religion into California's architecture and daily life, with landmarks like the missions serving as cultural icons and Catholic traditions remaining important to many residents, even among those who are less observant.