List of American Catholics

This is a list of notable US citizens who are, or in the case of the dead were, members of the Catholic Church. All additions should be sourced. Ideally their being Catholics should have some relevance to their image or notability.

Arts and entertainment

Actors and actresses

• Mary Anderson, stage actress who had a chapel built in her attic and donated land to the Franciscans; spent much of her life in England
• Alec Baldwin, actor
• Lourdes Benedicto, actress in NYPD Blue, 24, The Nine
• Jason Biggs, actor
• Ann Blyth, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nominee who became a Lady of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
• Ray Bolger, actor who played The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz
• James Cagney, Presidential Medal of Freedom winner and on AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars
• Nestor Carbonell, in For Greater Glory and Lost
• Steve Carell, actor and comedian
• Macdonald Carey, played Tom Horton on Days of Our Lives and was in the Catholic film The Redeemer
• Jim Caviezel, actor
• Anita Colby, actress, model, and inventor
• Bradley Cooper, actor
• Gary Cooper, convert who, before converting, had won Academy Awards for Sergeant York and High Noon
• Pedro de Cordoba, known for theater and silent films; past President of the Catholic Actors Guild
• Dom DeLuise, comic actor
• Roma Downey, executive producer of The Bible, Son of God, and A.D.; actress from Touched by an Angel
• Josh Duhamel, actor
• Faye Dunaway, actress
• Irene Dunne, actress who received the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame and attended the canonization of Anthony Mary Claret
• Jimmy Durante, singer, pianist, comedian, and actor known for his speaking style and prominent nose
• Richard Egan, actor in A Summer Place, Pollyanna; played a role in Ann Sothern becoming a Catholic
• Jimmy Fallon, actor, comedian and talk show host
• Jim Gaffigan, stand-up comedian and actor who occasionally mentions his faith in his act
• Andy García, Cuban-born actor and "practicing Catholic", with For Greater Glory (aka Cristiada) one of his more explicitly Catholic roles
• Mel Gibson, actor and director
• Selena Gomez, actress and singer; role on the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel Original Series Wizards of Waverly Place
• Jack Haley, played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz
• Moira Harris, actress and convert, wife of Gary Sinise
• Helen Hayes, actress who received the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame
• Susan Hayward, won the Academy Award for Best Actress for I Want to Live!; converted to Catholicism in the 1960s and, with her husband, donated land to help build Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Carrollton, Georgia
• David Henrie, actor who starred in various shows on the Disney Channel
• Catherine Hicks, actress on 7th Heaven; received the 2006 Padre Pio Award from the Capuchin Franciscan Friars for her efforts as Catholic Relief Services spokesperson and Darfur relief
• Katie Holmes, actress, former Scientologist
• Vanessa Hudgens, actress and singer; noted for her portrayal of Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series
• Ruth Hussey, Academy Award-nominated actress, member of the Catholic Actors' Guild, and active in Catholic charities
• Kevin James, actor known for the TV series The King of Queens and films including Paul Blart: Mall Cop
• Ann Jillian, known for It's a Living and The Ann Jillian Story; keynote speaker at a 2006 Roman Catholic Diocese of Pueblo Foundation event
• Tim Kelleher, actor known for the series Dark Skies, a recurring role on NCIS, and film roles; wrote and directed The Creed: What Christians Profess; in 1995 was received into the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
• Grace Kelly, actress and Princess of Monaco
• Moira Kelly, starred in Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story
• Ellie Kemper, actress and comedian known for playing Erin Hannon on The Office, a supporting role in the film Bridesmaids, and the title role in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Nicole Kidman, American and Australian (dual citizenship) actress who returned to Catholicism and supports the Catholic woman's charity Made in His Image
• Wilton Lackaye, stage roles and the film What's Wrong with the Women?; helped organize the Catholic Actors Guild
• Ali Landry, Miss USA 1996, model and actress; her son Valentin Francesco's middle name was inspired by her meeting Pope Francis, and she appears in Rosary Stars Praying the Gospel
• Rosetta LeNoire, received the St. Genesius Award from the Catholic Actors Guild and the National Medal of Arts
• Tom Leopold, television producer, voice actor, and comedy writer who had a show on The Catholic Channel after his conversion
• Neal McDonough, actor whose faith has influenced his career
• Horace McMahon, former president of the Catholic Actors Guild
• Claudia McNeil, actress known for A Raisin in the Sun; her adoptive parents were Jewish; though she maintained a love for the "spiritual serenity that Judaism gives one", she converted to Catholicism in 1952
• Lea Michele, actress, singer, and author
• Jay Mohr, actor, stand-up comedian, radio host, and Catholic convert
• Patricia Neal, convert, known for The Day the Earth Stood Still
• Bob Newhart, stand-up comedian and actor
• Pat O'Brien, in the religion anthology series Crossroads and once named the Catholic Actors Guild's "Man of the Year"
• Carroll O'Connor, known for All in the Family and ranked #38 on TV Guide's "50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time"
• Catherine O'Hara, American and Canadian (dual citizenship) actress, writer and comedian known for her work on SCTV; appeared in the films Beetlejuice and Home Alone
• Jason O'Mara, originally Irish actor known for TV roles; husband of Paige Turco
• Chazz Palminteri, Italian-American actor best known for The Usual Suspects, A Bronx Tale, and Bullets over Broadway
• Zachary Quinto, actor
• Leah Remini, actress baptized as Catholic in infancy and returned to it after a life mostly in Scientology
• Jessica Rey, actress and designer of "modest swimwear"
• Denise Richards, actress
• Mickey Rourke, actor
• Rosalind Russell, member of the Catholic Motion Picture Guild
• Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor and governor of California (2003–2011)
• Chloë Sevigny, actress
• Grant Shaud, actor best known for playing "Miles Silverberg" on Murphy Brown
• Martin Sheen, progressive Catholic Laetare Medalist whose Catholic-themed films include Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story, They Killed Sister Dorothy, and The Way
• Frank Sinatra, singer and actor, won Academy Award in 1953 for From Here to Eternity
• Tom Sizemore, actor
• Ann Sothern, nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1987, converted in 1952
• Sylvester Stallone, actor
• Elaine Stritch, actress, grew up in a devout Catholic family with the late Samuel Stritch, Cardinal-Archbishop of Chicago, as an uncle
• Danny Thomas, Maronite Catholic, in communion with Rome, actor and comedian; knighted by two Popes
• Paige Turco, known for Person of Interest, The 100, and playing April O'Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies
• Ben Turpin, silent film comedian known for having esotropia
• Jon Voight, Oscar award-winning actor; portrayed Pope John Paul II in CBS miniseries
• Mark Wahlberg, actor
• John Wayne, actor, roles in numerous Westerns
• Ruth White, Emmy Award-winning actress and a former vice-president of the Catholic Actors Guild.
• Vanessa L. Williams, Miss America 1983 and a TV & Movie Actress. Also a singer and dancer. She is perhaps best known for her role as Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty, but also played Venerable Henriette DeLille in The Courage to Love.
• Thomas F. Wilson, known for the Back to the Future trilogy and Freaks and Geeks; of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and has performed Christian music
• Jane Wyatt, known for Father Knows Best and for playing Spock's mother on Star Trek: The Original Series
• Jane Wyman, winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Johnny Belinda; first wife of Ronald Reagan
• Loretta Young, winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Farmer's Daughter

Directors and filmmakers

• Carlton Cuse, produced several TV series and TV movies; also a screenwriter; known for his work on Lost
• John Farrow, Australian-born convert; won an Oscar for screenwriting and also directed; received a knighthood of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre by Pope Pius XI; wrote a biography of St. Thomas More after becoming a US citizen in 1947; Maureen O'Sullivan's husband and Mia Farrow's father
• Bryan Foy, known as "the keeper of the B's"; producer of The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima
• Paul G. Hensler, produced a documentary about Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko and wrote the screenplay to Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder
• Alfred Hitchcock, filmmaker/producer; his film I Confess deals with Catholic themes
• Chuck Huber, voice actor and producer, principal of a Catholic school
• Leo McCarey, director of Going My Way
• Michael Moore, documentary filmmaker and political activist, best known for Roger and Me, Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11
• Martin Scorsese, filmmaker, known for his films Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Casino and The Departed
• Mack Sennett, Canadian-born American producer of Wrestling Swordfish, which won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film; left his estate to Jewish and Catholic orphanages
• Jack Shea, president of the Directors Guild of America from 1997 to 2002 and a founding member of Catholics in Media Associates
• Andy Warhol, experimental film-maker and artist; Ruthenian-rite Catholic who explored this more in his final years

Musicians and singers

• Tom Araya, singer and bassist of Slayer
• Audrey Assad, contemporary Christian musician
• Boyce Brown, jazz saxophonist who converted to Catholicism and joined the Servite Order
• Dave Brubeck, jazz pianist
• Clifton Chenier, zydeco musician who received a National Heritage Fellowship and was called the "king of the church dance scene in Houston"
• Rosemary Clooney, traditional pop music singer and actress known for performing "Come On-a My House", "Mambo Italiano",
• Perry Como, traditional pop singer who was made a Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre
• Harry Connick, Jr., swing, traditional pop, big band, and jazz-funk singer and pianist
• Bing Crosby, crooner who had one of the best-selling singles of all time with "White Christmas"
• The Dameans, Catholic folk music group originally from New Orleans
• Dennis Day, born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty, a name he legally returned to; Irish-American tenor on radio and television with Jack Benny
• Lana Del Rey, singer-songwriter
• Dennis DeYoung, a founding member of Styx; some of his songs, like "Show Me the Way", deal with struggles of faith
• Dion DiMucci, known for singing "Runaround Sue", "The Wanderer", and "Abraham, Martin and John"; has worked in Catholic prison ministry
• Howie Dorough, member of the Backstreet Boys , performed at the United Catholic Music and Video Association's third annual Unity Awards
• Jessica Dragonette, singer and radio personality, awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
• Jackie Evancho, classical crossover singer
• Rob Evans, often called "The Donut Man", converted by 2006
• Fergie, lead singer of The Black Eyed Peas
• David Haas, composer of contemporary Catholic liturgical music
• Joseph Lee Hooker, albums include Singing the Rosary and Our Priests
• Mieczysław Horszowski, Polish pianist and convert from Judaism who became a US citizen and lived in the US for decades.
• Bobby Hutcherson, Jazz vibraphonist who was named an NEA Jazz Masters in 2010 and a convert to Catholicism.
• The Innocence Mission, Catholic/Catholic-influenced music group from Pennsylvania, Christ Is My Hope being one of their more overtly Christian EPs
• Ed Kowalczyk, of the band Live; after drifting from Western religion he reverted; his solo album Alive has Christian themes
• Robert E. Kreutz, composer of contemporary Catholic liturgical music such as "Gift of Finest Wheat"
• Carey Landry, composer of contemporary Catholic liturgical music such as "Hail Mary, Gentle Woman" and "Only a Shadow"
• L'Angélus, Catholic-themed Louisiana roots band whose name refers to the Angelus; performed on the EWTN show Life on the Rock
• The Lennon Sisters, traditional pop music singers who made an album of Catholic hymns
• Lil Wayne, hip hop musician who has mentioned his religious views in concert
• Dave Lombardo, drummer of Slayer
• Dan Lord, former member of the rock band Pain; wrote Choosing Joy: The Secret to Living a Fully Christian Life
• Khanh Ly, Vietnamese-American singer who has performed at religious events.
• Mike Mangione, Indie-folk musician who has worked with Christopher West.
• Theodore Marier, composer and second president of the Church Music Association of America
• Dean Martin, born Dino Paul Crocetti, singer ("That's Amore" and "Everybody Loves Somebody"), motion picture actor, NBC television series 1965–1985, former partner of Jerry Lewis
• Michael Miley, Rock drummer.
• Aaron Neville, won for "Praise & Worship Album of the Year" at the Catholic Unity Awards 2006 and later received the Laetare Medal.
• John Petrucci, member of Dream Theater
• Collin Raye, country singer and convert who spoke at a Eucharistic Congress
• Bob Rowe, musician who founded Renaissance Enterprises
• Nicole Scherzinger, singer, formerly of The Pussycat Dolls
• Kate Smith, singer best known for her rendition of "God Bless America"
• Zach Sobiech, folk-rock singer known for the song "Clouds"
• Bruce Springsteen, rock musician; has had "issues" with his Catholic upbringing, but identifies as Catholic and has performed hymns
• Jo Stafford, traditional pop singer who converted to Catholicism prior to her marriage
• Peter Steele, lead singer for Type O Negative; after years as an atheist he identified as Catholic
• John Michael Talbot, founder of Little Portion Hermitage
• Tiny Tim, Lebanese/Jewish American ukulele player and musical archivist, reverted late in life
• Leonard Warren, opera singer of Jewish heritage who died while performing; his conversion to Catholicism, and displays of faith, reportedly angered his colleague Jan Peerce
• Scott Weiland, former vocalist for Stone Temple Pilots whose solo album "Happy" in Galoshes contained the Catholic hymn "Be Not Afraid"
• Lawrence Welk, musician and host of The Lawrence Welk Show
• Mary Lou Williams, jazz pianist; after her conversion she recorded religious music like "Black Christ of the Andes"

Television and radio personalities

• Raymond Arroyo, news director and lead anchor for Eternal Word Television Network
• Bret Baier, host of Special Report with Bret Baier
• Greg Burke, communications advisor for the Vatican and former correspondent for the Fox News Channel
• Erin Burnett, journalist and financial analyst, host of Erin Burnett OutFront
• Neil Cavuto, hosts Your World with Neil Cavuto and Cavuto on Business
• Stephen Colbert, former television host of The Colbert Report, new host of The Late Show as of September 2015
• James Foley, journalist and blogger who occasionally appeared on PBS NewsHour
• Bill Hemmer, formerly of CNN, currently co-host of America's Newsroom on the Fox News Channel
• Walter Kiernan, radio and early TV work like Kiernan's Corner and What's the Story; past president of the Catholic Actors Guild
• Jimmy Kimmel, television host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
• Kidd Kraddick, longtime radio host of Kidd Kraddick in the Morning
• Rachel Maddow, host of the The Rachel Maddow Show (radio) and host of The Rachel Maddow Show (television)
• Chris Matthews, television host of the shows Hardball with Chris Matthews and The Chris Matthews Show
• Robert Novak, convert known for shows on CNN and the controversial Plame affair, which occurred after his conversion
• Conan O'Brien, television host of Conan and comedian
• Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC political journalist
• Regis Philbin, television host; participant in the film Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Servant of All
• Tony Reali, host of Around the Horn on ESPN
• Kelly Ripa, television host of Live! with Kelly and Michael; actress
• Tom Roeser, Chicago-based columnist and radio host who founded the conservative Catholic Citizens of Illinois
• Lila Rose, president of Live Action
• Lino Rulli, co-host of The Catholic Guy and hosted Generation Cross
• Tim Russert, longest serving moderator of Meet the Press
• Bill Steltemeier, deacon, founding president of Eternal Word Television Network, and recipient of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
• Brian Williams, former anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News

Athletics

American football

• Danny Abramowicz, retired wide receiver who hosts Crossing the Goal on EWTN
• Mark Bavaro, former wide receiver known for playing for the New York Giants primarily; active in the anti-abortion movement
• Matt Birk, retired NFL member, played in the Super Bowl and was a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year; an orthodox Catholic in that he is pro-life and an opponent of same-sex marriage.
• Tom Brady, player for the New England Patriots (2000–present)
• Maury Buford, former punter for the Chicago Bears; part of the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl-winning team
• Dave Casper, known for the Ghost to the Post play and a 2002 inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Kellen Clemens, quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League; active member of Catholic Athletes for Christ
• Tom Coughlin Former head football coach of Boston College(1991-1993), Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2002), and the New York Giants (2004-2015) where he coached them to two Super Bowl victories (XLII, XLVI)
• Jack Del Rio, former NFL linebacker and current head coach of the Oakland Raiders
• Herman Edwards, former player for the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, and St. Louis Rams; current NFL analyst on ESPN
• Brett Favre, player for the National Football League (1991–2010)
• Chris Godfrey, former American football guard and a founder of a pro-life athletes' group
• Bruce Gradkowski, quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Chris Greisen, NFL quarterback; convert from Lutheranism; teaches at Notre Dame de la Baie Academy in Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Bob Griese, Hall of Fame quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins
• John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens head coach
• Chris Horn, free agent wide receiver, has played for the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans VooDoo
• Joe Jurevicius, former wide receiver who won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams
• Joe Klecko, former defense lineman and a speaker on faith
• Luke Kuechly, linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, attended Boston College and did a radio interview with Blessed2Play
• Vince Lombardi, former coach of the Green Bay Packers
• Howie Long, Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end for the Oakland Raiders from 1981–1993; attended Villanova University
• AJ McCarron, quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals; attended the University of Alabama
• Jim Mutscheller, tight end for nine seasons for the Baltimore Colts
• Ricky Nattiel, former wide receiver of the Denver Broncos; member of the Three Amigos
• Wellington Mara, Owner of the New York Giants
• Philip Rivers, quarterback for the San Diego Chargers
• Art Rooney, founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise in the National Football League; in early adulthood he boxed, played baseball in the Middle Atlantic League, and was a football halfback
• Garrison Sanborn, long snapper for the Buffalo Bills
• Don Shula, former NFL head coach of the Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins
• Steve Spagnuolo, coach of the Baltimore Ravens
• Freddie Joe Steinmark, A 1969 Texas Longhorns football team player and subject of a book and film.
• Vinnie Sunseri, safety for the New Orleans Saints
• Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens kicker
• Alejandro Villanueva, player for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL and a captain in the United States Army, where he serves as an Army Ranger

Baseball

• Alex Avila, catcher with the Detroit Tigers
• Sal Bando, former third baseman and executive in professional baseball
• Craig Biggio, former player for the Houston Astros, featured in Champions of Faith
• Willie Bloomquist, utility player for the Arizona Diamondbacks
• Drew Butera, catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Sean Casey, former Major League Baseball first baseman; current broadcaster and commentator for the MLB Network
• Justin De Fratus, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
• Grant Desme, minor league player for Vancouver Canadians; became Frater Matthew Desme of the Norbertine Order
• Joe DiMaggio, player for Major League Baseball (1936–1951)
• Rich Donnelly, former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, featured in Champions of Faith
• Harry Dunlop, coach who attended Mass with Jack McKeon and ultimately converted
• David Eckstein, former player for the St. Louis Cardinals, featured in Champions of Faith
• Andre Ethier, player for the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Tyler Flowers, catcher for the Chicago White Sox, rediscovered his faith via his wife
• Tom Glavine, player for Major League Baseball (1987–2008)
• Ron Guidry, Cy Young Award winner and multiple Rawlings Gold Glove Awards
• Gil Hodges, Major League Baseball first baseman and manager
• Tim Hudson, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants and did an interview with Ron Meyer on Blessed2play
• Terry Kennedy, Silver Slugger Award-winning catcher who played in four Major League Baseball All-Star Games and is on the board of Catholic Athletes for Christ
• Jason Kipnis, second baseman for the Cleveland Indians
• Mark Kotsay, former MLB utility player who played for the San Diego Padres
• Tommy Lasorda, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum inductee for managing; previously a player
• Jim Leyland, manager of the Detroit Tigers
• Mark Loretta, former MLB player involved in Catholic Baseball Camp and Catholic Athletes for Christ
• Connie Mack, player, manager, and team owner
• Jack McKeon, former manager of the Miami Marlins, featured in Champions of Faith
• Darrell Miller, former Major League Baseball catcher/outfielder, 1984-1988; after conversion, became a speaker defending Catholicism and attended a conference at the Vatican
• Matt Moore, pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays; has a shoulder tattoo of Saint Michael, his sponsor saint when he was confirmed
• Jamie Moyer, oldest player in MLB history to win a ball game
• Stan Musial, outfielder and first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Mike Piazza, player for Major League Baseball (1992–2007); featured in Champions of Faith documentary on Catholic baseball players; 12-time MLB All-Star, NL Rookie of the Year (1993), MLB All-Star MVP (1996)
• Juan Pierre, outfielder for the Miami Marlins, featured in Champions of Faith
• Iván Rodríguez, player for Major League Baseball (1991–present)
• Babe Ruth, player for Major League Baseball (1914–1935); member of Knights of Columbus
• Sergio Santos, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays; did an interview with Blessed2play
• Chris Speier, converted when he met his wife, became a member of the pro-life movement
• Craig Stammen, pitcher for the Cleveland Indians
• Jeff Suppan, appeared in the DVDs Champions of Faith and in Rosary Stars Praying the Gospel; in ad opposed to Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2
• Mike Sweeney, player for Major League Baseball and pro-life activist
• Mark Teahen, professional infielder who plays for the York Revolution and is featured in Champions of Faith
• Mark Teixeira, Rawlings Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award-winning first baseman
• Joe Thatcher, pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and member of Catholic Athletes of Christ
• Tim Tschida, former umpire and member of the Catholic Athletic Association's Hall of Fame
• Shane Victorino, outfielder; won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 2008, and the Branch Rickey Award in 2011
• Neil Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates player active in Baseball Chapel and organizing Catholic mass for players
• Mark Wegner, Major League Baseball umpire, active in Catholic charities, member of Catholic men's leadership program "That Man Is You"
• Joe Wieland, pitcher for the San Diego Padres
• Margaret Wigiser, center fielder for the Minneapolis Millerettes and the Rockford Peaches; Catholic of Jewish ancestry

Basketball

• Kobe Bryant, guard for the Los Angeles Lakers
• Theresa Grentz, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach and former Immaculata University "Mighty Macs" player
• Kerry Kittles, former professional basketball player; has served as a eucharistic minister
• Joe Lapchick, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
• Ed Macauley, played in the 1951 NBA All-Star Game; in 1989 became a deacon; co-authored Homilies Alive: Creating Homilies That Hit Home
• Chris Mullin, 1992 Olympic gold medalist, 1985 NCAA Player of the Year
• Kristen O'Neill, former player for the Seattle Storm and current coach for the Jesuit Seattle University
• Kendrick Perkins, center for the Cleveland Cavaliers, an altar boy as a child
• Pat Riley, former player, coach and president of the Miami Heat
• John Stockton, ten-time NBA All-Star and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
• John Thompson, former Georgetown University coach, previously played for the Providence Friars men's basketball team
• Jack Twyman, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and Poverello Medalist who was involved in the Catholic Inner-city Schools Education Fund

Boxing

• James J. Braddock, professional boxer
• Rocky Graziano, professional boxer; Middleweight and Welterweight champ; his funeral Mass was held in 1990 at St. Patrick's Cathedral
• Gene Tunney, noted in boxing for The Long Count Fight; member of the Committee of Catholics to Fight Anti-Semitism

Fencing

• Mariel Zagunis, won gold medals in the individual sabre at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics

Figure skating

• Timothy Goebel, retired figure skater and Olympic bronze medalist; involved with Catholic Charities
• Kimmie Meissner, 2006 World Figure Skating champion for women's skating

Golf

• Chip Beck, four victories on the PGA Tour; has appeared on Eternal Word Television Network's Blessed to Play
• Jordan Spieth, professional golfer, winner of the 2015 Masters Tournament, second youngest winner in Masters history

Gymnastics

• Dominique Dawes, member of the gymnastic Magnificent Seven; converted to Catholicism after retirement
• Samantha Peszek, member of the silver-medal winning United States' 2008 Olympic women's gymnastics team
• Jordyn Wieber, member of the gold medal-winning US women's gymnastics teams at the 2011 World Championships and the 2012 Summer Olympics

Ice hockey

• Johnny Gaudreau, left winger of the Calgary Flames
• John Kelley, collegiate player and coach
• Mark Van Guilder, player for the Milwaukee Admirals

Skiing

• Rebecca Ann Quinn Dussault, cross-country skier who had Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati's name on her skis

Soccer (association football)

• Matt Besler, defender for Sporting Kansas City
• Clint Dempsey, forward for Seattle Sounders FC in the MLS, U.S. captain for the 2014 World Cup
• Eddie Gaven, midfielder for the Columbus Crew
• Chase Hilgenbrinck, defender for the New England Revolution who retired from soccer and entered the seminary
• Danny O'Rourke, defender for the Columbus Crew
• Luke Vercollone, plays for the Richmond Kickers; member of Catholic Athletes for Christ

Speed skating

• Bonnie Blair, spokeswoman for Catholic Relief Services

Swimming

• Kate Ziegler, Olympic swimmer

Track and field

• James Brendan Connolly, Olympic medalist in jumping; member of the Knights of Columbus; author
• Lopez Lomong, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, became a United States citizen

Academia and literature

Authors and editors

• Dale Ahlquist, convert; founded the Chesterton Academy; has written several works on G. K. Chesterton and conversion
• Jimmy Akin, Catholic apologist
• Carl A. Anderson, wrote A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World; Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
• Mike Aquilina, Patristics writer; vice-president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
• Martha Gallison Moore Avery, socialist turned Catholic; a founder of the Catholic Truth Guild; co-wrote Bolshevism: its Cure
• Delilah L. Beasley, journalist; wrote The Negro Trail Blazers of California, the first history of California's African American population
• Claire Huchet Bishop, award-winning children's author; Catholic opponent of antisemitism; wrote How Catholics Look at Jews; past president of the International Council of Christians and Jews
• William Peter Blatty, author of The Exorcist and Dimiter; filed a canon law petition against Georgetown University
• Anthony Boucher, pseudonym of mystery, science fiction, and fantasy author William Anthony Parker White; also an editor; main character of his The Quest for Saint Aquin is a Catholic priest
• Patricia Buckley Bozell, editor for Triumph and Communio; once tried to slap Ti-Grace Atkinson for blasphemy
• Orestes Brownson, convert; formerly of the Transcendental Club; wrote for Catholic World; wrote The Convert; or, Leaves from my Experience
• John Delavau Bryant, poet who, several years after converting to Catholicism, published The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God
• Matthew Bunson, Historian and theologian.
• Katherine Burton, convert noted for her biographies of Catholic religious figures and for having the first "women's column" in American Catholic journalism
• Judy Cannato, retreat facilitator, spiritual director, and author of Radical Amazement
• Mary Higgins Clark, suspense author who has received papal honors
• Suzanne Collins, writer of The Hunger Games series
• Augustin Daly, drama critic, theatre manager, and playwright who received the Laetare Medal
• Gerry Day, Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Drama nominee and a eucharistic minister
• Eleanor C. Donnelly, author of Hymns of the Sacred Heart, A Memoir of Father Felix Joseph Barbelin, S. J
• Anna Hanson Dorsey, pioneer of Catholic literature in the United States
• Ross Douthat, political writer, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics
• Mary Eberstadt, essayist, public intellectual, and author of several influential books, including How the West Really Lost God, Adam and Eve After the Pill: Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution, and The Loser Letters: A Comic Tale of Life, Death, and Atheism; senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center; founder and president of the Kirkpatrick Society, a literary organization for women writers
• Dawn Eden, Jewish convert known for Thrill of the Chaste, My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints, and blogging
• Eileen Egan, pacifist and biographer of Mother Teresa
• Maurice Francis Egan, works include Everybody's St. Francis; diplomat and Laetare Medalist
• Robert Ellsberg, convert linked to the Catholic Worker Movement; writes books on the saints; publisher of Orbis Books
• Jason Evert, author and chastity speaker
• Karina Fabian, a founder of the Catholic Writers' Guild; author of Why God Matters
• Mitch Finley, journalist and author of books concerning Catholic subjects
• Paul A. Fisher, wrote Behind the Lodge Door: Church, State and Freemasonry in America ad articles for Catholic publications; member of Sacred Heart Church in Bowie, Maryland
• Dana Gioia, poet, former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Laetare Medal winner
• Brad Stephan Gregory, winner of the first American Catholic Historical Association John Gilmary Shea Prize for Salvation at Stake
• John Howard Griffin, convert and recipient of the Pacem in Terris Award, known for Black Like Me
• Louise Imogen Guiney, poet and essayist
• John Haffert, author of several books and co-founder of the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fátima
• Scott Hahn, Catholic apologist and convert; wrote Rome Sweet Home
• Barbara Hall, author of novels; convert; known as the creator of the TV shows Joan of Arcadia and Madam Secretary
• Ron Hansen, writer of Westerns; became a deacon; wrote a foreword for John of the Cross: Selections from The Dark Night and Other Writings
• Kevin Hasson, wrote The Right to Be Wrong: Ending the Culture War over Religion in America and founded the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
• Anne Hendershott, wrote Status Envy: The Politics of Catholic Higher Education
• Paul Horgan, wrote Lamy of Santa Fe, served as President of the American Catholic Historical Association, and won the Laetare Medal
• Mary Karr, whose Lit: A Memoir deals with her conversion
• Bil Keane, cartoonist known for The Family Circus, created illustrated books, and won an Elizabeth Ann Seton Award from the National Catholic Educational Association
• Karl Keating, author of Catholicism and Fundamentalism; founder of Catholic Answers
• Willmoore Kendall, conservative writer and convert
• Frances Parkinson Keyes, Siena Medalist and wife of Henry W. Keyes who converted in 1939 and wrote several books
• Joyce Kilmer, convert once referred to as "the laureate of the Catholic Church"
• R. A. Lafferty, science fiction and fantasy author whose novel Fourth Mansions was inspired by Saint Teresa of Ávila's El Castillo Interior
• Philip Lamantia, linked to the Beat Generation and surrealism, later reverted to Catholicism and wrote poems inspired by that
• Kathryn Jean Lopez, conservative columnist who has guested on EWTN and Vatican Radio
• Julian May, best known for the Saga of Pliocene Exile and the Galactic Milieu Series; also edited for the Franciscan Herald Press
• Alice McDermott, known for the National Book Award for Fiction winner Charming Billy
• Ralph McInerny, author of fiction such as the Father Dowling Mysteries; authority and writer on Thomas Aquinas
• James McMaster, convert and staunchly proslavery editor of the New York Freeman
• Sandra Miesel, medievalist, writer and science fiction and fantasy fan; co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax; has appeared on religious TV
• Lorraine Murray, wrote Grace Notes: Embracing the Joy of Christ in a Broken World and Confessions of an Ex-Feminist
• Kathleen Norris, used her fiction to promote values including the sanctity of marriage, the nobility of motherhood, and the importance of service to others
• Michael Novak, works include The Catholic Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism; on the Ave Maria Mutual Funds board; has a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree
• Flannery O'Connor, winner of the National Book Award for Fiction for The Complete Stories; her stories, such as "The Displaced Person", often dealt with Catholic themes
• John James Maximilian Oertel, convert from Lutheranism; editor of Der Wahrheitsfreund, a German-language Catholic newspaper
• Fulton Oursler, mystery writer who, after his conversion, wrote The Greatest Story Ever Told and a book about Father Flanagan
• Mary Jane Owen, convert; writer; executive director of the National Catholic Office for Persons with Disabilities
• Condé Benoist Pallen, author; editor of Catholic publications
• James Patterson, author known for the Alex Cross and Women's Murder Club series
• Walker Percy, convert who won the National Book Award for Fiction and became a Benedictine oblate before dying
• Tim Powers, fantasy and science fiction author, largely known for "secret histories"; his novel Declare was noted for Catholic sensibilities
• Arthur Preuss, German-American Catholic journalist who edited Fortnightly Review; wrote anti-Masonry books and theological works
• Agnes Repplier, Laetare Medalist whose works include biographies of nuns and Junípero Serra.
• Henry Morton Robinson, He wrote the novel The Cardinal and co-wrote A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake.
• Daniel Rudd, journalist; founder of what became the National Black Catholic Congress; co-author of a biography
• Ronald J. Rychlak, member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars; writer of Righteous Gentiles: How Pius XII and the Catholic Church Saved Half a Million Jews from the Nazis
• Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda, author of religious works including Their Faith Has Touched Us: The Legacies of Three Young Oklahoma City Bombing Victims
• William Seton, novelist and science writer; descendant of Elizabeth Ann Seton
• John Gilmary Shea, Laetare Medal-winning historian; wrote History of the Catholic Church in the United States
• Mark P. Shea, convert; columnist at the National Catholic Register and author of Catholic books including Mary, Mother of the Son
• Pia de Solenni, theologian and author of Different and Equal
• Nicholas Sparks, romantic fiction writer of The Notebook, Dear John
• Frank H. Spearman, author, convert, and winner of the Laetare Medal; known for his Westerns
• Eliza Allen Starr, convert who wrote art criticism, such as The Three Archangels and the Guardian Angels in Art, and won a Laetare Medal
• Ellen Tarry, African American author of literature for children and young adults; wrote biographies of noteworthy Catholics
• Jeffrey Tucker, author, editor and publisher; past editorial vice president of the Ludwig von Mises Institute and editor of Sacred Music
• Eve Tushnet, convert; wrote Gay and Catholic: Accepting My Sexuality, Finding Community, Living My Faith
• Lizzie Velásquez, motivational speaker and author who speaks about her rare condition
• Louie Verrecchio, author of Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II; member of Militia Immaculata
• James Joseph Walsh, physician who wrote on Catholic subjects and received a Laetare Medal
• William Thomas Walsh, Laetare Medalist accused of blood libel concerning his book Isabella of Spain
• George Weigel, author of Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II, The Courage To Be Catholic; received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
• Amy Welborn, wrote Here. Now. A Catholic Guide to the Good Life; had one of the first Catholic-themed blogs
• Christopher West, religious writer associated with works on the Theology of the Body
• Paul Wilkes, author of In Mysterious Ways: The Death and Life of a Parish Priest, In Due Season: A Catholic Life, and screenplays
• Gene Wolfe, received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award
• Tobias Wolff, co-winner of the PEN/Malamud Award; wrote This Boy's Life
• Thomas Woods, American historian, political analyst and New York Times best-selling author; has published eleven books on history, Catholicism, and economics; a senior fellow of the Ludwig von Mises Institute
• Sean M. Wright, [9] Emmy-nominated television writer; co-author of The Sherlock Holmes Cookbook and Enter the Lion: a Posthumous Memoir of Mycroft Holmes; created The Plot Thickens Mystery Company to produce mystery parties at homes, offices and aboard the Mystery Train; since 2002, a columnist for The Tidings, the Los Angeles archdiocesan newspaper; presents Catholic insights to Scripture, history, theology and symbolic art
• Gene Luen Yang, writer of graphic novels American Born Chinese, Boxers and Saints, and The Rosary Comic Book

Professors and university presidents

• Hadley Arkes, convert from Judaism; teaches at Amherst College and serves on the advisory board; writes for First Things
• Guido Calabresi, former dean of Yale Law School; said to be descended from one of the oldest Jewish families of Italy
• Warren H. Carroll, convert who founded Christendom College
• Catherine Ann Cline, Benemerenti medalist historian
• Brendan J. Dugan, current president of St. Francis College
• Edward Feser, convert and associate professor of philosophy at Pasadena City College
• Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, Stillman Professor of Roman Catholic Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School
• Jeremiah D. M. Ford, professor of French and Spanish at Harvard University; former president of the American Catholic Historical Association
• Norman Francis, long-serving president of Xavier University of Louisiana
• Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University
• Mary Ann Glendon, former United States Ambassador to the Holy See; Harvard Law School professor
• John F. Haught, academic and theologian involved in debates on the relationship between religion and science
• Carlton J. H. Hayes, president of the American Historical Association, U.S. Ambassador to Spain, and member of the Catholic Association for International Peace
• Jan Karski, one of the Polish Righteous Among the Nations; became a US citizen and taught at Georgetown University
• Frederick Joseph Kinsman, former Episcopal Bishop of Delaware; became a Catholic and professor at The Catholic University of America
• Peter Kreeft, philosopher and professor at Boston College, author of over 70 books
• William E. May, Catholic theologian and author; emeritus professor at the John Paul II Institute
• Mark Miravalle, professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, specializing in Mariology
• Timothy T. O'Donnell, president of Christendom College
• Peter V. Sampo, first president of Magdalen College and Thomas More College of Liberal Arts; on the National Advisory Board for the Society of Catholic Social Scientists
• Timothy Law Snyder, Mathematician and President of Loyola Marymount University
• William K. Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College
• Jim Towey, former president of Saint Vincent College; current president of Ave Maria University
• Eugene Ulrich, the John A. O'Brien Professor of Hebrew Scripture and Theology in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame
• Paul Vitz, converted from atheism to Roman Catholicism. Author of Faith of the Fatherless, the Psychology of Atheism.
• Clarence C. Walton, first layman to hold the position of president of The Catholic University of America
• Helen C. White, first woman elected president of the American Association of University Professors; recipient of the Laetare Medal
• Robert J. Wicks, professor at Loyola University Maryland who writes about the intersection of spirituality and psychology; received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
• Gordon Zahn, peace activist who taught at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and wrote In Solitary Witness: The Life and Death of Franz Jägerstätter

Businesspeople

• Mary Cunningham Agee, held a position at Bendix Corporation and now leads the charitable The Nurturing Network
• Donna Auguste, co-founder, president, and CEO of Freshwater Software, Inc.
• Emmitt Douglas, Louisiana businessman active in the NAACP
• Francis Anthony Drexel, Philadelphia banker; father of Saint Katharine Drexel; two of his other daughters founded the St. Francis Industrial School at Eddington, Pennsylvania, and endowed the Francis A. Drexel Chair of Moral Theology at the Catholic University of America
• Benjamin H. Freedman, anti-Zionist Jewish convert accused of antisemitism
• Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft
• Daniel R. Gernatt, Sr., and Flavia C. Gernatt, founders of Dan Gernatt Farms and active in Catholic charities; Flavia also served as a lay eucharistic minister
• Frank Hanna III, described as "one of the leading Catholic philanthropists in the USA"
• Victor Henningsen, CEO of Henningsen Foods Inc., and a trustee of the Chapel of St. Thomas More at Yale
• Robert Hoehl, co-founder of the software company IDX Systems; philanthropist linked to Saint Michael's College
• John William Mackay, Irish-born industrialist active in Catholic charities
• Manuel Maloof, Atlanta politician, bar owner, and Melkite Greek Catholic
• John McShain, dubbed "The Man Who Built Washington", served on the boards of Catholic universities and once considered studying for the priesthood
• Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza; played a role in establishing the Thomas More Law Center and Ave Maria University
• John J. Raskob, financial executive and businessman for DuPont and General Motors; in 1921 he was appointed a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope Pius XI
• Joe Ricketts, founder of TD Ameritrade
• Charles R. Schwab, founder of the Charles Schwab Corporation; pledged $1 million to support Catholic studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara

Clergy and religious

Bishops

Further information: List of Catholic bishops of the United States and Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States

Priests

Further information: List of Catholic priests of the United States

Religious order

• Fanny Allen, daughter of Ethan Allen, convert to Catholicism, and first New England-born nun
• Mother Angelica, described by Time magazine as "arguably the most influential Roman Catholic woman in America"
• Br. Michael Anthony, founder of the Hermits of Saint Bruno and hermit of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Hermitage
• Thea Bowman, significant in African-American Catholic music and thought
• Barbara Doherty, former president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
• Diane Drufenbrock, member of the School Sisters of St. Francis;became the Socialist Party USA vice-presidential candidate in the 1980 election
• Patrick Ellis, thirteenth president of The Catholic University of America; member of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
• Mary Celine Fasenmyer, member of the Sisters of Mercy; known in mathematics for Sister Celine's polynomials
• Margaret Feldner, O.S.F., first female president of Quincy University
• Isolina Ferré, Puerto Rican nun who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism
• Thomasita Fessler, religious sister and artist
• Ann Fox, co-founder of the Paraclete Foundation and involved in "Women Waging Peace"
• Eliza Maria Gillespie, founder of the American branch of the Sisters of the Holy Cross; Civil War nurse
• Paula González, member of the Sisters of Charity; biologist and an environmentalist; nicknamed "the solar nun"
• Francella Mary Griggs, member of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and an advocate for her people, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
• Mary Aloysia Hardey, significant in the history of the Society of the Sacred Heart in the United States
• Dolores Hart, former actress and subject of the documentary God Is the Bigger Elvis
• Bennett D. Hill, Benedictine monk, historian, and author
• Kirstin Holum, retired speed-skater who joined the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal
• Daniel Horan, Franciscan theological and spiritual writer
• Sister Ignatia, noted for her work with alcoholics
• Rosemary Jeffries, president of Georgian Court University and member of the Sisters of Mercy
• Carol Keehan, CEO of the Catholic Health Association of the United States
• Mary Kenneth Keller, member of the Sisters of Charity and possibly the first woman to obtain a PhD in computer science
• Jeanne Knoerle, member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
• Marilyn Lacey, member of the Sisters of Mercy; founder and executive director of Mercy Beyond Borders
• Leonard LaRue, skipper of the SS Meredith Victory who became a Benedictine monk with the religious name "Brother Marinus"
• Noella Marcellino, Benedictine nun and microbiologist known for her study of cheese
• Margherita Marchione, member of the Religious Teachers Filippini and professor, known for writing about Philip Mazzei and defending Pope Pius XII
• Mary Rose McGeady, nun who was a director of Covenant House
• Margaret McKenna, Medical Mission Sisters member who was involved in the Plowshares Movement and co-founded New Jerusalem Laura to rehabilitate drug addicts
• Mother Mary Clare Millea, Superior General of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who served as an Apostolic visitor for American nuns; lives in Italy
• Nazarena of Jesus, Camaldolese nun and anchoress
• Esther Newport, Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods member and artist who founded the Catholic Art Association
• Carol Anne O'Marie, member of the Sisters of St. Joseph; mystery writer
• Dianna Ortiz, Ursuline nun and a founder of the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition
• Edith Pfau, artist and member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
• Helen Prejean, Sisters of St. Joseph member and a former chair of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
• Megan Rice, member of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus; anti-nuclear activist who broke into the Y-12 National Security Complex
• Sister Elaine Roulet, created programs for incarcerated mothers and their children; inductee to the National Women's Hall of Fame
• Joyce Rupp, Servite from Iowa noted for retreats and as a conference speaker
• Mary Louise St. John, Benedictine with muscular dystrophy who advocated for the disabled and for LGBT people
• Nancy Salisbury, head teacher of the Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City
• Mary Scullion, member of the Sisters of Mercy and co-founder of Project H.O.M.E.
• Mary Stanisia, artist and painter; member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame
• Rose Thering, Dominican Religious Sister noted for her work opposing antisemitism
• Mary Luke Tobin, Religious Sister who was the only American woman to participate in the Second Vatican Council
• Madeleva Wolff, member of the Sisters of the Holy Cross and third president of Saint Mary's College; referred to as the "lady abbess of nun poets"

Saints and Blesseds and Servants of God

Further information: List of American saints and beatified people

Government

Governors

• Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr., governor of California (1975–1983 and 2011–present), studied three years at Sacred Heart Novitiate, a Jesuit seminary
• Sam Brownback, U.S. senator (1996–2011), governor of Kansas (2011–present)
• Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr., governor of California (1959–1967)
• Jeb Bush, governor of Florida, 1999-2007; converted years before serving
• Donald Carcieri, governor of Rhode Island 2003-2011
• Robert P. Casey, 42nd governor of Pennsylvania and pro-life advocate linked to Planned Parenthood v. Casey
• Tom Corbett, governor of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2015
• Joan Finney, 42nd governor of Kansas
• Wally Hickel, second and eighth governor of Alaska
• Robert A. Hurley, first Catholic governor of Connecticut and 73rd governor overall
• Bobby Jindal, governor of Louisiana from 2008 to present
• Edward Kavanagh, seventeenth governor of Maine and one of the first Catholics from New England to be elected to high office
• John W. King, 71st governor of New Hampshire
• Richard F. Kneip, first Catholic governor of South Dakota
• David L. Lawrence, first Catholic governor of Pennsylvania
• Paul LePage, governor of Maine since 2011
• James B. Longley, 69th governor of Maine, 1975-1979
• Bob Martinez, 40th governor of Florida and a former mayor of Tampa
• Bob McDonnell, governor of Virginia from 2010 to 2014
• Butch Otter, governor of Idaho from 2007 to present
• Marc Racicot, 21st governor of Montana and 60th chairman of the Republican National Committee
• Mike Rounds, 31st governor of South Dakota, 2003-2011
• Al Smith, a governor of New York and first Catholic to run for President, an action which caused controversy
• Jacques Villeré, 2nd governor of Louisiana after it first became a state; first native-born governor
• Susana Martinez 31st governor of New Mexico, (2011–present), first Hispanic female governor in the United States

Mayors

• Joseph Alioto, attorney, mayor of San Francisco (1968–1976), primary candidate for California governor in 1974
• Thomas Carbery, mayor of Washington, D.C., 1822-1824
• Anthony J. Celebrezze, mayor of Cleveland 1954–1962, first Italian-American to serve as presidential cabinet secretary (1962–1965)
• Palmer DePaulis, first Roman Catholic mayor of Salt Lake City
• John C. Devereux, first person elected mayor of Utica, New York
• Raymond Flynn, mayor of Boston from 1984 to 1993 and founder of Catholic Citizenship
• William Russell Grace, first Catholic mayor of New York City
• Hugh J. Grant, 88th mayor of New York City
• Frank Hague, 30th Mayor of Jersey City; known for corruption and was called "the granddaddy of Jersey bosses"
• Eduardo Malapit, first Filipino American mayor of any United States municipality
• Joe McDonald, mayor of Delano, Minnesota; current member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• Larry Morrissey, mayor of Rockford, Illinois since 2005
• William O'Dwyer, mayor of New York City from 1946 to 1950
• James Stephens Speed, first Catholic mayor of Louisville, Kentucky; had converted on marriage and left the city, never to return, after Bloody Monday
• James Hugh Joseph Tate, first Catholic mayor of Philadelphia

Richard J. Daley and Richard M. Daley - mayors of Chicago

Judges and justices

See also: Demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States

• Samuel Alito, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (2006 – present)
• Pierce Butler, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from December 21, 1922, to November 16, 1939
• Anthony Kennedy, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (1988 – present)
• Joseph McKenna, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from January 21, 1898 to January 5, 1925
• Frank Murphy, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from January 18, 1940, to July 19, 1949
• John Roberts, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (2005 – present)
• Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from September 26, 1986, to February 13, 2016
• Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (2009 – present)
• Roger B. Taney, 5th Chief Justice of the United States and pro-slaveryite
• Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (1991 – present)
• Edward Douglass White, 9th Chief Justice of the United States and Laetare Medalist

Presidents and vice presidents

• Joe Biden, U.S. vice-president (2009–present), U.S. senator (1973–2009)
• John F. Kennedy, U.S. president (1961–1963), only Catholic president in U.S. history; member of Knights of Columbus

U.S. representatives

See also: Current members of the United States House of Representatives and Demographics of the 110th United States Congress

• Frank J. Becker, represented New York's 3rd congressional district from January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1963
• John Boehner, current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
• Hale Boggs, House Majority Leader from 1971 to 1973
• Hugh Carey, representative from 1961 to 1974 and a former governor of New York
• Daniel Carroll, one of only five men to sign both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States
• Henry Cuellar, the U.S representative for Texas's 28th congressional district, serving since 2005
• Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., U.S. representative from Maryland's 3rd congressional district and subsequently the mayor of Baltimore; father of Nancy Pelosi.
• Robert Drinan, Jesuit priest who served in the House from 1971 to 1981
• Thomas Fitzsimons, one of only two Catholic signers of the United States Constitution, the other being Daniel Carroll of Maryland
• Michael Forbes, represented New York's 1st congressional district from January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001; later became an ordained deacon
• Jeff Fortenberry, represents Nebraska's 1st congressional district and has a master's degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville
• Virginia Foxx, represents North Carolina's 5th congressional district
• William Gaston, jurist and critic of slavery who represented North Carolina's 4th congressional district from March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1817.
• Newt Gingrich, 58th Speaker of the House; with his wife, produced DVD documentary Nine Days that Changed the World about Pope John Paul II's visit to Poland in June 1979
• Thomas S. Gordon, representative from Illinois who served from January 3, 1943 to January 3, 1959
• Henry Hyde, chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2001–2007 and named a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006
• Walter B. Jones, Jr., representative of North Carolina's 3rd congressional district since January 3, 1995, and a convert of Southern Baptist origin
• Marcy Kaptur, the U.S. representative for Ohio's 9th congressional district, serving since 1983
• John C. Kleczka, first Polish American in Congress
• John C. Kluczynski, represented Illinois's 5th congressional district, 1951-1975; member of the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America.
• Dan Lipinski, U.S. representative for Illinois's 3rd congressional district, serving since 2005
• Clare Boothe Luce, converted while in Congress. She expressed support for "population control", but was a Dame of Malta and Laetare Medal winner
• Walter A. Lynch, representative from New York who served from 1940 to 1951 and was active in the Knights of Columbus
• William E. Miller, representative from 1951 to 1965 and Barry Goldwater's running mate
• James C. Murray, represented Illinois's 3rd congressional district from 1955 to 1957 and received the Pacem in Terris Award
• Nancy Pelosi, current (2015) Minority Leader of the House of Representatives
• Gabriel Richard, non-voting delegate and Catholic priest
• William Rosecrans, convert; Union general noted for the Tullahoma Campaign; inventor; coal-oil company executive
• Keith Rothfus, currently represents Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district
• John G. Schmitz, in the House from 1965 to 1973 and ran for president as the candidate of the American Independent Party
• David Schweikert, represents Arizona's 6th congressional district
• Jim Sensenbrenner, represents Wisconsin's 5th congressional district
• John Shelley, in the House from 1949 to 1968 and the 35th mayor of San Francisco
• Chris Smith, represents New Jersey's 4th congressional district and led delegation to Pope Francis's installation
• Pat Tiberi, represented Ohio's 12th congressional district since 2001

United States senators

• Kelly Ayotte, the junior United States senator from New Hampshire, serving since 2011
• James L. Buckley, senator from New York, in office January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1977
• Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last living signatory of the Declaration of Independence
• Thomas H. Carter, served as senator from Montana, 1895-1901, and 1905-1911; first Catholic RNC chair
• Dennis Chavez, served as senator from New Mexico, in office from May 11, 1935 – November 18, 1962
• Jeremiah Denton, served as senator from Alabama; in office from January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1987
• Joe Donnelly, the junior senator representing Indiana
• John Hoeven, the senior senator from North Dakota and former governor
• Mike Johanns, senior senator from Nebraska, former Nebraska governor, and former Secretary of Agriculture
• Francis Kernan, senator from New York, in office from March 4, 1875 to March 4, 1881
• Frank Lausche, senator from Ohio, in office from January 3, 1957, to January 3, 1969; the 55th and 57th governor of Ohio
• Francis T. Maloney, senator from Connecticut, in office from January 3, 1935 to January 16, 1945
• Joe Manchin, the junior senator from West Virginia since November 15, 2010; 34th governor of West Virginia
• Pat McCarran, senator from Nevada from 1933 until 1954, noted for his strong anti-communism
• Joseph McCarthy, controversial senator whose anti-communist tactics led to the term "McCarthyism"
• James Aloysius O'Gorman, senator from New York, in office from 1911 to 1917
• Joseph C. O'Mahoney, senator from Wyoming, in office from January 1, 1934 – January 3, 1953, and November 29, 1954 – January 3, 1961
• James D. Phelan, senator from California, in office from March 4, 1915 – March 4, 1921; also a mayor of San Francisco
• George E. Pugh, convert, senator from California, 1855-1861
• Joseph E. Ransdell, senator from Louisiana, serving from March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1931.
• Jim Risch, Current Junior United States Senator from Idaho.
• Marco Rubio, the junior senator from Florida, serving since 2011
• Rick Santorum, former senator and presidential candidate
• James Shields, in the Senate from 1849 to 1859, and briefly in 1879; one of the few senators to represent three states
• Pat Toomey, currently the junior senator from Pennsylvania
• David Vitter, the junior senator from Louisiana
• Robert F. Wagner, senator from New York, in office from March 4, 1927 – June 28, 1949; converted near the end of his service
• David I. Walsh, (lifetime: 1872 – 1947) senator and governor of Massachusetts
• Thomas J. Walsh, served as senator from Montana from March 4, 1913, to March 2, 1933

Other government positions

• Regina Benjamin, Surgeon General of the United States (2009–present)
• Robert Bork, Solicitor General of the United States (1973–1977), United States Attorney General (1973)
• James Farley, United States Postmaster General from March 4, 1933, to September 10, 1940
• Ray LaHood, sixteenth United States Secretary of Transportation from January 23, 2009 – July 2, 2013
• Francis P. Matthews, A former United States Secretary of the Navy and also the Eighth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
• James P. Mitchell, United States Secretary of Labor under Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Inventors and scientists

See also: List of Catholic scientists and List of Roman Catholic cleric-scientists

• Stephen Barr, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Delaware and a "religion and science" scholar who won the Benemerenti medal
• Michael Behe, intelligent design advocate and professor at Lehigh University
• Mary Celine Fasenmyer, member of the Sisters of Mercy known in mathematics for Sister Celine's polynomials.
• Francis Patrick Garvan, Priestley Medalist for whom the Garvan–Olin Medal is partly named.
• Martinez Hewlett, Professor Emeritus of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona and an adjunct professor at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
• Mary Kenneth Keller, member of the Sisters of Charity; possibly the first woman to obtain a PhD in computer science; member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences; taught at Case Western Reserve University.
• Brian Kobilka, A recipient of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, with Robert Lefkowitz, and he also received the Mendel Medal from Villanova University.
• Noella Marcellino, Benedictine nun and microbiologist known for her study of cheese
• Paul R. McHugh, psychiatrist appointed by George W. Bush to the Presidential Council on Bioethics
• Kenneth R. Miller, evolution advocate who teaches at Brown University and wrote Finding Darwin's God
• John Benjamin Murphy, noted surgeon and Laetare Medalist
• Joseph Murray, shared the 1990 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, received a Laetare Medal, and was appointed Academician of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
• Edmund Pellegrino, bioethicist and Laetare Medalist
• Frederick Rossini, Priestley Medal and Laetare Medal-winning chemist
• George Sperti, Inventor of Preparation H and Mendel medal recipient who collaborated with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati to found the Institutum Divi Thomae.
• William B. Walsh, Poverello Medal and Laetare Medal winner known for Project Hope
• Robert J. White, neurosurgeon noted for head transplant
• Albert Francis Zahm, An aeronautical expert who received the Laetare Medal and the