thumb|right|St. Catherine's Church, a Roman Catholic church in Eindhoven Traditionally the province of North Brabant has been strongly Roman Catholic, in contrast to most of the rest of the Netherlands. Following the country's independence, Catholics faced discrimination by the Protestant government until the mid-19th century. During the 1960s the relatively strong demarcation between the Catholic south on one side and the Calvinist west and north on the other side of the Netherlands started to diminish. In the second half of the 20th century a rapid secularization took place in North Brabant.
THumb|RIghT|sT Catherine'S Church a RomAn cathoLiC chuRcH iN eINdhoVen TRAdItionAlLy the prOviNCE of North braBANT has bEEn sTrONgly roMAn CatHOLic in CoNtrast To most of the rEst oF ThE neTherlaNds FOLloWiNg ThE country's InDEPendenCe CaThOLiCs FaCed DiScrimiNaTIoN by thE PrOTestaNt governMenT UntiL the MiD-19Th CeNturY DURinG the 1960s the relatIVelY stRONg demARCation beTweEN THE caTholIc souTh on ONe siDE AND The caLvinist West aNd nOrth on the OThEr siDE OF The netherlanDs sTarteD to dimiNIsh In tHe seconD haLf of tHe 20Th CeNtuRy a RapiD secUlarIZATIon toOk PLace In noRtH BRABanT