Roman Catholicism tends to be associated with conservatism and the preservation of traditional values, including regional autonomy and commitment to the local community. The strongly Roman Catholic cantons include Uri (more than 90%), Schwyz and both Nidwalden and Obwalden, the Alpine cantons which took the 1291 oath of confederation, regarded as the foundation of modern Switzerland. They joined together at that time to assert their rights to rule themselves in the face of outside powers. Today these are the areas which vote most strongly against any moves they believe could bring Switzerland closer to its neighbours and threaten its neutrality.

The Roman Catholic church in Switzerland is unusual in that the secular authorities in ten Catholic cantons have an important say in the nomination of bishops. This is the result of an agreement between the Pope and the participating cantons in 1828.

After many years in which Protestants were the majority in Switzerland, Roman Catholicism again became the largest religious group around the middle of the 20th century, as a result of immigration from Catholic countries.