July 4, 2011 1:24 PM
July 4: Catholics and patriotism
My July 4, 2010 column for Faithful Families, St. Francis deSales bulletin:
July 4: How does love of country fit in with our faith?Is it okay for Catholics to be patriotic? Today seems like a good day to ask. Does allegiance to God and His Holy Church preclude allegiance to our country? Is July 4 simply a long weekend with family, food and fireworks?
Or is it something more?
In these days when the Catholic idea of social justice is sometimes confused with embracing causes actually contrary to church teaching, today is a good time for American Catholics to reflect on these two parts of who we are, to pray for God's guidance, and to teach our families.
I know that as I am grateful to be a Catholic, I am grateful to be an American. Grateful to live in a country that was founded on biblical principles and in which men were willing to sacrifice their lives for freedom.
Yes, our country's birth was not perfect. Just as all earthly leadership is not perfect - even that set in motion by God - a fact gently pointed out to me by Regina Doman when a few years ago I listed among my anti-Catholic arguments the history of church corruption and she reminded me of stories of leadership in the Bible.
"Only God is the perfect leader," she said.
But God was in the birth of America. I see that in the fact that woven into our founding documents were the very ideas and words which would one day abolish slavery and give women the right to vote. The Founding Fathers were no more hypocritical than you and I - because we all are sinners and fall short - but men with the vision and the courage to frame a republic in accord with the "laws of nature and of Nature's God."
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Thomas Jefferson questioned: "Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?"
I am certainly no expert, and in 500 words, I cannot begin to address this matter fully, only to bring up some questions which I hope will pique your curiosity. You may want to Google "Catholicism" and "Patriotism" to begin your own process.
The Church teaches that we can and should honor and respect our country - just as we honor and respect our parents (Thomas Aquinas et al.). Saint Joan of Arc - my beloved patron saint - was an unlikely woman/child God called to serve her country in battle. So being a good Catholic does not mean that we cannot defend out country's heritage.
But - as when Father Escalante instructs us that Catholics in good standing must put the issue of Life before any other political wish list - being a Catholic patriot does mean that we put God's teachings first.
This July 4, let us count our blessings that we live in a country founded on God's teachings, let us commit to protect those life-affirming values in our daily lives, and let us be fearless in our defense.
Posted in Catholicism, July 4, Patriotism | Permalink
