In honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, Pope Leo XIV addressed a letter to the American people congratulating them on achieving this historic milestone and praying that the spirit of 1776 will continue to inspire hope and unity in this great nation.In his message, the pope called this semi quincentennial of the founding of America a “defining moment . . . that gave voice to the ideals of liberty, equality, the pursuit of happiness, justice and democratic self-government.”
For two and a half centuries, Americans have been working together to carry these principles forward through sacrifice, innovation and civic participation, the pope wrote, and called upon us to reflect upon the responsibilities we bear to one another, and to the generations who will inherit the nation being shaped today.
“Among the most cherished of these principles is religious freedom – the right of every person to worship according to conscience and to practice their faith openly, without coercion or fear,” the pope wrote. “It is important to recognize that freedom of religion has long been central to the American promise, protecting both individual dignity and the peaceful coexistence of a diverse people.”
It was this freedom of religion that permitted the Catholic Church to take root and flourish within the United States to the advantage of not just its members, but to the entire nation. This is particularly true in the areas of education, preferential care of the poor, healthcare and basic social services – all of which contributed to the development of this great nation.
Citing his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, who wrote, “No better citizen is there . . . than the Christian who is mindful of his duty,” our Holy Father added that “faith, far from standing in opposition to the responsibilities of citizenship, lends new vigor to the pursuit of justice, peace and the common good . . . . In this regard, it is in the faithful fulfillment of duty – to God and country – that Catholics are called to continue to serve the nation, as leaven for the growth of a civilization of love.”
The Pope continued by citing yet another important principle that has guided the development of this country – the God-given dignity of every human life, recognizing that each person is endowed with an inherent worth that calls for reverence, protection and care.
“In this spirit, a full understanding of this dignity leads to recognizing the importance of safeguarding human life from its beginning until natural death, and of building a society in which the vulnerable, the suffering and the forgotten are always met with compassion, solidarity and love,” he wrote, including the immigrant.
As he stressed in his recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, the pope once again reminded the faithful of the importance of working together for the common good.
“Building a world in which everyone can flourish requires shared responsibility and courage. No one can single-handedly bear the weight of the challenges the world is facing. We need one another, and we need to work together in unity to confront the challenges that the world is facing today.”
He concluded by entrusting our nation to the intercession of the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of American, and by sharing his hope that this milestone in our country’s history will renew the shared commitment to the promise of freedom, justice, opportunity and democracy in all of us.
“May Americans honor the courage and vision of those who came before them by strengthening their communities, respecting their differences and working together toward a more perfect union.”
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