July Pastor Column

My dear Kirkland Catholics,

As our country celebrates its 250th Anniversary this weekend, I thought a few reflections on what patriotism means for a Catholic might be in order.  Firstly, for a Catholic it is about the right to projectile launch a colorful controlled explosion that we all stand up and applaud.  I jest there, but I do love a good firework.  But with sincerity, here is what the catechism says:

"The love and service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity." (CCC 2239)

It makes sense that patriotism is grounded in gratitude because it recognizes that the freedom and structures of our country that we benefit from were paid for by the blood and sweat and generosity of people we have never met and are not biologically related to.  That should give us gratitude: that there is so much we have been given not earned, and that in turn should inspire us to serve and live generously for the sake of the common good.  There is a strong parallel here to the Christian Faith and the gratitude at the salvation won for us by Christ that we should exude.

After having almost no interest in reading non-fiction the whole of my adult life, and never reading a biography (except for religious biographies) something changed and over the past two years much of my non-spiritual reading has been presidential biographies. I have enthusiastically read 13 to date; all of them very long and detailed lives of our past presidents. This foray into American history has given me a deep appreciation of the values and persons that have shaped this country; and the sacrifices individuals, families and even states have made for the cause of freedom.

Partisanism has been a part of our country all the way back to the division of the Federalists and Democrat-Republicans, as has the raw ambition of most presidents and many high government officials.  What seems different today is a blatant and near complete disregard for truth and the objective moral order which on my read of American history was not the case before the second half of the 20th Century at the earliest.  Patriotism for a Catholic today, my opinion is then, is participation in the political process through informed voting, service to one’s neighbor in civic causes if one feels called, and at the same time avoiding any type of partisanism that glosses over serious flaws in leadership, party platforms, initiatives, or conduct; and stands for the truth of things even when inconvenient for one’s political leanings.  Patriotism for a Catholic is praying for all of our leaders including ones we might dislike and disagree with.  Patriotism for a Catholic is keeping very aware that our politics will never save us, our hopes are in Christ and “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).

I am full of gratitude for my country.  My prayer for our country this weekend is that in the next 50 and 250 years our country will become more just and will fulfil the God-given mandate given to the most prosperous and powerful country on earth.

With love in Christ,

Fr. Brad