Today, the 4th of July, we celebrate the Declaration of Independence.  I want to reflect with you on some of the principles of that Declaration, also what the French philosopher, Alexis de Tocqueville said about America  and  finally on  recent statements of Popes and Bishops related to our duty to live up to it and the Constitution.

French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville observed more than 170 years ago:  "I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits a flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." In other words, we should be, almost like Jesus said of His followers, a light in the darkness. That is, not by military or economic power that tries to change forcibly the culture of other peoples but by the power of example. We should practice what we preach,, not only here but for all the world to see and imitate what the Declaration of Rights says:  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men (and I add “and all women”) are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….”  Have we lost any of this?  Are abortion and euthanasia and the death penalty violations of the right to Life?  Aren’t certain “programs” that are literally “shoved down our throats” a violation of our Liberty?  Does a consumer, individualistic and “throw-away” society  that values personal pleasure above all things bring us true Happiness?

As Abraham Lincoln once said, the Government should be “Of the people, by the people and for the people.” Do our elected officials really represent us and the wishes and well-being of us common citizens, or rather only their own private, selfish interests and those of a small number of the rich and powerful?   Are there really effective “checks and balances” between the three powers, or, as is so often in Brazil (where I have been a missionary for almost 48 years), be-cause of the omission the elected Legislators, it is a practice of the Executive and the Judiciary (which is appointed by the Executive branch), who make laws?  For example, the Judiciary here in the United States “legalized” abortion”, which is really against the Constitution, because for something to be “legal” it should be a law made by legislators, not judges!  Fortunately, in Brazil, this question of  “legalizing abortion” depends on the Legislature and, although there is a lot of pressure on Congress and the Senate by radical groups, since the legislators are elected, they are more sensitive to the wishes of the voters, and so since most voters don’t want legalized abortion, so far it has not been “legalized” in Brazil.

But why has it come to this state of affairs here in the United States, where  most of the citizens are “Christian”, that God is excluded from almost everything – not just from PUBLIC life, but even to some extent  private life!  It’s understandable, even though it is wrong, that in some places where Christians are a very small minority, their religious rights are not respected – but here in the States, why can a very radical, pagan, atheistic minority trample on our legitimate religious rights?  Why can they get so-called “rights” to murder innocent unborn human babies?  Why can they “legally” deprive a child of either a father or a mother by adopting that child into a “same-sex” union which they erroneously call “marriage”? If some religious groups can allege legitimate  “conscientious objection” for not fighting and killing in a war, why can’t Catholics in health services claim “conscientious objecttion” for not aborting unborn babies?

For decades the Church was wary of politics and many Catholics remained uninformed and totally alienated about vital political questions.  But as we hear in the famous phrase:  “Evil prevails because the good people do nothing”!  It’s really a sin of omission!  Pronouncements in recent years of the Popes and Bishops make us more aware of our duty to put morals into politics!  To be informed, to get involved, to exercise our citizenship!.  True, the church cannot officially sponsor any political party or candidate (as do some evangelical churches) and priests and religious cannot be candidates for electives offices.  But the Church has an obligation, a duty, to prepare and motivate worthy and god-fearing candidates and, above all, orientate and. accompany them if elected, with Catholic Social Doctrine, with pronouncements of the Popes and Bishops.  Pope Benedict XVI has said that one of the highest forms of charity is exercising our citizenship in political questions An excellent document of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops  is: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship:  A Call to Political Responsibility.  (See website:  www.usccb.org/faithtulcotizenship/FCStatement.pdf  )   See also the excellent book  Render unto Cesar, by the Archbishop of Denver, Most Rev. Charles Chaput, OFM Cap..

We lack about four months until the national elections, and the Church asks her faithful to become educated about the issues and to vote responsibly.  I quote a passage from  the U.S. Bishops’document:  “This statement highlights the role of the Church in the  formation of conscience, and the corresponding moral  responsibility of each Catholic to hear, receive, and act upon the Church’s teaching task of forming his or  her own conscience.  With this foundation, Catholics are better  able to evaluate  policy positions, party platform and candidates’ promises and actions  in the light of  the Gospel and the moral and social teaching of the Church..  Some people  question  whether it is appropriate for the Church to play a role in political life.  However, the obligation to teach about moral values that should shape our lives, including our  public lives is central to the mission given to the Church by Jesus Christ. (Nos 5 & 11 of U.S.  Bishop’s document on Faithful Citizenship).