For American Catholics on the 250th anniversary of our nation
Laura DeMaria
Last week I was on Morning Air to discuss some American Catholic history trivia in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. You can listen to the full interview here.
In addition to talking about how many American saints there are (11 - though not all were actually born here), when the first Catholic Mass was celebrated (1565!) and some of the festivities happening in the DC region this year, Glen asked a great question: is the anniversary an occasion for the country to come together? And of course I answered: yes! So that is very much something for us all to ponder this year, which has already started off as divisive, or even more so, than ever.
We also discussed the civic duty Catholics have: to pray for elected leaders, and to vote your conscience. It is an interesting thought experiment, that if all practicing Catholics voted, how this country would look differently. Well, it’s a midterm year - get out there and do your thing!
One last thought: we are now just under two weeks out from the annual March for Life, which is Friday, January 30. Like much of the country, Washington is about to get hit with some severe cold weather. Pray for all those marching for the continued protection of all life, for the conversion of hearts, and for our country to move toward a more family-friendly (aka pro-life) culture. As I now have my own family, it is something I think about a lot.
Oh here’s one more reminder, because I love to think way ahead: Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, is Wednesday, February 18. Just one month away! May it be a fruitful season for our entire nation. Perhaps that is the intention where I will direct my Lenten sacrifice.