While the prophet Jeremiah did not have the United States — or any modern nation — in mind, his description of calls for “‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” (Jer 6:14) aptly illustrates our current political and cultural discourse. Many decry the rancor and polarization in public life, to no avail, prompting ever more fervent demands for peace.
Catholics are full and ordinary citizens, with duties and rights like every other. Consequently, they have political tastes and views, as well as the usual disagreements — all of which is perfectly normal and not a problem. Many political issues allow reasonable people of good will to see things differently without revealing themselves as ignorant or unfaithful. Zoning laws, school funding and tariffs are matters the Church has not dogmatically defined and which natural law leaves unspecified, so differing viewpoints are expected without scandal.
Men and women in the pews can and do disagree on many issues while remaining loyal both to their faith and their country. Patriotism is a virtue, and patriots often disagree — just ask James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. Or Charles Carroll, the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence, who argued for independence from Britain in the Maryland Gazette under the pseudonym “First Citizen.” We are patriotic citizens, proudly so, and a free and self-governed people deliberate, debate and disagree — as they should.
Of course, some disagreements are fundamental, with far more at stake than tax policy. Debates about abortion, euthanasia or the definition of marriage do not allow faithful Catholics to compromise on moral truth or the clear teachings of the Church. An essential task, then, is to know the difference and respond accordingly. Is this a matter of preference? Does this debate allow for legitimate diversity of opinion? We must take responsibility for forming our consciences well, guided by the Church’s teaching.
Even on fundamental issues, Catholics are called to be sowers of peace rather than enmity. After all, we know we are not citizens solely of the city of man; our first and primary citizenship is in the city of God, the Church. Politics matter — sometimes a great deal, involving life and death, right and wrong — but politics are not ultimate, for eternity awaits us long after the next election cycle, let alone the next news cycle. We take our rightful place in public debate but with a freedom not available to the unbeliever, trusting in a time beyond this one‚ in a King beyond all rulers. We vote and debate with a freedom — and responsibility — that others may lack, especially those who do not hope in God. Politics matter, but they are never first.
CHARITY AND UNITY
Because we live in hope and faith, Catholics are free to be charitable — even toward political opponents. In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola offered invaluable advice that is especially relevant today: “It should be presupposed that every good Christian ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it. Further, if one cannot interpret it favorably, one should ask how the other means it. If that meaning is wrong, one should correct the person with love.”
This counsel is nearly the opposite of today’s political chatter, especially online, where small disagreements are mischaracterized, catastrophized and attacked — often without the slightest effort to understand, let alone to interpret in the best possible light. But this is not charitable, nor does it reflect the freedom, hope and good cheer proper to the children of God.
The Catholic tradition holds to the natural law, affirming that human beings can access the basic principles of morality through reason alone. This provides a basis for unity despite disagreement. For instance, we all know that human life is to be preserved. It is reasonable to conclude that traffic laws help protect life, but whether the speed limit should be 65 or 70 on a particular stretch of highway is a prudential judgment — a question on which reasonable people may disagree.
Obviously, the Church has no fixed opinion on speed limits, so why should you or I? But there are other natural law issues on which the Church has always spoken clearly — for example, the intrinsic evil of abortion. And this raises an important question: In a society where grave violations of natural law are permitted or even celebrated, how should Catholics conduct themselves in political discussions?
“Even on fundamental issues, Catholics are called to be sowers of peace rather than enmity. … We offer that truth best when we do so with mercy and humility, not condemnation.”
Here again, charity remains essential. People in error about serious moral matters need our prayers, which truly help them. And while we must not treat all perspectives as morally equal, we can still acknowledge that most people — like us — are attempting to state the truth as they understand it. They may be wrong, and even gravely so, but still be acting in good conscience. Two perspectives can, at times, both carry partial truths. And one person’s grasp of the truth does not render it unavailable to others.
This is not relativism; moral truth exists and can be known and defended. But we offer that truth best when we do so with mercy and humility, not condemnation. If we remember that others, like us, are created as rational seekers of truth, we can see them not as enemies, but as fellow pilgrims on a common quest.
BOUND IN BROTHERHOOD
Many matters allow for good people — all seeking the truth, all trying to be reasonable — to arrive at different conclusions. Unity with difference is not always a contradiction, and we need not fear it. We certainly need not be outraged by it. Calmness and charity in such matters can go a long way toward modeling good disagreement.
This posture fosters fraternity. When we recall that others are also patriotic, when we interpret them charitably, when we remember that they are united with us in seeking truth, it becomes easier to see them as neighbors — even friends and brothers. They have political views that matter to them; so do we. They have families, insurance premiums and property taxes; so do we. They have fears and dreams for their children — and so do we.
Perhaps they differ from us about taxes or health insurance, but they remain fellow citizens, fellow members of humanity, and perhaps redeemed by the same waters of baptism. We might oppose them at the ballot box or in the comments section, but we are still called to care for them, shoulder their burdens, seek the common good, and live in solidarity with all. In that view, cheap rhetorical points seem a hollow victory.
As Knights of Columbus in particular, we can draw on the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism in our dealings with others, whether our disputes are large or small. We cannot compromise on essentials, but firm resolution need not be unkind.
We must also be humble. Some truths we hold not because of our own brilliance, but because we were taught them by our mother, the Church. Not everyone has that good fortune. “There but for the grace of God go I” is more than a cliché; it’s a call to modesty about ourselves, and to patience and generosity for others.
And let us not forget: Those others, whatever their politics, are persons with an eternal destiny. If we gain the whole world but lose their souls — or risk our own — by seeking to “win” an argument, what does it profit?
Peace is in short supply, and bitterness often pervades public debate. Still, we would do well to remember that not every disagreement is a fundamental one — and even when it is, we are still bound by Christ’s command: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:44). As Catholics and as Knights, we can begin by doing just that.