In Defense of America

Traditional Catholics' Club: Message #1082
From: [email protected]
Date: Wed Apr 9, 2003 9:46 am
Subject: Re: Premature Crowing

Prax,

I'm guessing you aren't American. I want to make one thing clear. I am opposed to the war in Iraq, but I love my country.

You are way off on your opinion that the colonies had no reason to secede from England. It was (and still is) an evil government that opresses the Church. The British monarchy was radically anti catholic. If it were a just Catholic monarchy, I would be more apt to agree with you. Our form of goverment, holding to the Constitution, is just, because it allows the Roman Catholic Church not only the freedom she deserves, but also allows her to grow and thrive, making it possible for this to be a Catholic country.

You also set yourself against Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Longinqua 4. Nor, perchance did the fact which We now recall take place without some design of divine Providence. Precisely at the epoch when the American colonies, having, with Catholic aid, achieved liberty and independence, coalesced into a constitutional Republic the ecclesiastical hierarchy was happily established amongst you; and at the very time when the popular suffrage placed the great Washington at the helm of the Republic, the first bishop was set by apostolic authority over the American Church and again To this We apply Ourselves with the utmost zeal and care; because We highly esteem and love exceedingly the young and vigorous American nation, in which We plainly discern latent forces for the advancement alike of civilization and of Christianity. And finally, Our beloved nation enjoys the privelege of being the only country permitted to fly our national flag in the sanctuary.

If I am wrong, and you are a fellow countryman, I ask you to rethink your anti-american opinions, because being a good Catholic is also being a good citizen. Patriotism is a virtue that is tied in with the virtue of piety.

Sean Murray