Too often, we as citizens of the United States focus on what divides us. While it is good and necessary to discuss our differences and challenge one another in the search for truth and the common good, it is neither necessary nor healthy to become enemies of everyone with whom we disagree. The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence offers an opportunity to step back, focus on what we share, and celebrate the remarkable nation we have inherited.

No human system is perfect, but the American experiment is exceptional because of the principles upon which it was founded. The United States’ appearance on the world stage marked a unique historical moment, and its ideals as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution deserve our celebration.

The Founding Fathers knew they could not foresee the future, so they established a framework that held citizens and leaders accountable while allowing for growth and reform. This system was designed not to preserve perfection but to help future generations continue striving toward better.

The only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was educated in Europe because Maryland law at the time strictly forbade Catholics from voting, holding public office, and practicing law. He overcame these barriers, using his immense influence and fortune to heavily finance and advocate for the Revolutionary cause.

Tension always existed between the American proposition and the Catholic faith. From the secular perspective: How can Catholics fully embrace a pluralistic society when their highest allegiance belongs to Christ and His Church? From the Catholic perspective: Doesn’t the separation of church and state imply that all religions are equally true or that faith is merely a private preference?

American priest and theologian John Courtney Murray (d. 1967) believed the American proposition—constitutional government, limited state power, and religious liberty—could be understood as a political expression of truths deeply rooted in the Catholic natural law tradition. Fr. Murray argued that one can be both a faithful Catholic and a patriotic American because Catholic teaching calls believers to love God and neighbor in concrete civic life, while always placing God first.

He maintained that the American proposition depends upon several principles consistent with natural law and Catholic moral teaching: human beings possess inherent dignity and natural rights; political authority is limited, not absolute; government exists to protect the common good and the rights of citizens, not to control conscience; religious belief must be freely embraced, not coerced; and people of different faiths can work together through reasoned discussion to pursue the common good.

These principles make it possible for people of every race and creed to flourish in the United States.

The Church’s teaching authority helps us form our consciences and guide our moral judgment without reducing faith to partisan politics. It is important to recall that civil law does not always mirror what is morally just. Catholics are called to obey legitimate authority but recognize that something isn’t right simply because it’s legal. Freedom carries responsibility and requires moral discernment.

Despite periods of anti-Catholic prejudice and continuing debates about religion’s role in public life, Catholics have helped shape the American story from the beginning. We, therefore, have good reason to celebrate both our country and the principles that sustain it.

The American experiment is not perfect, nor is it complete. Each generation is called to strengthen it by defending human dignity, pursuing justice, and seeking the common good. For Catholics, this task is not a compromise of faith but an expression of it. By bringing the wisdom of the Gospel and the natural law tradition into public life, we can help ensure that America remains a source of freedom, opportunity, and hope for generations to come.