First steps

Tuesday, 20 March

Question: Is it even possible any longer to be a faithful, orthodox Catholic and patriotic at the same time? I guess the answer turns on the definition of 'patriotic.' The dictionary (Webster's New Collegiate) tells us that a patriot is "one who loves his country and zealously supports its authority and interests." I don't think anyone would quibble with love for the place one was born or for the place one has settled, but the last part of the definition presents real problems for a Catholic these days. My own country, for example, officially supports legalized abortion, is ambivalent about unnatural 'marriages,' and is militaristic in the extreme, with armies and bases strewn around the globe. None of these things is compatible at all with Catholic teachings, and consequently no serious Catholic could "zealously support" such a country's "authority and interests."