Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, the first diocese established in the United States (1789), has issued a pastoral letter, “In Charity & Truth: Toward a Renewed Political Culture,” for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The 29-page letter has 22 sections, including “Charity, Unity, and Patriotism – The Witness of Blessed Michael McGivney” and “The Spiritual Crisis Beneath the Political Crisis.”
“May the next 250 years of our nation be marked by greater justice, deeper solidarity, renewed trust, and a profound respect for the dignity of every human person,” he concluded. “May the Church—in the Premier See of Baltimore and throughout the United States—be a leaven of unity and a witness of hope in a world thirsting for both. May God bless you and may God bless the United States of America.”