As the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding, Bishop Mark Brennan is calling Catholics to reflect on the nation’s blessings and shortcomings while recommitting themselves to building a “culture of life” and a “civilization of love.”
In a pastoral letter released ahead of the nation’s semiquincentennial, Brennan, apostolic administrator of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, reflected on America’s history, praised the contributions of Catholics to the common good, and warned that the nation risks moral decline if it abandons God’s law.
The letter, which Brennan noted would likely be his final pastoral letter as bishop, comes 50 years after his priestly ordination during the country’s bicentennial celebrations in 1976. Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala is succeeding Brennan, and a Mass of installation will be celebrated on July 2 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling.
“Catholics of West Virginia, be truly Catholic and truly patriotic,” Brennan wrote. “Work for the genuine good of your country and trust that God will bless your efforts.”
Progress and persistent challenges
Brennan acknowledged significant advances in American society since the nation’s founding, including the abolition of slavery, the end of legal racial segregation, and expanded opportunities for women.
At the same time, he pointed to ongoing problems including racial disparities, domestic violence, human trafficking, abortion, and hostility toward immigrants.
The bishop highlighted the contributions immigrants have made throughout American history, noting that Catholicism itself grew from roughly 1% of the population in 1776 to about 20% today, largely because of immigration.
While praising the stability of the nation’s constitutional system, religious liberty protections, and tradition of public service, Brennan warned that Americans should not take God’s blessings for granted.
Quoting both Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, Brennan argued that nations will face divine judgment when they ignore moral truths and permit injustice.
Defense of human life
A central theme of the letter was the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.
Brennan condemned abortion, assisted suicide, and the death penalty while also calling for greater care for immigrants, the elderly, and the vulnerable.
“The God who gave us life does not want us to take it,” he wrote, referring to unborn children and the sick.
The bishop praised the work of the pro-life movement, highlighting the role Catholics have played in organizing marches, supporting pregnancy resource centers, and providing housing and assistance for mothers in need.
He specifically pointed to the legacy of Nellie Gray, the Catholic lawyer who founded the annual March for Life, and commended the efforts of countless Catholics who have worked to defend unborn children.
Catholic contributions to American society
Brennan also emphasized the Church’s historic contributions to social reform in the United States.
Among his examples was Cardinal James Gibbons, whose advocacy for workers influenced Pope Leo XIII’s landmark 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum and helped strengthen support for labor rights.
He also cited the efforts of Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle, who desegregated Catholic schools in Washington, D.C., in 1948, years before the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.
According to Brennan, these examples demonstrate how Catholic teaching has advanced both human dignity and the common good.
‘Culture of life’ and ‘civilization of love’
The bishop devoted a substantial portion of the letter to outlining what he called a “culture of life,” rooted in respect for every human person.
Such a culture, he said, includes opposition to abortion, support for marriage and family life, care for the sick and elderly, and welcoming immigrants while respecting the dignity of every person.
Brennan also drew on the teachings of St. John Paul II, who promoted the concept of a “civilization of love.”
He pointed to hospice programs, soup kitchens, food pantries, charitable organizations, youth mentorship programs, and service groups such as the Knights of Columbus as examples of that vision in action.
Warning against secularism
Brennan warned that secularism, relativism, and excessive individualism pose significant challenges to American society.
Echoing concerns raised by Pope Benedict XVI, he argued that excluding religion from public life weakens the moral foundations necessary for self-government.
The bishop also criticized cultural trends that prioritize personal autonomy over the common good and cautioned against what he described as distractions that prevent Americans from addressing deeper social and moral concerns.
Looking ahead
As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, Brennan expressed hope that reform and renewal remain possible.
Drawing on biblical examples and the Church’s own history of reform, he urged Catholics to engage actively in public life while remaining faithful to Catholic teaching.
“The very soul of our country” is at stake, Brennan wrote, calling on Catholics to educate future generations, defend human dignity, and help shape a society grounded in faith, virtue, and concern for the common good.
“As we joyfully celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary of independence,” he concluded, “we are the Americans who must keep it [America].”
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