4th of July vs. Independence Day

Bulletin Article July 3

Independence Day is hardly used to describe the 4th day of July anymore. In fact, most people simply refer to it as “The 4th.” Most people associate this holiday with barbeques and vacations. Yet, there is something left to be desired when we ignore the true title of the day. Tomorrow we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which was an extremely gutsy move by the Second Continental Congress (the governing body of the 13 Colonies).

However, even these brave politicians realized that their power meant nothing compared to the power of Almighty God. In fact, in 1779, the holiday was celebrated on a Monday because the 4th of July fell on a Sunday—the Sabbath day. This Sunday’s First Reading speaks of the humble leader God would send His people. We know this leader to be Christ, who taught by example of what it meant to serve. The American colonists established a government based on serving its people. It claimed that we are born with natural rights and if a government restricted or impeded on these rights or the good of its people, they could break from it.

As a Catholic, who happens to hold a degree in American History, I am partial to Charles Carroll, a relative of the first bishop of the first diocese in the United States. He was the only Catholic to sign the Declaration (in fact, many Catholics were forbidden to hold political office in many states at the time) and the only signer to put the town he lived in. His signature reads, “Charles Carroll of Carrollton”. He believed in the cause so much that, with full knowledge of the consequences, he let the British know exactly who he was. We need more Catholics like that today.

In a country which is become so “PC” we cannot even say the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, it is time for Catholics to stop being on the defensive. Stop apologizing for your faith. We must recognize that we are dependent on God because we are independent from the world. Being Catholic is not a disease, it’s a blessing and an honor. Being Catholic is as much a part of your identity as your nationality. We are not just Americans, we are CATHOLIC Americans (notice that Catholic comes first). We are part of something much bigger than anything else in the world. We belong to a community that has given more aid to suffering people around the globe than anyone else. We support what people know to be self-evident truths but are too afraid to stand up for. We respect all life even though this gets little to no coverage in the media. We provide schools and hospitals all over the world. Our Church honors saints who have given their lives for what they believed in. Isn’t it time for you to do the same?