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Dear Parishioners,
This week, we observe Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11. My father, a Coast Guard veteran of World War II, helped me understand the generosity and sacrifice involved in serving our country. I remain deeply grateful for his example and for all who have served or are currently serving in our armed forces.
Although war represents a failure of humanity to live in peace, military force is sometimes sadly necessary to defend the innocent. Recognizing the tragedy of war does not diminish the dignity of those who honorably defend their neighbors and work to preserve peace. As the Catechism teaches: “Those who are sworn to serve their country in the armed forces are servants of the security and freedom of nations. If they carry out their duty honorably, they truly contribute to the common good of the nation and the maintenance of peace” (2310).
As we honor our veterans, I encourage you to thank them for their service and to remember them in prayer. We may disagree about particular wars or military decisions while still recognizing the courage, hardship, and sacrifice of those who serve. Their willingness to serve our country exemplifies patriotism directed toward the common good. Our gratitude should also move us to care for veterans and their families, especially those who continue to bear the wounds of war.
This same love of country calls each of us to fulfill our civic responsibilities. Voting is one important expression of that commitment: an opportunity to exercise our judgment for the good of our neighbors and our nation. It, too, can be an act of patriotic service.
The recent election brought both winners and losers, and we may have greeted its results with joy, disappointment, or mixed feelings. Whatever our response, our responsibility to our country continues. We are called to seek justice, protect human dignity, and care for one another, especially the poor. Above all, our hope remains in our gracious God, the King of Kings, whose authority stands above every earthly power.
St. Thomas Aquinas places love of country within the virtue of piety, which belongs to justice. We owe gratitude to our parents and our country for the ways they have sustained and formed us. Such patriotism calls us to love the people who make up our nation and to work for their good, even when we disagree with our government or with one another.
Let us, therefore, give thanks for those who serve in the armed forces, take our civic duties seriously, and pray for our country and its leaders. All of us need the mercy of our Savior, who calls us to follow Him and proclaim the Gospel. May His grace guide our service, shape our citizenship, and help us become instruments of His peace.
Blessings,
Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor
