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My nephew Oliver has just started reading the Lord of the Rings series. And reading with him on his front porch this past weekend called to mind one of my favorite lines from the mouth of the hobbit Frodo: “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” Isn’t that what we have all thought when looking at the news of late? I wish it need not have happened in my time. But whenever I have this thought, I stir courage in my soul by reciting the line that follows from the mouth of the wizard Gandolf: “So do I and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. What is for us to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
We live in interesting times. Two weeks ago I posted a reflection on the parable of the bramble from the book of Judges. Thank you to all those who wrote me about that and shared it with friends. I’m glad it resonated. I feel like the last many weeks with the time given me, I’ve been been traveling hither and yon meeting with groups, doing webinars, giving talks, and—directly or indirectly—pretty much making the same two points about this interesting time.
- Truth matters. Reality is vast. We can’t grasp it all. There will always be more to know than we can know in our small brains. But we do want to make sure that whatever IS in our small brains is aligned with reality. We don’t want to fall prey to thinking things are real that aren’t real. We use that information to make decisions about what we think is best for our country and our planet, and we need good information to do that well. A pox on those who know one thing to be true and say another. It wreaks havoc on society—something we are now once again enduring toward no good end. (For more of what I’ve been trying to communicate on this point, check out this handout and feel free to share it.) But as we work through this needlessly destructive chaos once more, we also need to remember…
- Being true matters. We are still going to need to live with one another after the coming election. We need to figure out how to be faithful to doing the best by one another even when we don’t agree. I have the greatest of admiration for those who are giving themselves fully to the ongoing work of de-polarization in the midst of this campaign season. I cannot recommend highly enough the award-winning book by Glenmary Fr. Aaron Wessman called The Church’s Mission in a Polarized World (New City Press, 2023) or the work of Braver Angels—a volunteer-led movement to “find a hopeful alternative to toxic politics.” I continue to run across people from this movement in my journeys and each time I do, I am edified.
Yet I am beginning to reach the end of what I personally can do in the time that remains between now and November 5th. For someone who has spent a lot of time writing about power, I feel quite small before the magnitude of the situation, and honestly, more than a bit exhausted. So at this point I find myself more falling on my knees. Well, no, that’s not quite true. I find myself lying flat on my back between two and four in the morning… and praying. I remember that I am one person but that there are many people right now (including all of you!) longing for the common good. And that that longing is not even confined to those who are currently living on our planet. That all those who long for the common good now are surrounded and supported by good women and men of generations past who also longed for the common good in their time, and we trust continue to do so in ours.
Of course, the people that I think of and that I bind myself to in these moments are many of the saints I’ve had the chance to meet in the writing of the Redeeming books. But then also in side projects like the one I did this past week for the Catholic Schools of New York City. (“Can you mention in your talk a few of the saints from the state of New York?” they asked. Lo and behold, that state seems to have the most in the nation.) I’ve slowly been putting together a litany that I plan to pray every day in this one final month leading up to the election and I’d like to invite you to pray it with me. We will continue to do what we can do with the time that is given us, but then also realize that the bigger picture of what is true and just and good is tended to by hands larger than our own.
Below I’d like to share just a bit about the 12 holy women and men I’ve been thinking about as companions specifically during this time and then tomorrow, I’ll share the litany itself, just so that this post doesn’t get too long. Feel free to invite as many people as you would like to join in praying this litany for the coming 30 days, and to share the back story here only if you feel it’d be helpful.
Pope Leo XIII
The economy is often identified as a top issue of concern among voters. Leo XIII, who was pope for most of the 19th century, was the first to issue a social encyclical that drew attention to economic issues that concern the Church most: the rights of workers to fair wages and safe working conditions. While affirming the right to property and free enterprise, he opposed both socialism as well as unregulated capitalism. Rerum Novarum, issued in 1891, was considered the first of its kind.
St. Francesca Saverio Cabrini
There are many pro-life issues that our faith calls us to consider when voting. One is the plight of immigrants, especially refugees from war and natural disaster. Francesca was an indefatigable force in advocating for the needs of immigrants in the U.S.—first in New York City, but then across the country all the way to California. Any organization would want her as their development director as she raised funds to build hospitals, schools, orphanages, summer camps, etc… especially for Italian immigrants who were regularly disparaged in the late 19th / early 20th century. For more on Francesca.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla
Another important pro-life concern is for the unborn and their mothers. Gianna was a pediatrician who never denied children medical care when their parents could not afford it. She herself endured multiple difficult pregnancies, including her last pregnancy which was complicated by a uterine fibroma. She freely chose to pursue a surgical option that would have the best chance of saving her unborn child, even though was more risky for her. The surgery was successful, but then following the C-section birth of her child, she contracted septic peritonitis and died. She is one who understood well the complications of pregnancy and all the decisions women have to make in the bearing of children. For more on Gianna.
Venerable Samuel Mazzuchelli
Recent years have made us increasingly aware of how discrimination based on race and sex have diminished the lives of many people of color and women. The disturbing surge of white nationalism in various parts of our country makes this an important “pro-life” issue to have on our radar as well. Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli was a missionary to the upper Midwest (Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa) who was outspoken about the scourge of slavery that led up to the Civil War and government policy displacing native peoples from their land—protesting both to his congressman and President Andrew Jackson. In founding the Sinsinawa Dominican sisters, he insisted on cutting-edge education for girls in a rural region and that the sisters themselves had ownership of the school in their name. The sisters were appointed to the board of the school, rather than the men the state legislature wanted. (For more on Fr. Samuel, see here or Chapter 4 of my book Redeeming Power)
St. John Paul II
Before Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ and united the Catholic Church with other faith traditions in the celebration of September as the Season of Creation, Pope John Paul II had already highlighted care of the environment as a pro-life concern for Christians, stating: “Faced with the widespread destruction of the environment, people everywhere are coming to understand that we cannot continue to use the goods of the Earth as we have in the past. … [A] new ecological awareness is beginning to emerge which rather than being downplayed, ought to be encouraged to develop into concrete programs and initiatives.”
St. Francis of Assisi
Long before John Paul II, Francis was considered a saint with a deep, abiding respect for God's created world. His Canticle of the Sun is part of the inspiration behind Laudato Si'. Francis, however, is also known for his deep, abiding commitment to peace. In one of my favorite stories about Francis (relayed in Chapter 3 of Redeeming Conflict), Francis crossed the Mediterranean to meet with the Muslim leader Malik al-Kamil and seek common ground in conversation, even at great risk to his life. The story of this encounter can be found here and it reminds us that Francis is the perfect companion to ponder how we can be peacemakers on the global scene. Our vote in this election affects the lives of people far and wide, not just Americans.
St. Thomas More
Beyond consideration of policies that elected officials may be able to influence, the formation of a voter’s conscience requires a hard look at the character of the persons running and assessment of how likely they are to actually do what they say. Moreover, will they do it by legitimate or coercive means? What quality of discourse will they embrace? How will they use their power? Thomas More served as chancellor under the impetuous English king Henry VIII who was tempted to bend the law to his own will, whereas More was committed to rule of law. In stepping away from the position, More warned Cromwell, “In the counsel you give His Grace, ever tell him what he ought to do, but never what he is able to do.” More also was known for his great sense of humor. My other favorite quote of his: “Happy is the person who can distinguish between a rock and a mountain; it avoids so many inconveniences.” (I write more about More in Ch. 9 of Redeeming Administration)
St. Mary McKillop
Good, healthy leaders have good, healthy boundaries with those who do not have as much power as they do. McKillop and her Josephite sisters stood up to report a priest in her diocese who had abused children. In revenge, a friend of the priest saw to it that McKillop was excommunicated. On his death bed, the bishop regretted excommunicating her for speaking the truth about the violence that had taken place. McKillop is now acknowledged as a patron for those who have suffered abuse at the hands of one in power. (I write more about McKillop in Ch. 10 of Redeeming Administration)
St. Thomas Aquinas
Following the lead of the Greek philosopher, Aquinas is the one to whom we owe our definition for truth today—in lay terms “having a mind aligned with reality”. He is also the one to whom we owe our definition of truthfulness—in lay terms “having a mouth aligned with your mind.” Thomas saw truthfulness as a virtue related to justice: it is giving others the information that they are rightfully owed. For Thomas, there was no good reason why one would ever lie. Better keep silent than to say something you know to be untrue, because all of us make decisions based on what we learn from others, and if others give us bad information we will not be able to live good lives. (Oh, you can read about St. Thomas anywhere, but I say a lot about he teaching on truth in Let's Talk About Truth with a summary here.)
St. Kateri Tekakwitha
Living in the midst of a messy election season often puts one into a space of awkward conversation with family and friends. It is hard to know when to speak up or remain silent; how not to get drawn into to taking sides…but what if there are sides to be taken? Kateri lived in the uncomfortable space between two cultures in what is now northern New York. Her Mohawk name “Tekakwitha” means “bumps into things.” It seems an apt description for how many of us feel when trying to have meaningful, bridge-building conversations. Also like many of us, Kateri was permanently scarred by her encounter with the epidemic of her time: smallpox. She can be a companion for those of us who live in what feels like a perilous, frightening moment. More about Kateri.
St. Ignatius of Loyola
Voters eventually need to arrive at a decision on who to vote for and Pope Francis has called for voters to discern wisely. Discernment is a tricky word. Between good and evil there is nothing to discern. But when trying to figure out which is the greater of two goods? Or what is the lesser of two evils? That is a matter of discernment. Founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius is well-known for his writing and teaching on how to make a good discernment, and can be a companion for those who really are struggling to make up their mind. For more on Ignatius’ discernment.
St. Hildegard of Bingen
As we move through this election, we will on the other side need to keep moving. The ever creative Hildegard wrote, sang, gardened, built, prayed, traveled.... was always about--to use a term she coined--"greening." She reminds me not to get stuck or fixated on any one season of life or time in history, but to keep living the time that is mine and exercising the power I have in the moment that is. For more on Hildegard see Chapter 10 in Redeeming Power or my friend Karen's lovely essay.
A reminder: the litany itself will come out tomorrow. Be on the lookout.