By Mike Carsten OFS, Secular Franciscan
Introduction: A Franciscan Lens
As a secular (lay) Franciscan, I strive to live in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi—a man who kissed lepers. He preached to birds. He rebuilt the Church not with power but with humility and love. Central to our charism is the conviction that all creation is sacred. Every person reflects God. Solidarity with the poor and marginalized is non-negotiable. I use this perspective to reflect on Project 2025. It is a sweeping policy proposal, which in my humble opinion, is currently being used to reshape the U.S. federal government. Some of its goals may align with certain values. However, many of its provisions clash profoundly with Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and the radical Gospel witness of St. Francis. Here’s why.
1. Care for Creation: “Praised Be You, My Lord, Through Sister Earth”
St. Francis’s Canticle of the Creatures reminds us that the Earth is our sister, not a commodity. Yet Project 2025 seeks to:
- Withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement
- Expand fossil fuel extraction
- Dismantle the EPA
Franciscan Response:
Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’—a letter deeply rooted in Franciscan spirituality—calls climate action a “moral imperative.” To abandon global climate commitments, pollute rivers, and rank profit over stewardship isn’t just bad policy—it’s sacrilege. St. Francis would weep at the poisoning of Sister Water and the exploitation of Brother Wind. As Franciscans, we are called to “ecological conversion”—to defend our common home through advocacy, sustainable living, and holding leaders accountable.
2. Solidarity with the Marginalized: “Who Are My Mother and My Brothers?” (Mark 3:33)
Jesus’ question challenges us to expand our circles of kinship. Project 2025, however, proposes:
- Mass deportations
- Reviving the “Remain in Mexico” policy
- Ending birthright citizenship
Franciscan Response:
St. Francis crossed battle lines to meet a sultan; he saw Christ in the “other.” Pope Francis echoes this in Fratelli Tutti: “We cannot be indifferent to suffering; we cannot allow anyone to go through life as an outcast.” Forcing asylum seekers into danger, splitting families through deportation, or denying children their dignity violates the heart of the Gospel. Franciscans are called to welcome migrants, volunteer at shelters, and challenge policies that prioritize fear over compassion.
3. Preferential Option for the Poor: “Blessed Are the Poor”
St. Francis kissed the leper, embraced poverty, and called money “dung.” Project 2025’s economic agenda includes:
- Corporate tax cuts
- Privatizing Social Security
- Defunding the IRS
Franciscan Response:
CST teaches that the economy must serve people, not the other way around. When tax systems favor the wealthy, when retirees are left to market whims, and when healthcare is stripped from the poor (Item 13), we betray Christ in the marginalized. Pope Francis warns in Evangelii Gaudium: “How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?” Franciscans must advocate for policies that lift the poor—not deepen inequality.
4. Justice and Peace: “Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace”
St. Francis prayed for peace in a time of crusades. Project 2025 prioritizes:
- Increasing military spending
- Conditional NATO commitments
- Harsh criminal justice reforms
Franciscan Response:
Peace is not won through walls or weapons but through justice and reconciliation. The Church has long taught that militarism and mass incarceration are signs of societal failure. St. Francis would ask: Why fund bombs instead of bread? Why build prisons instead of schools? As Franciscans, we are called to pray and work for a world where “swords are beaten into plowshares” (Isaiah 2:4).
5. Human Dignity and Religious Freedom: “All Creatures Are Our Family”
Project 2025’s social policies include:
- Reversing LGBTQ+ protections
- Banning DEI training
- Expanding “conscience rights” to deny care
Franciscan Response:
True religious freedom never justifies discrimination. St. Francis embraced the leper—the ultimate outcast of his day—and called him brother. Pope Francis urges us to “accompany, not condemn” LGBTQ+ persons. Banning DEI efforts or allowing healthcare denial in the name of “conscience” weaponizes faith, turning it from a bridge to a barrier. Franciscans are called to see God’s face in every person—no exceptions.
6. A Nuanced Pro-Life Witness
While Project 2025 pushes a national abortion ban (Item 20), the Franciscan pro-life ethic demands more than legality. St. Francis didn’t just preach—he fed the hungry, healed the sick, and rebuilt communities. A ban without universal healthcare, childcare, and support for mothers is hollow. As Pope Francis teaches: “It is not ‘progressive’ to resolve problems by eliminating a human life.” But neither is it “pro-life” to ignore systemic poverty or environmental violence.
Conclusion: Rebuilding the Church, Brick by Brick
St. Francis heard God’s call: “Rebuild my Church.” Today, that means rebuilding policies to reflect mercy, justice, and love for creation. Project 2025, in many ways, seeks to dismantle rather than rebuild—to centralize power, exclude the vulnerable, and plunder the Earth.
As Franciscans, our task is clear:
- Pray for leaders and courage.
- Advocate for the marginalized.
- Live simply, rejecting the idolatry of wealth and power.
- Build bridges in a culture of walls.
Let us ask ourselves: What would St. Francis do? He would kneel in the dirt and plant a garden where others see waste. He would remind the powerful: “Where there is hatred, let us sow love.”
Prayer for the Journey
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is inequality, let me sow justice;
Where there is exclusion, let me build community;
Where there is despair, let me bear hope.
May I never tire of defending the poor, the migrant, and our sister Earth.
Amen.
