As Secular Franciscans, our commitment is to live the Gospel in the spirit of Saint Francis. But how do we truly grasp that spirit today? By anchoring our lives in four essential documents that create a cohesive and powerful framework for our vocation.
I. The First Principle: The Interior Source (Dilexit Nos)
Our entire vocation begins with a single, non-negotiable truth: God loved us first. Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexit Nos (“He Loved Us”), on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is the source of our motivation.
The Why: We are called to place our “mind and will… under the ‘political rule of the heart.” This means our decisions, thoughts, and intentions are governed by the gentleness, humility, and boundless love of Christ, who poured out everything on the Cross.
The Demand: For us, this is the call to radical interior conversion. The external life of service only has merit if it flows from a heart shaped by the self-giving love of Christ. If our heart is not ruled by His, our actions risk becoming mere philanthropy, not Christian charity.
II. The Second Principle: The Exterior Mandate (Dilexi Te)
The love we contemplate in Dilexit Nos must immediately translate into concrete action, a mandate beautifully articulated in Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te (“I Have Loved You”). This document—a spiritual successor to the call of the Sacred Heart—focuses entirely on the preferential option for the poor.
The What: Pope Leo XIV makes it clear: “Love for the Lord… is one with love for the poor.” The poor are not just objects of our pity; they are the “sacramental presence of the Lord.” For us, the wounded Heart of Christ is revealed in the wounds of the marginalized in our communities.
The Demand: Our vocation is not just about charity; it is about justice. Dilexi Te calls us to address the “structural causes of poverty and inequality.” As Secular Franciscans living in the world—in our careers, families, and neighborhood like Grosse Pointe Park—we are mandated to speak out against indifference and the “throwaway culture” and work for fairness.
III. The Third Principle: The Authentic Spirit (The Testament of St. Francis)
The Testament of Saint Francis is the authentic, un-glossed spirit required to successfully live out the mandates of the two Popes. It provides the necessary Franciscan attitude to connect divine love with difficult service.
The How: The Testament begins with Francis’s conversion: the moment he showed mercy to the lepers. This teaches us that true evangelical action requires physical encounter and the spiritual ability to transform the “bitter” into the “sweetness of soul.”
The Demand: Francis demands radical humility and minority. We must be “simple and subject to all,” avoiding pride and ambition. By commanding us not to “gloss” his words, Francis insists on a literal, uncluttered commitment to evangelical poverty, which is the only way to avoid judging the poor or being corrupted by worldly values.
IV. The Fourth Principle: The Practical Guide (The OFS Rule of Life)
The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order (1978) is the blueprint that structures the first three principles into our daily, secular life.
The Where: The Rule ensures our commitment is lived in the world through a committed fraternity. It guides our actions:
The call to Conversion (Article 7) is powered by the love of Dilexit Nos.
The focus on Justice and Peace (Article 15) is directed by the demands of Dilexi Te.
The practice of Simplicity and Poverty (Article 11) is modeled after the spirit of the Testament.
The Response: The Rule makes our vocation communal. As a local fraternity, we must constantly hold these four anchors in dialogue during our formation and apostolate, ensuring our prayer feeds our action, and our action validates our prayer.
By embracing this Quadruple Anchor, we live a life rooted in the heart of the Church and the essential documents of the OFS, making us true witnesses of Christ’s love in the world today.
By Mike Carsten, OFS, Ecumenical and Interreligious Animator, Divine Mercy Region
Introduction: A “Gospel to Life” Moment for Our Fraternity
Peace and All Good to you, my dear brothers and sisters of the Divine Mercy Region.
In these complex and often turbulent times, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the political clamor that surrounds us. It can be tempting to retreat, to shield our hearts from the anxieties of the world. Yet, our Secular Franciscan vocation calls us to something more. It calls us to be present in the world, not as partisans, but as instruments of peace and witnesses to the Gospel. The Holy Spirit is giving our fraternity’s a profound invitation. This invitation urges us to live out our Rule in a concrete and challenging way. This is what our Rule means when it speaks of going “from gospel to life and life to the gospel”.1 We are called to be in the “forefront in the field of public life,” bringing the light of our charism to the most pressing issues of our day.4
One such issue is now before the United States Senate: a massive piece of legislation known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA). Its proponents promise it will unleash economic growth, secure our nation, and provide relief for working families.5 Yet, at the very same time, a powerful and diverse chorus of faith leaders, including 20 of our own U.S. Catholic bishops, has issued a stark and solemn warning. They have called the passage of this bill a “moral failure” that will harm the poor and vulnerable to the detriment of the common good.7
How do we, as followers of Francis and Clare of Assisi, navigate this stark contradiction? How do we discern the truth amid such conflicting claims? As your Ecumenical and Interreligious Animator, I offer this reflection not to provide easy answers, but to offer a framework for our shared discernment. My hope is that this article will serve as a resource for our personal prayer, our fraternal discussions, and our collective witness, helping us to find a unified, faith-filled response that is true to our Rule and our precious vocation to live the Gospel in the secular world.9
Part I: The Moral Test of a Nation: Unpacking the “One Big Beautiful Bill”
Before we can hold this legislation up to the light of the Gospel, we must first understand what it contains. Moving beyond the political slogans, we must examine its concrete provisions and their documented, human consequences. The bill’s proponents state its goals are to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent, provide full funding to secure the border, inject $150 billion into the military, and grow the American economy through tax relief for businesses and families.6 However, a closer look at the bill’s mechanics, as analyzed by non-partisan sources, reveals a profoundly different picture.
The Impact on “The Lowly”: A Reversal of the Beatitudes
The moral test of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. When we apply this test to the OBBBA, the results are deeply troubling.
Healthcare (Medicaid): The legislation proposes staggering cuts to Medicaid, the nation’s healthcare program for the poor, totaling between $793 billion and $880 billion over the next decade.7 This is not an abstract budget figure. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and other analysts estimate this will strip health coverage from as many as 10.9 million people.12 Among those losing coverage would be 1.3 million low-income seniors and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid to afford their Medicare premiums and other essential care.13 The USCCB’s own letter warns that such cuts mean “millions of poor families will not be able to afford life-saving healthcare” and that “some rural hospitals will likely close”.15
Food Assistance (SNAP): The bill targets the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, with cuts of nearly $300 billion.12 These cuts are achieved through new, burdensome work requirements for families with children and by shifting costs to states, which the CBO estimates would force states to cut or eliminate benefits for 1.3 million people in an average month.17 This comes despite overwhelming evidence that SNAP is one of the most effective anti-poverty programs, reducing crime and improving long-term health and economic outcomes for children.17
The Economic Inversion: The combined effect of these cuts, when paired with the bill’s tax structure, creates what Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe has called “the opposite of the Robin Hood effect”.19 The CBO’s analysis is stark and unambiguous: the legislation systematically transfers wealth from the poorest households to the wealthiest. By 2033, the CBO projects that households in the lowest income decile will see their available resources decrease by 4%, primarily due to the loss of Medicaid and SNAP benefits. Simultaneously, households in the highest income decile will see their resources increase by 2% due to tax cuts.20 Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the USCCB, summarized the bill’s effect with chilling clarity: “It takes from the poor to give to the wealthy”.15
This structure is not an accidental byproduct; it is the bill’s essential design. The massive tax cuts, which primarily benefit corporations and high-income earners, are paid for by equally massive cuts to the social safety net that sustains the poor.12 This reveals a moral vision embedded within the legislation itself—a vision that prioritizes the accumulation of wealth over the well-being of the vulnerable. For us as Franciscans, whose spirituality is founded on the “privilege of poverty” and a rejection of the systems of exploitation, this legislative vision is a direct antithesis to our way of life.23 It is not merely a political disagreement; it is a confrontation with a counter-Gospel.
Furthermore, the bill’s provisions create a devastating and mutually reinforcing cycle of poverty. The cuts are not isolated; they compound one another. A parent who loses Medicaid coverage is less able to stay healthy enough to meet a new work requirement to keep their family’s food assistance.13 A student from a low-income family who can no longer afford college because of changes to Pell Grant eligibility has one less pathway out of poverty.18 Archbishop Wester made this connection powerfully when he argued that forcing people deeper into poverty would likely increase the abortion rate, as women facing economic desperation feel they cannot afford to bring another child into the world.8 The bill does not simply fail to help the poor; it actively dismantles the very structures that provide stability and hope, creating the conditions for desperation.
The Impact on “The Stranger”: Building Walls, Not Bridges
Our faith calls us to welcome the stranger, seeing in them the face of Christ. The OBBBA proposes a radically different approach.
Massive Enforcement Funding: The bill allocates tens of billions of dollars to fund a “mass deportation campaign”.8 This includes funding to hire 10,000 new immigration enforcement officers and to expand the immigrant detention network to 100,000 beds—a 364% annual increase in the detention budget compared to fiscal year 2024.26
The Human Cost: This enforcement-only approach has a profound human cost that is already being felt in our communities. In their letter, the faith leaders state, “We have already witnessed a reduction in attendance at many of our religious services in our denominations, as the threat of enforcement has deterred many families from practicing their faith”.7 This is a direct assault on religious freedom, sowing fear in our parishes and neighborhoods. The bill also provides billions for a border wall, a policy which faith leaders warn will not create security but will “drive migrants into the most remote regions of the border and lead to an increase in migrant deaths”.19
The Impact on “Our Sister, Mother Earth”: Harming God’s Creation
In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis reminds us that a cry of the earth and a cry of the poor are one and the same. This bill harms both.
Rolling Back Protections: The legislation includes provisions that would repeal clean energy incentives, sunset clean electricity tax credits, and unlock more oil and gas development on federal lands.5
Consequences for the Poor: The USCCB letter correctly notes that these environmental cuts are not abstract. They will “lead to increased pollution that harms children and the unborn, stifle economic opportunity, and decrease resilience against extreme weather”.15 These consequences invariably fall hardest on the poor and marginalized communities who live in areas most vulnerable to pollution and climate-related disasters, making environmental justice an inseparable part of our preferential option for the poor.
Part II: A Prophetic Voice in Our Church: Two Letters, One Faith
The introduction of this bill prompted a rare and revealing moment in the life of the U.S. Church, with two distinct public responses from our bishops. Understanding the difference between these responses is crucial for our own discernment, not to sow division, but to learn about the different ways our faith can and must engage the world.
The Interfaith Letter: A Clarion Call of Conscience
Led by Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, a coalition of over 40 faith leaders, including 20 Catholic bishops like Cardinal Robert McElroy and Cardinal Joseph Tobin, and our own Archbishop Edward Weisenberger, issued a letter of profound moral clarity.7 Their language is direct and unambiguous. They do not ask for amendments or changes; they “write to ask for your opposition” to the bill.7 They state plainly that the proposed changes are “insufficient and do not significantly mitigate its adverse effects”.7 Their final judgment is a powerful indictment: the bill’s passage “would be a moral failure for American society as a whole”.7
The foundation of their argument is a single, powerful principle: “From our various faith perspectives, the moral test of a nation is how it treats those most in need of support”.7 This is the lens through which they evaluate the entire 1,000-page document. Because the bill so profoundly fails this test by harming the poor, immigrants, and creation, it is judged to be morally irredeemable.
As your Ecumenical Animator, I must emphasize the significance of this letter’s interfaith nature. The Catholic bishops stood shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders from the Episcopal, Baptist, AME, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Muslim, Jewish, and Evangelical traditions.19 This is a living example of our Franciscan call to “seek out ways of unity and fraternal harmony through dialogue” and to work with “all people of good will” to build a more fraternal world.4
The USCCB Statement: A Calculated Critique
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in a letter and statement from its president, Archbishop Broglio, took a different approach, described by news outlets as “firm but mixed”.19 The Conference rightly commended certain provisions, such as those they believe promote the dignity of human life by restricting funding to Planned Parenthood and those that support parental choice in education.7
At the same time, the USCCB’s critique of the bill’s other aspects was forceful. They called the cuts to programs for the poor “unconscionable and unacceptable” and stated that the bill “fails to protect families and children” and “harms God’s creation”.15 They called on Congress to make “drastic changes” to the legislation.15
The crucial difference lies in the ultimate conclusion. Where the interfaith letter called for the bill’s outright defeat, the USCCB stopped short, urging lawmakers to “pursue a better way forward” and “change the provisions that undermine these fundamental values”.7
This divergence in approach reveals two different models of Catholic public witness. The USCCB’s letter appears to follow a more transactional model, weighing the “good” provisions against the “bad” ones and arriving at a call for amendment. This is a common and often necessary strategy in political advocacy. The interfaith letter, however, embodies a more integral or holistic model of witness. It judges the entire bill based on its overall moral character and its fundamental orientation. For these 20 bishops and their interfaith partners, the profound and systemic harm the bill inflicts upon the poor and vulnerable so thoroughly poisons the legislation that its few praiseworthy elements cannot save it. It fails the most basic moral test.
This integral vision is deeply Franciscan. It reflects the spirit of Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, which calls us to see the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental problems and to reject a “throwaway culture.” It resonates with our Rule’s call to build a “fraternal and evangelical world,” not simply to achieve piecemeal policy victories.3 The fact that many signatories of the stronger interfaith letter are bishops appointed by Pope Francis or his recent successor, Pope Leo XIV, is likely not a coincidence; it reflects this integral worldview that is so central to the Church’s social teaching today.19
Furthermore, the interfaith nature of the stronger letter is itself a powerful theological statement. By framing their opposition in universal terms—”the moral test of a nation”—the signatories elevated the debate beyond narrow, internal Catholic concerns. They appealed to the “divine seed in everyone” that our Rule calls us to recognize, demonstrating that care for the poor, the stranger, and creation is the common ground upon which we can build a more just society with all people of good will.9 This is the very essence of our ecumenical and interreligious mission.
Part III: From Gospel to Life: A Secular Franciscan Response
Now, we must turn from analyzing the world to examining our own hearts and our own Rule. How does our professed way of life call us to respond? When we hold this legislation up to the mirror of our Franciscan charism, the reflection is stark.
Article 4: “To observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…”
The very first article of our way of life states that our purpose is “to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people”.2 We must therefore ask ourselves: Does this legislation reflect the Christ who chose for himself and his mother a poor and humble life?2 Does it reflect the Christ who identified himself completely with the “least of these” in Matthew 25?28 Does it reflect the Christ who proclaimed, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20)? The OBBBA, with its priorities of wealth accumulation and its marginalization of the poor, appears as a direct inversion of these core Gospel values.
Article 13: “…place themselves on an equal basis with all people, especially with the lowly…”
Our Rule commands us to accept all people as a gift and an image of Christ, and “with a gentle and courteous spirit,” to “place themselves on an equal basis with all people, especially with the lowly for whom they shall strive to create conditions of life worthy of people redeemed by Christ”.3 The OBBBA does the precise opposite. By systematically cutting healthcare, food assistance, and other essential supports, it actively dismantles the conditions of a dignified life for the poor and vulnerable.12 It is a legislative act of placing oneself above the lowly, not on an equal basis with them.
Article 11: “…stewards of the goods received for the benefit of God’s children.”
We are reminded that “according to the gospel they are stewards of the goods received for the benefit of God’s children” and are called to “purify their hearts from every tendency and yearning for possession and power”.2 The OBBBA’s tax structure, which lavishes benefits on the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations, actively promotes the very accumulation of possessions and power that our Rule warns against.20 It treats the nation’s common wealth not as a sacred trust to be used for the benefit of all God’s children, but as the private property of the powerful.
The Witness of Francis and Clare: Rejecting a System of Exploitation
We must remember that the choice of Francis and Clare for “Lady Poverty” was not just an act of personal asceticism. It was also a radical social critique. Furthermore, it served as an economic and spiritual critique of their society.31 They lived in a time, not unlike our own, of a rising merchant class and new forms of urban poverty.23 They saw clearly that the “cycle of exploitation and accumulation was the opposite of [Christ’s] self-emptying”.23 St. Clare fought popes for decades to preserve the “privilege of poverty” for her sisters, understanding that possessing property would inevitably draw them into this system of exploitation and distance them from the poor Christ.23 The OBBBA, with its systemic transfer of wealth and its assault on the social safety net, represents the very “economy of accumulation” that Francis and Clare rejected in favor of an “economy of poverty” characterized by sharing, solidarity, and mutual care.32
When we synthesize these points, a sobering conclusion emerges. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” presents us with what can only be described as a “Counter-Rule” to the Secular Franciscan way of life. Our Rule calls for simplicity; the bill promotes accumulation. Our Rule calls for solidarity with the lowly; the bill marginalizes them further. Our Rule calls for fraternity; the bill builds walls of fear and division. Our Rule calls for stewardship of creation; the bill promotes its exploitation. For a Secular Franciscan, then, opposing this legislation is not merely a political option; it is a matter of fidelity to our profession. To “live the gospel in the manner of Saint Francis by means of this rule” requires us to recognize and peacefully resist a public agenda that so profoundly contradicts it.3
This moment brings us face to face with the same choice that confronted the early Franciscan movement. As Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, has noted, many friars after Francis’s death moved away from radical poverty because it placed them among the “minors”—the little ones, the powerless—rather than the “majors”—the powerful, the educated, the influential.24 The OBBBA is a legislative agenda written by and for the “majors.” Its benefits flow to large corporations, wealthy dynasties, and the powerful. Its immense costs are borne by the “minors”—the poor, the sick, the immigrant, the child, and our common home. The choice before us is the same one Francis faced. Do we align ourselves with the priorities of the “majors,” perhaps finding some good things to praise in their agenda? Or do we, like Francis and Clare, make a definitive choice to stand with and see the world from the perspective of the “minors”? The 20 bishops and their interfaith partners chose the latter, applying what one writer called the “hermeneutic lens of the poor” to the entire bill.32 This is the authentic Franciscan path.
Part IV: Where Do We Go From Here? A Path of Peace and All Good
Our discernment must not end in analysis; it must lead to conversion and action. Our Rule calls us to be “witnesses and instruments” of the Church’s mission.3 Here is a path forward for us, as individuals and as a fraternity, rooted in our charism.
The Way of Prayer: The Foundation of Action
All authentic Franciscan action begins in prayer.4 Before we speak or act, we must listen to God. I call on every member and every fraternity in the Divine Mercy Region to dedicate intentional time to prayer over this issue. Let us pray for the conversion of the hearts of our lawmakers, that they may see the faces of the poor and vulnerable who will be harmed by this bill. Let us pray in solidarity with those who are already suffering and those who live in fear of what is to come. And let us pray for ourselves, for the courage to be faithful witnesses, to be “bearers of peace which must be built up unceasingly”.4
The Way of Formation: From Information to Conversion
Knowledge must lead to a change of heart. I encourage every local fraternity to dedicate a meeting to studying and discussing this legislation in the light of our faith. Use this article as a starting point. Read the interfaith letter from the 20 bishops and the USCCB’s letter.15 Read Articles 11, 13, 14, and 15 of our Rule.3 Discuss the questions: How does this bill align with or contradict our professed way of life? What would Francis and Clare say to us in this moment? The goal of this formation is not simply to become better informed, but to undergo the “continual conversion” that is at the heart of our vocation.4
The Way of Action: Witness and Instruments of Mission
Our prayer and formation must bear fruit in action. We are called to “collaborate as much as possible for the passage of just laws and ordinances”.4 This is not an optional part of our Franciscan life; it is a duty of our vocation.
Personal Witness: Our first action is to live our Rule. Our commitment to a simple lifestyle (Article 11) is a powerful political and social statement in a culture of consumerism. By consciously reducing our own needs, we stand in solidarity with the poor and witness against the “throwaway culture” that this bill both reflects and reinforces.2
Public Witness: I urge every member of our Region to contact your two U.S. Senators. You can call their offices or send an email. You do not need to be a policy expert. Speak from your heart as a person of faith and a Secular Franciscan. Tell them you are praying for them. Tell them you believe the moral test of a nation is how it treats its most vulnerable members. Tell them that, based on your faith, you are asking them to oppose the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” because it harms the poor, the stranger, and God’s creation. Your voice, rooted in faith, is powerful.
Fraternal Witness (The Animator’s Call): The 20 bishops have shown us the way by building a broad, interfaith coalition. As your Ecumenical and Interreligious Animator, I challenge our local fraternities to do the same. Reach out to the leadership of other churches, synagogues, and mosques in your town. Ask them if they are concerned about the impacts of this bill. Explore ways to collaborate in serving the poor and advocating for justice in your local community. This is how we live out our call to build “fraternal harmony through dialogue,” trusting in the “presence of the divine seed in everyone and in the transforming power of love and pardon”.9
Conclusion: Messengers of Perfect Joy
My dear brothers and sisters, the challenge before us is great, and the moral stakes are high. It is easy to feel discouraged. But we are not a people of despair. Our Rule reminds us that we are to be “messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance,” striving “to bring joy and hope to others”.3 Our witness is not rooted in political victory, but in the resurrection of Christ, “which gives true meaning to Sister Death” and allows us to “serenely tend toward the ultimate encounter with the Father”.3
Our ultimate trust is not in princes or presidents, not in political parties or legislative outcomes. Our trust is in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the “transforming power of love and pardon” that flows from his Sacred Heart.9 Let us go forth, then, with courage and with joy, to be the witnesses and instruments he has called us to be in this critical moment for our nation and our world.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you and be merciful to you.
May He turn His countenance to you and give you peace.
Distributional Effects of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act | Congressional Budget Office, accessed June 28, 2025, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61387
A Reflection on the “Big, Beautiful Bill” and Our Call to Peace and Justice
Pace e Bene! Peace and All Good. This traditional Franciscan greeting invites reflection, calling us to a spirit of shared humanity and reconciliation. As followers of St. Francis, a revered “herald of peace” who made God’s love comprehensible to ordinary people, our lives are inspired by his profound religious experiences and deep concern for all creation.1 In these complex times, when significant legislative proposals are placed before our nation, we, as Catholics and especially lay Franciscans, must examine such measures through the lens of Gospel values and the comprehensive framework of Catholic Social Teaching.
This article explores the tensions that arise when public policy, such as the “big, beautiful bill” proposed by Republicans in the Senate 2, appears to diverge from the core tenets of Franciscan spirituality and broader Catholic Social Teaching. It is a moment for profound discernment, moving beyond partisan rhetoric to a faith-informed ethical analysis. The diverse political affiliations and beliefs among Catholics in the United States 4 underscore the necessity of this evaluation. While the Church guides moral principles for voting, it does not dictate specific choices.8 The fact that some Catholics may support policies that conflict with certain aspects of Church teaching 5 highlights an internal complexity within the Catholic community. This situation necessitates a deeper moral evaluation, providing a framework for applying faith to this policy. Responsible citizenship, an ethical obligation rooted in our baptismal commitment, demands that the moral convictions of well-formed consciences shape our participation in the political process 10 This report, therefore, seeks to illuminate the ethical implications of the bill, rather than merely its political alignment.
The Enduring Call of St. Francis: Simplicity, Solidarity, and Creation
The Franciscan way of life offers a profound lens through which to view the world and its challenges. It is centered on a deep love for God and creation, community, service, simplicity, peace, justice, and care for creation.11 These values, inspired by Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, provide a radical counter-cultural ethic that often directly opposes prevailing societal norms.
A deep love for God and creation is at the heart of Franciscan spirituality. Franciscans strive to live by Gospel values, seeing in all of God’s creation a reflection of divine love.11 St. Francis’s “Canticle of the Creatures” beautifully expresses this interconnectedness, referring to all creation as “sister, brother, mother. “.13 This perspective emphasizes that nothing in this world is indifferent to us, and the harm inflicted upon creation is a reflection of the violence within human hearts.14
Simplicity and poverty are fundamental to the Franciscan charism. St. Francis renounced a life of privilege to embrace poverty and service.12 Franciscans avoid materialism and consumerism, focusing instead on relationships and spiritual growth.11 This commitment extends to shared ownership and equitable distribution of goods.11 The purpose of this poverty is not deprivation, but to remove the desire for wealth as an obstacle to faith 15 and to foster vulnerability, openness, and a deeper relationship with Christ found in the poor.16 This stance is a deliberate protest against a society that often embraces wealth and ostentatious power.15
Community and fraternity are central to the Franciscan way, emphasizing mutual support and shared values within fraternities and sororities.11 This communal living strengthens spiritual growth and collective mission, fostering deep relationships built on love, respect, and humility.11 This sense of fraternity extends beyond human relationships to a “cosmic fraternity,” where Francis used the names “brother” and “sister” for all creation, a novelty in his time.13
Franciscans are profoundly committed to service and “minority,” which means serving among and standing in solidarity with those on the margins.12 St. Francis actively reached out to the leper, the poor, and the marginalized, recognizing Christ’s presence in them.1 This “preferential option for the poor” is a core tenet, calling Franciscans to be with and identify with the poor and vulnerable in their struggle for dignity and rights.16
Promoting peace and justice is integral to the Franciscan mission.11 Franciscans are known as “heralds of peace, 1, advocating for nonviolence and conflict resolution through dialogue, understanding, and forgiveness.17 The pursuit of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) is a chief priority, aiming to address the root causes of poverty, inequality, and violence.1
Finally, care for creation, or environmental stewardship, is a fundamental aspect of Franciscan spirituality. Rooted in Francis’s love for all creation, Franciscans advocate for sustainable living and ecological responsibility.17 Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ draws heavily from St. Francis’s “Canticle of the Creatures,” reminding us that our common home is a “sister” and “mother” who “cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse”.14 This teaching stresses that creation can never be treated merely as an object to be used, consumed, and discarded, but possesses its own intrinsic value.13
These Franciscan values are personal virtues and constitute a radical social ethic. They compel us to question fundamental policy: Does it foster simplicity, solidarity, peace, and genuine care for creation? Does it challenge or reinforce systems that create poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation? This framework provides a critical, faith-based standard against which the “big, beautiful bill” must be measured, immediately highlighting potential areas of tension.
Catholic Social Teaching: A Moral Compass for Public Life
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) provides a comprehensive framework for applying Gospel values to social, economic, and political life.20 It is fundamentally rooted in the inherent dignity of the human person, created in God’s image and likeness, a belief that forms the foundation of all its principles.7
Key principles of CST include:
Life and Dignity of the Human Person: This bedrock principle proclaims the sacredness of human life from conception to natural death, asserting that every person is precious.7 It calls for “Integral Human Development,” encompassing each person’s economic, political, social, ecological, and spiritual well-being.23
Call to Family, Community, and Participation: Human beings are inherently social. The organization of society—its economics, politics, and laws—directly impacts human dignity and the capacity for individuals to flourish in community. All people have a right and a duty to participate in society, working together for the common good.8
Rights and Responsibilities: Human dignity is protected and a healthy community is achieved only when human rights are upheld and corresponding responsibilities are met. Every person has a fundamental right to life and to those necessities for human decency, along with duties to one another, their families, and the broader society.22
Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable: A fundamental moral test for any society is how its most vulnerable members are faring. This principle calls us to prioritize the needs of the poor and vulnerable, recognizing that their needs take precedence over the desires of the rich.7
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers: The economy must serve people, not vice versa. This means respecting the fundamental rights of workers, including the right to productive work, decent and fair wages, and to organize.21
Solidarity: We are one human family, interconnected and interdependent, transcending national, racial, ethnic, economic, or ideological differences. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions and demands working for justice and peace, actively fighting the structural causes of poverty and inequality.22
Subsidiarity: This principle posits that the state should undertake only those tasks beyond the capacity of individuals or private groups acting independently.8 It cautions against unnecessary governmental intervention, emphasizing respect for the initiative and rights of individuals and local social units.24 The principle aims to empower individuals and smaller groups to fulfill societal roles.8
Care for God’s Creation: The Earth is sacred, a gift from God, possessing its intrinsic value. Humanity is responsible for protecting and cherishing the Earth’s ecological diversity and life-sustaining properties for future generations.17 This concern for nature is intrinsically linked to justice for the poor and commitment to society.13
These principles are not isolated tenets from which one can pick and choose; they are deeply interwoven and form a consistent ethic. For example, as articulated in Laudato Si’, environmental stewardship is intrinsically linked to justice for the poor.13 The tensions often observed within the Catholic community regarding political issues frequently stem from a selective application of these principles. Some Catholics may prioritize certain issues, such as abortion or religious liberty 7, while downplaying or overlooking others, such as social safety nets or environmental protection. This selective approach can lead to a fragmented understanding of the common good and result in political alignments that appear contradictory from a holistic CST perspective. The strong connection between Laudato Si’ and Franciscan spirituality 13 underscores that environmental issues are not secondary but fundamental aspects of social justice. Therefore, assessing any legislative proposal’s impact across all CST principles, not just those that align with a pre-existing political ideology, is crucial. This comprehensive view is essential for “forming a Catholic conscience” 7 and understanding why the Franciscan Movement, emphasizing the poor and creation, might find certain aspects of the bill deeply problematic, even if other Catholics support them. The challenge is to move beyond “single-issue voting” 9 to a comprehensive commitment to the common good and the dignity of everyone.
The “Big, Beautiful Bill” Through a Catholic-Franciscan Lens
The Republican legislative proposal, often referred to as the “big, beautiful bill,” is characterized by a focus on “cutting waste and government spending, reducing burdensome regulations, providing tax cuts that support families and small businesses, [and] supporting domestic energy”.2 It aims to extend the 2017 tax cuts, which are described as “skewed to the wealthy” 27, and includes “deep spending cuts to anti-poverty programs”.3 This approach has been identified as a “triple threat to low and moderate-income family well-being”.27
Economic Justice and the Poor
The bill proposes extending tax cuts that could avert a “$4 to $5 trillion tax increase”.2 However, these tax cuts are explicitly described as “skewed to the wealthy” 27, and analyses suggest they would “reduce the income of households in the bottom 60 percent” or even the “bottom 40 percent”.27 The current tax code already favors “upper class wealth-building over working class economic stability,” with corporations sometimes benefiting from “negative taxes” through subsidies.30
Concurrently, the bill calls for “enormous cuts in Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), student loan assistance and other vital sources of support”.3 These cuts are projected to result in millions losing health insurance 3 and nearly 11 million people losing “some or all SNAP benefits” due to increased paperwork requirements and reduced flexibility for states.3 Studies also show that adding work requirements to Medicaid results in “virtually no increase in employment, but huge decreases in participation by otherwise eligible people”.29
This approach stands in stark contrast to the CST principle of the “Preferential Option for the Poor” 22 and the Franciscan commitment to “serving the poor” and “standing in solidarity with those on the margins”.12 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has explicitly implored Congress to “protect programs such as Medicaid and SNAP and to expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to the most vulnerable children,” stating unequivocally that “Tax cuts that largely favor wealthier persons should not be made possible through cuts to healthcare and food for families struggling to make ends meet”.31 Catholic organizations like Catholic Charities USA and the Catholic Health Association have echoed this advocacy, emphasizing the essential nature of these programs for meeting basic human needs.31
The simultaneous proposal of tax cuts skewed to the wealthy and deep cuts to anti-poverty programs represents a moral inversion of the “Preferential Option for the Poor.” Instead of prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable, the bill prioritizes wealth accumulation for those already possessing significant resources. This directly contradicts the Gospel message that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” 15 and the Franciscan call to identify with the poor and marginalized.16 It also undermines the fundamental CST principle that “The economy must serve people, not the other way around”.21 For Catholics, and especially Franciscans, who are called to “make justice their aim” 31 and to see Christ’s presence in the poor 1, supporting such a bill, even for other perceived benefits, would necessitate a profound moral reckoning with its direct and severe impact on the most vulnerable. This challenges the very “moral compass of our country and its people” 1 and creates a significant point of tension.
The potential human cost of this legislative package is substantial, impacting millions of families. The following table illustrates some of the projected impacts:
Projected Impacts of the “Big, Beautiful Bill” on Vulnerable Populations
Impact Category
National Estimate
Representative State/District Examples
Increase in Uninsured People by 2034 (due to Medicaid cuts and ACA changes)
Jobs at Risk by Terminating Clean Energy Tax Credits
Not specified nationally
California’s 22nd Congressional District: 5,193 3
This quantifiable data underscores the severity of the proposed cuts and their direct conflict with the Catholic commitment to human dignity and the common good.
Environmental Stewardship and Deregulation
The Republican agenda includes “reducing burdensome regulations” 2 and “unleashing American energy production”.2 This often involves efforts to roll back environmental protections, such as “dismantling the national parks system”.33 The bill also mentions eliminating “clean energy tax credits” 3, which could put jobs at risk.
This approach directly conflicts with the CST principle of “Care for God’s Creation” 22 and the deep Franciscan commitment to environmental stewardship.17 Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’13 emphasizes that our common home is a “sister” and “mother” who “cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her”.14 It warns against treating creation as merely an object to be used, consumed, and discarded, stressing its intrinsic value.13 Franciscan Brother Jacek Orzechowski has described the Trump administration’s changes to environmental policy as “a colossal moral failure” and a “social sin which cries to heaven,” as well as “a profound affront to the Creator God”.33
The underlying tension here is the false dichotomy that frequently pits economic growth, often pursued through deregulation and resource exploitation, against ecological responsibility. Catholic Social Teaching, particularly as articulated in Laudato Si’, rejects this separation, advocating for an “integral ecology” where human and environmental well-being are intrinsically linked and inseparable.13 Treating nature as merely a resource to be exploited (“entitled to plunder her at will,” 14) is not just an economic choice but a “profound affront to the Creator God” 33 and undermines the common good, especially for future generations.19 For Franciscans, whose spirituality is deeply rooted in cosmic fraternity and a profound respect for all creation 13, policies that aggressively deregulate and exploit natural resources are seen as economic decisions and moral failings. This aspect of the bill directly challenges the Franciscan call to live in harmony with creation and to protect our common home, creating a clear and significant point of tension with those who prioritize economic models that disregard environmental impact.
Government’s Role, Accountability, and Civil Society
The bill’s stated goals include shrinking “a bloated federal bureaucracy” and addressing “runaway judicial activism.”.2 From a Catholic perspective, the principle of subsidiarity dictates that matters should be handled at the lowest competent level.8 This means the state should not “intervene unnecessarily” 24 or “crowd out private charity”.25 However, CST also recognizes that “legitimate and necessary governmental intervention for the common good is defended. “.24
A critical observation is that some large-scale problems, such as “water quality, air pollution, and climate change,” cannot be solved by local entities and require “collaboration and policy at the state, regional, and national level”.33 Furthermore, CST states that “society has a moral obligation, including governmental action where necessary, to assure opportunity, meet basic human needs, and pursue justice in economic life”.21 While Pope John Paul II criticized the “Welfare State” for fostering “governmental excesses and abuses” that led to a “reduced sense of social solidarity” and “loss of human initiative” 24, this critique is distinct from the Church’s strong support for federal “social safety net” programs. The USCCB explicitly supports programs like Medicaid and SNAP as “essential to helping many families meet basic human needs” 21, noting their effectiveness in lifting people out of poverty.29
While potentially framed as aligning with subsidiarity, the bill’s approach to government reduction and social program cuts directly contradicts the Church’s practical advocacy for federal safety nets and its recognition of the state’s necessary role in addressing large-scale societal problems. This reveals a common misinterpretation or selective application of subsidiarity. While CST promotes local initiative and warns against state overreach, it does not advocate for dismantling essential governmental functions that serve the common good or protect the vulnerable when smaller entities are incapable. The Church’s critique of the “welfare state” was aimed at excesses and abuses that undermined solidarity and human initiative, not at eliminating the state’s fundamental responsibility to ensure basic needs and justice where necessary.24 The “big, beautiful bill” appears to leverage the critique of “welfare state” bureaucracy to justify cuts that directly harm the poor, which the USCCB explicitly condemns.31 This is a crucial distinction: subsidiarity empowers lower levels, but it does not absolve higher levels of their responsibility for the common good, especially for issues beyond local capacity.
From a Catholic perspective, political authorities are “obliged to respect the fundamental rights of the human person” 35 and to practice “distributive justice wisely”.35 Citizens have both a right and, at times, a duty “to voice their just criticisms of that which seems harmful to the dignity of persons and to the good of the community”.35 True peace, according to Aquinas, is “a harmony that is based on free consent, in the reasoned acceptance of the truth,” not merely “forced concord”.36 The Church also emphasizes “ensuring the integrity of elections processes” and protecting “voting rights” as a “moral imperative for the common good” 38, highlighting the importance of citizen participation.10 The bill’s proposed changes to government structure and social programs, if enacted, could severely weaken the state’s ability to fulfill its moral obligation to the common good and the poor. This also impacts the ability to hold the current government and the Republicans and Catholics that support it accountable, as it shifts burdens onto already struggling families and communities, contrary to CST.
Navigating Tensions: Catholics, Politics, and Conscience
The American Catholic population is “diverse in its beliefs, its adherence to Church teaching, and its religious practices as well as its social and political views”.5 Many Catholics “deviate from the Church’s teachings on social and cultural issues that intersect with politics” 5, and political party affiliation can sometimes be more influential than religious teachings on certain issues.6 For instance, while white Catholics often favor the GOP, Hispanic Catholics tend to favor Democrats.6 There is also a trend of “political/religious sorting,” where conservatives and Republicans tend to be more religious, and Democrats and liberals less so.6
Catholics are called to participate in politics by voting with a “conscience informed by the truths of Church teaching”.7 This involves informing oneself responsibly about Church teachings and relevant issues, reflecting prayerfully, and then choosing confidently.8 Conscience is described as the “voice of God within” 7 and requires “serious attempts to make sound moral judgments based on the truths of our faith”.9 It is not merely a feeling or a justification for doing whatever one wants.7
While certain issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, and racist behavior, are considered “intrinsically evil acts” and “preeminent threats to human life and dignity” 7, the Church explicitly teaches that “Catholics are not single-issue voters”.9 A candidate’s position on a single issue is not sufficient to guarantee a voter’s support, though a position promoting an intrinsically evil act can legitimately disqualify a candidate.7 The complex moral dilemma of voting for a candidate who supports an intrinsically immoral act for “other morally grave reasons” is acknowledged, requiring “proportionate reasons.”.9
The documented diversity in Catholic political views, with some Catholics supporting policies like those in the “big, beautiful bill” that appear to contradict core CST principles, particularly the preferential option for the poor and care for creation, points to a deeper issue. The trend of “political/religious sorting” 6, where political affiliation seems to influence religious views, suggests a peril of ideological capture. This occurs when a political party’s platform, rather than the full, comprehensive breadth of CST, becomes the primary lens through which Catholics evaluate policy. When Catholics support a bill that, for example, makes deep cuts to programs for the poor 3, it suggests that other political priorities (e.g., tax cuts, deregulation, reducing government size) are being weighed more heavily than the direct and severe impact on human dignity and the common good, despite explicit and consistent Church teaching.31 This represents a failure of integral conscience formation if it leads to neglecting “fundamental moral truths”.10 The article must challenge readers to engage in an integral conscience formation, one that considers all CST principles holistically, not just those that align with a particular party’s platform. It is about “bringing together our principles and our political choices, our values and our votes”.10 The tension is therefore not just between different groups of Catholics, but within the conscience of individual Catholics who must strive to reconcile their faith with complex political realities. St. Francis himself was known for actively fostering reconciliation between warring parties.1 The Franciscan call to universal kinship 1 and to seek unity in truth, founded on love 37, transcends partisan divides and demands a consistent ethic of care for all people and creation, fostering unity in truth rather than false unity.37
Our Response: Living the Gospel in the Public Square
As Catholics, participation in the political process is a “moral obligation”.8 This involves more than just casting a vote on Election Day; it requires “ongoing participation in the continuing political and legislative process”.10 We are called to “communicate our concerns and positions to elected officials” 10 and to engage in public life “shaped by the moral convictions of well-formed consciences and focused on the dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good, and the protection of the weak and the vulnerable”.10
Beyond policy advocacy, Franciscans are called to “transform our lifestyles, particularly in the U.S., where our per capita carbon emissions are among the highest in the world”.33 This includes engaging in “local grassroots advocacy” through “Franciscan Justice Circles” 18 and embracing the spirit of St. Francis: “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible”.16 This translates into concrete actions such as supporting the poor, advocating for asylum seekers, and combating environmental racism.16
The Church’s social mission is embodied and advanced through various organizations that serve as concrete expressions of its commitment to justice. These include:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): This official body advocates for policies protecting human life and dignity, strengthening families, and preserving the social safety net.21 They directly engage Congress on budget issues, social safety nets (Medicaid, SNAP, Child Tax Credit), and human rights.21
Catholic Charities USA: A major provider of direct services, including food, shelter, and counseling, and a vocal advocate for policies essential to families’ basic human needs.31
Catholic Health Association of the United States: This organization advocates for healthcare access, particularly protecting and supporting the Medicaid program.31
Franciscan Action Network (FAN): A collective Franciscan voice that seeks to transform U.S. public policy related to peacemaking, care for creation, poverty, and human rights.16
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice: Founded by Catholic Sisters, this organization focuses on lobbying and grassroots advocacy for federal policies that support the flourishing of all, with a commitment to centering racial justice and equity.20
Catholic Relief Services (CRS): As an official agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, CRS works globally to meet basic needs and advocate for solutions to injustice, embodying Catholic social and moral teaching.39
Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD): The official anti-poverty agency of the U.S. bishops, CCHD funds community-based, grassroots-led organizations that empower poor and marginalized people to address local problems and systemic issues.40
These organizations demonstrate a crucial interplay between direct service (charity), systemic advocacy (justice), and spiritual transformation (personal conversion). It is insufficient to provide charity if systemic injustices persist.20 Similarly, advocating for policy change without personal conversion and a lifestyle that reflects Gospel values risks becoming hollow.12 The Franciscan tradition, with its emphasis on “being with and identifying with the poor” 16 and its deep contemplative roots 12, offers a powerful model for this integral approach. The tensions discussed throughout this article often arise when one of these essential dimensions is prioritized to the exclusion or detriment of others, or when the spiritual grounding is lost in the fervor of political engagement. For lay Franciscans, responding to the “big, beautiful bill” means analyzing its policy implications and discerning how their lives reflect the values it challenges or upholds. It implies a call to active, informed citizenship and a deeper spiritual practice that fuels their commitment to justice and peace. This holistic response is the path to “transforming the party to which we belong” rather than being transformed by it 10, ultimately contributing to a more just and peaceful world.
Finally, all service and action flows from prayer.12 Building understanding and fostering true peace happens first by “contemplative study and prayerful embrace of the truths of our faith”.37 This spiritual grounding ensures that activism remains rooted in Gospel values and avoids becoming merely partisan.
Conclusion: Towards a More Just and Peaceful World
The Franciscan vision calls us to universal fraternity 1 and integral human development 13, recognizing that “Everything is interconnected” – our common home and all its inhabitants.13 Our pursuit of justice must reflect this profound unity.
The “big, beautiful bill,” with its proposed tax cuts skewed to the wealthy and deep reductions in vital social safety net programs, presents a significant challenge to this vision. It prioritizes economic models that exacerbate inequality and disregard environmental stewardship, creating a moral inversion of the preferential option for the poor and a profound affront to creation. While the principle of subsidiarity is valuable, its misapplication to justify dismantling essential governmental functions that serve the common good and protect the vulnerable contradicts the Church’s consistent advocacy.
Despite political divisions and the formidable challenges posed by policies that contradict faith values, we maintain a tone of hope rooted in God’s providence and the Gospel’s transformative power. Pursuing justice and peace is an ongoing journey, requiring perseverance and a commitment to “continue to act for justice” even when faced with resistance.38 We are called to faithful citizenship, engaging in the political process with a well-formed conscience that considers all principles of Catholic Social Teaching. This means actively advocating for policies that uphold human dignity, protect the vulnerable, and care for our common home, while also transforming our own lives and supporting organizations that embody these Gospel values through both charity and justice.
Pace e Bene. May peace and all good be with us as we strive to be instruments of God’s peace and justice in the world, embodying Christ’s love in every aspect of our lives.
Please be advised that the views and opinions expressed in my writings are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the official positions, doctrines, or teachings of the Catholic Church or the Franciscan movement. These writings are the product of my personal reflection and understanding.
The Jubilee Year is a sacred time of grace, transformation, and renewal, rooted in the biblical tradition of Leviticus 25:10, which calls for a year to “proclaim liberty throughout the land.” In the Catholic Church, the Jubilee is a moment to forgive debts, restore relationships, and embrace God’s mercy. Pope Francis, in his Bull of Indiction Spes Non Confundit (May 9, 2024), declares the 2025 Jubilee as a “Holy Year of hope,” inviting the faithful to renew their commitment to reconciliation and justice (Spes Non Confundit, ). For Secular Franciscans, the Jubilee resonates deeply with our vocation of conversion and peacemaking. It echoes St. Francis’ call to encounter Christ in the poor, in creation, and in every brother and sister. As Spes Non Confundit urges, this is a time to “return to the heart of what is essential” (Spes Non Confundit, 5), stripping away excess and embracing Gospel simplicity.
A Time for Renewal and Reconciliation
The Jubilee is a call to action, not nostalgia. Spes Non Confundit challenges us to heal wounds, address injustices, and foster reconciliation within our communities and the world (Spes Non Confundit, 10). As Franciscans, we are summoned to live as instruments of peace, reconciling not only with God but with neighbors and creation itself. This Holy Year demands our living witness—our lives must proclaim hope and mercy.
The Voice of the Shepherd: Pope’s Message to the Diplomatic Corps
The Pastoral Heart of Diplomacy
In his Address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See on May 16, 2025, Pope Leo XIV described papal diplomacy as “an expression of the very catholicity of the Church,” inspired by a pastoral outreach that seeks not privileges but opportunities to serve humanity. He emphasized that peace, justice, and truth are the pillars of the Church’s mission, engaging diplomats to build bridges through dialogue (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). Every Franciscan is a diplomat in this sense, not with treaties but with open hearts. Our daily interactions—whether with family, neighbors, or online communities—become opportunities to embody the “pastoral heart” of the Gospel, as Pope Leo XIV urges (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025).
A Vision Rooted in Service to Humanity
Pope Leo XIV’s address focused on the dignity of all, particularly the vulnerable, calling for societies to invest in families and respect every person, from the unborn to the elderly. He addressed global challenges like migration and conflict, advocating for a diplomacy rooted in human and spiritual values (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). This mirrors Fratelli Tutti, where Pope Francis writes, “Peace is built through genuine relationships rooted in truth and justice” (Fratelli Tutti, 229). As Franciscans, we are called to be beacons of this vision, living out the Church’s social teaching in a world craving authentic encounter. Our fraternity becomes a living witness to the common good.
The First Pillar – Peace: A Franciscan Path to Inner and Outer Harmony
Peace Begins in the Heart
True peace is more than the absence of war—it is a gift born in the heart and radiated outward. In Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis teaches that peace requires “eliminating vindictiveness and carefully choosing our words” (Fratelli Tutti, 243). St. Francis’ greeting, Pace e Bene, was a lifestyle of inner conversion, as Gaudium et Spes affirms: “Peace is the fruit of an order implanted in human society by its divine Founder” (Gaudium et Spes, 78). Pope Leo XIV emphasized that peace is “the first gift of Christ,” an active and demanding gift that begins in the heart by eliminating pride and vindictiveness (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). As Franciscans, we sow peace in daily encounters, choosing harmony over division in our families, workplaces, and communities.
Humility and Dialogue in a Fragmented World
Humility is the doorway to peace. Fratelli Tutti calls for a “culture of encounter” that listens before speaking and forgives even in pain (Fratelli Tutti, 216). In a world fractured by ideologies, Franciscan humility is revolutionary, building bridges through small acts—a shared meal, a kind word, or a letter to a policymaker. Pope Leo XIV warned that “words too, not only weapons, can wound and even kill,” urging careful speech to foster peace (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). As Franciscans, we are called to foster dialogue that holds space for others, reflecting the Secular Franciscan Rule’s call to “seek ways of unity through dialogue” (Rule, Art. 19).
Disarmament and the Call for Multilateral Cooperation
In his address, Pope Leo XIV called for a halt to the production of “instruments of destruction and death,” quoting Pope Francis’ final Urbi et Orbi message: “No peace is possible without true disarmament” (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). This includes disarming hearts of pride and prejudice. Multilateral cooperation, he argued, is essential for global challenges like climate change and war (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). Franciscans, though not at global tables, influence local communities through peace vigils, interfaith dialogue, and acts of reconciliation, embodying Spes Non Confundit’s call to hope-filled action (Spes Non Confundit, 12).
The Second Pillar – Justice: The Fabric of a Just Society
Dignity Through Work and Social Cohesion
Justice is the foundation of peace, as Pope Francis teaches in Fratelli Tutti: “Working for peace requires acting justly to overcome inequalities” (Fratelli Tutti, 235). In his address, Pope Leo XIV called for societies to build harmony by investing in families and ensuring respect for the dignity of all, addressing imbalances that lead to unworthy working conditions (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). Gaudium et Spes reinforces this: “Human labor is the key to social progress” (Gaudium et Spes, 67). Franciscans advocate for the marginalized, ensuring no one is left behind. As urged by the Secular Franciscan Rule (Art. 15), our simple lifestyle is a prophetic stand against consumerism, fostering social cohesion where all belong.
The Family as a Cornerstone of Justice
The family is a “domestic church” and a cornerstone of justice. Spes Non Confundit emphasizes supporting families as an act of mercy (Spes Non Confundit, 8). Pope Leo XIV, in his address, called for investment in families “founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman” to resolve inequalities and divisions, citing Rerum Novarum (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). Franciscans must support families within our fraternities, addressing their struggles and advocating for just policies, reflecting Fratelli Tutti’s vision of a society rooted in solidarity (Fratelli Tutti, 116).
Caring for the Vulnerable and Marginalized
A just society is measured by its care for the vulnerable. Pope Francis, echoing Laudato Si’, insists that justice includes migrants, the poor, and the elderly (Laudato Si’, 25). St. Francis embraced lepers, and we are called to walk with today’s outcasts—refugees, the homeless, those with mental illness. The Secular Franciscan Constitutions urge us to “create conditions worthy of humanity” (Constitutions, Art. 22). In this Jubilee Year, Spes Non Confundit invites us to widen our tent, serving the forgotten through volunteering, advocacy, or simply listening (Spes Non Confundit, 10).
The Third Pillar – Truth: The Foundation of Authentic Relationship
Speaking Truth with Charity
Truth, spoken in charity, is essential for authentic relationships. In Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis writes, “Truly peaceful relationships cannot be built apart from truth” (Fratelli Tutti, 226). Pope Leo XIV warned that “the Church can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language” (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). Franciscans live truth through integrity, ensuring our actions match our words, as the Secular Franciscan Rule urges us to “accept all people as a gift of the Lord” (Rule, Art. 13). Speaking truth prophetically, with love, wins hearts—the Franciscan way.
Challenges of Virtual Realities and Disinformation
As Pope Leo XIV noted, the digital age distorts truth: “In a world where reality is often distorted, especially online,” the Church must speak truth with charity (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). This erodes trust and dialogue, a crisis Fratelli Tutti addresses: “Truth is an inseparable companion of justice and mercy” (Fratelli Tutti, 227). Franciscans must promote media literacy and model respectful online dialogue, ensuring our digital presence reflects Christ’s clarity.
Ethical Discernment in an Age of AI and Climate Crisis
Pope Leo XIV highlighted AI and climate change as ethical challenges requiring truth (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 2025). web:1 Laudato Si’ calls environmental destruction a moral issue, disproportionately harming the poor (Laudato Si’, 48). AI risks bias and dehumanization, demanding discernment about what it means to be human. Franciscans, lovers of creation, must advocate for sustainable policies and ethical technology, living Laudato Si’’s call to care for our common home (Laudato Si’, 13).
A Franciscan Response: Living Out the Pillars
Embracing Simplicity and Fraternity
Simplicity and fraternity are Franciscan hallmarks. Simplicity, as Laudato Si’ teaches, resists consumerism, focusing on God and others (Laudato Si’, 222). Fraternity reflects St. Francis’ vision of all as brothers and sisters, fostering unity in a divided world (Fratelli Tutti, 8). In this Jubilee Year, Spes Non Confundit calls us to deepen these commitments, living as signs of hope (Spes Non Confundit, 15).
Advocacy Through Gospel Living
Gospel living is advocacy. Our choices—ethical purchases, time spent serving, voices raised for the voiceless—proclaim justice and truth. Fratelli Tutti urges us to be “Good Samaritans” in our communities (Fratelli Tutti, 77). Fraternities can amplify this by sharing resources and supporting advocacy, embodying Spes Non Confundit’s call to action (Spes Non Confundit, 12).
Walking with the Poor and the Forgotten
St. Francis lived among the poor, and Spes Non Confundit echoes this: “The poor are at the heart of the Jubilee” (Spes Non Confundit, 8). We walk with migrants, the homeless, and the lonely through presence—listening, sharing meals, or accompanying in hardship. This is our identity, reflecting Laudato Si’’s call to hear “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” (Laudato Si’, 49).
The Jubilee as a Call to Hope and Mission
Renewing Our Commitment as Secular Franciscans
The Jubilee is a commissioning. Spes Non Confundit invites us to renew our Franciscan vows relationally—with God, each other, and the world (Spes Non Confundit, 16). This means revitalizing fraternities, strengthening formation, and inviting others to join our joyful mission. The Holy Year is a springboard for lasting renewal.
Working for Peace in a Wounded World
In a world wounded by war and division, Fratelli Tutti calls us to be “artisans of peace” (Fratelli Tutti, 228). Through interfaith dialogue, peace vigils, or personal forgiveness, we light candles in the darkness, empowered by the Jubilee’s grace (Spes Non Confundit, 14).
Conclusion: A World Reimagined Through Peace, Justice, and Truth
The 2025 Jubilee Year, proclaimed by Spes Non Confundit, calls every Franciscan to live peace, justice, and truth. Pope Leo XIV’s Address to the Diplomatic Corps and teachings in Fratelli Tutti and Laudato Si’ inspire us to be instruments of renewal. Inspired by St. Francis and united as a fraternity, let us proclaim with our lives that a world built on Gospel values is possible—one of hope, mercy, and love.
: A Call to Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
On May 5th, red dresses hang across the United States—empty, yet vibrant with the call of spirits, as envisioned by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project. Red Dress Day, aligned with the U.S. National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), confronts a crisis of violence against Indigenous women and girls, rooted in colonial legacies, including the Catholic Church’s role in Indian boarding schools. As Secular Franciscans, inspired by Pope Francis’s call to care for the marginalized and seek reconciliation, we are summoned to lament this injustice, pursue healing, and demand a continued U.S. response to protect Indigenous women. In 2025, Red Dress Day is our call to live the Gospel by standing with Indigenous communities.
A Crisis Rooted in Historical Wounds
The statistics are staggering: Indigenous women in the U.S. face murder rates up to 10 times the national average, with 5,712 missing cases reported in 2016, though only 116 were logged in the Department of Justice’s database. Over 84% of American Indian and Alaska Native women experience violence in their lifetime, including 56% facing sexual violence. On some reservations, murder rates for Indigenous women are over 10 times the national average. This crisis, described as a “silent epidemic,” stems from systemic issues—colonization, racism, and intergenerational trauma.
The Catholic Church’s historical role amplifies this crisis. From the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, Catholic-run Indian boarding schools, like St. Boniface in California, forcibly assimilated Indigenous children, inflicting abuse and trauma. A 2022 Department of the Interior report estimated thousands of deaths at these schools, with Catholic institutions heavily implicated. This trauma fractured families, eroded traditional gender roles, and left generations vulnerable to poverty and violence—key risk factors for MMIW. Pope Francis, in his 2022 apology for the Church’s role in Canada’s residential schools, called for “concrete actions” to address such harms, a reminder that applies to the U.S. context. He urged Catholics to confront ongoing injustices, like MMIW, with humility and action.
As Secular Franciscans, we heed Pope Francis’s call that “the poor and the excluded are the living image of Christ” (Fratelli Tutti, 2020). The MMIW crisis demands we acknowledge the Church’s historical wrongs, seek forgiveness, and support justice for Indigenous women and girls.
The U.S. Response to MMIW
Red Dress Day, observed as the National Day of Awareness for MMIW on May 5th, honors victims like Hanna Harris, a Northern Cheyenne woman murdered in 2013, whose case sparked a 2017 Senate resolution. The red dress, symbolizing absence and resilience, calls us to support the U.S. response, which includes legislative, grassroots, and community efforts, though gaps remain.
Legislative Action: The U.S. has taken steps to address MMIW. The 2020 Savanna’s Act, named for Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, murdered in 2017, improves data collection and law enforcement protocols for MMIW cases. The Not Invisible Act, also passed in 2020, created a commission of tribal leaders, survivors, and federal partners to recommend solutions, complementing Savanna’s Act. The 2013 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization restored tribal jurisdiction over certain domestic violence crimes, expanded in 2022 to cover sexual violence and trafficking. In 2021, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland established the Missing and Murdered Unit within the Bureau of Indian Affairs to investigate cases, a first-of-its-kind effort. Yet, implementation lags due to underfunding and jurisdictional complexities, with only 40% of Savanna’s Act’s protocols fully enacted by 2023.
Grassroots Movements: Indigenous-led advocacy drives progress. The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) organizes the National Week of Action for MMIW (May 5-9), amplifying family voices and pushing for policy reform. Groups like MMIW-TX, led by Jody Voice, provide resources and safety workshops in urban Native communities. The red hand over the mouth, a symbol of silenced voices, and the hashtag #NoMoreStolenSisters galvanize public awareness. In states like Washington, a 2023 MMIWP Cold Case Unit, the nation’s first, investigates unresolved cases with tribal consent.
Ongoing Challenges: Despite progress, systemic issues persist. Jurisdictional gaps between tribal, state, and federal authorities hinder investigations, with 71% of Native Americans living in urban areas facing limited culturally specific resources. Underreporting and racial misclassification skew data, minimizing the crisis’s scale. Police often dismiss cases as “runaways,” as Sheri Hill of Browning, Montana, notes, delaying critical action. Pope Francis’s call to “build a culture of encounter” (Fratelli Tutti) urges us to challenge these failures and advocate for systemic reform.
A Call to Action
Pope Francis reminds us, “We are called to be instruments of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor” (Evangelii Gaudium, 2013). As Secular Franciscans, Red Dress Day is our mandate to support the U.S. response to MMIW:
Learn with Humility: Read the 2022 Department of the Interior’s boarding school report or NIWRC’s MMIW resources. Reflect on the Church’s role in trauma, praying for forgiveness, as Pope Francis modeled in 2022.
Listen to Indigenous Voices: Follow groups like NIWRC or MMIW USA on social media. Share their stories in your fraternity or parish to amplify their calls for justice.
Advocate for Justice: Urge Congress to fully fund Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act. Support VAWA’s tribal provisions. Write to officials or join rallies, as Pope Francis encourages, to “walk together” with the marginalized.
Serve the Marginalized: Donate to organizations like MMIW-TX or NIWRC. Attend vigils or events during the National Week of Action (May 5-9, 2025), listed on NIWRC’s website.
Build Peace: Challenge stereotypes rooted in colonial history, including missionary teachings, in your community. Share Red Dress Day’s significance, fostering dialogue, as Pope Francis calls for in Fratelli Tutti.
Rebuilding with Love
Red Dress Day is a cry for justice, echoing Pope Francis’s plea that “every human being has the right to live with dignity” (Laudato Si’, 2015). Rosalie Fish, an MMIW activist and athlete, runs to honor victims, saying, “I run for those who can’t.” Each red dress is a call to rebuild—with prayer, action, and solidarity. In 2025, let us wear red, hang dresses, and pray at vigils, but also commit to supporting the U.S. response—legislative, grassroots, and spiritual—to end the violence and restore safety for Indigenous women and girls.
For support, contact the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center at 1-855-649-7299.
Sources:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report (2022)
Urban Indian Health Institute, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls (2018)
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, MMIWR Resources
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Crisis
Native Hope, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (2024)
Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti (2020), Evangelii Gaudium (2013), Laudato Si’ (2015), Apostolic Journey to Canada (2022)
The news of Pope Francis’s death, arriving as it did on Easter Monday, sent tremors through my spirit. As a Secular Franciscan, this grief is more than ecclesial. It’s personal. We have lost a soul-anchored shepherd, a spiritual rebel whose entire papacy was a holy defiance against indifference. That he passed just before Earth Day feels like no coincidence—it is a punctuation mark from the divine, underscoring his lifelong refrain: care for our common home.
This Earth Day, grief stretches far beyond the biosphere. Our tears join with the wounded oceans, the scorched forests, and the displaced peoples of the world. Pope Francis stood unflinching in the face of greed, condemning environmental destruction as sin, and daring to tether climate justice to Gospel fidelity. His departure feels less like an ending and more like a consecrated invitation—to rise in his stead, to continue the song of the Earth.
His death resonates with particular urgency in the United States, a nation drowning in political exhaustion, cultural fragmentation, and ecological crisis. Amid all this, Francis stood in fragile defiance: elderly, soft-spoken, yet razor-sharp in his Gospel clarity. He insisted that Christianity must never be comfortable with apathy. He challenged us to wake up—not in panic, but in love. And to be, without apology, joyfully and radically woke. That word has been hijacked, mangled in our discourse. But in Franciscan terms, it simply means to be spiritually alive, heartbreakingly attentive—to God, to the cry of creation, to the wounds of our neighbor.
Franciscan Vigilance in a Sleeping World
To be woke in the spirit of St. Francis is to be allergic to numbness. It is to live with your heart peeled open to both agony and wonder. Our founder heard the whisper of the trees and the lament of the leper. He challenged the idols of his day not with violence, but with a love so bold it scandalized the powerful.
Those who deride the word “woke” miss its sacred ancestry. St. Francis was woke. Pope Francis, too, was awake in the deepest sense. Their awareness wasn’t performative—it was transformative. They refused to coast through life anesthetized by privilege or dulled by doctrine. For them, being awake meant inhabiting the margins, shedding comfort, and choosing kinship over control.
But awareness that ends in contemplation alone is incomplete. It is the pairing of attention and action that births holiness. Pope Francis didn’t just theorize justice—he embodied it. He issued papal documents, yes—but he also kissed disfigured faces, washed the feet of inmates, and welcomed refugees. His was a holiness in motion.
In the American landscape, saturated with distractions and despair, his example feels prophetic. Our greatest danger isn’t outrage—it’s apathy. We are drowning in a sea of indifference, numbed by noise, and dulled by consumerism. Being woke, then, isn’t a fad or a fight—it’s a Gospel mandate. It’s how we keep our soul intact in a world that profits from our sleep.
A Franciscan’s Grief and Benediction
When Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio chose the name Francis, it wasn’t for effect—it was for transformation. He did not want to reign. He wanted to walk, like the saint from Assisi, among the wounded and the poor, with nothing but the Gospel and a fierce tenderness.
To us Secular Franciscans, Pope Francis was more than a pontiff. He was a mirror to our vocation—humble, disruptive, and tender. His life radiated the values of our Rule: fraternity, peace, ecological reverence, and the refusal to separate spiritual depth from worldly concern. He reminded the Church—and each of us—that authentic holiness does not flee from suffering. It leans in, with hands ready to serve and hearts wide open to break.
History will remember his bold critiques of capitalism, his theological courage in Laudato Si’, and his unwavering focus on the peripheries. But what lingers deepest in my soul is his relentless mercy. He led not from marble thrones but from eye-level—with those cast out, cast down, and cast aside.
His passing calls us to more than mourning. It demands that we incarnate his legacy—not with statues or slogans, but with our lives.
Earth Day as Sacred Alarm
This Earth Day, the atmosphere feels heavier. The planet groans under human excess, and disasters no longer feel distant—they are our new neighbors. Floods in the basement. Wildfires across the skyline. Poisoned water at the tap. And yet, within this rising tide of despair lies the possibility of rebirth.
Earth Day, for Franciscans, is not a secular holiday—it is a moment of sacred reckoning. It is a global pause in which even the disenchanted are tempted to dream differently. It is our cue to live louder—not in words, but in witness. Not with guilt, but with gratitude. It’s not about shame—it’s about sacred responsibility.
The timing of Pope Francis’s death just before this Earth Day turns it into a holy threshold. One road continues toward detachment, devastation, and denial. The other calls for restoration, repentance, and renewal. For us, creation is not a talking point—it is a sacrament. It’s not a resource to be consumed, but a relative to be cherished. When we exploit the Earth, we violate the Body of Christ. When we protect it, we enter into prayer.
Living the Rule in a Wounded World
The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order offers no escape clause. It insists that we labor for a world that reflects the heart of the Gospel—one marked by fraternity and peace. That means our discipleship cannot be cordoned off from our ecological, economic, or political lives. Everything counts. Every purchase, every meal, every click, every dollar, every silence. It’s all either Eucharist or desecration.
Our call is not to perform holiness but to live it—to compost our faith into action. The Earth does not need more pundits—it needs prophets in the pews, and Pope Francis modeled that beautifully. While we continue to treasure the prophetic voice of the papacy, the moment calls each of us to rise in harmony—to become a grassroots chorus echoing the Gospel in the rhythms of our daily lives. Let us rise as teachers, nurses, mechanics, musicians, and marchers who insist that sacredness saturates the soil beneath our feet.
Reclaiming the Sacredness of “Woke”
In America, “woke” has been weaponized—mocked, distorted, misused. But we know better. To be woke, in the deepest Christian sense, is to be like Jesus. It is to notice the unseen, love the unloved, and speak where others are silent. To be woke is to remember that the Beatitudes are not metaphors but marching orders.
We cannot cede this word to mockery. We claim it as holy, as Franciscan, as Gospel. In a time when truth is twisted and compassion is vilified, we are not called to be agreeable. We are called to be light.
Pope Francis showed us what holy courage looks like. He confronted fossil fuel giants and border walls. He refused to flatter the powerful or abandon the poor. In doing so, he reminded us that the Gospel is never neutral—it always takes sides—not politically but prophetically.
To be proudly woke is to refuse selective justice. It means standing with the immigrant, the unborn, the Black and Brown, the LGBTQ+ youth, the hungry, and yes, the Earth. It means knowing that love doesn’t cherry-pick—it encompasses.
Earth Day as Liturgy and Liberation
This Earth Day, we are not passive mourners. We are sacred agitators. Let grief become fuel. Let sorrow birth solidarity. Light a vigil. Plant a tree. Teach Laudato Si’. Write your legislators. Pray with your feet. Make your parish a greenhouse of hope.
This is not a time for silence—it is a time for sacred disruption. And joy? Joy is our resistance. Joy that dances in protest. Joy that refuses to be extinguished.
Parishes can lead the way. A zero-waste liturgy, a composting ministry, a Laudato Si’ Circle, solar panels, or green building initiatives are not pipe dreams. They are the seeds of renewal.
Pope Francis and the American Conscience
Pope Francis offered a different way in a nation divided by skin color, ballot box, income bracket, and theology. He did not dilute the Gospel—he distilled it. He saw humanity not as a war zone but as a mosaic. He embodied the paradox of radical mercy and prophetic fire.
Franciscan spirituality holds space for that paradox. We do not have to choose between being devout and bold. In fact, we cannot separate the two. Authentic faith always disrupts injustice and draws near to pain.
His passing is not the end of the story—it is the passing of the torch. We carry it now.
The Path Forward: A Green Gospel Still Unfolding
Pope Francis died on the eve of Earth Day. That’s not an accident. That’s liturgical poetry. That’s a sermon. A final breath that says: The Earth still cries. Will you answer?
He has finished his race. The baton now rests in our calloused, trembling, hopeful hands. We are not called to nostalgia. We are called to resurrection.
A Franciscan America is not fantasy. It is the slow, aching, beautiful unfolding of a people committed to simplicity, justice, kinship, and creation. It is possible—if we dare to stay awake. If we continue to choose love over convenience, solidarity over comfort, and sacred responsibility over idle despair.
Because Pope Francis was right. This world can change. But only if we do.
Opening Reflection “Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.” —St. Francis of Assisi Brothers and sisters, we live in a time when the bonds of solidarity—woven into the fabric of our society through programs like Social Security, Medicaid, and labor protections—are being unraveled. Project 2025, a conservative blueprint to dismantle federal agencies and privatize public goods, threatens the legacy of the New Deal and the common good. As Franciscans, we are called to confront this spiritual crisis: a failure to love our neighbor and steward God’s gifts justly. Let us shine light on this darkness.
Explaining the Issue
Who:
Key Actors: The Heritage Foundation, Republican lawmakers, corporate donors (e.g., Koch network), and lobbying groups like ALEC.
Impacted: The poor, elderly, disabled, working families, and future generations reliant on public programs.
What: Project 2025 seeks to privatize Social Security, gut environmental protections, eliminate the Department of Education, and replace nonpartisan civil servants with political loyalists. This follows decades of “starve the beast” tax cuts (e.g., Reagan’s 1981 cuts, Trump’s 2017 law) that created deficits to justify slashing aid to the vulnerable.
When/Where:
Roots: Reaganomics in the 1980s, Newt Gingrich’s 1994 “Contract with America,” and the 2017 Trump tax cuts.
Today: Project 2025 is a 920-page plan to reshape government in 2025, targeting agencies that uphold healthcare, labor rights, and climate action.
Why: At its core, this is a crisis of greed (prioritizing wealth over human dignity), fear (scarcity narratives that pit neighbor against neighbor), and a neglect of subsidiarity (abandoning the federal role in protecting the marginalized).
Franciscan Values & Catholic Social Teaching
Preferential Option for the Poor: Privatizing Social Security and Medicare would force the elderly and sick to gamble their safety on volatile markets—a direct betrayal of Christ’s command to “care for the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). St. Francis, who kissed the leper and gave his cloak to the poor, would weep at such indifference.
Stewardship of Creation: Project 2025’s plan to gut the EPA ignores Pope Francis’ warning in Laudato Si’: “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth” (LS 21). Deregulating polluters harms both creation and the poor, who suffer most from toxic air and water.
Ethical Economics in a Disenchanted World (David B. Couturier, OFM Cap):
Relational Economics: Couturier critiques modern economics for reducing human dignity to transactions and profit. He argues that economics must be re-enchanted—rooted in relationality rather than greed. The “starve the beast” strategy, which prioritizes wealth hoarding over communal well-being, exemplifies this disenchanted worldview. As Franciscans, we are called to reject systems that commodify human life and instead build economies where “the logic of gift and grace” replaces exploitation (Couturier, Economics in a Disenchanted World).
Commodification of the Common Good: Tax cuts that privatize Social Security or deregulate environmental protections treat public goods as market commodities. Couturier warns that this “commodification fractures solidarity,” turning neighbors into competitors for scarce resources.
Solidarity & Subsidiarity: Catholic teaching calls for solutions at the appropriate level. The New Deal intervened federally during the Great Depression because states and towns could not. Project 2025, by contrast, centralizes power for corporations while fragmenting community safety nets.
The Dignity of Work and Economic Justice:
Economics as a Moral Project: Couturier reminds us that economics is not neutral—it is a moral endeavor. The Second Vatican Council’s call for an economy that “serves people” (Gaudium et Spes 63) aligns with Couturier’s vision of economics grounded in ethical responsibility. Tax policies favoring corporations over workers violate this principle, reducing labor to a “disposable input” rather than honoring its sacred role in human flourishing.
Hope & Solutions
Stories of Resistance:
Sr. Norma Pimentel, MJ (Missionaries of Jesus): A modern-day Franciscan-hearted leader, Sr. Norma directs Catholic Charities in the Rio Grande Valley, providing humanitarian aid to migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Her work embodies the Franciscan call to “welcome the stranger” (Matthew 25:35) and confronts policies that dehumanize refugees. Pope Francis has praised her as a “woman of mercy” for her tireless advocacy.
St. Óscar Romero: Though not a Franciscan, the martyred Salvadoran archbishop’s fearless defense of the poor against oppressive regimes resonates with Franciscan values. His famous words—“A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, is not the Gospel”—challenge us to resist systems that prioritize power over people.
Franciscan Action Network (FAN): Rooted in the spirit of St. Francis, FAN mobilizes Catholics and Franciscans nationwide to advocate for policies that protect the marginalized and care for creation. From lobbying for climate justice to defending immigrants’ rights, FAN embodies the Franciscan call to “rebuild the Church” through prophetic action. Their “Faithful Democracy” campaign challenges voter suppression and promotes policies that prioritize the common good over partisan power.
Modern Heroes: Parish food banks, worker-owned cooperatives, and groups like Network Lobby advocate tirelessly for policies that uplift the common good.
Practical Actions:
Pray:“Lord, stir in our leaders a hunger for justice, not power. Soften hearts hardened by greed.”
Advocate: Call legislators to oppose cuts to Social Security; support unions fighting for living wages.
Build Community: Partner with local Catholic Charities chapters to house refugees or fund climate resilience projects.
Embrace Franciscan Simplicity: Couturier advocates for an economics of enoughness—a countercultural embrace of simplicity that rejects consumerism. By living simply and advocating for progressive taxation, we challenge the myth of scarcity perpetuated by “starve the beast” policies. As Couturier writes, “Poverty is not a lack of resources but a failure of imagination.”
A Call to Conversion
This is not a distant political issue—it is a spiritual one. Do we cling to comforts while others starve? Do we ignore policies that harm the vulnerable because they don’t affect us yet? St. Francis abandoned wealth to embrace lepers; we too must examine our complicity in systems of exploitation.
Let us choose radical love over complacency. As Francis said, “For it is in giving that we receive.” When we fight for the common good, we rebuild the Church—not with bricks, but with justice.
Closing Prayer: God of the marginalized, stir in us the fire of St. Francis. Guide us to defend the poor, challenge the powerful, and steward creation with reverence. May we never confuse greed with liberty, or cruelty with strength. Amen.
Pax et bonum! 🌿
Citations:
Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS Rule, Art. 13b).
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (Compendium, 182, 395).
Laudato Si’ (LS 21).
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1883).
Gaudium et Spes (GS 4, 63).
David B. Couturier, OFM Cap, Economics in a Disenchanted World: Franciscan Pathways for Renewal (Franciscan Institute Publications, 2020).
Michael is a professed member of the Secular Franciscan Order and editor of Chasing the Wild Goose Blog. This article reflects his personal discernment and does not represent official OFS positions. Reach Mike at mikeofs@ofsmike.com
