Tribulation Times

American Catholics are rightly preparing to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary of independence. There is much to celebrate: Catholics have profoundly strengthened America. Yet the reverse is also true: America has strengthened the Catholic Church.

The Catholic contributions to this country are too numerous to count. While no one would say that America is a Catholic nation, the faithful have been present from before the start: Catholics came to Maryland a century before America’s founding. One of them, Charles Carroll, signed the Declaration of Independence. His cousin, Daniel Carroll, signed the Constitution, and another cousin, John Carroll, became America’s first bishop the year after that. In the Revolutionary War, Catholics valiantly fought alongside their mostly Protestant brothers in arms, ensuring the creation of the world’s first nation dedicated to religious freedom.

Ever since, Catholics have made that promise of freedom more real. Waves of Catholic immigrants came to these shores, drawn by the promise of equality and opportunity. They started families, built businesses, and settled the frontier, becoming just as American as those who had been here for generations. They’ve confronted injustice and helped right wrongs, like slavery and segregation, and Catholic leadership in public office is simply extraordinary.

It was the first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy, who helped lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act, and today, the vice president and six out of nine Supreme Court justices are Catholic. Over the years, millions of Catholics have donned the uniform of the various branches of the United States military, protecting the promise of liberty, equality, and justice for all. Their service and sacrifice have ensured that America endures — and flourishes — to this day.

Why have so many Catholics done so much for America?

Perhaps because they have seen in American ideals a glimmer of the Church’s teaching. Much of the founders’ worldview was shaped by Catholic thinkers and teachings. The concept of “natural law,” which infuses the Declaration of Independence, is closely linked to the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Reflecting on America’s principles, the U.S. bishops declared in the 1880s that the founders built “better than they knew.” No wonder so many Catholics have flocked here. No wonder so many Catholics have done their part to build up America!

The donations received total 54.5 million euros ($62.3 million) and came primarily from dioceses around the world (63.6%), followed by foundations, private donors, and religious institutes. The remaining 3.1 million euros came from other income, according to the Vatican.

Contributions from the United States (14.2 million euros, or $16.2 million) were particularly notable, followed by those from other countries such as Italy, Brazil, South Korea, Germany, France, and Spain.

Most donations are channeled through parish collections, direct donations including transfers and online methods, and inheritance legacies.

Of the total donations, 41.2 million euros ($47.1 million) were used to support the activities of the Holy See in the service of the Holy Fatherʼs apostolic mission, and 13.3 million euros ($15.2 million) went to projects providing direct assistance to people in need in 74 countries.

A total of 252 projects were funded, with a special focus on evangelization, humanitarian aid, and the strengthening of local churches in need.

The projects supported by the Holy See include educational and social initiatives as well as support for ecclesial communities, particularly in Africa and Asia.

Aid in Europe also includes scholarships for priests, seminarians, and religious from Africa, Latin America, and Asia, as well as humanitarian aid for the people of Ukraine.