Pope Leo's Sesquicentennial letter to Americans

While looking for something else today, I ran across this letter from Pope Leo to the American people on the occasion of our 250th annivesary.  The letter, which is pretty short, is here.  

I don't think there is anything controversial about it (although I could be wrong - I'd be interested in folks' thoughts about it).  Here are my random observations, below the break:

Leo refers to our country's ideals of "liberty, equality, the pursuit of happiness, justice and democratic self-government."  That is not quite the same list as Thomas Jefferson's "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."  In that regard, it's interesting that Leo left "life" off his list. That said, he does devote a paragraph to the topic of life a little later in his letter:

Also among the principles that have guided the development of this country is the God-given dignity of every human life, each person being endowed with an inherent worth that calls for reverence, protection and care.  In this spirit, a full understanding of this dignity leads to recognizing the importance of safeguarding human life from its beginning at conception until natural death, and of building a society in which the vulnerable, the suffering and the forgotten are always met with compassion, solidarity and love.

Note that there is nothing here about abortion being the "pre-eminent" issue facing Americans.  Abortion isn't ignored, but it's put in a larger context..  And then, in the next paragraph, he flows quite naturally to another pro-life concern: the treatment and safety of immigrants.

Before getting to the pro-life paragraph, Leo observes that Americans have carried forward those core principles of liberty, equality et al via "sacrifice, service, innovation and civic participation".  I find it heartening to see Catholic American life characterized this way.

Leo also points out, accurately, that the Catholic church has contributed significantly to the development of our country.  He lists these specific areas in which the church has been active: "education, the preferential care of the poor, healthcare and basic social services." 

He also spends some time on the citizenship responsibilities of Christians.  He refers to our twin duties, to God and country.  I suppose that is not a new insight, but it is not one that I have heard recently.  I think it's important that Leo states this traditional view.

Leo also mentions the importance of the American principle of religious liberty, without claiming that it is in danger or under assault.  Rather, he sees religious liberty as allowing the Catholic church to flourish - it is a blessing.

As you may see from these snippets and observations, the entire letter is optimistic in tone.  We American Catholics are abundantly blessed.

There is a brief call to action near the end:

May this milestone renew the shared commitment to the promise of freedom, justice, opportunity and democracy.  May Americans honor the courage and vision of those who came before them by strengthening their communities, respecting their differences and working together toward a more perfect union.

One more observation: in his final paragraph, Leo entrusts us "to the intercession of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of this country".  The phrasing here, referring to the Blessed Mother as the "Immaculate Conception", struck me as a bit unusual.  I think of the Immaculate Conception as a blessed event, not a blessed person.  But - at least if Google Gemini is to be believed - it is acceptable to treat the phrase "Immaculate Conception" as a title of honor and devotion, similar to "Mother of God".