Editorial

By Paul Schratz

Listen to any Canadian who has spent any serious amount of time in the United States - any somewhat religious Canadian, that is - and they'll likely have a story to share about that country's amazing easiness with religion.

Say what you will about wacky court cases to ban the Ten Commandments, or politicians pontificating about the separation of church and state, but at the grassroots the U.S. is a nation that has not forgotten the faith from which it was formed. Public expressions and displays of religion and faith that would raise eyebrows in Canada are matter of fact in the U.S.

Time Magazine's cover story this week is "Why the Pope Loves America." It's a generally fair account of Pope Benedict XVI's mostly positive experiences with the United States, suggesting that he sees our neighbour to the south as something of a shining light of faith in a world that's getting more accustomed to snuffing out such fires.

The Time piece notes that Pope Benedict's personal philosophy "has more consonances with (American) culture than meet the eye...." In his search for "national models that can accommodate Catholicism as the vibrant minority in a position that he feels may be its next world role and his firm commitment to combine faith with practical reason," it's hard not to make the U.S. your top first-round draft pick.

The same issue of Time has an article, "America by the Numbers," profiling the average American. Within the first two paragraphs we're reading about the numbers who believe in God and own Bibles.

When Europe is doing its best to erase Christianity from its history books, it's easy to see why Pope Benedict would have admiration for a country whose morality was "bequeathed by Christianity" and where religions are not afraid to rub shoulders with each other.

Some reaction to the Time magazine article, presumably by Catholics and other Christians, has been dismissive, suggesting the authors missed the boat by taking what is essentially a spiritual and pastoral visit and injecting unnecessary pro-American politics in it. There might something to that. It wouldn't be difficult to find aspects of American foreign policy, or even the Church, that the Vatican isn't enamored with.

However Pope Benedict himself gave a hint of what to expect from his visit before leaving for New York and Washington. The theme he and the bishops chose was "Christ our hope," and in an encouraging video message directed to the American people, he said he is coming to bring the message that Jesus Christ is the hope for all mankind. He noted "how deeply rooted this Gospel message is in your country."

Whether his entire visit will reflect the same sense of optimism remains to be seen, but it's obvious the Pope wanted to start the trip with the tone of father going to visit his child in a far-off land. He hopes his visit will reach out spiritually to all Catholics in the U.S., be a "fraternal gesture toward every ecclesial community," and a "sign of friendship" for other religious believers and all men and women of good will.

Of course, knowing Pope Benedict, the type of hope he offers won't be the sort of feel-good, cheap grace that many forms of Christianity are offering. It's hope that through Christ "our lives reach fullness, and together, both as individuals and peoples, we can become a family united by fraternal love, according to the eternal plan of God the Father."

He also firmly believes it's a message America is well suited to handle.