“In Charity and Truth: Toward a Renewed Political Culture” is Archbishop Lori’s 2026 pastoral letter to the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It serves as an invitation to prayerful reflection during this significant moment in our nation’s history. As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding, we do so not merely as citizens, but as disciples of Jesus Christ. Join us as we spend the next few weeks reflecting on how we are each called to shine the light of Christ in a time of division and turmoil in our country.
Week 1: A Moment of Grace and Responsibility
This anniversary can be a moment of grace if embraced also as a moment of responsibility. For while we rightly take pride in the achievements of our nation and the vibrancy of our Catholic faith, we cannot ignore the fractures, wounds, and crises that mark both our national life and, sadly, even at times our ecclesial life. The task before us is not to romanticize the past but to offer a hopeful and credible witness today.
At the heart of this witness is a truth the Church never ceases to proclaim: The human person finds his or her full meaning and dignity only in Jesus Christ. As the Second Vatican Council teaches, “Christ … fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear.” Our reflections on politics, culture, unity, and civic responsibility must therefore begin–and end–with Christ, who reveals both the dignity of the human person and the path to authentic freedom.
Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
Reflection Questions:
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What do you see as the “fractures, wounds, and crises” that mark our national life?
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What do you see as the most important means of healing?
Week 2: The Cultural Atmosphere We Breathe
Few among us are untouched by this. The polarization of our public life has produced an epidemic of loneliness and isolation–an aching sense of being unmoored, misunderstood, or unheard. Pope Francis warned that a culture of indierence and division slowly erodes the human heart. At its root, this crisis reflects a wounded understanding of the human person. When we forget that every human being is
created in the image of God–body and soul united, destined for communion–we begin to see one another not as brothers and sisters, but as obstacles and threats. Political life then becomes a contest of power rather than a shared pursuit of the common good.
This crisis is not unlike the world Dante depicts in “The Divine Comedy,” where the pilgrim begins his journey, disoriented and alone in a dark wood, reflecting the fragmentation of the human spirit. As he descends into the Inferno, he witnesses the tragic consequences of communities torn apart, of individuals cut off from one another and from the good that gives life meaning. Yet Dante’s path upward begins only when he turns away from this suffocating isolation and embraces a way ordered toward truth, communion, and renewal. But to do this he has to face the depths of the reality of brokenness and sin. For Dante, the way up was down. His journey out of the depths speaks with renewed urgency to our present moment, reminding us that the air of our political culture can once again become breathable only if we choose the path of unity, responsibility, and love.
Scripture: James 3:9-10
With [the tongue] we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers.
Reflection Questions:
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In what ways have I contributed to an unhealthy civic atmosphere?