Two hundred and fifty years ago, a new and grand experiment began in the form of American democracy. The philosophy behind this experiment was that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The specific rights were spelled out 17 years later in the Bill of Rights, including the right to a free press, the freedom to practice one’s own religion, and the freedom of due process and a just trial when accused of a crime. The Founders of American democracy were all men of the Enlightenment who had already seen in Europe the dangers of an established religion. Catholic social teaching has always taught that human rights cannot be considered apart from human responsibilities. With every right there is a responsibility. For example, the right to own private property and accumulate wealth is circumscribed by our responsibility to the common good, the sum of goods that we all enjoy in common. These goods include accessible and affordable health care, an effective system of public safety and security, an unpolluted natural environment, and a flourishing economic system that allows for individual creativity and industriousness. Government has a limited role to play in protecting the common good, but private enterprises must also play a part. As Jesus said, “the poor will always be with you” (Mark 14:7). The proper exercise of freedom will not result in perfect economic equality, but it should result in equal economic opportunity for all, with no discrimination against group of individuals. As Pope John XXIII once wrote in Mater et Magistra: “The economic prosperity of any people is to be assessed not so much from the sum total of goods and wealth possessed as from the distribution of goods according to the norms of justice.” Happy Freedom Day! – – – Fr. Jim