Our Founding Fathers and the Virtue of Patriotism

The Founding Fathers of our nation were virtually unanimous in their belief that a strong nation depended upon a virtuous citizenry.

Most of them would find a slogan such as “My country, right or wrong!” a bit problematic; love for one’s homeland, after all, would demand that a good citizen should make every effort to ensure that the nation was indeed right in its activities.

Certainly personal responsibility on the part of each citizen is a sacred duty, but there is also the larger accountability for all of one’s neighbors, to ensure that all might live in a free and just society.

Developing the virtue of Patriotism properly consists not only in becoming personally upright, but also in being able to perform the basic civic duties of ensuring that justice is served, innocence preserved and injustice opposed.

Seton students must then be fully aware of how closely connected are their courses in Religion and Government.

Duty to God and duty to the nation are two necessary sides to growing into the full practice of the crown of all virtues, charity toward all.