Message to Seton Graduates – Make Politics Lofty Again

I am sure you families recognize that each of the students on this stage has accomplished something exceptional.

Graduating from Seton is a great academic achievement, but most importantly, it is a spiritual accomplishment.

Graduation from Seton is also a challenge for the future. Because now, you Seton graduates are expected to take what you have learned at home, and go out into a world that is hostile to Christianity.

I hope that some of you graduates choose to work in political life in order to change that hostility in our nation. There is no doubt, politics today has a bad name.

That’s a shame. But if politics can be defined as governing with concern for the eternal welfare of others, politics can be called an apostolate.

Your history and government classes have taught you that political rulers can be good, they can be great, they can be caring for the poor and the needy. Many political rulers were saints, rulers who cared about the poor and disadvantaged, such as Saint King Louis IX, Saint King Edward the Confessor, and Saint Queen Margaret of Scotland.

The good rulers in history had this one thing in common: they loved and served the people of their nations.

Working in politics is not easy; it may not be comfortable; but working in politics can help people, children of God who often cannot help themselves. I can tell you this first hand.

I have worked or volunteered in politics since I was in grade school, helping my mom and dad in political campaigns. I have been involved in American politics for more than a quarter of our nation’s history.

And I can assure you this: you can change things for the better; you can make a difference. You can make a difference for good in your town, in your county, in your state, and even in your country.

As Pope Francis recently wrote, politics is a lofty calling. The purpose of government is to promote the common good. Graduates, consider getting involved in politics and remind our leaders in government …what they are supposed to be doing: protecting citizens’ rights to practice their Faith, and especially protecting the unborn citizens.

Seton Graduates, there is no one better than you to serve the American people! As some of you go on to higher education, to college, and perhaps to graduate school, you will discover that the courses you took at Seton gave you a better grasp of the concepts of justice, human rights, and the natural law.

Graduates, we need you to be involved in making America a Christian nation again. If you have the opportunity, be involved in your community, promoting truth and honesty and justice.

If you can, run for office and enter politics. Listen to Pope Francis as he would phrase it in English: make politics lofty again, promoting truth and the right to life.

The Father’s Role

Today gives me the opportunity to recognize some important people who are responsible for you graduates being here today. Every year, we talk about the Moms in the homeschooling process.

And no doubt, the homeschooling Moms in this audience are heroes.

But so often when we talk about homeschooling, we forget about the Dads. We hand a diploma to the students, we congratulate the Moms, but so often, we forget Dads. The truth is that Dads are happy that their wives and children receive all the credit. But today I want to take the time to thank the Dads.

Let me tell you that over the years, I have spoken to thousands of Catholic homeschooling families. And homeschooling is most successful with the support of Dads, in lots of different ways.

When I think of homeschooling fathers, I think of Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. Lest we forget, Saint Joseph was a homeschool Dad, too!

Saint Joseph was the protector and provider of Jesus and Mary. Saint Joseph was the guardian of the King and Queen of Heaven. Yet none of the four Gospels includes a single word spoken by St. Joseph. However, Joseph listened; Joseph provided; Joseph supported; Joseph loved; Joseph served.

We sometimes forget how important Saint Joseph is to salvation history. And sometimes people forget how important homeschool Dads are, too. Dads, don’t forget: you are heroes too.

In closing, on behalf of everyone at Seton: congratulations to you MOMS, too, and Congratulations to you GRADUATES! AND Congratulations to all others in your family who helped you graduates reach this important graduation day!

And thank you for letting us at Seton be a part of your lives. THANK YOU, and God Bless you all.