Happy 4th of July

07-05-2026Weekly ReflectionFr. Abraham Orapankal, Pastor

Dear OLP Family,

Happy July Fourth! This 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is an opportune time to reflect upon the great privilege and responsibility of living in this “land of the free and home of the brave.” Our Bishops’ Conference consecrated our nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus last month. Here in our parish too, we prayed the Novena to the Sacred Heart, culminating in the prayer of consecration on June 11.

Many Bishops have issued pastoral letters to their flocks on this occasion and I enjoyed reading some of them. One Bishop reflected on America’s history, praised the contributions of Catholics to the common good, and warned that the nation risks moral decline if it abandons God’s law. He highlighted the contributions immigrants have made throughout American history, noting that Catholicism itself grew from roughly 1% of the population in 1776 to about 20% today, largely because of immigration.

I was edified by the pastoral letter of Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, titled “Charity & Truth: Toward a Renewed Political Culture.” Let me quote two paragraphs from him: “Like the Church herself, we operate in a cultural atmosphere that is something like the air we breathe. Rarely is it entirely fresh and bracing. All too often it is polluted, even toxic. Such is the political atmosphere in which we find ourselves today. Political discourse has become more vitriolic than usual. Political violence and threats of such violence have erupted. There is deep polarization. Extreme ideologies of both the left and the right are being asserted — ideologies that reveal not only political division, but also cultural and even religious polarization.”

“Anniversaries can easily tempt us into selective memory – remembering what was noble while forgetting what as painful or flawed. But the Church reminds us that authentic celebration emerges not from denial but from the courage to face both our strengths and our failures. Our nation has been, from its founding, a land of possibility. Yet, it has also been a land of profound contradictions. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed that all are created equal, endowed with certain unalienable rights. And yet, as we know, many were excluded from those very rights for generations. Similarly, the Church we love has been radiant with holiness and often disfigured by sin. To love one’s homeland and one’s Church is not to ignore their faults, but to commit oneself to their renewal — always in light of the Gospel.”

I invite us all to read this beautiful pastoral letter. As we celebrate our 250th anniversary, let us not forget to be grateful to those who have generously served our nation over the years — our founders, political leaders, legislators, members of the judiciary, public safety officials, and members of the military. Furthermore, we must never forget those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives to defend our freedom and human rights. Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13).

God bless America! Your brother in Christ.