Jul 26, 2012 / 23:32 pm
Changes in the nature of American society call the faithful to renew their commitment to living out their beliefs in public life, said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia.
The "America of Catholic memory is not the America of the present moment or the emerging future," Archbishop Chaput said July 26, as he addressed the annual gathering of Catholic leaders hosted by the Napa Institute in Napa, Calif.
In response to this reality, he urged Americans to "recover our distinctive Catholic identity and history" in order to restore a proper understanding of freedom in the U.S.
The archbishop explained that America's founders, whose "moral framework was overwhelmingly shaped by Christian faith," welcomed the cooperation of government and religious groups in promoting society's interests.