In a message marking the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ 2020 encyclical Fratelli tutti, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio called on Americans to rediscover a spirit of fraternity and empathy, particularly in the face of political division.
“I ask every American to reflect on the value of every human life,” Archbishop Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), said in his Oct. 1 pastoral reflection. “I beg you to see Christ in every person, even those whose politics you oppose.”
The message called for a renewed national examination of conscience, inviting every individual to reflect on how personal attitudes and behaviors may be deepening the polarization in society.
Recalling his years ministering to the nation’s military families, the archbishop spoke of the pain and suffering caused by violence.
“Places once regarded as safe harbors to grow and learn — our schools, universities, and churches — have become sites of heartbreaking tragedy and bloodshed,” he wrote, noting the increasing intrusion of violence into everyday American life.
Citing Fratelli tutti, Archbishop Broglio reiterated the danger of dehumanizing others and reducing them to ideological labels.
“This happens when we refuse to see the face of Christ in the other person and only see an enemy that must be dominated or destroyed,” he said.
The archbishop drew particular attention to the growing trend of political violence, stressing that such behavior crosses ideological lines and erodes social unity. He called instead for the kind of reconciliation Pope Francis described — one achieved not by fleeing from conflict but by engaging it through “open, honest and patient negotiation.”
Archbishop Broglio reminded Americans that building peace begins by recognizing the inherent dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death, and placing the human person at the heart of all political, social, and economic action.
“Disagree, debate civilly, stand for your rights, but always remember in your heart that we are all children of God and deserve dignity and life,” he said.
As practical responses to division, he proposed both spiritual and concrete acts of mercy — fasting from social media, praying for one’s enemies, engaging in honest conversations within families, and performing corporal works of mercy.
He concluded with a prayerful call to unity, quoting Pope Francis.
“On this fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Fratelli tutti,” he said, “let us pray ‘so that we may discover anew that all are important and all are necessary, different faces of the one humanity that God so loves.’”
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