Patriotism and theology

Abstract

READING through the works of the late Pope Pius XII, we were struck by the following passage in one of his discourses delivered just a few months before his death. 'One finds certain citizens, nowadays', said the Pope, whose noble patriotic zeal has earned him, among other distinctions, the title of "Defender of his native country", 'who are overtaken by a kind of fear of showing themselves particularly devoted to their fatherland. As if the love towards one's country were bound to signify unavoidable contempt for other countries; as if the natural aspiration to see one's fatherland beautiful and prosperous at home, esteemed and respected abroad, should inevitably be a cause of aversion for other peoples. Some even go so far as to avoid mentioning the very word "fatherland" and endeavour to replace it by other names, more suited - as they believe - to our times. Indeed it ought to be said that among the signs, which characterize many of our contemporary bewildered spirits, this diminished devotion to the fatherland is undoubtedly not the least one'. The Holy Father's words recalled to our mind a remark we had read earlier in a newspaper article purporting to show that patriotism had become as out of fashion .as the clarion call that roused soldiers to battle in past ages and as the gaily coloured military uniforms to which our forefathers had been accustomed in times gone by. Confronted by these statements on a subject which is dear to most men's hearts, we directed our attention to that inexhaustible mine of perennial doctrine - the 'Summa Theologica' of St. Thomas Aquinas - with the hope of discovering an authoritative solution to one of the profound human values which was said to be in crisis. There, in the old but ever new teaching of the Angelic Doctor, lay the key to the answer that we sought. The theme of 'Patriotism' had been masterly and concisely handled by Aquinas. We understood immediately the reason why not a few of our contemporaries were blind to the lustre of patriotism. The profound explanation of the crisis of patriotism lay in the fact that the idea of fatherland is numbered among the spiritual values and that devotion to one's country, rightly understood, ranks high among the moral virtues and is inextricably connected with Religion. In an age when spiritual values have lost their meaning for many men, when Christian virtues and Religion are looked upon as 'mere superstitions' and 'opium for the people', when material and technical progress has been raised on the pedestal of God, it was inevitable that patriotism should not share the fate of other Christian virtues and that efforts should not be made to sweep it away as one of the many useless relics of the past. For those, however, who still realize with unshakeable conviction that amid the most exuberant material progress, earthly goods are insufficient to produce true happiness either for individuals or for nations, patriotism remains, as St. Thomas conceived it and as Catholic Theology, inspired by his doctrine, constantly presents it, a truly noble virtuous quality, destined to perfect individuals, single nations and the whole of mankind. With the purpose of illustrating this truth, we have undertaken the present study. We, certainly, are the last to claim perfection for our humble work. Nevertheless, we shall be more than satisfied and contented to know that our modest efforts have added yet another, though small, contribution to one of the many fields of Theology, whose aim is that of pointing the way to real happiness and perfection in the earthly fatherland, to be crowned by endless joy and holiness in the heavenly Fatherland.