What John Paul II had to say about the American Founding

This summer, the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., invites visitors to a new exhibit, “A New Birth of Freedom: Saint John Paul II on the Founding of the United States of America,” open through August 9 in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The exhibit explores Pope St. John Paul II’s seven visits to the United States and his reflections on the Christian themes of the American founding, such as truth, freedom from oppression and “one nation under God.”

For many American Catholics, John Paul II was the pope for much of their lifetime. They may be able to name one of the papal visits to the United States, or even two. But as a map in the new exhibit relays, John Paul visited the United States seven times, including two brief stop-overs in Alaska. Cities he visited include Detroit, New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Denver, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Des Moines.

The exhibit showcases photos, memorabilia and even gifts from presidents from the Pope’s time in the U.S. From “I saw the Pope” bumper stickers to metro passes for the papal events to the Pope headlining Life magazine, visitors to the Shrine may recognize some of the items from their own participation in papal visits. Materials from the exhibit were sent from dioceses, museums and universities across the country on loan for this temporary collection.

Living through oppression of the Nazi and Communist regimes, John Paul II had a hard-won perspective to share about living lives of freedom, faith, and independence. There are five documented times he spoke about the Declaration of Independence to the American people.

Before he became pope, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla spoke at the International Eucharistic Congress, calling the Fourth of July “the day when the hunger for freedom ripened in the American society.” 

During his first papal pilgrimage to the United States, Pope John Paul II delivered his most remembered remarks on the Declaration, calling it “that remarkable document.” It contained, he said, “a solemn attestation of the equality of all human beings, endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.” These rights, he went on, are universal ones, “sound moral principles…enshrined forever in your history.”

In his address to the first U.S. Ambassador William Wilson after diplomatic relations were established between the Vatican and the U.S., the Pope demonstrated his familiarity with the Declaration of Independence by referring to God by the same titles as in the document. According to the Shrine, the Pope recognized the accuracy of these titles, by calling God, “Nature’s God,” “the Creator,” “The Supreme Judge,” and “the Protection of Divine Providence.”

When the Pope met with President Ronald Reagan, he came with a challenge for the United States to remain “truly conscious” of the Divine titles used in the Declaration, as named above. He saw faithfulness to the Declaration’s principles as integral to the U.S.’s mission in the world. “A new birth of freedom,” he told the president “is repeatedly necessary.”

The Pope named the Founding documents (the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights) as the U.S.’s “great bulwark” against the collapse of democracy. These documents, he said, ground the country in natural law “written by God in human hearts.” It is here in Baltimore, that he declared the now-famous challenge, “America, defend life…from conception to natural death.”

“From his own personal experience in Poland, Pope John Paul II knew just how precious freedom is and how fragile it can be,” says Stephen White, Executive Director of the St. John Paul II National Shrine. White explains that the Shrine put together this exhibit during the 250th anniversary, because “these reflections are as insightful and relevant as when they were first made during his visits to the U.S. and during his meetings with American leaders.”

For some, the exhibit and the words of St. John Paul II may be familiar memories from attending papal visit events or watching them on television. For younger generations, this may be a first introduction to the great insight John Paul II had into the founding principles of the United States that we celebrate in particular this summer.