How should Catholics understand the separation between Church and state?
The separation of Church and state all too often is used as an excuse to silence people of faith and to discourage them from legitimately participating in the public square. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution, of course, does not advocate for a separation of Church and state at all, but rather the protection of religious freedom from the state. Our founding fathers intended all persons to have the equal right to voice their opinions, including those based on religious convictions. Even more, they understood that it was imperative that the state not infringe upon the religious beliefs of its citizens. The Constitution is aimed at allowing all people to have a voice in government, including those whose voice is distinctively religious. In other words, there is nothing in the Constitution excluding people from bringing their faith into the public square. • Should Catholics bring the Church’s doctrine into the public square? There are times when the Church’s intervention
