“Our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near” (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 451).
In a message dated April 9, 2026, to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences during its plenary session titled “The Uses of Power: Legitimacy, Democracy, and the Rewriting of the International Order,” Pope Leo outlined his vision for how democracy, global order, and legitimate authority should be rooted in Catholic social doctrine and the pursuit of the common good. He emphasized the need for moral virtue in public life and sound political decision-making but stressed that these must reflect the Church’s understanding on such critical matters.
In Catholic theology, the “common good” seeks to protect the collective well-being of the entire community above the individual liberties of minorities. This principle calls for laws and policies that serve all of society, even when they conflict with personal, individual conscience—especially in religious matters.
This Catholic vision contradicts fundamental American constitutional principles. The U.S. Constitution, particularly the First Amendment, was designed to protect all individuals, especially those in the minority, from government coercion in matters of speech, belief, worship, and conscience.
In the American system, religious liberty is not granted by majority vote or subject to collective consensus. It is an inherent, God-given right that protects minorities from being compelled to conform to the dominant religious or ideological standards, whether those of Roman Catholics or of Evangelical Protestants.
The Holy See Press office published the Pope’s call to uphold the Catholic social teaching on the common good within society:
• “I was pleased to learn of the plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences taking place from 14 to 16 April 2026, and I send prayerful good wishes to all taking part … I likewise thank your President, Sister Helen Alford, for selecting the theme: ‘The Uses of Power: Legitimacy, Democracy and the Rewriting of the International Order’.” [1]
• “It is a particularly timely topic, focusing your reflection on the exercise of power, which is a critical element for building peace within and among nations at this moment of profound global change.” [1]
• “Catholic social teaching regards power not as an end in itself, but as a means ordered toward the common good.” [1]
• “This implies that the legitimacy of authority depends not on the accumulation of economic or technological strength, but on the wisdom and virtue with which it is exercised for the common good.” [1]
• “This wisdom is inseparable from the moral virtues, which strengthen our desire to promote the common good.” [1]
• “Democracy recognizes the dignity of every person and calls each citizen to participate responsibly in the pursuit of the common good.” [1]
• “The development of such a global community of fraternity calls for a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good.” [1]
• “With these sentiments, I earnestly hope that your reflections during these days will yield valuable insights for clarifying the legitimate uses of power, the criteria of authentic democracy and the kind of international order that serves the common good.” [1]
The American constitutional model protects dissenting opinions, disagreement, and even views that the majority may personally disapprove of. By contrast, Rome’s “common good” doctrine is often used to justify coercive religious legislation, elevating a collectively imposed morality above individual rights and threatening freedom of conscience.
This is precisely why the United States places such strong emphasis on forbidding the government from establishing any religion: to safeguard every person’s right of conscience and to ensure that no majority, religious institution, or church can lawfully compel belief or practice.
Though American by birth, Pope Leo XIV consistently promotes Catholic social teaching rather than the U.S. constitutional model of individual liberty and freedom of conscience.
Instead of upholding the First Amendment’s commitment to protecting religious diversity by forbidding the state from favoring or enforcing any particular faith, he emphasizes the “common good”—a school of thought that supports civil laws that promote Sunday rest and other Catholic doctrines, not as a matter of faith, but as necessary for the good of society.
Instead of upholding the First Amendment’s commitment to protecting religious diversity by forbidding the state from favoring or enforcing any particular faith, he emphasizes the “common good”—a misguided belief system that supports civil laws promoting Sunday rest and other Catholic social doctrines, not as matters of faith, but as necessary measures for the welfare and stability of society. This Catholic approach to law opens the door for state-backed religious legislation that undermines the protections enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
“By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness” (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 451).
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