text: Let us consider for a moment the proposition that the Catholic church needs to play a positive role in healing the nation's severe divisions and how it might go about accomplishing that.
  
  What seems to be happening is that post-war attempts to fashion a “new world order” have proven futile; the UN appoints dictators to head “human right” organizations and wrings its hands as children die in Syria. Were it not for the USA and it would accomplish nothing.
  
  A focus on America - its own problems, its own people, and its own unique role in the world - has returned to prominence. Patriotism was a major theme of Trump’s appeal.
  
  Much of America has demanded a return to traditional values and an end to the war on the sacred in public affairs.
  
  Calling that “fascism” or its proponents “deplorables” accomplishes nothing.
  
  The Church can nourish and support patriotism led by the higher spiritual motives: love of God, love of family, and then love of country in that order.