Politics for Good: America at 250

“Always remember, you are the servants of the people.” – Robert Duckworth 

Earlier this week, the Department of Politics at The Catholic University of America hosted Irish Ambassador Geraldine Nason, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, and Catholic University alumnus Robert P. Duckworth, in an event celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. 

The event, titled Politics for Good, focused on the intentional execution of political work for the common good. After a lively greeting from the Catholic University Jazz Band, President Peter Kilpatrick welcomed the speakers and thanked them for their presence. 

On the Local & Global Stage

During the interview portion of the event, all three speakers shared valuable insight regarding how they practiced working for the common good in their various offices. Irish Ambassador Nason shared from her wide range of diplomatic experiences, speaking to her time serving in the European Union and the United Nations, where she worked to preserve peace in countries all over the world. 

As someone who has dedicated most of her life to bringing peace and equality to the oppressed, Ambassador Nason explained how she represents a common Irish conviction that stems from the country’s own “troubled history.” With regard to human rights, the Irish have been “denied that right for seven centuries,” she said. “Once won, they were certainly [human rights] that we wanted to express.” 

Archbishop Broglio shared stories from his time serving as a diplomat with the Holy See under the papacy of Saint Pope John Paul II. In 1988, as he followed the Pope through Latin America, he described how, upon reaching Paraguay—a country suffering under a strict dictatorship—the Pope was told his visit was cancelled, and a plane was arranged to fly him back to Rome. 

Despite government opposition, Pope John Paul II visited the Christians of Paraguay only months before the uprising that ended in a government coup. Where Archbishop Broglio emphasized the correlation of those two events (not the causation), he also expounded on the effects of JPII’s visit. 

“There was that opportunity to use the message of truth, the message of peace, to buttress a very young aspiration for democracy,” said Broglio. 

The third guest, Catholic University alumnus Robert Duckworth, represented the fight for the common good in a local setting. As an elected official, Duckworth served as clerk of the Circuit Court in Maryland. He shared his story about working to increase wages for those employed within his court and founding an institute to help provide the proper education and certification necessary to help men and women continue to rise in their courthouse careers. 

Called to Serve

When asked how state and local politics can be an avenue to overcome political polarization, Duckworth said, “Always remember, you are the servants of the people.” 

The event culminated with the unveiling of a handwritten letter from Thomas Jefferson, a generous gift from Duckworth to The Catholic University of America. President Kilpatrick expressed his gratitude for the gift, saying that the letter will allow students to “more deeply study our heritage and continue to be inspired.” 

Archbishop Broglio finished with a formal blessing and commissioning of the politics students—asking for the grace to perform their duties as servants in pursuit of the common good, as well as justice and peace for all.