Last March, the Republican Study CommitteeproposedChanges the provisions of the Social Security program by raising the full retirement age from 67 to 69. The committee isRepresents 80 percent of House Republicans and the entire House Republican leadershiphas received support for its plans from various outside groups.
At the heart of this is the Heritage Foundation. stephen mooreone of the co-authorsHeritage Foundationproject 2025labeled Social Security as “.pyramid scheme” encouraged college students to burn their Social Security cards.
Social Security was the centerpiece of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. However, few people know how deeply involved the Catholic Church was in the creation of this program.
Catholic Charities, led by Monsignor John O'Grady, a professor at the Catholic University of America, founder Professors at the university's National Graduate School of Social Welfare worked tirelessly to secure parliamentary support. Mr. O'Grady gathered support from across the country and mobilized his vast network to lobby members of Congress to support the program.
Arthur Altmaier, author of the Social Security Act of 1935.called O'Grady“One of this bill’s most valued supporters” andtrusted himIt influenced “a great many members of Congress who would otherwise have opposed it” to support the bill.
O'Grady had another ally. It was Monsignor John A. Ryan, a colleague at Catholic University. Ryan, aka “”The Righteous Pastor's New Dealer,“The Social Security Act was praised for achieving…''Basic measures of social justice”
Later Franklin D. Roosevelt thanked him for his assistance.paid a tributeTo Ryan: “You have used your voice and your pen to advocate for the cause of social justice.”
Both O'Grady and Ryan adhered to the precept of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that government agencies and programs must be planned.Always aiming for the common good. ”
When Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act of 1935,saidIt “represents the cornerstone of a structure under construction but never completed.”
Roosevelt was right. Over time, both Democratic and Republican administrations have sought to protect and strengthen this program. 1972, Richard NixonLinking Social Security benefits to increased cost of living. Eleven years later, Ronald Reagan worked with the Democratic Party toEnsure the long-term solvency of the program.
However, when the Social Security Act was signed into law, opposition was strong. 1936 Republican presidential candidate Alf Landonattacked itas “unjust, unworkable, unwise conscription and wasteful funding.” Others even more loudly called out the law.communistMr. Ryan's complaintsaid“Thrown by the beneficiaries of social injustice.”
Ryan was so incensed by the allegations that Roosevelt was a communist that he gave a national radio address saying,roosevelt protects america” In a speech in October 1936, he said that no one would make such an accusation against Roosevelt.be found guilty of violating the eighth commandment: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
Monsignor Ryan calls Kamala Harris “communist“Who's going to do it?”destroy america” gave her a derogatory nickname.Comrade Kamala” If Ryan were alive, he too would accuse Trump of violating the Eighth Commandment.
In an old radio speech,Ryan lamented“The amount of false claims that have been accepted as truth in this campaign” is temptingly too high.It will erode trust in American intelligence agencies. ”
The pro-Trump faction isCatholics for CatholicsIt ignores the important role the church has played in securing some degree of social justice. as the catechism of the catholic churchremind us: “Excessive economic and social disparities between individuals and people of the same humanity give rise to scandals and threaten social justice, equity, human dignity, and even social and international peace.”
Pope Francis has recently reiterated this point.I'm saying“Sadly, it is often the very wealthiest people who oppose social justice and integrated ecology out of pure greed.”
Leonard Leo, a member of the Catholic University Board of Trustees, said:promiseDedicates a portion of the $1 billion Marble Trust Fund he controls to operationalizing and weaponizing rather than alleviating economic or social disparities. ”These ideas and policies to shatter liberal dominance in the choke points of influence and power in our society”
Among his stated enemies were “progressive Ku Klux Klan” and “vile and immoral modern-day savages, secularists and bigots“They demonize people of faith and distance society from them.natural order”
Leo's Culture Warrior partner is the Heritage Foundation. In addition to harshly criticizing Social Security, Heritagelist upIf you disagree with “, which universities agree with that conservative view?diversity, equity and inclusion”critical race theory. today, heritage listThe Catholic University of America asgreat choice” For prospective students.
Catholic culture warriors often fail to remember the Catholic Church's history of promoting important social justice programs like Social Security. To make matters worse, there are Catholics who are trying to completely rewrite that history.
These culture warriors and project 2025It doesn't just damage it. work Not just the Catholic Church, but Catholicism itself.
John Kenneth White (johnkenethwhite.com) is a professor emeritus at The Catholic University of America. His latest book is “Grand Old Unraveling: The Republican Party, Donald Trump, and the Rise of Authoritarianism.”
