Prayer can lift a nation when it unites hearts, not when it draws lines. The founders leaned on Providence while guarding liberty of conscience—hold those two together and you get strength without strife. “Change your thoughts and you change your world”; think big, generous, God-trusting thoughts for every American.

A people may gratefully recall the Christian inspiration of their history, yet the political community must respect the rightful autonomy of the secular order and the freedom of every conscience. “The just ordering of society is a central responsibility of politics,” while the Church proposes, never imposes—so that in a healthy secularity, faith may illumine reason and serve the common good in charity and truth.

Religion and morality are, in truth, indispensable supports of our political prosperity; yet “to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” Let every man follow the dictates of Conscience in the worship of Almighty God, whilst the civil power remaineth impartial among Sects, and steadfast only to the Union and its Liberties.