The American Solidarity Party praised the recent election of Pope Leo XIV this week, calling it a hopeful moment for adherents of Catholic Social Teaching. The party issued its statement shortly after the conclusion of the papal conclave.
The conclave came in response to the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday last month, which left the Holy See vacant for the first time since 2013. The College of Cardinals began voting to name a successor on Wednesday. However, after only several rounds, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was selected the following day, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.
“As the only American political party that draws from the wisdom of Catholic Social Teaching, we are joyful to see the election of Pope Leo XIV,” the American Solidarity Party stated on Thursday. “We hope that this new Pope Leo can remind the world of the obligations of governments and peoples to protect human dignity, the rights of workers, and world peace, all things stressed by Pope Leo XIII.”
The party’s statement came as a follow-up response to remarks from its most recent presidential nominee, Peter Sonski, who wrote, “An American is chosen as pope and U.S. Catholics scramble to look up his political affiliation in order to define his faith perspectives. Maybe we should allow our faith to define our political priorities instead.”
The American Solidarity Party is a Christian democratic party that advocates for a consistent life ethic, social justice, and the common good. Though it welcomes people of all faiths, its platform draws on Christian tradition and the principles of “solidarity,” a cornerstone of Catholic Social Teaching. The party has been described by observers and members as affirming the full range of these teachings. While it’s not the first American political group to express a Christian message, it is currently the only national party in the United States whose platform is openly shaped by a CST-based framework.
As I recall, Catholic Social Thinking puts a lot of emphasis on the principle of subsidiarity. How far down does this go, in practice? There seems to be a wide range in the application of this principle among various, so-called Christian Democratic Parties around the world.
Curious: Thank you for asking! You’re correct that the Constitution Party also draws heavily from Christian teachings and principles. However, these are more in line with evangelical Protestant traditions and differ from the concept of solidarity as it’s outlined in Catholic Social Teaching, which is unique to Catholicism. That said, I could’ve been clearer on that point, so good catch.
“While it’s not the first American political group to express a Christian message, it is currently the only national party in the United States whose platform is openly shaped by such a framework.”
Doesn’t the Constitution Party also claim to be Christian?