The American Solidarity Party issued a response this week to Cardinal Blase Cupich’s warning that Catholics in the United States are increasingly “politically homeless,” arguing that the solution lies not only in dialogue within the Church but also in creating a political home beyond the two-party system.
Cardinal Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, initially wrote this week on Illinois Senator Dick Durbin’s decision to decline the Keep Hope Alive Award from the Archdiocese. The award had been intended to honor Durbin’s work on immigration, but his record on abortion sparked backlash among some Catholics, causing Durbin to decline. This prompted Cupich to reflect in his statement on the broader political and moral divisions within American Catholic life.
“The tragedy of our current situation in the United States is that Catholics find themselves politically homeless,” Cupich wrote. “The policies of neither political party perfectly encapsulate the breadth of Catholic teaching. Additionally, polling tends to show that when it comes to public policies Catholics themselves remain divided along partisan lines, much like all Americans.”
Cupich stressed that an approach of total condemnation in the face of differing views risks shutting down discussion, while praise and encouragement can encourage deeper reflection on shared issues. Acknowledging the challenges facing the Church, he proposed synodal gatherings to encourage Catholics to seek unity and “keep alive the hope that it is worth talking to one another […] to promote the common good.”
In an October 1 response, American Solidarity Party National Committee Chair Jack Ternan welcomed Cupich’s call for respectful dialogue, encouraging Americans to “listen with respect to their brothers and sisters in faith.” However, Ternan stated that conversations held entirely within the Church cannot resolve the deeper structural issues of a two-party system that he claims “requires promotion of evil as a ticket for participation.”
“The cure for ‘political homelessness’ is for Catholics and other Christians to build a new political home,” Ternan continued. “The American Solidarity Party thanks Bishop Paprocki and other Catholic Bishops who have recognized our efforts, and we invite clergy and laypeople of all denominations to join us in building a political home for people of goodwill.”
It’s not yet known when the proposed synodal gatherings would take place, however, the American Solidarity Party added it welcomes the opportunity to participate in the discussions.
The American Solidarity Party positions itself as a Christian democratic alternative rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. It prioritizes human dignity, the common good, and a commitment to solidarity, which, in Catholic tradition, refers to the moral obligation to stand with and support others as part of a shared pursuit of justice and peace.
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