Recently, we heard a remarkable statement from a public figure rarely heard in our secular society. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, a Catholic and father of nine, told the world his most important work is helping his children get to heaven. How rarely do you hear a statement like this? More often than not, a parent’s first concern is getting their child a prestigious job or entrance into a swank school, but not necessarily the salvation of their souls.
This story matters because it is a concrete example of what discipleship requires. Catholics are called to enlighten a darkened world by what they say and how they act. Even in the face of criticism and ad hominem attacks, the Holy Spirit prompts Christians to proclaim truths about their humanity and relationship with God.
Duffy’s comments surfaced after a conversation about a well-known ritual many parents share when a child is ready to attend college. In Duffy’s case, his daughter, an excellent student, wanted to visit numerous campuses she applied to. Harvard was one of her picks, and with recent revelations about how anti-Christian the university has become, Duffy was concerned, even though Harvard still has a prestigious reputation. This experience brought Duffy’s greatest concern to the forefront: his daughter’s immortal soul takes precedence over the temporal advantages a Harvard degree could provide.
His public declaration of faith began with an experience his older child had. When she attended the University of Chicago, she was canceled and received death threats for publicly making her conservative principles known. Afterward, Duffy refused to rubber-stamp and pay for a college without an extended discussion with his children. He stipulated that his child would no longer be the sole arbiter of a school if he were going to pay the tuition. The statement predictably made the left criticize him for archaic parenting in an effort to continue to defend these institutions which have become radical incubators of immoral ideology and praxis.
Duffy’s unease was minimized somewhat, in part because of the Catholic campus ministers he met with. Confident his daughter had a strong Catholic foundation and the support of the Harvard Newman Center, and reassured by the Catholic presence at Harvard, Duffy felt his daughter’s choice would not be completely off the table.
Having stated that his daughter’s immortal soul was far more valuable than a degree, Duffy moved on to another important point Catholics should rally around. His opinion is that conservatives and Catholics should not automatically cede these once prestigious universities to the radical left. Instead of cowering, the religious conservatives must work diligently to start to populate these institutions with students and instructors.
HE further clarified his comments by hoping these places have cuts in federal funding if they continue to promote and implement policies contrary to the moral order. He also believes they should lose their tax-exempt status. The absurdity of tax-exempt status for schools with huge endowments is a brick conservatives must pull out of the wall.
It is refreshing to see a prominent member of society having the courage to proclaim the Gospel to a world that hates to hear it. If only more Catholics did just a small part of what Duffy did, evil wouldn’t have the foothold it does now.