A Young Catholic Speaks Out for Kamala Harris
Image Courtesy of ABC News
By Matthew Nichols
This is an independently submitted op-ed for our Quill section. Views and statements made in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Tower.
My faith is the most important part of who I am. I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school my whole life. My main source of community is, and has always been, the Catholic Church. Whenever I moved or traveled, I always found a Catholic church at which I could instantly connect to a community that shares my faith and the core values that guide me every day. I find that same sense of community and those same core values in the Harris-Walz Campaign.
It is clear from my conversations with other young Catholic voters that our community is not monolithic. It’s a complex landscape in which we are often encouraged to vote our conscience. When looking at both sides, I see that the teachings of our faith exhibited in the policies of Vice President Harris and Governor Walz.
Like many in our generation, I am very concerned about the climate crisis because the policies implemented over the next four years will make a difference for the “way of life” our generation will experience. The Church is clear about our duty to care for creation, as noted in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si‘. I believe the Harris-Walz ticket shares the urgency of the moment. They are fighting for real environmental change by building on the historic investments in the Inflation Reduction Act , and creating a clean energy economy where we can prosper while caring for God’s creation. On the other hand, Donald Trump and JD Vance have promised to roll back the Inflation Reduction Act. As President, Trump revoked more than one-hundred pollution regulations.
Many Trump supporters I talk to say they support him because he is pro-life and pro-family. But being pro-life is more complex than just focusing on the single issue of abortion. It means respecting the dignity of immigrants; providing quality, affordable, accessible healthcare and a commitment to the dignity of life from conception to natural death, not just from conception to birth. Instead, Donald Trump chooses to put millions of Americans at risk, especially those with pre-existing conditions, by seeking to repeal the Affordable Care Act with only “concepts of a plan ” to replace it. Vice President Harris wants to make healthcare more accessible and affordable to people who need it, and continue the important work of lowering the cost of prescription drugs so that people who need them can afford them.
Unlike her opponent, Kamala Harris understands the dignity of the human person. Immigrant families make up a large part of the Catholic Church. This year, my parish’s Hispanic ministry organized our Corpus Christi procession. Many of them are immigrants. It was amazing to walk through the streets of our neighborhood with the Blessed Sacrament and this group of Catholics. Paragraph 2241 of the Catechism says, “The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin.” Here on the Catholic University’s campus, we have a statue depicting the immigrants coming over to this country. The Angels Unaware statue shows that by accepting migrants there will be good people who will make out country a better place.
Vice President Harris understands this. She wants to fix our broken immigration system while ensuring we have a well-protected border. Donald Trump wants to have the largest mass deportation in US history in US history. It’s inhumane, and it’s certainly not Catholic.
We deserve a President and Vice President who truly understand the values of the Catholic Church and don’t just use them as talking points. We deserve leaders who will fight for the common good—who will ensure that working people in this country are able to not just get by, but get ahead.
I believe Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz are the right people for the job.
Matthew Nichols is a student at The Catholic University of America who recently spoke at the “National Catholics for Harris/Walz Get Out the Vote Rally”.
