Bishop Barron in Rome: Despite tension, Catholicism is deeply aligned with American ideals

Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, argued that Catholic theology is compatible with the founding principles of the United States during a keynote address at the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See in Rome on Sept. 30. Speaking at the America at 250 event, Barron noted that while the Church and the nation have had a rocky relationship over the last 250 years, he sees no fundamental tension between being an American and a Catholic bishop.

U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch attended the embassy-sponsored event. Burch told EWTN News that the American experiment shares common ground with Catholic social doctrine. He described the current era as a unique moment in history due to the presence of the first U.S.-born pope, Leo XIV, alongside a president and administration that includes many Catholics.