Servant of God Fr. Isaac Hecker, founder of the Paulist Fathers, said that “I am a better American because I am Catholic; I am a better Catholic because I am an American.” (Hecker, Isaac T. The Church and the Age. Preface, 1887.) He believed deeply that our Catholic faith and US citizenship enrich each other. 

He lived at a time when Catholics were often viewed with suspicion in the United States and during the Civil War era, when slavery denied the God-given dignity of millions of enslaved people. Yet he boldly proclaimed that being Catholic helped him become a better citizen, and that the American experience helped him live his Catholic faith more fully.

As our nation prepares to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary on July 4th 2026, we invite 7th and 8th grade Catholic school students to respond to the following question:

“How does your Catholic faith shape the way you live in the United States, 
and how does living in the United States shape the way you practice your Catholic faith?”

In addition to answering the question above, you may consider responding to one or more of the following:

• What do you think Fr. Isaac Hecker meant by saying his faith made him a better American?
• Are there times when being Catholic in America feels challenging? Why?
• What does the Catholic teaching about the dignity of every person have to do with American ideals like “all are created equal”?
• How can young Catholics help reduce division and build unity in our country?
• What are the challenges in our country in 2026 that our Catholic faith can help us to respond to?

There is no single “right” answer. We are looking for thoughtful, honest reflection.

• Minimum of 750-1,200 words (typically a 5-paragraph essay at least)
• No AI tools may be used to write the essay
• 12 pt font, double-spaced
• Times New Roman (Paulists are Roman Catholics bringing the Gospel to New Times)
• Basic Title page and Works Cited page in MLA format

• Essays will be reviewed by the Pastor and Principal of your school
• A $250 prize will be given to the winning essay
• Winning essays will also be shared nationally by The Paulist Fathers

Essays are submitted via Google Forms and may require you to log in to your Google account