Editor’s note: Shiny Isezerano, an eighth-grader at Saint Joseph School, is the runner-up in the Paulist Fathers’ national student essay contest commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. Seventh- and eighth-grade Catholic school students were invited to reflect on Servant of God Fr. Isaac Hecker’s conviction that being Catholic and being American can strengthen one another.
From Paulist President Fr. René Constanza, CSP: As an immigrant to this country myself, I am particularly grateful for the struggles Shiny shared, as well as the hopeful attitude she carries about living her faith in this country.
The Paulist America 250 Committee was struck by how honestly Shiny named the difficulty of this moment. “Being a Catholic has its battles,” she wrote. “I was taught to love all people. I have had struggles doing that with the state of the country I’m living in now.” That kind of honesty takes courage, especially for a young writer. Thank you to Shiny for her deep awareness of those who are suffering and discriminated against and how Catholic Social Teaching teaches us how we are called to be a welcoming presence to others and put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
by Shiny Isezerano
Saint Joseph School
Being Catholic and an immigrant who moved to the U.S. has shown me the benefits of living in the U.S. and being a citizen, and how they can cultivate together to make you a better person. Moving to America has shown me that countries back home are suppressed and can’t practice what they believe in. The country I am from is so suppressed that if you speak badly about the president, you can be harmed by the military. My family left for a better future where we can learn about our faith in a safe and healthy community. Isaac Hecker once said, “I am a better American because I am Catholic: I am a better Catholic because I am an American.” Right now, we live in a world where we’re united more with hate than love and respect. Our Catholic faith teaches us to respect the life and dignity of the human person and to help our neighbors whenever in need. America has opportunities that not a lot of other countries can provide.
Pope Benedict once said, “In this land of religious liberty, Catholics found freedom not only to practice their faith but also to participate fully in civic life, bringing their deepest moral convictions to the public square and cooperating with their neighbors in shaping a vibrant, democratic society.” This shows that America enables its citizens to have the choice to pick their religion. There are also laws in place, such as the Free Exercise Clause, that protect citizens’ right to practice their religion as they choose. According to opendoors.org, “Under the country’s Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Law, these actions can bring execution or life imprisonment. Even children have been indoctrinated to report their own parents if they see them with a Bible.” That quote is referring to the country of North Korea. If you have a bible and you are caught with it, there is a severe punishment. Countries like that display how they can be so different from America. America has opportunities unlike other countries. President John F. Kennedy was a practicing Roman Catholic. People during that time of his presidency were afraid.
They thought he would be more loyal to the church than to the country. He showed that he could use the Catholic teachings the church teaches us to dictate how he rules the country. In the end tho we could see that he separated the church and the state. He ruled the country based on what he believed was right for the people.
Being a Catholic has its battles. If you ever see the news, you can see what is happening in the country. Immigrants who came here to have a better life are now being pushed away. Verses 33 to 34 in Leviticus chapter 19 state, “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” The Fourteenth Amendment even declares that all men are created equal, but why haven’t we been acting on it? We get taught in school to treat our friends the way we want to be treated. Seeing an immigrant who does no harm and deporting them instead of focusing on the real problems of the world isn’t a Catholic approach. The Catholic teaching Option for the Poor and Vulnerable instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. Instead of alienating people and trying to send them back to their countries, we should hear why they came in the first place. We should offer a hand and give them our sympathy. Solidarity explains we are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences.
We do not all have the same views and morals, but as Catholics, we know that human dignity can be protected. According to the Catholic teaching Rights and Responsibilities, “A healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected, and responsibilities are met.” We also know that war can always be avoided and that violence is never the answer. We live in a time where violence is normalized, so that no one bats an eye when it occurs. We also live in a time where people are too selfish. Many countries in the world are poor, and a lot of times it’s because the governments are not stable. America helps a lot of countries that are poor, but I do wish we could help more countries. South Sudan and Burundi are the top two of the poorest countries in the world. I was born in Burundi. My parents left because of how poorly advanced the government is. I was taught to love all people. I have had struggles doing that with the state of the country I’m living in now. So many people are discriminated against over the color of their skin, how they speak, what food they eat, or how they present themselves. We should learn to respect each other even if we are different and don’t believe in the same things. Matthew 22:39 “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Thus, your Catholic faith does shape the way you live in the United States, and living in the United States shapes the way you practice your Catholic faith. We all as Catholics should strive to make America a better place to live in, and welcome our neighbors with open arms. We should be grateful that we live in a country where there are laws to protect us. We have freedom of speech and can always voice our opinions. Luke 6:27-28, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Work Cited
The 10 places where the Bible is hardest to get. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://www.opendoors.org.hk/en-US/news/latest/bible-hardest-to-get
Hoopes, T. (2019, July 4). Pope Benedict on how to be a good American. Benedictine College Media & Culture. Retrieved March 13, 2026, from
Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved March 13, 2026, from https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching
Isaac Hecker Biography. (n.d.). Paulist Fathers. Retrieved March 6, 2026, from https://paulist.org/hecker/isaac-hecker-biography/
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First Amendment and religion. (n.d.). United States Courts. Retrieved March 13, 2026, from https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/first-amendment-and-religion
Matthew 22:39 (NIV). (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022%3A39&version=NIV
Leviticus 19:33-34 (NIV). (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2019%3A33-34&version=NIV
Luke 6:27-28 (NIV). (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A27-28&version=NIV