Integrating Our Faith and Secular Life

On Presidents' Day, Holly Dodd offers a prayer that bridges the faith and the secular world.

At first glance, a secular holiday like Presidents' Day may seem completely separate from — and maybe even incompatible with — the Catholic life. We are called, though, to a life in which our faith is a part of our daily lives and our daily lives are a part of our faith.

Faith and Life Cannot Be Separate

Your Catholic faith need not be separate from your daily life in the world; indeed, it should not be separate. Living the Catholic faith is much more than only showing up to Mass on Sunday, and it is still more than just grafting tenets of your faith onto your secular life. The Catholic life is the whole life, rightfully and inseparably integrated into every part of our lives from the time God created man. God became human Himself, as the Father sent the Son to earth through a human birth.

Your identity as a Catholic is not exclusive from your identity as an American (or citizen of whichever country you are from). God does not ask us to live our faith in a vacuum. Your identity as a child of God is foundational in understanding who you are, and your Catholic faith should be the source of all things you do, a litmus test for decisions, and a guiding principle for your actions.

A Revolutionary Prayer for Church and Secular Leaders

Baltimore Archbishop John Carroll was the first American bishop, installed in 1789. He led the Church in a post-revolutionary era of unimaginable growth as the country was being settled and America was learning to be independent. There were perhaps 25,000 Catholics in America when Carroll was appointed bishop, but 200,000 by the end of his life.

Archbishop Carroll worked closely with Church leaders to organize and grow the Church, but he also worked with government leaders, including George Washington, who helped him secure federal funds for missionaries. In his time as archbishop, in 1791, he composed a prayer that asks God’s blessing, guidance, and mercy on both secular and Church leaders. The Church invites you to pray this prayer today, Presidents' Day.

Living faith out loud, in the secular world, as a Catholic can be challenging and sometimes scary, but it is critical that we do not separate our faith life from our “regular life.” Live your faith out loud — and pray for our leaders. Pray for our priests and bishops, and pray for our government leaders too.

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Copyright 2026 Holly Dodd
Images: Canva; Rembrandt Peale, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons