At the start of the July 4th weekend and during the AMERICA 250 celebrations, Philadelphia was buzzing with hustle and bustle, yet at a snail’s pace due to the remarkable heat.
Nevertheless, former President of the Board of Trustees of Saint Joseph’s University Michaal J. Morris raved about the venue for the receipt of the 2026 Liberty Medal by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.
With enthusiasm, Morris stated, “The National Constitution Center is without match anywhere in the world, not only because of its internal aesthetics but also because of the stellar view of Independence Hall.”
SJU President Cheryl McConnell added, “Today was a celebration of our country’s religious freedom and liberty, one of the foundational elements of the First Amendment of the Constitution.
“The event was held in The National Constitution Center’s Great Hall Overlook, with the 100-foot First Amendment Tablet as a backdrop to the ceremony.”
Monsignor Paul V. Dougherty, Pastor of Saint Margaret of Antioch Roman Catholic Church in Narberth provided a focus, “The heart and foundation of the documents on which our nation stands is the God-given innate dignity of every human being.
“Pope Leo’s ministry and his encyclical ‘Magnifica Hūmānitās’ are centered on that very belief.
“He exhorts us to understand that all technology and other scientific advances must be utilized in a way that recognizes and fosters the dignity and grandeur of the human person.
“Pope Leo’s reception of The Liberty Medal can inspire our Catholic parishes and schools to keep ourselves and our nation focused on the high ideal of each person’s inalienable rights and the pursuit of liberty and justice for all.
“It is an honor for all members of the Church that the Pope’s dedication to human dignity has been recognized through his reception of The Liberty Medal.”
President Cheryl Mc Connell stated about the July 3rd event, “As remarks regarding religious freedom and the value of interfaith cooperation and understanding were made by our region’s religious and civic leaders, one could not help but be moved by both the setting and the respect for the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, signed 250 years ago.
“Pope Leo XIV spoke of religious cooperation as well as principles of human dignity. This is a concept of importance, one he emphasizes in his recent encyclical, ‘Magnifica Hūmānitās.’
“In the encyclical, he writes in paragraphs fifty-two and fifty-three, ‘This is the dignity that belongs to every human being simply by the virtue of existing, of having been willed, created, and loved by God . . . the fundamental dignity of each person, therefore, is neither acquired nor earned, nor does it need to be justified.’
“This foundational concept of human dignity and human rights was echoed throughout the morning’s remarks of all interfaith and civic leaders.”
Morris commented, “Each speaker was of equal import and excellence.”
Introduced by NCC Interim President and CEO Vince Stango, each guest speaker contributed to the dialectic of an emerging and solidified concept of “liberty.”
On the dais were Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, The Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, The Reverend Carolyn C. Cavaness, Imam Quaiser D. Abdullah, Ph.D., Rabbi Jill L. Maderer, and The Reverend Luis A. Cortés, Jr.
The Liberty Medal is an annual award administered by The National Constitution Center of the United States to recognize people “of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty for people around the globe.”
The award was founded by The Philadelphia Foundation in 1989. The first recipient was Polish leader Lech Wałęsa. In 2006, the NCC took over the organizing, selecting, and presenting of the award to recipients.
Accepting the prestigious Liberty Medal from the United States National Constitution Center for his lifelong commitment to promoting religious liberty and freedom ofconscience and expression around the world, Pope Leo XIV addressed those gathered in Philadelphia via livestream from Rome.
The first American Pope expressed his hope that the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States would be an occasion for a solemn recommitment to the fundamental ideals on which the country was founded, especially life and freedom:
“As a son of this great country, founded by courageous men and women who dreamed of liberty and of a better life for themselves and for their children, I join you in asking God’s blessings upon America’s future, that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice, and peace.”
From the Vatican in Rome, Pope Leo addressed those gathered in Philadelphia, saying he was honored to accept the Medal, especially in this historic year marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Offering a sincere greeting, the Holy Father said that “from our youth, most of us have admired the eloquence of those words, ‘inalienable rights,’ with their resounding appeal to the law of nature and to nature’s God as the basis of their assertion that all men and women are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Pope Leo XIV gestures as he delivers his speech during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican on June 3, 2026.
“Over the past 250 years, it was the firm resolve to achieve the noble vision of the nation’s founders that made America ‘a byword for freedom,’ as the country opened its doors to successive waves of immigrants, enabling them and their children to help shape the nation’s future.”
He observed “that this same love of freedom inspired the United States, in the darkest hours of the last century, during the two world wars, ‘to look beyond itself and, at great sacrifice, champion the cause of freedom beyond its own borders.’
“As every American knows, however, the path to building a society embodying those high ideals of liberty and justice for all was not always easy and, in many respects, remains a work in progress that must be taken up anew in each generation and in the face of ever new challenges.”
Looking to the future, the Holy Father said “this historic anniversary presents an opportunity to reflect once again on the nation’s founding principles, expressing hope that America will remain true to the dream that has earned it the title of the ‘land of the free and home of the brave.’”
Turning to liberty, the Pope reflected “that it has always been among the principles most cherished by those seeking a new beginning within America’s borders, often representing previously undreamed of hope.
“The desire for truth and freedom, as well as the very pursuit of happiness,” he said, “continues to inspire people of all generations to ask fundamental questions regarding the meaning of life, our ultimate purpose, and indeed about God, and it is proper for magnanimous hearts to endeavor to answer these questions with sincerity.”
Recalling that America’s forebears came from diverse backgrounds, religions, and languages, he noted “that they nevertheless found common ground and the strength to pursue a better future.”
“The principles which inspired America’s founders, rooted as they are in the truth of the human person, brought them together in a single cause, a common dream.
“Unity lent strength to that dream, giving rise, under God, to the United States of America. ‘Ē plūribus ūnum – out of many, one.’
“For a nation to flourish, it must be united not merely by temporary goals but by enduring ideals.
“In accepting this award, I therefore pray that this, the 250th anniversary of the founding of this great nation, may be the occasion of a solemn recommitment to these ideals that have made America a country which values peace and prosperity, a country characterized by generosity and nobility of heart.”
Commending those gathered at the National Constitution Center and dedicating the future of the United States “to the One who is Himself the source of true freedom and lasting peace, the One whose very name is Peace,” Pope Leo concluded, “May God bless America!”
Mary Brown is a weekly columnist for Main Line Media News.