Pope Leo XIV Urges Americans to Renew Founding Ideals in Liberty Medal Address
In remarks released July 3 for the National Constitution Center's Liberty Medal, the first U.S.-born pope spoke on human dignity, the right to life, religious freedom and national unity as the country marks 250 years of independence
Pope Leo XIV called on the United States to renew its founding ideals in an address released July 3, 2026, marking the presentation of the Liberty Medal by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The pope, the first born in the United States, spoke about human dignity, religious freedom and national unity as the country marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
A delegation from the National Constitution Center presented the Liberty Medal to Leo XIV during a private audience in April. The award recognized his work promoting freedom of religion and conscience, principles set out in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In his address, the pope reflected on the meaning of the award and its relevance today.
"As a son of this great nation, founded by brave men and women who dreamed of freedom and of a better life for themselves and their children, I join you in asking God's blessing on the future of the United States," the pope said. He said the ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence should continue to guide the country toward unity, justice and peace.
Leo XIV said human dignity is the foundation of all rights, and that the statement that all men and women are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights rests on a biblical vision of the human person. That dignity, he said, precedes any state and must be protected by every political authority.
The pope said the United States has been a point of reference for freedom for many peoples, opening its doors to generations of immigrants and defending that ideal beyond its borders. He also said that realizing the ideals of "liberty and justice for all" has been a complex process and remains "a work in progress" that requires renewal in every generation.
Leo XIV described the right to life as the first of the rights proclaimed by the nation's founders. "No one who is deprived of life can enjoy liberty or pursue happiness," he said, adding that a nation's vitality depends on the value it places on every human life. He urged Americans to cultivate a genuine reverence for life from conception to natural death.
The pope said freedom should not be understood as the mere ability to act according to one's own desires. True freedom, he said, lies in the capacity to know the truth and to hold to what is good, even when that involves sacrifice.
On religious freedom, Leo XIV praised the American tradition of protecting the right, which allows each person to seek the truth and live according to his or her convictions without fear of reprisal. He said that freedom is essential to the development of personal convictions and guarantees the right of individuals and communities to express their faith publicly.
Closing his remarks, the pope returned to the national motto, "E pluribus unum" ("Out of many, one"), and said a nation can flourish only when it unites around lasting ideals. He said he hoped the 250th anniversary of the country's founding would be an occasion to reaffirm the ideals the United States has pursued in its search for peace, prosperity and generosity. He entrusted the nation's future to God, saying: "God bless America!"
