Catholic Social Doctrine in the Age of Fascism: What Luigi Sturzo Has to Say to American Christians

Father Luigi Sturzo founded the Italian Popular Party, the first political party in Italy explicitly inspired by Catholic social teaching. Forced into exile for two decades because the Fascist government viewed him as a threat, Sturzo developed a rich political vision rooted in the dignity of the person and of human freedom, subsidiarity, and the common good. In 2002, Pope John Paul II opened his cause for canonization, and his writings on political theory continue to inspire, enlighten, and challenge Catholics to this day.

Sturzo’s life and the opposition he received from within the Church cast light on the perennial question of how Christians ought to approach uniting faith with secular political power. It also invites us to think about the relationship between liberty and the pursuit of virtue in light of Catholic social teaching. Sturzo had a very high view of liberty, but he was not naïve about its…