What does it mean to pray for compassionate leaders?

Fr. Ron Rolheiser, in a thoughtful reflection on “Generous Orthodoxy”, hints at a nuanced answer. He first confronts us with an unpleasant truth: in our faith (and in our politics), we are polarized and we are polarizing. We often see those with other worldviews as evil, foolish, or blind. Even our prayers risk becoming judgmental and presumptuous: “Dear God, help our leaders see and do things my way.” We are in danger of becoming the Pharisee in Luke 18, thanking God that we are “not like the rest of humanity.”

To help us soften this unfortunate tendency, Fr. Rolheiser proposes a worldview that many call generous orthodoxy: the word generous invites us to respect and appreciate the experiences of others, while orthodoxy captures the need to remain firmly grounded in our own spiritual roots.

Praying – and living – in the spirit of generous orthodoxy demands a healthy dose of spiritual and intellectual humility. It requires quieting ourselves so we can hear God’s whisper in the voice of a neighbor. It means letting go of the need to control the agenda and win every argument. It involves discernment: trusting God to help us understand and embrace our own role in fostering compassionate leadership.

Prayerful discernment will lead us in directions as varied as our gifts and passions. But we can all put in the effort needed to choose leaders of character, model in our own lives the compassionate leadership we seek in our leaders, and see more of ourselves in each other. Would this change the world? It might at least change the neighborhood: maybe we’d find ourselves better equipped to serve our migrant neighbors, for example, without dehumanizing those we ask to uphold our laws.

The U.S. Catholic bishops have much to say about these matters in “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”, a thoughtful, wise document that anchors an initiative the bishops call “Civilize It”. The bishops show us that faithful citizenship is both important and holy, and they appeal to all people of good will to engage in ways that align with the essence of who they are – a call to fidelity, integrity, and orthodoxy.

But the bishops also remind us that faithful citizenship is messy. They tell us repeatedly that no political party comes even close to representing what our faith requires of us. They help us understand that even when we agree on foundational moral principles, our policy judgments and voting choices will vary. This reality demands what Pope Francis called “a better kind of politics” — a call for respect, civility, and generosity.

The important, holy, and messy work of faithful citizenship demands generous orthodoxy – fidelity to our core values combined with respect for our differences. That means looking within ourselves, learning to listen with respect and humility, and – as people like to say – praying with our feet. Let us pray!