The history of our nation confirms that faith has always played a vital role in shaping our leaders and guiding our political and social life.
From Washington to Madison to de Tocqueville, America’s story shows that religion has never been merely a private devotion but a public force that guides liberty and prevents it from converting into license. Our country’s peace and security rest on virtue, and virtue flourishes when faith is nurtured. Conversely, when conscience is under attack, violence often ensues.
Here is where women of faith come in.
Women of faith are often the firsts to promote peace. When women can live their beliefs freely, families are strengthened, communities thrive and nations flourish. For women of faith, living one’s beliefs is not a political theory but a profoundly personal reality.
The lives of women saints and martyrs testify to this truth. St. Agnes and St. Cecilia bore witness to faith with courage and dignity, even unto death. St. Joan of Arc led her people with a conviction rooted in God’s call. St. Monica’s persistent prayers for her son, St. Augustine, offer a model for all mothers. St. Rita endured great suffering in her marriage while also granting forgiveness and showing mercy. Mary, the Mother of God, in her profound “Yes” to God’s plan, helped shape the course of human history. Yet, Our Lady of Sorrows was not shielded from suffering and loss.
Contemporary women of faith in our country continue this legacy.
I recently highlighted the Christian witness of two exceptional women of faith: Erika Kirk, whose grace and steadfastness in the midst of mourning her husband Charlie’s murder I noted in a commentary for Evie Magazine, and Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, whose intellect and steady moral vision I explored in a review of her new book, “Listening to the Law: Reflections on the Court and the Constitution,” for The Daily Wire. Neither are “girl bosses,” but instead women who demonstrate that faith is essential not only for the good of their own families but also for the good of our nation.
Erika is now stepping into an extraordinary role. She will assume responsibility as CEO and chair of the board of Turning Point USA, the advocacy group her husband founded. She spoke at his memorial service alongside President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. That she takes on such responsibility while grieving her husband’s murder and caring for her very young children depends not on her strength alone, but on a supernatural trust in God’s mercy and power. Despite unimaginable loss, Erika continues to call women to be “life-givers” — to nurture, build and heal in a divided world. Her witness reminds us that women of faith do not retreat from hardship; they confront it with vulnerability, resolve, and above all, love.
Barrett offers another example. In “Listening to the Law,” she reflects on her deep respect for the law. She writes candidly that for a judge “the guiding principle in every case is what the law requires.” Such resolve is possible because of the humility that her faith imparts. And behind her public service is a large and loving family. For ordinary women of faith, there is much in her witness to admire and to follow.
The witness of saints, martyrs and contemporary women of faith illustrate that supernatural belief is not passive. It inspires courage to speak the truth, patience to endure hardship, and wisdom to nurture community. Women of faith, through prayer, counsel and charity, model the virtues that sustain families and strengthen the common good.
The steadfastness of Barrett, the resilient grace of Erika and the enduring examples of the saints — especially Our Lady — illuminate a path for all women of faith to be instruments of God’s peace for a nation in need.
Picciotti-Bayer, a parishioner of St. John the Beloved Church in McLean, is a legal analyst for EWTN News. Reprinted with permission from the National Catholic Register.
Made for communion