The Libertarian Mission of a Catholic Priest

Abstract

At first blush, it may seem odd that a catholic priest reconciles his own religious vocation with the defense of individual freedom against any form of collectivism. Yet, in the experience of this Italian priest—who is prouder to be Neapolitan than Italian—personal freedom is inseparably inscribed in the christian recognition of the Incarnation of God. On this premise, father Di Martino felt the mandate and the responsibility to show that not only should libertarianism be considered widely compatible with christian morality, but also a fruit, though indirect, of the Gospel leaven. Through his writings, father Di Martino tries to reach out to both believers and libertarians. To the former, to demonstrate that libertarianism is the social philosophy in which naturally recognize themselves, and to the latter, to testify the irreplaceable foundation of natural law as the rock-solid basis of individualism.