Why Principles are Imperative

By Fr. Matthew Habiger, O.S.B.

Weidentify ourselves with our principles. Tell me what a person’s principles are, and I will tell you what you can expect from him in his decisions and deeds. When we elect public officials, we need to know their principles. What is their guiding light, their moral compass? Once a person reveals their guiding principles, then he can be held accountable for how he preserves them on his tour of duty.

If you declare yourself to be “pro-life,” then a whole catalog of commitments appears. If you claim to be “pro-choice,” then an entirely different set of commitments appears.

Abe Lincoln based his presidency upon the major principle found in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident – that all men are created equal.”

We all need an extensive collection of principles to give reasonable direction to our lives. Indeed, every walk of life, every profession, even every branch of knowledge has its set of guiding principles. In public life we refer to these as professional ethics. If we know the relevant principles that apply to a given activity, e.g., driving a car, then we know how to react to a wide variety of circumstances.

Young children want to know the “rules” and “what is expected of them.” They want some structure in their lives, something that is dependable, predictable.

But this applies to adults also. If you are a businessman, then you need to know what all goes into a successful business. There are basic principles operative in business and the economy. To be successful, the businessman must cooperate with these principles. If he does not, he risks bankruptcy. Then add business ethics to this.

Every institution, whether in education, medicine, law, newspapers and media, the military, the police force, the sports world,or any other sector, has its set of guiding principles. Success comes with putting these principles to work. Failure results when they are ignored, or badly misinterpreted. Then add all the relevant codes of ethics to these institutions.

Marriage and family life heavily rely upon the awareness and practice of good principles. If you want your marriage to work, then there are things you must do to foster the relationship, and other things you must avoid that wreck the relationship. A 50% divorce rate today is a clear indication that many people do not understand what marriage was designed to be. They don’t understand making a lifetime commitment, or making an unconditional gift of self, or the indispensable role of self-sacrifice, and an openness to life. They don’t know the basic principles that can be found in every strong marriage, and in every healthy, happy family. Everyone wants a strong marriage and a healthy, happy family, but they don’t know how to build them.

A democracy needs a set of principles if it is to survive. I encourage all Catholics to look beyond a politician’s popularity or party to find their principles. Vote on the basis of how closely a person’s principles align with Catholic doctrine. And do your part, both to learn the Faith and to defend in public the principles that set into motion socially the law of God.