By

 Dr. Wilson Triviño

Atlanta, Georgia - With Pope Benedict VXI’s first visit to the United States as Pope, the topic of happiness seems appropriate to explore.   During his visit to Washington, DC and New York City, the Holy Father’s message was to love each other and seek inner peace found in faith.  The outward symbolism of President George W Bush’s only time in office to ever meet and pick up a foreign dignitary at the airport shows how a man of faith transcends political divisions.  

As a life long Roman Catholic, it was a highlight of my life to participate in a Holy Mass officiated by the Pope at Yankee’s Stadium in New York City, New York on April 20 with my family.  In my faith, not only is the Pope the head of the Universal Church but holds a position that has a historic lineage to origins of Christianity. Regardless of denomination or beliefs, all faiths share universal truths.  The foundation of happiness, spiritual well being, and peace is love.

Boston College Professor Stephen Pope delved into the happiness quotient in his speech entitled “The Pursuit of Happiness: a Catholic Perspective” at Emory University on April 10.   Professor Pope is an Irish Catholic who has spent his academic career investigating the spiritual, theological, and intellectual evolution of the concept of happiness.

Professor Pope did admit that when he shared his topic with other folks, they sneered as they questioned him if it was possible for a Catholic to be happy.   Catholics have the reputation of being serious, pious, and full of guilt. 

The speech began with a caveat; that explaining happiness in the Catholic Church in one speech is like trying to explain the history of baseball in fifteen minutes.  You can’t really get past the concepts of hits and runs of the game in that short period of time.  Similarly the Catholic Church is rich in history and theological tradition.

Weaving the thoughts of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Augustus, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict VXI, Professor Pope touched on the theological evolution of the concept of happiness.  In the new world of America, we live in an environment that is fast, disposable, and instant, whereas in the old world, tradition, reflection, and philosophy were the foundation of civil society.     

Even with academic research into happiness, we still have a wide range of definitions and the fundamental answer is elusive.  Do we define happiness as immediate gratification of desire, lust, or consumerism?  Or is happiness a delayed sentiment that is found in the transcendental journey?  

It is not that Catholics are better that other Christians or faiths or have a hold on happiness.  Professor Pope, weaving an evaluation of philosophical

thought, argued that each individual needs to seek a shared values community.  This creates a support network that will reinforce unconditional love.  Professor Pope shared his experience of the cynicism of his students who struggle with the demands of a hurried world.  The students accept the concept of a life long loving committed relationship, but are leery of finding it because most come from broken homes, abusive relationships, or have never been exposed to unconditional love. 

The students struggle with seeming odd to their cohorts if they don’t binge drink, are not sexually promiscuous, or do not bend to peer pressure.  Their struggles are like most of us, trying to do the right thing in a world full of temptation to do the wrong thing.

The professor’s answer to these obstacles is to seek a community of like minded individuals that will lead to a support network that affirms these values. 

Professor Pope shared a story of unconditional love.  There was a very successful athlete who married a very beautiful cheerleader.  Their love blossomed and they seemed to have everything going for them, beauty, material success, and love.   All of a sudden the woman was involved in an accident and her mental capacity became that of a child.  Instead of cutting his ties, her husband continued his devotion and cared for her for thirty years, the rest of her life.   Professor Pope’s message was that this tale seems like an urban legend, but if we seek like minded individuals, we can be witness to unconditional love.  In our society, we are more prone to dispose of relationships when they become inconvenient, but unconditional love will flourish when we are open to continue on the journey regardless of the good or bad times.

Professor Pope’s insight into the pursuit of happiness reminds us that our earthly life is full of tragedy and challenges. Happy individuals are those that find happiness by focusing on others rather than themselves.  Love will set you free.    

Political Scientist Dr. Wilson Triviño resides in Marietta, Georgia and is a speaker and writer for ABC Vision.  A consulting firm that focuses on leadership, change, and innovation. He may be reached at abcvision@gmail.com