Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor: Let’s imitate Pope León speaking the truth in a spirit of love

The author of bestsellersHarvard professor and recognized social scientist Arthur Brooks, considered an “expert” in happiness, says that the missionary character and approach of Pope Leo XIV is one that all Catholics should imitate.

In An interview with Ewtn News In DepthBrooks called attention to the history of the new Pope of “telling the truth in a spirit of love, and that is much more than we all need to imitate as a Catholic people.”

This approach, Brooks said, is a winner who gives him a lot of hope and optimism for the pontificate of León and the future of the Church, which he considers that he is on the verge of a rebirth.

Speaking to the presenter Catherine Hadro, Brooks said that all Catholics are called to a missionary work based on the joy, excellence and clarity of purpose.

“We need to ask ourselves tomorrow when leaving: am I being a good missionary or not? Does anyone say, I like the way that person lives his Catholic faith or not? Is that attractive or isn’t it? Those are the options.”

Converted to Catholicism at 16, Brooks says he considers himself a “secular missionary.” In a recent article in The AtlanticHe wrote that his writing, oratory and teaching are the main way he shares his faith publicly.

“My approach is basically being open, simple and natural about my Catholic faith,” said Brooks, who is also an former president of the think tank American Enterprise Institutebased in Washington, DC (United States).

The two best tools in secular evangelization, Brooks said, are friendship and excellence.

“Be a good friend, be a good person, all the time, impeccable in the way you treat others and someone in whom people can trust and really love,” Brooks told Hadro.

“And two, be excellent in everything you do. Be the best in what you do … because people want to be close to excellence and people want to have good friends,” he added.

Catholics, Brooks said, are called to “magnetize” their faith making it “natural, normal and excellent” in such a way that it attracts people towards faith.

When it comes to telling the truth in a spirit of love, Brooks said that “we have the moral obligation to point out the things that are wrong when they are wrong, for the good of the person”, pointing out that when there is serious sin “we have to point it out.”

“But we will be ineffective if we don’t do it with love,” he emphasized.

“When you love the people with whom you disagree, and then you talk about disagreements, then you are able to persuade people, potentially,” Brooks said. “(T) or only opportunity to persuade people is with love.”

In his 2023 book Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier (Build the life you yearn: the art and science of being happier), co -written with Oprah Winfrey, Brooks offers practical strategies for both emotional and spiritual growth. The book debuted in number one on the list of bestsellers del New York Times.

Brooks continues to explore these issues in his next book, The Happiness Filesin which he compares the search for happiness with the launch of a start-up: Deliberate, experimental and mission oriented.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.