The following comes from a November 9 Angelus article by Archbishop Jose Gomez:

The election is over. So where do we go from here?

I am not alone in observing that this long campaign season exposed deep divisions in our society and real anxiety about our country’s future direction.

I would also say that this is the first election where we can see very clearly that we are living in a “post-Christian” America.

We have known for a long time that the elites who govern and shape the direction of our society are deeply secularized and hostile to religious institutions and traditional values and beliefs. In this election, we see that their secular vision now shapes the priorities and concerns of the electorate.

Unlike any election in my memory, there was very little talk this time about values — except for one, “civility.”

And it is true that the rhetoric and tactics in this election season were often vulgar and uncivilized.

But sadly, it seems that too often we define civility as just being more polite.

True civility is rooted in our common status as citizens who are responsible for our life together in society. In practice, true civility means demonstrating real respect for other people — even if we are deeply opposed to their “positions” on issues or even their worldview.

If it is going to mean anything, civility must reflect our common search for what is true and what is good — for individuals and for society. And in the aftermath of this election, the search for truth and goodness becomes even more precious and more crucial.

So where do we go from here?

We keep our eyes on Jesus Christ and we keep following him. We remember who we are, where we came from and who God calls us to be. That means we live as Catholics first, as Christians first. This is our identity.

We are not Republicans or Democrats or liberals or conservatives. Before everything else, we are followers of Christ — children of God, made in his image, called to be saints and to work for his kingdom, which is the family of God on earth.

If we want America to be greater, then we need men and women like you and me who are committed to serving God and living the truths we believe in every aspect of our lives.