The recent World Aquatics Championships—held in Singapore this year—had many Australians, including myself, on the edge of our seats, screaming and cheering on our Australian Dolphins.
Whether it was Kyle Chalmers storming home in the final leg of the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay to win gold, Kaylee McKeown gliding to victory in both the 100m and 200m backstroke, Cam McEvoy and Meg Harris taking out the 50m freestyles, or Mollie O’Callaghan pushing through a jam-packed schedule to win the 200m freestyle and anchor our women’s 4x100m freestyle relay—every race was a reminder that it didn’t matter whether we knew the swimmer or not.
If they were representing Australia, we cheered for them as if they were our own family.
You couldn’t help but sense what the swimmers so clearly felt themselves—a deep affection for the country they represented. A love that made them compete not just for personal achievement, but for something greater than themselves.
Not just a general or emotional love, but something more precise which the church has always recognised, even if Christians and the wider culture have largely forgotten: the virtue of patriotism.
In a world where nationalism and political tribalism dominate headlines, patriotism can easily be misunderstood. But its foundation is not expansion or superiority. It is gratitude and belonging.
Patriotism is not nationalism—the belief that one’s country is superior to all others, which stems from sinful pride. It is, by contrast, the love of one’s country simply because it is yours, because of what it has provided you.
Patriotism isn’t loud or boastful. It doesn’t deny a nation’s flaws. Rather, it is a form of piety, recognising and honouring those through whom we received life, formation and a place to belong—God, our family and our country.
That virtue was made present in Singapore through the Dolphins, not through speeches or slogans, but through effort, sacrifice, and excellence.
Our swimmers didn’t just win for the sake of winning. They competed with composure and humility. They gave their best, for themselves and their families of course, but also for the flag of the country they carried with them into the water.
And that same patriotism was present in the fans—in every Australian who tuned in, cheering on our athletes regardless of the result.
Even something as simple as being able to turn on the TV and watch our nation compete on the world stage is a privilege not everyone in the world enjoys. It’s one of the many small but real blessings we ought to be grateful for in our country.
The Catechism tells us that “the love and service of one’s country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity” (CCC 2239). That love isn’t about blind loyalty, but about rightly ordered affection—a love that hopes, serves, and seeks the good of our nation.
When it comes to sport, sometimes patriotism means swimming your heart out. Other times, it means yelling at the TV like the swimmer can hear you. Not for glory, but for home.