Article by Phoenix writer Natalie Lezcano ’26
As I stood in line for merchandise, large outlined words on an otherwise plain black shirt caught my eye: “Love is Punk”
It was a simple sentence, yet the particular choice of language struck a chord within me and evoked a desire to dig deeper into the individual meaning of each word, pondering how they could be connected.
The term punk can generally be used in a pretty broad sense; it’s a combination of music, ideologies, and fashion, but the key factor of punk is nonconformity. The subculture started as a way to rebel against societal norms, defying the mainstream expectations of what music should sound like or what people should dress like. When most people think of punk, they have a certain negative stereotype in their head—one associated with violence and hate—but this perception is not at all accurate to what punk really is; this view of the subculture reads more as the general population’s attempt at getting back at punks for their opposing nature by painting an exaggerated image, rather than a realistic observation of the community. At its core, punk is a community-oriented culture where misfits thrive and people of different backgrounds can express themselves truly and authentically. Was this not true of the early Church as well? This idea of acceptance is also true to the concept of love, as God is the ultimate source of love.
As stated in the New Testament, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (John 4:8). The value of love and acceptance is one that is at the heart of Christianity, as God is the ultimate source of it and loves all of His creation, shunning nobody who seeks His company. In relation to nonconformity, the origins of Christianity start in a similar way to that of the punk movement. Early Christians went against the Roman state by refusing to conform to their pagan ways, instead choosing to have faith in Christ and do as He would want. As a result, Christians faced persecution and were killed for professing their religious beliefs and worshipping God. They made an active choice of rebellion by not denying their values in the face of oppression, and that in itself is one of the most punk things ever.
Punk has always embraced a sense of humility, with an appreciation for the smaller things in life, originating from its working class origins. Arguably, poverty in the Catholic sense involves giving up worldly possessions in order to grow closer to God, humbling oneself and giving to those who are less fortunate. Saints like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, and St. Vincent de Paul are examples of people who took the vow of poverty and dedicated their lives to the poor. In St. Francis’ case, he fully gave up all of his material goods, ending his life with no personal belongings at all. For punks, poverty manifests itself in anti-materialism and a Do It Yourself mindset; crafting things like zines and clothes from reused material instead of frequently purchasing new things is encouraged, and over consumption is discouraged. All in all, less is more and more is less. Let’s just say, a punk would never try to pass an overloaded camel through the eye of a needle.
The two groups seem so different when viewed only at the surface level, but once the words “love” and “punk” are stripped down to their core principles, the similarities are overwhelming. Catholicism is super punk.
Mr. Krug, religion teacher and Aquinas League moderator, says, “True Christianity always challenges the culture on some level in which it finds itself. Whether it’s the early Christians in the Roman Empire, individuals like St. Maximilian Kolbe or Fr. Jakob Gapp in Nazi Germany, or Christians today in many societies risking their life proclaiming the message of the Gospel, Christianity is essentially a counter-cultural message. In this way there is a bond between those who are part of the punk movement and Christians.”
Love and nonconformity are forever the building blocks of the faith, and no matter what others may say, Christians will stay true to God and follow His word.
So, how will they know us? Through our will to take a stand and strive for moral goodness; they will know our heart and love, both of which lie in God.
