THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

INTRODUCTION TO THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

WHAT IS CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING?

Catholic Social Teaching (also known as Catholic Social

Doctrine) sums up the teachings of the Church on

social justice issues.

It promotes a vision of a just society that is grounded in

the Bible and in the wisdom gathered from experience

by the Christian community as it has responded to

social justice issues through history.

THE PROBLEM

Far too many Catholics are unfamiliar with the basic content of Catholic social teaching. More fundamentally, many Catholics do not adequately understand that the social mission of the Church is an essential part of Catholic faith.

This poses a serious challenge for all Catholics, since it weakens our capacity to be a Church that is true to the demands of the Gospel. We need to do more to share the social mission and message of our Church.

Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions

U.S. Bishops, 1998

A KEY TO CATHOLIC IDENTITY

The central message is simple:

Our faith is profoundly social. We cannot be

called truly “Catholic” unless we hear and heed

the Church's call to serve those in need and

work for justice and peace.

Communities of Salt and Light, U.S. Bishops, 1993

VATICAN II’S ECCLESIOLOGY

❖ The Church is a sign and a safeguard

of the dignity of the human person.

❖ A religious organization whose purpose it is to help

bring about the reign of God in history.

❖ The social mission is “constitutive”

not extra-curricular or optional.

The Church carries out its religious mission by engaging in concrete struggles of society. To work for social justice and

human dignity, therefore, is a religious act.

CONSTITUTIVE ELEMENTS OF CHURCH

❖ Scriptures (Word) -- hearing the Good News

❖ Sacraments (Worship) -- worship, prayer life,

community celebration, etc.

❖ Social Mission (World) -- action for social justice

Scriptural Justice

According to Scripture, a just or righteous

person is first someone who is in a right

relationship with God and second in right

relationship with other human beings.

Old Law

In the Old Testament, justice is primarily

about treating members of one’s own

community fairly and equally.

New Law

In the New Law of Christ, justice means

“extending God’s compassion, forgiveness,

and mercy to all people, even when that

means sacrificing one’s own comfort and

material wealth.”

The Four Cardinal Virtues

• The four cardinal virtues―prudence, justice, temperance,

and fortitude―play a pivotal role in our moral life.

• All other human virtues can be grouped around the cardinal

virtues.

• As we develop the cardinal virtues in our lives, we

become persons of moral character—meaning we will do

the right thing, even under difficult circumstances.

Justice as a Cardinal Virtue

• As a cardinal virtue, justice is the

virtue concerned with the rights and

duties within relationships and

societies.

• Justice guides us in giving both God and neighbor what is

their due and in working for the common good.

• Justice takes into account the needs of others as much as

our own needs.

• Justice is about more than simple fairness; it asks us to

bring God’s compassionate and merciful love to those who

are most in need.

Image in shutterstock

Justice as a Cardinal Virtue

• The virtue of justice recognizes that some people have

greater physical and spiritual needs than others and require

a greater sharing of material goods and spiritual support.

• It takes determination and dedication to be a person

who lives the virtues of justice.

Individual IndividualCommutative (Contractual)

SOCIETY

Commutative Justice

Ima

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in s

hutt

ers

tock

Commutative justice is the fairness

that should exist when exchanging

goods and services among individuals

and institutions.

• It requires that both parties receive

exactly what they agreed to; in this way

the human dignity of everyone involved

in the exchange is protected.

• It is the most fundamental form of justice

in societies; without it all other forms of

justice are impossible.

Legal Justice(Contributive Justice)

Legal justice is concerned with the responsibilities that

individuals have to society.

• It is called “legal” justice because these responsibilities

are usually spelled out in laws or other legal documents.

• Our country and community organizations cannot fulfill

their responsibilities unless we fulfill our obligations to

society.

Distributive Justice

In 1986, the U.S. Catholic bishops provided this explanation

of distributive justice in Economic Justice for All:

“Distributive justice requires that the allocation of

income, wealth, and power in society be evaluated in

light of its effects on persons whose basic material

needs are unmet” (70).

Distributive Justice

• Distributive justice is concerned with the responsibilities

that society has to its members.

• It is called “distributive” because it calls for the just

distribution of the earth’s resources to all people.

Distributive Justice

Thus the principle of distributive justice means,

for example, that it is a social sin for people to

go hungry in a country that can produce enough

food for all its citizens.

Social Justice

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

“Society ensures social justice when it provides the

conditions that allow associations or individuals to obtain

what is their due, according to their nature and their vocation.

Social justice is linked to the common good and the exercise

of authority” (1928).

But it is individuals who make the decisions that

determine the policies and practices of these

organizations. They are the leaders, or authorities, of

these institutions.

The primary responsibility for social justice rests with

the social institutions that make up society—

governments, businesses, and other civic

organizations.

Social Justice

Social Justice

• The Catechism says that

social justice is linked to

the exercise of authority

or leadership.

• In many democratic countries,

citizens have a say in the country’s

decisions and policies.

• Therefore we all share some responsibility for

ensuring social justice.

Individual Individual

Commutative (Contractual)

SOCIETY

Social Justice

Thus the principle of social justice

applies to all of God’s people.

Flows primarily from the life and words of Jesus Christ

Catholic Social Justice

Rooted in teachings of the Hebrew prophets

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

❖Deeply rooted in the Bible

❖Continually developed in Catholic Social

Teaching

-- Observe, judge, act

THREE ELEMENTS

The social teachings are made up of three

different elements:

• principles for reflection;

• criteria for judgment;

• guidelines for action.

SEE – JUDGE - ACT

Catholic Social Justice Teaching

- The church doctrine (teaching) attempts to

understand how societies work

- It makes moral judgements about economic

and social matters in light of revealed truth

Sharing Catholic Social Teaching

- Purpose is to make Catholics aware that the Church’s

teaching on social justice is an essential part of our faith

- The wheel of justice presents the principles of Catholic

social justice

• Our ultimate destination is God’s kingdom

• Along the way there are obstacles

• The principles on the wheel need to

be applied to smooth out the road that leads us to God

1891 Rerum Novarum Leo XIII

1931 Quadragesimo Anno Pius XI

1961 Mater et Magistra John XXIII

1963 Pacem in Terris John XXIII

1965 Gaudium et Spes Vatican II

1967 Populorum Progessio Paul VI

1971 Octogessima Adveniens Paul VI

1971 Justicia in Mundo Synod of Bishops

1975 Evangelii Nuntiandi Paul VI

1981 Laborem Exercens John Paul II

1987 Solicitudo Rei Socialis John Paul II

1991 Centissimus Annus John Paul II

1995 Evangelium Vitae John Paul II

2009 Caritas in Veritate Benedict XVI

2013 Evangelii Gaudium Francis

2015 Laudato Si Francis

Modern Catholic Social TeachingModern Catholic Social Teaching

The Principles of

Catholic Social Teaching

Principles of Catholic Social Teaching

Human

Dignity

1 2

3

45

6

7

8 9 Community

and

Common

Good

Family &

Community

Participation

Rights &

Responsibilities

Subsidiarity

Option for

the Poor

Economic

Justice

Solidarity

Stewardship

Wheel of Justice

• Belief in the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all Catholic social teaching

• Grounded in the idea that persons are created by God in God’s image and likeness

• Thus, human life is sacred

• Human dignity is the starting point for a moral vision of society

The Dignity of

Each Human Person

Thus, each person is valuable and worthy of respect.

Every human being is created in the image and likeness of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ.

Common Good and Community

• Human beings are both sacred and social.

• Dignity and rights are realized and protected in relationships and in wider society.

• How we organize economics, politics, law, and policies in our societies directly affects human dignity and the protection of human rights.

• In a moral society, economics, politics, law, and public policy protect human dignity.

The Common Good

The common good is the social condition that promotes the dignity of persons, allowing them to

reach their full potential and receive the rights andprivileges necessary for a happy life.

Participation

• All persons have the right and the responsibility to participate in the economic, political, and cultural life of society.

• Thus, each person contributes to the good of the whole society to promote the common good and well-being of all human beings.

Rights and Responsibilities

• Every person has a fundamental right

– to life

– to freedom

– to the necessities of life

– to things necessary to live a full and decent life, such as

• education

• employment

• health care

• ownership of property

• Subsequently, the right to life also means a right to a society that makes possible:

– Freedom of speech

– Freedom of religion

– Humane working conditions

– The ability to raise and provide for a family

– Affordable and decent housing

– Health care

Rights and Responsibilities

• Rights and freedoms comes with duties and responsibilities

– to family

– to help sustain and promote the rights of others

– to participate in forming and maintaining a just society

– to participate, as far as we are able, in work

– to respect and promote the rights and freedoms of others

Rights and Responsibilities

Preferential Option for the Poor

• Nations are called to develop and uphold policies that protect the poor and vulnerable: widows, the unborn, persons with disabilities, the ill, the homeless and the elderly.

• The moral conscience of a

society can be measured by

“how it treats its most

vulnerable members. The poor

are the most urgent moral claim

on the conscience of the nation.”

“Come, you

that are

blessed by my

Father, inherit

the kingdom

prepared for

you from the

foundation of

the world…”

Preferential Option for the Poor

“…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was

thirsty and you gave me something to drink…”

“…I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

I was naked and you gave me clothing…”

“…I was

sick and you

took care of

me, I was in

prison and

you visited

me.”

• The Catholic Church believes that Christ’s presence in today’s world is made known when we reach out in love to those in need:

– The poor and the sick

– Those who hunger and thirst for nourishment and for justice

– The homeless and the elderly

– Those who are imprisoned by abuse, drugs, alcohol, or depression

Preferential Option for the Poor

Thus says the LORD:

Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless;

clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your

own.

If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then light

shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like

midday. – Isaiah 58: 7,10

Solidarity

To be in solidarity in a global and interdependent world means to respect and promote personal, social, economic, and political rights throughout the world and for all people.

Every human being belongs to the one family of God. If we acknowledge human dignity, we are our sisters’ and

brothers’ keepers.

Stewardship of God’s Creation

• All that is good in this world is a gift from God.

• God calls us to be good and wise stewards of these gifts.

• We fulfill this responsibility when we treat the environment and all forms of life with respect, when we use these gifts in a way that sustains their quality and existence for future generations.

The Creator is present in the beauty of created things.

He calls us to share in His creation.

Subsidiarity • Social organization and governments exist for the good of the

individual.

• When governments assume their proper role, higher level organizations only perform functions that cannot be handled effectively and efficiently at a lower level (by individuals or lower level organizations.)

• Those closest to the problem or task are first in line to assume the task.

Gawad Kalinga: Local people working together

to help the poor and the homeless.

Economic Justice• The economy of a country and of the world must serve all people.

• All workers have the right to productive work, to a safe working environment, and to a fair wage.

• Catholic social teaching also supports the workers’ right to form unions.

• The right to property and profit is limited by the right of all persons to the basic necessities of life.

Workers on Strike

Equality of All

• The inherent dignity of all persons demands the equality of all persons.

• The many cultures, nationalities, and religions that make up the mosaic of human life is God’s gift of diversity and not a justification for prejudice and discrimination.

“To each is given the manifestation of the

Spirit for the common good.”

- 1 Corinthians 12:7

CONCLUSION

The teaching of the Church on social concerns is anything

but a cerebral and theoretical construction. This

teaching is in part a reflection of the action and

commitment of Christians in society. Between doctrine

and action, there exists a “give-and-take” and constant

enrichment. Just as action cut-off from its doctrinal

sources would be empirical, so a teaching disconnected

from practice would be completely sterile.

Introduction to the Social Teaching of the Church.

Michel Schooyans. June 1992, Paris, France.

CONCLUSION

“Vision without action is only a

dream; action without a vision will

soon pass away”.

- Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.

St. Paul University, Quezon City, November 2004

+ Social Justice Prayer +

Almighty and eternal God, may your grace enkindle in all of

us a love for the many unfortunate people whom poverty and

misery reduce to a condition of life unworthy of human

beings.

Arouse in the hearts of those who call you Father a hunger

and thirst for social justice and for fraternal charity in deeds

and in truth.

Grant, O Lord, peace to souls, peace to families, peace to our

country and peace among nations.

Amen.

©2000 eCatholic/2000

all rights reserved

ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

• Office for Social Justice

Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

http://www.osjspm.org

• Social Justice – A Basic Introduction

https://www.ecatholic2000.com/sj/socjust.shtml

• St. Mary’s Press (Living in Christ Series, 2012)

Prepared by:

E.M. JAMILLAEmail: emjamilla@ust.edu.ph

UST Institute of Religionhttp://sirjamilla.jimdo.com