An Overview of Key Catholic Social Justice Documents Senior Theology 2010

An Overview of Key Catholic Social Justice Documents

Senior Theology2010

Catholic Social Teaching

• The body of official Church documents written by Church leaders in response to various social, political, and economic issues

• papal encyclicals & conciliar documents• Encyclical: an official letter written by the pope

to the whole church• Conciliar—of, related to, or generated by a

council—ecumenical councils like Vatican II• Pastoral—letters from local bishop/bishops

From the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

• 7 Key Themes– Life & Dignity of the Human Person– Call to Family, Community, and Participation• Common Good

– Rights & Responsibilities– Option for the Poor and Vulnerable– The Dignity of Work & the Rights of Workers– Solidarity– Care for God’s Creation (Stewardship)

1891 Rerum NovarumOn the Condition of Workers

• Pope Leo XIII• Strongly affirms the belief that the human person

has basic rights, especially right to food, clothing, shelter & living wage

• rejects socialism because it gave to the state the rights belonging to individual & family

• Affirms right to private property• Criticized aspects of unbridled capitalism• Supported the rights of workers to form unions & to

strike• Advocated fair wages & decent working conditions

1931 Quadragesimo AnnoThe Reconstruction of the Social Order

1931 Quadragesimo AnnoThe Reconstruction of the Social Order

• Pius XI• Revisits & reaffirms On the Condition of Workers upon its 40th

anniversary• Introduces subsidiarity—As history abundantly proves, it is true that on account of changed conditions many things which were done by

small associations in former times cannot be done now save by large associations. Still, that most weighty principle, which cannot be set aside or changed, remains fixed and unshaken in social philosophy: Just as it is gravely wrong to take from individuals what they can accomplish by their own initiative and industry and give it to the community, so also it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and disturbance of right order to assign to a greater and higher association what lesser and subordinate organizations can do. For every social activity ought of its very nature to furnish help to the members of the body social, and never destroy and absorb them.

The supreme authority of the State ought, therefore, to let subordinate groups handle matters and concerns of lesser importance, which would otherwise dissipate its efforts greatly. Thereby the State will more freely, powerfully, and effectively do all those things that belong to it alone because it alone can do them: directing, watching, urging, restraining, as occasion requires and necessity demands. Therefore, those in power should be sure that the more perfectly a graduated order is kept among the various associations, in observance of the principle of "subsidiary function," the stronger social authority and effectiveness will be the happier and more prosperous the condition of the State.

1961 Mater et MagistraOn Christianity and Social Progress


• Pope John XXIII• Called Vatican Council 2• Open the windows of the

Church


• Pope John XXIII• Affirms Church as guardian of poor & oppressed• Voices concern for workers,women, & newly

independent nations• Warns that spending on nuclear weapons & the

widening gap between rich & poor nations threaten society

• All to work for the common good

1963 Pacem in TerrisPeace on Earth

1963 Pacem in TerrisPeace on Earth

• Pope John XXIII• Addressed to Catholics & all people• Emphasizes the all people are “the children

and friends of God”• Identifies respect for people & a just social

order as the basis for peace• Spells out rights that all people possess

1965 Gaudium et SpesThe Church in the Modern World

1965 Gaudium et SpesThe Church in the Modern World

• Documents of Vatican II—what is the term?• Notes growing interdependence of the international

human family & importance of safeguarding every human’s basic rights

• Affirms that the Church should work with other elements in society to improve conditions for all people

• Discusses issues facing people living in the modern age—family, society, politics, economics, peace—and lays out a Christian response to them

• The Church is servant to all

1967 Populorum ProgressioOn the Development of Peoples


• Pope Paul VI• First to have traveled outside

Europe before becoming pope—South America & Africa

• Known as the Pilgrim Pope, for all his travels

• First pope to travel to 6 continents

• Demanded significant changes of attitude in rich of America & Europe in favor of poor in the Third World


• Economy of the world should serve mankind, not just a few

• Real peace in the world requires justice• Rejects idea that revolution & force must be

used to change economic conditions

1971 Octogesima AdveniensA Call to Action

1971 Octogesima AdveniensA Call to Action

• Paul VI• Discusses discrimination • Describes the duty of participation in social &

political reform in order to live out the Gospel

1971 Justice in the World

1971 Justice in the World

• Synod of Bishops• Justice is essential part of gospel & the

mission of the Church• Liberation theology?????

1974 This Land is Home to Me

1974 This Land is Home to Me

• Describes conditions calling for justice in the Appalachian region

1976 Society and the Aged

1976 Society and the Aged

• U.S. Bishops• Affirms the human rights of people who are

elderly

1979 Brothers and Sisters to Us

1979 Brothers and Sisters to Us

• Examines racism, declaring it to be a sin

Laborem ExercensOn Human Work

Laborem ExercensOn Human Work

• Pope John Paul II• 1981• Commemerates 90th anniversary of Rerum

Novarum• Affirms the dignity of work: work expresses &

increases human dignity• Supports rights of workers and unions• Work allows people to fulfill their vocation

1983 The Challenge of Peace

1983 The Challenge of Peace

• Comprehensive examination of principles regarding war and peace

• Addresses major issues related to war in light of Christian principles

• Calls for end to the arms race, reduction of weapons, and a ban on nuclear testing; money for these things should go to the poor

1986 Economic Justice for All

1986 Economic Justice for All

• U.S. Bishops• The U.S. economy should be judged in terms

of what it does for people, especially people on the margins of society

• Reaffirms that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are strongly supported by Catholic teaching—moral issues because they are “all essential to human dignity”

1991 Centesimus AnnusOn the One Hundredth Year

1991 Centesimus AnnusOn the One Hundredth Year

• Pope John Paul II (JP2)• Marks the 100th anniversary of Rerum

Novarum• Written after fall of communism• Called for relief of nations’ debts, living wages, • Reaffirms the rights of profit & private

property• Critiques the abuses of consumerism

1995 Evangelium VitaeThe Gospel of Life

1995 Evangelium VitaeThe Gospel of Life

• Pope John Paul II• Defends the right to life• Examines expressions of a “culture of death”– Euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment

• Proposes ways to promote a culture of life—a world of care

2003 Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility

2003 Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility

• U.S. Bishops• Called to participation and building up the

common good• Catholics should bring moral convictions to

public life• In an election, ask– How can we protect human life & dignity?– How can we pursue greater peace & justice?

2005 Deus Caritas EstGod is Love

2005 Deus Caritas EstGod is Love

• Pope Benedict XVI• Describes love, emphasizing God’s command

to love• Social justice always has love as its goal

2009 Caritas in VeritateIn Charity and Truth

2009 Caritas in VeritateIn Charity and Truth

• Pope Benedict XVI• Charity is at heart of Church’s social doctrine, but should not

be without Truth, divorced from ethical living—otherwise “would be more or less interchangeable with a pool of good sentiments, helpful for social cohesion, but of little relevance.”

• 2 criteria govern moral action—justice & the common good• Right to life, economic development, rights & duties, the

environment, energy problem, the “human race is a single family”

• Subsidiarity, migration, technology—be careful of “today’s cultural struggle between the supremacy of technology & human moral responsibility”

• Christ is Truth—infallible• Confers a share of His infallibility on the

Church in matters of faith & morals• Pope is infallible when he proclaims a doctrine

pertaining to faith and morals• Body of bishops together can be infallible,

together with pope, when proposing a doctrine for belief as being both divinely revealed & as the teaching of Christ