SOCIAL DOCTRINE
1. The Catholic Social Justice Tradition from 1891 to 19912. Themes
- 1891- (Leo XII) Rerum Novarum (The Condition of Labour)
- Lays out rights and responsibilities of capital and labor. Describes proper role of government. Condemns atheistic socialism.
- 1931- (Pius XI) Quadragesimo Anno (The Reconstruction of the Social Order)
- Decries the effects of greed and concentrated economic power on working class and society. Proposes a society based on subsidiarity.
- 1961 - (John XXIII) Mater et Magistra (Christianity and Social Progress)
- Deplores the widening gap between rich and poor nations, arms race and plight of farmers. Calls Christians to work for a more just world.
- 1963 - (John XXIII) Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth)
- Affirms full range of human rights as the basis for peace. Calls for disarmament and a world-wide public authority to promote universal common good.
- 1965 - (Vatican II) Gaudium et Spes (The Church in the Modern World)
- Laments growing world poverty and threat of nuclear war. States responsibility of Christians to work for structures to make a more just and peaceful world.
- 1966 - (Paul VI) Populorum Progressio (The Development of Peoples)
- Affirms the right of poor nations to full human development. Decries economic structures promoting inequality. Calls for new international organizations and agreements.
- 1971 - (Paul VI) Octogesima Adveniens (A call to Action)
- Calls for political action for economic justice. Develops role of individual Christians and local churches in responding to unjust situations.
- 1971 - (Synod of Bishops) Justice in the World
- Names action for justice a constituent part of being Christian. Calls the Church to model the justice preached.
- 1975 - (Paul VI) Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelization in the Modern World)
- Notes the dramatic social changes and their challenges to the Church. Calls "evangelization" the transforming of all aspects of life from within.
- 1979 - (John Paul II) Redemptor Hominis (Redeemer of Humankind)
- Describes the threats to human dignity and freedom. States that current economic and political structures are inadequate to remedy injustice.
- 1981 - (John Paul II) Laborem Exercens (On Human Work)
- Affirms the dignity of work based on the dignity of the worker. Calls for workplace justice and responsibility of society, employer, worker.
- 1987 - (Jean Paul II) Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (The Social Concerns of the Church).
- Names East-West blocs and other "structures of sin" that hinder development of the poor nations. Calls for solidarity and for an option for the poor by affluent nations.
- 1991 - (John Paul II) Centesimus Annus (The Hundredth Year)
- Reaffirms principles of Rerum Novarum. Identifies failure of both socialist and market economies. Calls for society of free work, enterprise and participation.
Economic Justice
The church denounces:
The church announces actions to :
- Maldistribution of wealth and resources. (RN, QA, MM, GS, PP, OA, JW, EN, RH, SRS, CA)
- Social conflicts that stem from moral evils--thirst for profit and power--embodied in social structures. (RN, QA, GS, JW, EN, RH, SRS, CA)
- Existing economic and political systems that foster injustice and hinder full development of persons. (RN, QA, PP, OA, RH, SRS, CA)
Labor Relations
- Ensure the equitable distribution of goods according to the demands of the common good and ensure social justice with an option for the poor. (RN, QA, GS, PP, SRS, CA)
- Witness to the Gospel through conversion of our way of life and integrate personal and societal transformation. (RN, MM, PT, GS, OA, JW, EN, RH, SRS)
- Base economic arrangements on the primacy of human dignity and the universal purpose of created things. (QA, PT, GS, PP, RH, SRS, CA)
The church denounces the fact that:
The church announced actions to:
- Human labor is considered solely on the basis of its economic purpose. (LE, CA)
- Inhuman working conditions exist and that workers receive unjust wages and do not own the means of production. (RN, QA, MM, LE, CA)
- Profit is the chief incentive to economic development thereby denigrating labor and exploiting our natural resources. (PP, RH, SRS, CA)
- Give labor priority over capital. (LE, CA)
- Promote associations of workers, just wages and employee sharing in ownership, management, and profits. (RN, QA, MM, LE, CA)
- Encourage private property holders to exercise social responsibility and governments to deal with social problems. (RN, QA, MM, PP, LE, SRS, CA)
Global Relations
The church denounces the fact that:
- Economic structures work to widen the gap between rich and poor nations. (MM, GS, PP, OA, JW, EN, RH, SRS, CA)
- Nations pursue their own development at the expense of the rights of other states. (PT, PP, EN, SRS, CA)
- Global economic systems create new problems: unfair trade practices, inadequate control over multinational corporations, increased emphasis on consumption in development efforts. (PP, OA, JW, EN, RH, SRS, CA)
The church announced actions to:
- Redistribute resources from rich to poor nations including giving aid, sharing expertise and knowledge, simplifying lifestyles and consumer habits. Develop effective international agencies to direct the world economy to the common good. (MM, PT, GS, PP, OA, JW, RH, SRS, CA)
- Allow each country/region to promote its own development. (MM, PT, PP, OA, JW, CA)
- Promote more equitable international trading practices; regulate the policies and practices of multinational corporations; and focus development efforts on the real needs of a people/nation. (MM, PT, GS, PP, JW, EN, RH, SRS, CA)
Peace and Disarmament The church denounces the fact that:
- Armaments increase at the expense of the poor. (MM, PT, RH, SRS)
- Permanent threat of nuclear war and the prospect of terrible self-destruction faces humanity. (Pr, GS, JW, LE)
- No effective alternative exists for dealing with international conflict. (PT, CA)
The church announced actions to:
- Change huge investments for armaments at the service of war and destruction into investments that meet basic human needs and are at the service of life. (PT, PP, RH, SRS, CA)
- Establish peace founded on mutual trust, a worldwide authority based on subsidiarity, and disarmament with effective controls. (PT, GS, PP, JW, CA)
- Link peace with a commitment to a social order built on justice. (PT, GS, RH, LE, CA)
(Summary of encyclicals taken from NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, 806 Rhode Island Ave., N.E., Washington, DC)3. Training Modules
A. Module used by the Dominican Sisters of the Incarnate Word (Brazil)
- Introduction: What is Social Doctrine ?
- 1. Foundations of Social Doctrine:
- Bible, Fathers of the Church
- St. Thomas Aquinas, OP missionaries (Las Casas)
- 2. Criteria used to interpret Social Doctrine
- Encyclicals and Councils
- Episcopal Conferences and Synods...
- 3. Social sin: Injustice
- Justice as a constitutive element of the Gospel
- Justice and the Order
- Option for the poor
- 4. Work and the workers
- Work
- Unions
- Private and social property, the means of production
- Church and workers
- 5. The Church and conflicts
- Violence and pacifism
- International society
- 6. Orientations
- Popular movements
- Social works
- The Spirituality that ensues from them.
B. Module suggested by the Congregation for Catholic Education
(Osservatore Romano, July 18, 1989)
- 1. Scriptural roots and theological dimensions
- 2. Phases in the development of the Social Doctrine
- 3. Principles and orientations of the Church
- the human person
- human rights
- the interdependence between person and society
- common good
- human solidarity
- subsidiarity
- participation
- an organic understanding of social life
- 4. Implementation of the principles and values
- social doctrine and social values
- in the family
- in the economy
- at work
- in business
- in politics
- in culture
- in science and technology
- in the international community
- in ecology
- Theological and pastoral conclusion:
- -the designs of God on each human being and one's own vocation;
- -the tearing apart of God's plan: personal, social and structural sin;
- -the conversion of each person's heart as a gift of the Spirit.
C. Another module (four to five days: 30 teaching hours )
1. The relationship between the Church and the world: from confusion to direction to proposition. Stages of this history.
2. The modern formulation of the proposals of the Church in managing the world: Social Doctrine (encyclicals, council documents, texts from episcopal conferences ...), The doctrinal status of Social Doctrine.
3. Can we talk about social ethics? The concept of a "structure of sin". Is social doctrine an ideology? (M. D. Chenu)
4. The history of Social Doctrine and the sources of its vitality
5. Major constitutive themes of Social Doctrine
6. Social Doctrine and socio-economic doctrines: liberalism and socialism, evolution in the thinking of the Magisterium on these points.
7. Two major issues: the future of the planet ; work and employment
8. Social Doctrine and social change: conversion, hope
D. Training for Justice and Peace (South Africa)
- First step: gathering the experiences
- invite participants to gather in small groups to look at their experiences of injustice
- use biblical references as a starting point
- together try to identify the ministry of Justice and Peace
- (a week-end is necessary)
- Second step: what is Justice and Peace?
- it is not the same thing as social action done by the State
- it is different from an act of charity
- it is not a development project
- It is deciding to do something based on the questions that people ask themselves.
- Third step: Justice and Peace spirituality
- Be careful not to fall into activism
- Genesis: texts on creation and on the creative role of humanity
- Exodus: liberation of a people
- Prophets: cries against injustice
- New Testament: Jesus is moved by the distress of the crowds, associates with sinners, is concerned with healing.
- Social Doctrine of the Church.
- Fourth step: identifying a project for the group
- who is this group that wants to make this commitment?
- question ourselves on the urgencies we see around us
- try not to remain too abstract: identify that which is close at hand
- Fifth step: choosing a project
- try to identify one or a few possible actions
- ask ourselves the pertinent questions: Can we succeed? Is there something that would mobilize the whole group?
- Sixth step: systematic preparation
- Once the project has been identified (housing, support for street kids...) it is necessary to clarify the needs, the goals to be achieved... (Interviews and participative surveys may be helpful)... This step must lead to the establishment of a well-documented file. This step might take a long time to get done.
- Seventh step: social analysis
- In order to analyze and understand the information gathered in the preceding step, tools are needed that will help you distinguish between the raw data and the mechanism at play. This step presupposes competent support and usually leads to clearer and more complete information.
- Eighth step: planning the action
- How to move from design to action? Who will help us reach the objective? Who will be against it? Who will be involved? How will the group become involved? Purpose of this step: to end up with an action strategy.
- Ninth step: evaluation
- During the course of the action and once it is completed, it is important that we ask the questions: What were the causes of failure? What were the reasons for success?
- Tenth step: parallel action
- All too often the choice of one action (step four) entails the setting aside of other possibilities. It is good to keep these other possibilities in mind, for they might prove very worthwhile later on. It might be interesting to retain the idea of parallel actions.
General comment: it is sometimes useful to give official recognition to the ecclesial dimension of the Justice and Peace Ministry. This can be done through a significant gesture: example, the mandating by a bishop, through a special blessing...
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