What is Catholic Social Teaching?  

How did Jesus see his mission (and ours) in this world?

Poor boy inside a blue basket in Tehran, Iran At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus stood in the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth and, reading from the prophet Isaiah, applied those words to himself (and us) saying:

“‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.’ Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:18-21).

What is the mission of Catholic Social Teaching?

As Pope Saint John Paul II writes:

Today, the Church's social doctrine focuses especially on man as he is involved in a complex network of relationships within modern societies. The human sciences and philosophy are helpful for interpreting man's central place within society and for enabling him to understand himself better as a "social being". However, man's true identity is only fully revealed to him through faith, and it is precisely from faith that the Church's social teaching begins. While drawing upon all the contributions made by the sciences and philosophy, her social teaching is aimed at helping man on the path of salvation… Thus the Church's social teaching is itself a valid instrument of evangelization. (Centesimus annus, #54).

What is the significance of Catholic Social Teaching?

Poor man working in the street, Cebu City, Cebu, PhilippineThe Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church states:

…the Church does not tire of proclaiming the Gospel that brings salvation and genuine freedom also to temporal realities… To the people of our time, her travelling companions, the Church also offers her social doctrine. The Christian knows that in the social doctrine of the Church can be found the principles for reflection, the criteria for judgment and the directives for action which are the starting point for the promotion of an integral and solidary humanism. (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, #2,3,7).

Is there a need to update
Catholic Social Teaching?

…the passing of time and the changing of social circumstances will require a constant updating of the reflections on the various issues… in order to interpret the new signs of the times. (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, #9).

Why is the Church interested in the workings and life of people within society?

From Vatican II, the revolutionary preface of the document, Gaudium et Spes, opens with the Church’s updated view of the world and the Church’s place within it by saying:

“The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community composed of men… That is why this community realizes that it is truly linked with mankind and its history by the deepest of bonds” (Gaudium et Spes, #1)”

Reflection Questions:

• What is your personal experience of helping others who are poor or helpless?
• What efforts have been or are being made in your parish, ministry, diocese or city to respond to the poor or helpless in your area?
• Other comments?

Does Catholic Social Teaching propose a particular model for organizing social life?

Pope Saint John Paul II answers this question by saying:

“The Church has no models to present; models that are real and truly effective can only arise within the framework of different historical situations, through the efforts of all those who responsibly confront concrete problems in all their social, economic, political and cultural aspects. For such a task the Church offers her social teaching as an indispensable and ideal orientation, a teaching which... recognizes the positive value of the market and of enterprise, but which at the same time points out that these need to be oriented towards the common good. (Centesimus Annus, #43)”

How can we proceed prudently to respond to the needs and crisis of others,
in response to Catholic Social Teaching?

Food aid from the United States, 1947

One successful approach in social ministry is the “See – Judge – Act” methodology (commonly known as the “Pastoral Cycle”). It comes from Joseph Cardijn, (1882-1967), a Belgian priest and cardinal and the founder of the Young Christian Workers in the 1920s. His methodology, now used by social action and church groups around the world, was formally endorsed by Pope Saint John XXIII in his 1961 Encyclical Letter, Mater et Magistra (#236-237).

It is a simple method which helps people in ministry to stop, stand back from a situation and reflect on it before they jump in and take action. This process helps them to develop critical judgment about situations, events and structures. Often the three stages overlap and intermingle.

It includes:

• See: examine the concrete situation; that is, see, hear and experience the lived reality of individuals and communities:
  • What is happening?
  • Who are the people involved?
  • Who gains from this situation? Who loses?
  • What is the situation doing to people?
  • Why is it happening? Why does it continue?
• Judge: analyze the situation and make an informed judgment about it:
  • How do you feel about this situation?
  • Have you ever behaved or acted like anyone in the situation? If so, what happened? Why? How did you or those involved feel?
  • What do you think should be happening?
  • What does your faith or Catholic Social Teaching say about it?
• Act: plan and carry out actions aimed at transforming the social structures that contribute to suffering and injustice:
  • What can you do to bridge the gap between what is happening (the reality) and what should be happening (the ideal or what your faith says)?
  • What action are you going to take?
  • Who can you involve in your action?

Reflection Questions:Hard life for child in Pakistan

• Can you think of any events in the life of Jesus that show his concern for the poor and needy?
• Which of the following themes of Catholic Social Teaching do you consider most important and why?
  1. The Dignity of Every Person and Human Rights
  2. Solidarity, Common Good, and Participation
  3. Family Life
  4. Subsidiarity, Common Good, and Participation
  5. Property Ownership in Modern Society: Rights and Responsibilities
  6. The Dignity of Work, Rights of Workers, and Support for Labor Unions
  7. Colonialism and Economic Development
  8. Peace and Disarmament
  9. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
• Other comments?