What is the Place of Charity, Justice and Human Rights in Catholic Social Teaching?

Why not just our charity by giving to those in need?

In 1937, Pope Pius XI, in his encyclical, Divini Redemptoris, explained:

“ … charity will never be true charity unless it takes justice into constant account... let no one attempt with trifling charitable donations to exempt themselves from the great duties imposed by justice” (#49).

How does Charity still need Justice?

The social mission of the Church is something that we are asked to embrace as followers of Jesus Christ. This social mission has “two feet”, both of which are necessary for moving forward to be in relationship with God’s people and thus with God.

First foot – charity – responds to the immediate needs that people experience, people in situations that do not allow them to live with the dignity that God have given each of us.

A second foot – justice – asks why there is a need and responds with action for social change. Why are people suffering or living in poverty? What can we do to change the situation? How can we, the community of faith, be co-creators with God for the fullness of life?

What is the difference between Charity and Justice?

Charity and justice are often used interchangeably when describing acts of service associated with social outreach programs. It is true that both answer the Christian call to reach out to society’s marginalized: the poor, the tired, the hungry; the imprisoned, the impoverished, the lonely; the sick, the weak, the vulnerable. Both encompass compassion towards one’s fellow humans in the model of Christ described in the Gospel. Yet, there is a very distinct difference that separates these two components of social ministry.

Charity and justice serve as the opposite, yet complementary parameters of our faith spectrum. At the one end, charity aims to relieve the immediate suffering and discomfort of our society by providing food, clothing, or shelter. Charity is often a private or individual act of reaching out. Global humanitarian efforts are generally met with approval and offer some instant gratification to both benefactor and beneficiary.

Sitting at the opposite end of the spectrum, justice focuses on achieving long-term solutions to a difficult and uncomfortable problem. Justice is a joint effort, requiring every member of a given society, or perhaps every citizen of the world, to seek sustainable and everlasting change.

Justice is often considered controversial because it is so public, and often political. While charity answers the question: “How may I help relieve your suffering today?”, justice wants to know: “How can I remove suffering from the equation?”.

What are the human rights that the Church endorses today?

In his speech before the United Nations in 1979, Pope Saint John Paul II provided an updated list of some of the most important human rights the Church endorses:

“…the right to life, liberty and security of person; the right to food, clothing, housing, sufficient health care, rest and leisure; the right to freedom of expression, education and culture; the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and the right to manifest one's religion either individually or in community, in public or in private; the right to choose a state of life, to found a family and to enjoy all conditions necessary for family life; the right to property and work, to adequate working conditions and a just wage; the right of assembly and association; the right to freedom of movement, to internal and external migration; the right to nationality and residence; the right to political participation and the right to participate in the free choice of the political system of the people to which one belongs.”

What is “solidarity” and why is it important?

The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, #193, enthusiastically describes it:

Solidarity is… not a “feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good. That is to say to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all”[418].

Solidarity rises to the rank of fundamental social virtue since it places itself in the sphere of justice. It is a virtue directed par excellence to the common good, and is found in “a commitment to the good of one's neighbor with the readiness, in the Gospel sense, to ‘lose oneself' for the sake of the other instead of exploiting him, and to ‘serve him' instead of oppressing him for one's own advantage (cf. Mt 10:40-42, 20:25; Mk 10:42-45; Lk 22:25-27)”[419].

Reflection Questions:

• What human rights does your country respect well?
• Pope Saint John Paul II, in his speech before the United Nations in 1979, provided an updated list of important human rights (see above); which one would you see as most important to you?
• How have you been involved in efforts to support charity or justice?
• Other comments…