Social Teachings of the Church

Social Teachings of the Church

Body of teaching proposed by the ecclesiastical magisterium with regards social problems

Official church writings/messages on social issues

Different Forms of Official Catholic Social Teachings

1. Conciliar Documents 2. Papal Writings 3. Texts of Curia 4. Regional Bishops Conference 5. National Bishops Conference

Conciliar Documents

Gaudium et Spes The 16 documents of Vatican II

Papal Writings
1. Encyclicals

Rerum Novarum (Leo XIII, 1891) Quadragesimo Anno (Pius XI, 1931) Mater et Magistra (John XXIII, 1961) Redemptor Hominis (John Paul II, 1979) Laborem Exercens (JP II, 1981) Soliccitudo Rei Socialis (JPII, 1987) Centisimus Annus (JPII, 1991) Tertio Milenio Adviente (JP II, 1994) Evangelium Vitae (JP II, 1995)

2. Radio Message to the World of Pope Pius XII 3. Apostolic Letter - Octogesima Adveniens (Paul VI, 1971) 4. Final document of synod of bishops or bishops conference - e.g. Justice in the World (1971)

On Human Rights (1971) On International Debt (1986) On the Homeless (1987) On Agrarian Reform
2. Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith Libertatis Nuncios (1984) Libertatis Concientia (1986)

Regional Bishops Conferences

Latin America - Medellin (1968), Puebla (1979)

Asia - statements of Federation of Asian Bishops Conference

National Bishops Conference

United States - Economic Justice For All (1986) Philippines

What is Happening to our Beautiful Land?: A Pastoral Letter on Ecology (1988)

Plenary Council of the Philippines II (1991): A Message of Liberation

Major Lessons of Catholic Social Teachings

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Human Dignity The Dignity of Work The Person in Community Rights and Responsibilities Option for those in Poverty Solidarity Care for Creation

Major Lessons of Catholic Social Teachings

1. Human Dignity There is a unique and sacred worth that is present in each person simply becauses/he exists. The germinal aptitudes and abilities each person possess at birth constitute a divine vocation, a specific and unique calling to further the development of human society as a whole. ( The Development of Peoples/ Populorum Progressio)

2. The Dignity of Work

While work is the source of human dignity, it is the means by which persons express and develop both being and dignity. Persons are the subjects of work and are not to be looked upon simply as a means of production or a human form of capital. Work must be organized to serve the workers humanity, support their family life and increase the common good of the human community the three purposes of work.

Workers have the right to organize and form unions to achieve these goals. (On Human Work/Laborem Exercens)

The Person in Community

Human dignity can be recognized, developed and protected only in community with others. Each person is brother or sister to every other and can develop as a healthy human person only in a community of relationships rooted in love and justice. The foundational community for each person is his/her immediate family; the full community of each is the extended family of the whole human race through history within the larger community of created being. Each person benefits from the efforts of earlier generations and of their contemporaries and are therefore under obligation to them as well. (The Development of Peoples/Populorum Progressio)

Rights and Responsibilities

Human rights flow from the intrinsic sacred dignity of the person in his/her vocation to serve the community. They are to be recognized by communities and governments; they do not derive from the dictates of governments. Nor are they earned or won by successful competition in the marketplace. It is the responsibility of each to respect and protect the human rights of all.

Option for Those in Poverty

From the Jubilee vision laid out in the Book of Leviticus through the passionate proclamations of the Hebrew prophets and Jesus identification of his vocation as bringing good news to the poor and proclaiming the year of Gods Jubilee (Lk. $:16-19), people in poverty have been at the heart of the Judeo-Christian Social vision. They are the people most often forgotten, exploited and marginalized in societies.

Their sacred dignity and authentic development are most likely to be overlooked or abused.

 They are the people who experience and reveal the failings and shortcomings of our social systems.

Their experiences, insights and concerns offer important evidence in the search for the more just systems of social life to which God is calling the human community.

Solidarity
We all belong to one human family. As such we have mutual obligations to promote the rights and development of all the people across communities, nations and the world, irrespective of national boundaries. In particular, the rich nations have responsibilities toward the poor nations, and people with wealth and resources are linked in the divine economy with those who lack them

Those who remain untouched or unchanged by the suffering of their brothers and sisters around the world are suffering from serious spiritual underdevelopment.

 They need solidarity for their own salvation.

The structures of the international order must reflect true biblical justice.

And conflicts should always be resolved in the most peaceful ways available, ways which respect and build solidarity among peoples.

Care for Creation

People are to respect and share the resources of the earth, since we are all part of the community of creation. By our work we are co-creators in the continuing development of the earth. Catholic social thought has explicitly addressed environmental and ecological concerns only in the recent times. But the concern for respecting, sharing and caring for creation has always been part of the tradition.

 Recent statements on the importance of environmentally and socially sustainable patterns of consumption and development have built solidly upon the part of the tradition.

Catholic Social Teachings offer

1. principles/values for reflection 2. Criteria for judgment
3. Guidelines for action

The end.

Thank You