8 Principles of Social Justice & The Biblical Roots of Catholic Social Teaching

What is the purpose of putting Catholic Social Thought into action?

"The full human flourishing of all, without exception" We want each other to live a fulfilling life

What 3 things does the Social Justice Doctrine do?

1. Gives us principles for reflection 2. It provides criteria for judgment 3. It gives guidelines for action

Ethics

A set of moral principles, especially ones relating to or affirming a specific group, field or form of conduct

Human Dignity & Life

All human beings are sacred from the time of conception to natural death, because they are created by God

Option for the poor and vulnerable

As long as serious inequities exist in allocation of power and resources, we are called to give particular care to those who have less Example: We have an abundant amount of water in the U.S. while developing countries have lack of water and supplise

★ As revealed in Matthew 25, on what criteria will we be judged?

Based upon how we treat poor, vulnerable, and marginalized persons Society says we will be judged on materialistic things and physical appearances

Who is the audience for the Church's social teachings?

Church's attempt to engage the world as it truly is The audience is not only Christians, but all persons of good will in the community

Solidarity

God's love is not limited by barriers of race, nation or geographical distance, People are all responsible for one another

Cardinal Bernardin's Theory of Ethics

His theory of ethics of life is rooted in Social Catholic Teaching

Call to Family, Participation & Community

Human beings are social They are called to live in community and to use their gifts for their own enrichment and for the common good

Rights and Repsonsibilities

Human beings have the rights in accordance with their dignity as children of God Each right carries a corresponding responsibility

What does the vision of Catholic Social Thought emphasize?

It emphasizes, "The full and equal human dignity of all persons" No one is excluded In protecting and promoting different communities, like the family, the parish, civil society, and the state, the purpose always the same

What does the vision of Catholic Social Thought call us to?

It is a radical to solidarity, in which no one is excluded Which recognizes that my humanity is bound up in yours That we are truly one human family And only when we embrace this, can we together, do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God

In what ways are "doing justice and loving mercy" relational? (Give at least 3 ways)

It sets the boundaries for lives in communities It asks us to be men and women for and with others And to do this not boasting, but always remaining humble

Who is Jesus?

Jesus radically identifies Himself with those on the margins of society Jesus is the injured man on the side of the road Jesus is the undocumented worker in our mitts Jesus is the single mother trying to raise her child Jesus is the child sold into slavery to pay off prickling family debts Jesus is the drug addict, unwanted and unloved in the community

Why might Meghan say she finds herself "haunted by the "only" in the "only this" in the book of Micah?

Micah has a sense of humor What is it the Lord asks for? Our whole selves It sounds simple, but it is harder than it seems

What example does Meghan give of recent world concerns that call us to "Love Mercy?"

Most recently, to the scourge of modern day slavery, in Pope Francis' 2015 world day of peace message

What does the Lord require of us?

Only to dedicate our whole lives to building a just and merciful community in which no one is excluded

At which point can we, together, "Do justice, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with our God?"

Only when we embrace the vision that Catholic Social Thought calls us to, can we together, "Do justice, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with our God." Only when we can see everyone as a dignified child of God

What are the 4 themes of Catholic Social Thought that are reflections of the passage of Matthew 25?

Preferential option for the poor Human dignity The common good Solidarity

How does the parable of the Good Samaritan reveal the vision of Catholic Social Thought?

The Samaritan is a good guy Upon closer look we begin to see what love mercy truly entails The Samaritan practices what moral theologian Sister Margaret Farley calls Compassionate respect Teaches us to be compassionate and respectful (doing something two fold) The actions taken are not abstract or general, but particular, wine to disinfect, and oil to soothingly coat an open wound He engages the situation as it is and responds to the concrete and perhaps complex needs of the wounded man, otherwise left for dead It asks us who in our own societies do we refuse to acknowledge as our neighbors Engages the situation as it is (concretely/logically)

When is the Common Good, in Catholic Social Teaching (CST) achieved?

The common good in Catholic Social Thought can only be achieved if the human dignity of each is protected

Who is Cardinal Bernardin and why is he important?

The term of ethics was coined by him in the early 1980s He gives us a way to think how humans should approach and think and talk about other humans He also teaches us that we should address people (Do you care about someone or not?)

Care for God's Creation

The universe is created by God and loaned to people for their prudent use They are to be good stewards of creation, mindful of generations to follow

What is "Catholic Social Thought?"

The virtue of solidarity and the practice of human rights Sometimes called the Social Doctrine of the Church Read the signs and respond It's what we reflect on when we are thinking of social justice issues

Why do we have these 8 Principles?

They act as a guideline for us They can be applied to every social issue The purpose is to reflect on social justice issues It is practical

Peacemaking

We are called to be peacemakers out of respect for the dignity of each person as a child of God The possible justifications for aggression's are limited to such situations as immediate self-defense and the protection of the innocent

When reflecting on the vision of Catholic Social Thought, where do we begin? (Be specific)

We must begin with the Scriptures. We find the clearest answer in the book of Micah, "What is it the Lord requires of us?" Only to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

Dignity of work and the rights of workers

Work is not simply a commodity to be exchanged for a wage Workers share in God's creative action and have a right to a living wage