Theme #4: Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

“…the preferential option for the poor…affects the life of each Christian inasmuch as he or she seeks to imitate the life of Christ, but it applies equally to our social responsibilities and hence to our manner of living, and to the logical decisions to be made concerning the ownership and use of goods.”

                        Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church [384-385]

http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/excerpt.shtml

  (Content on this page is taken directly from the above websites.)

Introducing…   

Catholic Social Teaching (CST)#4

Background

Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God's special love for the poor and called God's people to a covenant of love and justice. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of Jesus Christ, who came "to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . liberty to captives . . . recovery of sight to the blind"(Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with "the least of these," the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt 25:45). Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment to the poor.  Our commitment to the Catholic social mission must be rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. In our relationship with God we experience the conversion of heart that is necessary to truly love one another as God has loved us. We are called to reach out and to build relationships of love and justice.

CST covers a broad range of topics impacting personal, local, national, and international concerns in seven major themes.  Each week, we will explore one of these themes and its relevance and application to our lives.

Human misery is a clear sign of man's natural condition of frailty and of his need for salvation. Christ the Savior showed compassion in this regard, identifying himself with the “least” among men (cf. Mt 25:40,45). “It is by what they have done for the poor that Jesus Christ will recognize his chosen ones. When ‘the poor have the good news preached to them' (Mt 11:5), it is a sign of Christ's presence”
The Church's love for the poor is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, by the poverty of Jesus and by his attention to the poor. This love concerns material poverty and also the numerous forms of cultural and religious poverty. The Church, “since her origin and in spite of the failing of many of her members, has not ceased to work for their relief, defense and liberation through numerous works of charity which remain indispensable always and everywhere”. Prompted by the Gospel injunction, “You have received without paying, give without pay” (Mt 10:8), the Church teaches that one should assist one's fellow man in his various needs and fills the human community with countless works of corporal and spiritual mercy. “Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God”, even if the practice of charity is not limited to alms-giving but implies addressing the social and political dimensions of the problem of poverty. In her teaching the Church constantly returns to this relationship between charity and justice: “When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice”. The Council Fathers strongly recommended that this duty be fulfilled correctly, remembering that “what is already due in justice is not to be offered as a gift of charity”. Love for the poor is certainly “incompatible with immoderate love of riches or their selfish use” (cf. Jas 5:1-6).                                                                         

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church [386-394]

Other Current Relevant Topics (not complete)

            Corruptions in Government

Education

Careers & Vocations

            Immigration

            Health Care

                        Diseases

                        Suffering & Dying

            Homelessness

            Welfare

            Restorative Justice/Detention Ministry

            Victims of Natural Disasters

            Unequal Distribution of Wealth

            War & Conflict

Our faith calls us beyond knowledge of the issue to action…

Suggestions for actions

1)    Pray

2)    Become educated

Visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website at www.usccb.org and click on the Social Justice link for resources. 

3)    Incorporate into your daily lives

Examine your activities and use CST themes to guide your actions

Does your lifestyle reflect awareness of the sufferings of your local & global neighbors?

How much time, talent, and resources do you give to the poor?

4)    Volunteer-do works of charity

Society of St. Vincent de Paul (http://www.svdpoc.org/html/welcome.htm)

Second Harvest Food Bank (http://feedoc.org/)

Catholic Charities (http://www.ccoc.org/)

Catholic Relief Services (http://www.crs.org)

            You can also research any of the above topics to find local volunteer opportunities.

5)    Become an activist-do works of justice

Find a cause that you are passionate about and work to change policy or laws to address the problem’s root cause.  For example, with homelessness, work for affordable housing and job counseling in Orange County.

Theme #3: Rights and Responsibilities

The Church’s social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. The depth and richness of this tradition can be understood best through a direct reading of these documents.

                                             http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/excerpt.shtml
(Content on this page is taken directly from the above website.)

Introducing…   

Catholic Social Teaching (CST)#3

Background

Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God's special love for the poor and called God's people to a covenant of love and justice. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of Jesus Christ, who came "to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . liberty to captives . . . recovery of sight to the blind"(Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with "the least of these," the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt 25:45). Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment to the poor.  Our commitment to the Catholic social mission must be rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. In our relationship with God we experience the conversion of heart that is necessary to truly love one another as God has loved us. We are called to reach out and to build relationships of love and justice.

CST covers a broad range of topics impacting personal, local, national, and international concerns in seven major themes.  Each week, we will explore one of these themes and its relevance and application to our lives.

The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity must be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Every person has a fundamental right to life— the right that makes all other rights possible. Each person also has a right to the necessities for living a decent life—faith and family life, food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing.
Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities; we have a duty to secure and respect these rights not only for ourselves, but for others unable to secure these rights due to social, economic, or political obstacles.  Jesus called us to “love one another.” Our Lord’s example and words demand care for the “least of these” among us.  Yet they also require action on a broader scale. In our Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue and participation in the political process is a moral obligation. All believers are called to faithful citizenship with informed, active, and responsible participation in the political process. Faithful citizenship encompasses more than elections.  The central question should not be, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” It should be, “How can ‘we’ – all of us, especially the weak and vulnerable – be better off in the years ahead? How can we protect human life and dignity? How can we pursue justice for peace?” We must fulfill our responsibilities to each other, our families, and society in general. —USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility

Other Current Relevant Topics (not complete)

            Careers & Vocations

                        Job Development

                        Fair & Living Wages

                        Modern-Day Slavery (Human Trafficking)

                        Unemployment

            Civic Duties

                        Forming Christian Conscience

                        Becoming Informed Voters

                        Other Activities, i.e. volunteering at national parks, schools, hospitals, etc.

            Immigration

            Financial Responsibility

            Education

            Poverty (Domestic & International)

Homelessness

Motel Residency

                        Welfare

            Restorative Justice/Detention Ministry

            War & Conflict

Our faith calls us beyond knowledge of the issue to action…

Suggestions for actions

1)    Pray

2)    Become educated

Visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website at www.usccb.org and click on the Social Justice link for resources. 

Read Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility (http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org/)

3)    Incorporate into your daily lives

Examine your activities and use the CST themes to direct your actions

Are you an informed voter and vote by your Catholic conscience? 

Do you pay your taxes honestly? (Income tax returns are due April 15.)

4)    Volunteer-do works of charity

Get on the Bus (Brings children to visit their parents in prison. http://www.getonthebus.us)

Homeboy Industries (Work w/ former gang members. http://www.homeboy-industries.org)

Catholic Legislative Network (http://www.cacatholic.org)

            You can also research any of the above topics to find local volunteer opportunities.

5)    Become an activist-do works of justice

Find a cause that you are passionate about and work to change policy or laws to address the problem’s root cause.

Theme #2: Call to Family, Community, and Participation

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. Making this doctrine known constitutes, therefore, a genuine pastoral priority, so that men and women will be enlightened by it and will be thus enabled to interpret today's reality and seek appropriate paths of action: “The teaching and spreading of her social doctrine are part of the Church's evangelizing mission.”

Compendium of Social Doctrine of the Church

Reflections of the U.S. Catholic Bishops
(Content on this page is taken directly from the above websites)

Introducing…   

Catholic Social Teaching #2

Background

Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God's special love for the poor and called God's people to a covenant of love and justice. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of Jesus Christ, who came "to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . liberty to captives . . . recovery of sight to the blind"(Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with "the least of these," the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt 25:45). Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment to the poor.  Our commitment to the Catholic social mission must be rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. In our relationship with God we experience the conversion of heart that is necessary to truly love one another as God has loved us. We are called to reach out and to build relationships of love and justice.  It is also known as Catholic Social Justice (CSJ). 

CSJ is very broad and contains many subtopics, ranging from international to local issues that call on the participation of all Catholics.  These subtopics are clustered into 7 themes and each week, we will be exploring a different theme and how each applies in modern times.

Theme #2:  Call to Family, Community, and Participation
In the act of creating man and woman and establishing their relationship with each other and with him, God reveals our eminently communal and social nature. In the coming of Jesus Christ, we understand the Trinitarian nature of God. Jesus reveals God as Father and sends the Holy Spirit as his gift to us to dwell in our hearts and to form us into community. God's nature is communal and social; therefore our nature, created in his image, is communal and social as well.  

In a global culture driven by excessive individualism, our tradition proclaims that the person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society—in economics and politics, in law and policy—directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. The family is the central social institution that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. While our society often exalts individualism, the Catholic tradition teaches that human beings grow and achieve fulfillment in community. Every society worthy of the name can be sure that it stands in the truth when all of its members, thanks to their ability to know what is good, are able to pursue it for themselves and for others. It is out of love for one's own good and for that of others that people come together in stable groups with the purpose of attaining a common good. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. Our Church teaches that the role of government and other institutions is to protect human life and human dignity and promote the common good.

Other Current Relevant Topics (not complete)

Marriage

Sexuality

Homosexuality

Contraceptions

Theology of the Body
Parenting

            Careers & Vocations

            Civic Duties

            Immigration

            Racism

            Sexism

            Education

            Poverty (Domestic & International)

                        Unemployment

Homelessness

                        Welfare

            Healthcare

            International Relations

            War & Conflict

Our faith calls us beyond knowledge of the issue to action…

Suggestions for actions

1)   Pray

2)   Become educated

Visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Social Justice website 

3)   Incorporate into your daily lives

Examine your activities and use the CST themes to direct your actions

Do you spend quality time with your family on a regular basis? (Free parenting classes at St. Anne, taught by Elizabeth Middleton, licensed therapist & parishioner, 949-375-0577)

Have you visited those with no families?

Have you introduced yourself to fellow parishioners? (See bulletin for a name tag.)

4)   Volunteer-do works of charity

Parish community (Join one of the many parish ministries, see bulletin for contacts.)

Self-Help Interfaith Program (SHIP), Jan 29-Feb 12 (See bulletin.) 

Catholic Worker (http://occatholicworker.org/)

            You can also research any of the above topics to find local volunteer opportunities.

5)   Become an activist-do works of justice

Find a cause that you are passionate about and work to change policy or laws to address the problem’s root cause.

Comments and questions are welcome at http://learncst.blogspot.com/

You can also submit them in the “CST” envelope at the back of the church.  

Theme #1: Life and Dignity of the Human Person

Catholic social teaching is based on and inseparable from our understanding of human life and human dignity. Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. Every person, from the moment of conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity. Human dignity comes from God, not from any human quality or accomplishment.

In a world warped by materialism and declining respect for human life, the Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Our belief in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and assisted suicide. The value of human life is being threatened by increasing use of the death penalty. The dignity of life is undermined when the creation of human life is reduced to the manufacture of a product, as in human cloning or proposals for genetic engineering to create "perfect" human beings. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

Other Current Relevant Topics (not complete)

Abuse

Physical, Mental, Verbal

Mentally ill

Elderly                                                                                    
Stem Cell Research

            Discrimination

                        Racism

                        Sexism

                                    Pornography

                        Religious Persecution

                        Terrorism

            Poverty (International & Domestic)

                        Homelessness

            Modern-Day Slavery (Human Trafficking)

                        Forced Prostitution

Our faith calls us beyond knowledge of the issue to action…

Suggestions for actions

1)    Pray

2)    Become educated

Visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website at www.usccb.org and click on the Social Justice link for resources

3)    Incorporate into your daily lives

Examine your activities and use CST themes to direct your actions

4)    Volunteer - do works of charity

Here are some local organizations that need your help:

Casa Youth Shelter, 10911 Reagan Street, Los Alamitos, (562) 594-6825

Precious Life Shelter, 10881 Reagan Street, Los Alamitos, (562) 431-5025

Self-Help Interfaith Program (SHIP), Jan 29-Feb 12, volunteer to provide dinner for 6-8 homeless people and stay to eat with them.  This is a one-time commitment.  Check the bulletin next week or contact Loni Nguyen (562-307-2234) for details.

            You can also research any of the above topics to find local volunteer opportunities.

5)    Become an activist - do works of justice

Find a cause that you are passionate about and work to change policy or laws to address the problem’s root cause.

Comments and questions are welcome at http://learncst.blogspot.com

You can also submit them in the “CST” envelope at the back of the church.

Why Catholic Social Teaching?

“...far too many Catholics are not familiar with the basic content of Catholic social teaching. More fundamentally, many Catholics do not adequately understand that the social teaching of the Church is an essential part of Catholic faith. This poses a serious challenge for all Catholics, since it weakens our capacity to be a Church that is true to the demands of the Gospel.”

                                                                                                                                                Reflections of U.S. Catholic Bishops

Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions

                                             http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/socialteaching.shtml#intro

     (contents on this page is taken directly from the above website)

           

Introducing…         

Catholic Social Teaching 101

Background

Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God's special love for the poor and called God's people to a covenant of love and justice. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of Jesus Christ, who came "to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . liberty to captives . . . recovery of sight to the blind"(Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with "the least of these," the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt 25:45). Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment to the poor.  Our commitment to the Catholic social mission must be rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. In our relationship with God we experience the conversion of heart that is necessary to truly love one another as God has loved us. We are called to reach out and to build relationships of love and justice.  It is also known as Catholic Social Justice (CSJ).  (So why don’t you remember any of this from catechism? Because these developments began in the late 1990’s.)   

CSJ is very broad and contains many subtopics, ranging from international to local issues that call on the participation of all Catholics.  These subtopics are clustered into 7 themes and each week, we will be exploring a different theme and how each applies in modern times.