Call to Family, Community, and Participation

Themes of Catholic Social Teaching #2 - Call to Family, Community and Participation         

Each individual is not only a sacred person, but also a social being. We see this very early on with infants and early childhood. Those children who receive love and attention develop more completely than those who do not. The central institution of any society is the family which is composed of husband, wife and children. The mutual gift of husband and wife creates an environment where children can grow to their potential as sacred persons. The very strength of society is dependent on how the family is supported and strengthened. "Economic and social policies as well as organization of the work world should be continually evaluated in light of their impact on the strength and stability of family life." (Economic Justice For All #93) The structure of our economy and the requirements of labor, along with adequate compensation, must be moderated in a way that aids in the relationships between spouses and between parents and their children.

While the primary "community" is the family, we are also called to be active in the wider social order. Care needs to be taken that societal structures do not hinder community participation but encourage and empower it. As followers of Christ we are called to be His witnesses in our communities by active participation in promoting the common good. While carrying out the corporal works of mercy; feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, welcoming the stranger, is the call of all disciples of Jesus, active participation in politics is a moral obligation for Catholics. "It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person...As far as possible citizens should take an active role in public life." (Catechism of the Catholic Church  #1913-1915)

Life And The Dignity Of The Human Person.

Themes of Catholic Social Teachings - #1 Life and Dignity of the Human Person

The foundation of the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church is the sacredness and dignity of human life. Every other teaching begins with this principle. From abortion and euthanasia to capital punishment and war, this foundational principle is under attack in our society.  Abortion is always wrong and a grave attack against the sacredness of life.  Euthanasia, too, represents a denial of the sacredness of human life. ( we will deal with end of life issues in a future blog)  As Pope John Paul II says, "As explicitly formulated, the precept 'You shall not kill' is strongly negative: it indicates the extreme limit which can never be exceeded. Implicitly, however, it encourages a positive attitude of absolute respect for life; it leads to the promotion of life and to progress along the way of love which gives, receives and serves." (Evangelium vitae #54) The Catechism of the Catholic Church allows for legitimate self-defense, even if a life is taken in that defense, however, the intent must be defense of life and not the taking of life. (CCC#2263) On the issue of capital punishment the Catechism rules out the death penalty in virtually all cases  stating: "Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibility which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitively taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practically non-existent." (CCC #2267) In the case of national defense, war must be avoided if at all possible, however, the legitimate defense against an unjust aggressor is allowed under the restrictions of the Just War principles. Terrorist attacks and the targeting of noncombatants is always wrong.

This  respect for the life goes beyond the issues of life and death to issues that affect the  dignity of human life. "Whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than as free and responsible persons; all these things and others of their like are infamies indeed. They poison human society, but they do more harm to those who practice them than those who suffer from the injury. (Gaudium et Spes #27, Second Vatican Council)

Care of God's Creation

THEMES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

# 7 - Care of God's Creation

There are seven major themes in Catholic Social Teaching.  The Seventh theme is "Care For God's Creation."  Catholic Social Teaching is not a option of Catholic Teaching that can be ignored any more than Catholic Moral Teaching is an option that can be ignored. To be faithful Catholics we must be faithful to all the Church's teachings.  That means first that we need to know what the Church teaches, especially on modern issues that affect our lifestyle. I will present the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching in this blog over the next few weeks.

 I am beginning with the Seventh Theme of Catholic Social Teaching, Care of God's Creation, because of a special Lenten project that I will explain below. It is interesting to me that The Catechism of the Catholic Church includes the Social Teaching Themes within the Section on the Ten Commandments. The Seventh Theme is included in the discussion of the Seventh Commandment: Thou Shall Not Steal. (CCC #2401-2463) The Care of God's Creation is summed up with the statement: "The dominion granted by the Creator over mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the universe cannot be separated from respect for moral obligations, including those towards generations to come." (CCC #2456). Therefore, care for the environment is a moral obligation for all Catholics. How we use our natural resources, how we handle our waste products, how we treat the vegetable and animal life around us, all have moral implications for us. Pope Benedict XVI states in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, "The environment is God's gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards the future generations and towards humanity as a whole."

At St. James in Johnson City, NY, the parish where I am a deacon on staff, has come up with a project for Lent that reminds us of these obligations and give us practical ways to fulfill them. The project is titled LENTEN CARBON FAST 2013. We are called to fast during Lent as a reminder of our need for repentance and sacrifice. A carbon fast brings these virtues together with our obligations toward the care of God's creation. The project lists a different fast for each day of Lent. For Ash Wednesday, for instance, the fast calls for the removal of one light bulb from your home and asks us to live without this light for all of Lent. This will not only decrease the amount of electricity we use but also remind us of our Carbon Fast. For Friday, March 1, the Fast calls for us to pick up a piece of litter when we are out walking and dispose of it properly. These suggestions are easy to do and remind us of our call as stewards of creation. They will also, collectively, reduce our Carbon footprint and help to preserve God's creation.

If you would like a copy of the Lenten Carbon Fast 2013 send me your email and I will forward it as an attachment.

For more information of Catholic Social Teaching go to:United States Catholic Conference - Environment

http://www.nccbuscc.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/environment/index.cfm

Deacon Ed