A Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching

A true treasure and necessary companion for those who want to understand how Catholic social teachings relate to our daily and communal lives. McKenna writes clearly and organizes his materials to facilitate easy reference through excellent summaries and guided theological reflections.

Carolyn Y. Woo

Distinguished President’s Fellow for Global Development

Purdue University

McKenna’s text is an important study guide to Catholic social teaching and its impact on both the Church and the global community. His presentation shows how this teaching continually challenges forces of injustice, violence, and oppression.

Sr. Marianne Farina, C.S.C.

Professor

Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology

and the Graduate Theological Union

This book lays out the reasons Catholics advance social justice in their spheres of influence. McKenna provides a concise and pastorally useful presentation of the Catholic social tradition. Any Catholic wanting to understand social doctrine—especially those working in parish, university, diocesan, or agency settings—will find this to be a great tool.

Bill Purcell

Associate Director for Catholic Social Tradition

Center for Social Concern, University of Notre Dame

Here the most inspiring kernels of the major social encyclicals and pastoral letters are made accessible to everyone. Though he is also a scholar, McKenna is first a fine parish pastor, who builds upon the six major themes of Catholic social teaching, linking them with prayer, sacraments, and action. This little volume packs a real treasure trove for anyone seeking to learn, act, teach, or preach on Catholic social teaching.

Sr. Dawn M. Nothwehr, O.S.F.

The Erica and Harry John Family Endowed Chair in Catholic Ethics

Catholic Theological Union

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

____________________________________

© 2002 by Ave Maria Press, Inc.

© 2013, 2019 by Kevin E. McKenna

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews, without written permission from Ave Maria Press®, Inc., P.O. Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556, 1-800-282-1865.

Founded in 1865, Ave Maria Press is a ministry of the United States Province of Holy Cross.

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Paperback: ISBN-13 978-1-59471-811-3

E-book: ISBN-13 978-1-59471-812-0

Cover image © gettyimages.com.

Cover and text design by David Scholtes.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

In memory of

Dennis W. Hickey

Auxiliary Bishop of Rochester

A true gentleman and a scholar

Requiescat in pace

CONTENTS

Introduction

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person

Brothers and Sisters to Us: Pastoral Letter on Racism

Statement on Capital Punishment

The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae)

For Reflection and Dialogue

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation

On the Condition of Labor (Rerum Novarum)

On Reconstructing the Social Order (Quadragesimo Anno)

On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum (Centesimus Annus)

The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae)

On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (Caritas in Veritate)

On Love in the Family (Amoris Laetitia)

For Reflection and Dialogue

3. Rights and Responsibilities

Economic Justice for All: Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the US Economy

Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines

On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (Caritas in Veritate)

For Reflection and Dialogue

4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

On Christianity and Social Progress (Mater et Magistra)

On the Development of Peoples (Populorum Progressio)

On Social Concern (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis)

A Place at the Table: A Catholic Recommitment to Overcome Poverty and to Respect the Dignity of All God’s Children

For I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food: Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers, and Farmworkers

On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (Caritas in Veritate)

The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium)

For Reflection and Dialogue

5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

On the Condition of Labor (Rerum Novarum)

On Reconstructing the Social Order (Quadragesimo Anno)

On Human Work (Laborem Exercens)

On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum (Centesimus Annus)

For I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food: Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers, and Farmworkers

On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (Caritas in Veritate)

For Reflection and Dialogue

6. Solidarity

Peace on Earth (Pacem in Terris)

The Challenge of Peace: God’s Promise and Our Response

God Is Love (Deus Caritas Est)

Saved in Hope (Spe Salvi)

On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (Caritas in Veritate)

For Reflection and Dialogue

7. Care for God’s Creation

Renewing the Earth: An Invitation to Reflection and Action on the Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching

Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good

For I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food: Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers, and Farmworkers

On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (Caritas in Veritate)

On Care for Our Common Home (Laudato Si’)

For Reflection and Dialogue

Appendix A: Homily and Catechetical Message Guide

Appendix B: Sample Penance Service

Appendix C: Papal Biographies

Appendix D: Chart of Historical Milestones

Glossary

Sources

Suggested Reading and Resources

INTRODUCTION

Perhaps the most important contribution the Roman Catholic Church has made to the world community during the last two centuries is the development of the cohesive body of thought known as Catholic social teaching. Rooted in the scriptures, particularly the proclamation of the Gospel, passionate responses to various social issues have been articulated by several popes, beginning with Leo XIII at the end of the nineteenth century and continuing through the present pontificate of Francis. Many of the concerns addressed in our social teachings stem from the seismic cultural shifts brought on by the Industrial Revolution in the Western world. These teachings have taken a variety of forms, primarily encyclicals, which are formal papal documents that present the Church’s position regarding some issue of concern. Leo XIII was the first pope to present such teaching with his 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum. This great work addressed some of the problems that were emerging in shifting and often volatile relationships between management and labor in the industrializing nations of the world. Every pope thereafter has utilized his office to address pressing social concerns.

A Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching distills major papal teachings as well as teachings from the episcopal conference of the United States, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (formerly the National Conference of Catholic Bishops), into summary form. This is not an exhaustive summary of Catholic social teaching; rather, it presents several major Church documents that have provided clear guidance in regard to perplexing social issues. Included are several pastoral letters and responses from the US hierarchy often built upon the encyclical teachings, providing concrete domestic applications for the United States. These documents have been summarized and paraphrased with efforts to maintain the strength and vigor of the original, which should always be consulted as the official teaching. It is hoped, however, that the reader nonetheless will obtain a useful sense of these milestone developments in Catholic social thought. The numbers of the sections summarized from the original documents are provided throughout where possible. Exact section references are omitted in instances where they are not supplied in the original document.

In 1998, the United States Catholic Conference provided a key framework for discussing Catholic social teaching in the document Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions. Here the US bishops offer seven key themes that we find throughout the Church’s social teaching and that serve as the framework for this book:

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation

3. Rights and Responsibilities

4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

6. Solidarity

7. Care for God’s Creation

At times, documents are summarized under more than one theme, but for the most part, each document is explored under the broad theme with which it seems most naturally identified.

Since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, the Church has become particularly concerned with the need to promote Catholic social teaching. Toward that end, many parishes have developed a variety of lay ministries dedicated to social action. These ministries have been effective in mobilizing parish resources to provide economic assistance to those who are in financial need in their parishes, communities, or dioceses as well as those in urgent need in other areas of the United States or abroad. However commendable or laudatory these initiatives, it can sometimes happen that efforts are focused on the results while losing sight of the rationale for the works of Gospel justice. Careful, consistent, and frequent reflection on the themes of justice and charity that are predominant in the scriptures and, consequently, in the social teachings of the Church can be a helpful resource that combines prayer and action. In addition, such reflection and study can encourage new initiatives, as pastoral councils and ministry groups review the concrete proposals and suggestions that are often recommended in Church documents.

The uses of this book are not limited to local church parishes. It can also be used with effectiveness by diocesan social ministry offices, such as Catholic Charities, which implement social action programs on a larger scale. Religious orders, which often designate groups to coordinate the social concerns of their particular community, find the book helpful for their work, both in their efforts to raise consciousness about the concerns of justice within their own communities and also in the wider culture that they serve. This guide is also used as a text in college and high school courses as a rich reference tool.

Concluding each chapter is a series of questions, designed to stimulate appropriate reflection on the theme presented. A parish council, for example, might find it useful to begin its regularly scheduled meeting with some type of continuing education. This might be accomplished by assigning one of the chapters of this book for reading before the next meeting, and then discussing the dialogue questions (or a single question) for a few minutes as time allows. In this way, the council members are exposed gradually to some of the major themes of Catholic social teaching and are pressed to consider how these teachings can be put into practice within the parish setting. Such a practice can easily be expanded and adapted for use by any parish group—the evangelization team, Christian formation ministry, and so on. Just as it is important that we act on behalf of the Gospel, so too it is important that we know why we are doing what we do.

This work is also intended for use by the busy parish priest, deacon, or lay minister, providing a preaching or teaching resource that can be helpful in addressing the social concerns raised in the scriptures. In appendix A, various homiletic or catechetical themes related to Catholic social teachings are identified by reference to the Sunday Lectionary readings. Thus, the homilist or other parish minister engaged in scriptural exposition and teaching can draw on the suggested connections with the heritage of our social teachings during the course of the liturgical year.

Appendix B offers a sample penance service that can be adapted for use in a variety of settings. Many parish communities gather during the Advent and Lenten seasons to celebrate God’s plentiful mercy. A parish may wish to use a continuing education program or a retreat experience during these sacred times to study Catholic social teaching. The service provided here can conclude such programs by offering an opportunity for personal and communal penitential reflection in the area of social justice.

Appendix C provides biographical information on the popes who have most recently contributed with their encyclicals to our Catholic social tradition. The teaching of the Church did not develop in a vacuum. In a certain sense, the popes have translated a sensus fidelium (sense of the faithful) about important areas of justice and love of neighbor into a strong critique that provides a clear and consistent teaching framed within the imperatives of the Gospel. It can be helpful, in studying the development of Catholic social teaching, to know something of the background of those who produced important documents, as well as the times in which they lived. Closely related to these biographical sketches is appendix D, which presents a timeline of milestones in the history of Catholic social teaching alongside contemporaneous world events. All of the material in the appendixes is also available as free downloadable documents at avemariapress.com on the book’s page.

Following the appendixes, a glossary highlights terms used in the text that may not be immediately understandable due to their nearly exclusive use within the context of the Church’s social teaching. A short description of the documents referenced in this work can also be found in the glossary. Finally, this book offers lists of sources cited and suggestions for further reading along with an index for easy reference.

I am grateful to those who have assisted me in this project, especially as they have attempted to live the message of these profound Church teachings in their daily lives. I am particularly indebted to Dr. Marvin Krier Mich and Dr. Patricia Schoelles, who were kind enough to review the manuscript and offer invaluable guidance, direction, and suggestions.

May the Lord bless the efforts of all those who work to be a light to the nations of God’s saving love, mercy, and justice. May the insights and teachings of the Church in regard to its social mission given by Christ continue to move us all to be witnesses of the Master to a world that seeks so consistently to find him.

1.

LIFE AND DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

The Church has proclaimed as a basic principle of its social teaching that each person is created in the image of God. It is the responsibility of every society to ensure that human life is protected from the moment of conception until natural death. The following documents are summarized in this chapter:

Brothers and Sisters