Is an Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist by Pope Benedict XVI following the Synod of Bishops meeting about the Holy Eucharist.
I have stated elsewhere that if the cries of the afflicted, unloved, poor, hungry, the homeless, unjustly imprisoned, tortured and persecuted are not heard in our Eucharistic celebrations then the participants do not really encounter the risen Lord in any effective way. Love and justice for anawim (the powerless ones) make up an essential dimension of the Eucharistic celebration. (cf. 1 Corinthians 12: 17-22).
This document makes a significant and new contribution to the church’s heritage of social doctrines. Most Catholic people are not aware that the Mass had something important to do with social doctrine and the liberation of people in the world. This document of Pope Benedict XVI is not mainly about social justice and nonviolence. However, social justice issues must be remembered by the people in the authentic celebration of the Eucharist (Mass and Holy Communion).
The Sacrament of Charity
These quotes are taken from the booklet and are quotes of either Benedict XVI or John Paul II. They are outstanding quotations about social justice and peace implications of the Eucharistic Mystery:
* “Our communities, when they celebrate the Eucharist, must become ever more conscious that the sacrifice of Christ is for all, and that the Eucharist thus compels all who believe in Him to become bread that is broken for others and to work for the building of a more just and fraternal world.” (Para 88)
* “I cannot possess Christ just for myself; I can belong to him only in union with all those who have become, or will become his own. The relationship between the Eucharist mystery and social commitment must be made explicit.” (Para 89)
* “Only this constant impulse toward reconciliation enables us to partake worthily of the body and blood of Christ.” (Para 89)
* “Certainly, the restoration of justice, reconciliation and forgiveness are the conditions for building true peace. The recognition of this fact leads to a determination to transform unjust structures and to restore respect for the dignity of all men and women created in God’s image and likeness. The church cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the struggle for justice.” (Para 89)
* “The synod fathers noted that the sacrifice of Christ is a mystery of liberation that constantly and insistently challenges us. I, therefore, urge all the faithful to be true promoters of peace and justice: All who partake of the Eucharist must commit themselves to peacemaking in our world scarred by violence and war, and today, in particular by terrorism, economic corruption and sexual exploitation.” (Para 89)
* “We must denounce those who squander the earth’s riches, provoking any qualities that cry out to heaven. For example, it is impossible to remain silent before the distressing images of huge camps throughout the world of displaced persons and refugees who are living in make-shift conditions in order to escape a worse fate, yet are still in dire need.” (Para 90)
* “The Lord Jesus, the Bread of Eternal Life, spurs us to be mindful of the situations of extreme poverty in which a great part of humanity still lives: These are situations for which human beings bear a clear and disquieting responsibility. Indeed, on the basis of available statistical data, it can be said that less than half of the huge sums spent worldwide on armaments would be more sufficient to liberate the immense masses of the poor from destitution.” (Para 90)
* “The food of truth demands that we denounce inhumane situations in which people starve to death because of injustice and exploitation, and it gives renewed strengths and courage to work tirelessly in the service of the civilization of love.” (Para 90)
* “In a particular way, the Christian laity, formed at the School of the Eucharist, are called to assume their specific political and social responsibilities. To do so, they need to be adequately prepared through practical education in charity and justice. To this end, the synod considered it necessary for Dioceses and Christian communities to teach and promote the church’s social doctrine.” (Para 91)
* “The justified concern of threats to the environment present in so many parts of the world is reinforced by Christian hope, which commits us to working responsibly for the protection of creation. The relationship between the Eucharist and the cosmos helps us to see the unity of God’s plan and to grasp the profound relationship between creation and the “new creation” inaugurated in the resurrection of Christ, the new Adam though we take part in that new creation by virtue of our baptism.” (Para 92)

     Dishonesty and greed go together as high priorities in the United States, in large corporations and in the Federal Government. These major vices feed into each other in nations or communities. In fact, the people of our nation have come to expect these vices in our national politics and business. Accepting the greed, lying and other forms of dishonesty is sad and dangerous. We condone the mess and take it for granted.
I will explain some of the situations that show the prevalence of the lying, cheating and greed.
1. Large corporations are already heavily influencing the United States policies and life. Commercial corporations are already ruling much of the U.S. in buying massive influence in Congress and the White House, financing the election campaigns and hence, buying access to Congress and the President. These corporations get their way with Congress men and women whom they aid in getting elected. It is quite well known that the outcome of high level elections is usually related to the amounts of dollars the election winners have available.* This kind of corruption of political values so downgrades democracy to the point where our democracy is no longer true democracy but instead a plutocracy – rule of, by and for the wealthy people. Access to government enhances maximization of profit of already wealthy corporations to become much richer.
2. National failure to raise minimum wages to a living wage is also a greed issue. The living wage has been a moral demand on the part of Catholic social teaching for over a century of time. The living wage is for the benefit of employees. Employers will probably make less profit in the process since the main goal of most large commercial corporations is to maximize profit for managers, members and stockholders. Even universities, highly endowed, fight the living wage for the lower level employees. In reality this is a form of greed of upper level managers.
3. Political budget shortfalls are usually made up by cutting programs for the low or no income citizens (welfare, medical care, children’s needs and homeless people) instead of increasing taxes for the rich citizens of the nation. Again, greed and cheating at the top.
4. Most environmental pollution and destruction is caused by the corporations. Greed is the motive.
5. Corporate financial corruption (Enron, etc., etc.) has been quite common.
6. U.S. empire building – financial exploitation of the third world countries in the process of world trade and globalization is the greed of the powerful nations.
7. At the individual citizen’s level in the U.S. population, I am convinced that wealth is the main cause motivating value destruction and moral corruption throughout the United States. Some examples would be consumerism, unnecessary purchase and use of SUV’s and other forms of conspicuous consumption adding to the dangers of global warming.
8. Global warming. The two Bush administrations caused the United States to avoid participation in the Rio de Janeiro and Kyoto Environmental Summits for reasons of corporate greed. Dishonesty and its partner of greed were reasons that the U.S. refused to support these international summits. I believe that this was another example of political dishonesty. This was just a tip of the iceberg of administrative dishonesties in recent yeas. Add to these other forms of administrative dishonesties about environmental issues such as clean air and forestry issues and issues of unnecessary wars. I am also thinking about the dishonest statements and causes for starting the Iraq war.
9. Practice of a very liberal free market economy that widens the gap between the rich and the poor is motivated by greed. This practice has been criticized by the Catholic Social Teaching Tradition.
Is it asking too much that politicians tell the truth and be good role models for the citizens of the nations to spend more time, mind and money in serving the people instead of self-aggrandizing themselves?
*Selling out – “How Corporate Money Buys Elections, Rams Through Legislation and Betrays our Democracy,” Mark Green, Regan Books (Harper-Collins Publishers, 2002.
*When Corporations Rule the World,” David C. Korten, (Barrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.), 1995, 1996, 2001

     As the new political year gets off to a start, many leaders are spending a lot of time talking about what they want to accomplish for the American people. Our leaders do not know how to extricate from the Iraq and Afghanistan quagmire, stop nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea, or bring a lasting peace in the Middle East. But we do know how to solve the crisis of uninsured children. It is disgraceful and costly to let more than nine million children in America - - the richest nation in the world - - go without health coverage. Another uninsured baby is born every 46 seconds. As Congress must act to reauthorize funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) this year, it has a special opportunity and responsibility to take the next logical, moral, and achievable steps to ensure health and mental health coverage for all children in America as a significant down payment on health and mental health coverage for all children in America as a significant down payment on health coverage for all Americans. CDF offers its proposal as Congress prepares to reauthorize funding for SCHIP, a program CDF championed in 1977. Children’s Medicaid and SCHIP have made significant progress in improving children’s health insurance in the past decade. Currently over 30 million children are covered by Medicaid (25 million) and SCHIP (5 million). But one in nine children in America is still uninsured. Almost 90 percent of them live in working households. Millions more children are underinsured. Chronic budget shortfalls, enrollment processes that can often be confusing, and dramatic variations in eligibility and coverage from state to state prevent millions of currently eligible children from leading healthy lives and realizing their full potential in school and when they become adults.
     According to a Hart Research poll conducted for CDF, more than three-fourths of Americans think it is “important” or “extremely important” for elected leaders in Washington to provide health care for all children in America now. Almost seven in 10 think the federal government is doing “too little” to help children who don’t have health insurance coverage. It’s clearly time for a change and for our leaders in both political parties to catch up with their voters. CDF’s proposal would ensure comprehensive health and mental health coverage for all children in all 50 states and the District of Columbia all medically necessary services. A child’s chance to survive and thrive should not depend on the lottery of geography.
     In the same research poll, when Americans were asked to choose among a variety of possible reasons for providing health insurance to all children, they thought the most important was that “children cannot take care of themselves, and it is especially important that they get regular medical care so they grow up health.” And when they were asked to choose which statement came closest to their view about why it is important to provide health insurance to uninsured children, some said it was “the right thing to do” or “the fair thing to do,” but even more said it is “the smart thing to do.” Health care coverage for all children is certainly the smart thing to do, and the Congress and President have fallen behind what the country wants and needs. How we take care of our children speaks to our very values as a society. With you voice telling Congress that health coverage for all children is a must do in 2007 for your vote in 2008, we can do it, and show our children we care.
     Marian Wright Edelman is President and Founder of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) and its Action Council whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

Fairly often I hear: “I’m not interested in politics.” “I don’t know much about politics.” “Politics is a dirty business.” Too often people avoid political involvement because politics can become a very messy affair. When good people avoid political involvement, the politics become messier.
Politics are an absolutely important and necessary dimension of human life on this planet. From ancient times, outstanding philosophers have understood the importance of politics for the welfare of people. Most such philosophers have written books and essays on politics. When people say, “I’m not interested in politics” they are really saying that, by avoiding participation in politics they are allowing themselves to become victims of the politics of others.
How often have you heard it said, “don’t mix religion and politics?” This attitude is naive. The Church has always been an important part of politics and politics has always been a great interest to the Church. Politics are about human behavior in the human community. So is the Church. Politics is about justice among people, about freedom, about security, and the welfare of the common good in community, whether city, state, nation, or world. So is the Church.
I repeat, religion is about human behavior, especially about the morality of human behavior - - the good and the bad of it all. So are politics. Morality and politics inexorably overlap with each other for the common good of the whole community. The secular part of society has competence in the justice-political dimension of life and religion has competence in moral teaching. Politics and morality are so interwoven that there must be interplay between them. Examples: issues of life and death, violence and non-violence, human rights, poverty, hunger, race relations, economic justice, honesty, migration of people, campaign financing corruption etc., etc., etc. are areas of moral teaching and politics that overlap with each other The Church has real responsibility to offer moral guidance about values and morality to political leaders. The whole situation of church and politics becomes more messy and murky when a participating Church or band of faith (Political/Religious Right) tries to take over a nation’s politics as have some religious-right groups done in the United States. This is then no longer a process of political dialogue between religion and politics but an imposition of a particular set of religious doctrines on a nation.
Sometimes the opposite is true. Sometimes it is secular politicians who do not recognize the importance of faith based moral teachings, who then try to reject the religious dimensions of the political system. The answer to this dilemma is not to isolate religion or politics from each other but to encourage an on-going dialogue between the two. This is possible in a nation that values democracy and a kind of separation of state and Church maintaining each one in its own cooperating area of competence.
If children grow up in a family where politics is denigrated or ignored the children will not likely have a healthy attitude about of the importance of politics. I encourage parents to include children in discussions of politics in the home - - both the good and the bad in the political system. The problem of messy or even corrupt politics is not so much a problem of politics but of the politicians who are not responsible leaders, who have no potential to become statesmen and women. We would have more politicians turning into statesmen and women if more good and intelligent people became involved in the political process.

This article is the conclusion to “Gospel Based Politics” printed in the last edition of the OND.
7. Wealth and Taxes – The wealth of citizens in a Christian context of politics would be shared in a tax system where people are taxed according to their ability to pay. In the United States the present tax system we have a growing gap between the poor and the wealthy. As I mentioned above, our political system is more a plutocracy than a democracy. An example of a plutocratic system is the fact that people in poverty can very seldom be elected to high office. The achievement of great wealth today is probably the highest single valued priority in the value system of U. S. life.
8. Living Wage – Workers have a basic human right to a living wage in the labor market. A living wage is a wage that would allow a worker to furnish himself and his family a comfortable and secure life-style. At the present even if the new Congress is successful in raising the minimum wage, their proposal will force workers with families to continue to live in poverty.
9. Immigration: Legal and Illegal – The Church’s attitude toward the movement of people from nation to nation is much more hospitable than that of those nations who will hold to very strict kind of national nationalism. The Christian approach to immigration is based on the reality that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” The earth is for the people. God owns the earth. Nations should be open to immigration for the good of people.
10. Environmental Responsibility – As was stated in number 9 above “the earth is the Lord’s.” The Book of Genesis states very definitely that because the earth belongs to God, we are only entrusted as stewards of the earth but required to care for the earth. Caring for the earth certainly includes not harming the earth and doing whatever we can to sustain the earth environment for the good of people. Exploitation of the earth for reasons of greed is evil or sinful activity. Our nation has been grossly guilty of this kind of exploitation. Now it is our responsibility to help the earth recover.
11. Love – Seldom do we hear that love and politics go together. In Jesus’ teachings throughout the whole span of Gospel teaching, love for God and people is the highest moral priority. Gospel love in the Greek language is agape. Agape is a love or decision to serve people and forgive people. Love for people within one’s political life is not just an ideal. Agape is the most fundamental of all attitudes of people for one another. Where love fails forgiveness should take over. This attitude should hold not only for people of their own political area but also for people of other nations. I believe that when a statesman or woman has loving compassion for people better legislation will result for the welfare of all people. Where agape is practiced we could expect to see much less greed and corruption in government and fewer wars.
I am fully aware that in a pluralistic interfaith world government according to one religion is not the healthiest and best form of government. I am not suggesting that the United States must be a government exclusively according to the Jewish and Christian Bible. I am also aware that most of the world’s major faiths are pretty much in agreement with the basic Christian ethics about war, violence, poverty, and respect for life. Honesty and the other basic political-type ethics. I am speaking now of the comparative studies of ethics as taught by the Jewish and Christian scriptures, and by Buddhist, Hindu and the non-extremist teachings in Islam.

This is the beginning of a few articles related to politics since politics at this time are a high priority, especially politics about the Iraq war and the beginnings of the next presidential campaign. Some people are of the opinion that the Bible is not about politics. Certainly the Bible was given us not mainly as a book of politics, however, the Bible is loaded with political material and, I am convinced that sane and “common good” politics was one of the goals that Jesus had in mind in the Gospels. Following are some of the Biblical principles and moral teachings that are very applicable to “common good” politics.

Vulnerable People – The poor, the sick, children, - the most vulnerable of people are among the highest priorities of Jesus’ teachings. These vulnerable people should also be the highest priority of a political system. In the United States these high priority people are the lowest priority. Ours is not a complete democracy. We make up a plutocracy – the rule of the rich.

Respect for Life – A consistent ethical respect for human beings must be a high priority. All human beings, even those in the womb and to those at the end of life must be included in this principle. Our Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America says “with liberty and justice for all,” but we do not believe it. This respect for all would be the key stone in the arch of political life. “Preferential option for the poor” would be a proper statement for these first two principles. At the present time in the U.S. the most needy persons are the most neglected. We practice preferential options for the wealthy, the comfortable, the healthy, and the educated.

Honesty – Honesty in campaigning and the full political process is necessary for a responsible political process. Even though lying has become a political commonplace of the day, I believe it is not unreal idealism to expect honesty from political leaders. Honesty must be a hallmark of statesmanship.

Forgiveness – A forgiving spirit to end grudges and hatreds will greatly improve quality and effectiveness of relationships in the political process. Forgiving is the beginning of growth in a process of non-violent politics; forgiveness creates friends out of enemies.

Non-Violence – Most nations, including ours, rely on what is now called “redemptive violence” to solve problems and conflicts, crime and trouble rather than diplomacy and other non-violent methods. In rare exceptions violence may be necessary and redemptive. However, violence should always be the last resort. War and capital punishment are two examples of redemptive violence that seldom work.

Human Rights – Human rights are the foundation for civil rights. This principle is also related to numbers I, and II above. In the Church’s social teaching human rights are those rights that are necessary for human beings to fulfill their very human potential in a human community. Some examples of basic human rights would be life, bodily integrity, food, health care, housing, and freedom from racism, classism, religious discrimination, sexism, etc. Equality of rights is for all. Health care should be an achieved right for all citizens.

This article will be concluded in the next edition of Our Northland Diocese.

After five years this war is still raging in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wrote
several articles about the injustice and futility of such wars shortly after
9/11 in this column. Indeed this war against terrorism has been in itself a
form of terrorism against many innocent people in Afghanistan and Iraq.
At this writing about 3,000 U.S. service men and women died in Iraq and
hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed in this war in
Iraq. Another 2,200 Americans have been wounded. As has been true about the
after-effects of most wars, some have been disabled for life. About 28% of
homeless people in the U.S. are war veterans of former wars. About 20% - 25%
of service returnees from Iraq are suffering from mental illnesses such as
depression and post traumatic stress syndrome.

Many of these veterans have been refused help. Congress has now pressured
the Pentagon to offer them help. Our nation has a long history of neglecting
to give some forms of health care such as for poisoning from Agent Orange,
after Vietnam service.

Thousands – maybe millions of U.S. citizens have “support the troops”
stickers on their cars and trucks, while our government has been neglecting
some vets returned from war zones.

Most U.S. citizens would agree today that something must change with our
involvement in Iraq. The IRAQ Study Group Report under the Co-Chairmanship
of James A. Baker III and Lee H. Hamilton, has outlined some alternative
courses in Iraq: 1. “Precipitate Withdrawal;”2. “Staying the Course;” 3.
More Troops for Iraq;” 4. Devolution into three Regions;” Achieving our
Goals.”

The members of the Iraq Study Group chose number 5 with “The Way Forward – A New Approach.” (My next column will consist in a summary of “Achieving Our
Goals” with a “New Way Forward – A New Approach.”
The big question now is: Will President Bush take the study group seriously
or will he remit to “staying the course” with his old approach?
Here I’m choosing to repeat some questions and statements that I wrote in
the column shortly after the Twin Towers tragedy in the fall of 2001.
Will our war against terrorism prove to be more violent than the horrendous
crime of 9/11? (Our war against terrorism has already killed more of our own
people than did 9/11. Tens of thousands more of Afghanistan and Iraq people,
most of them civilian adults and children, were killed in these wars.
Will war against terrorism lessen the terrorism? (No! War does not respond
to the causes of terrorism. Our wars against terrorism have greatly
increased terrorism in the world.)

Why are so many people of other nations (Middle East and Europe) so angry at
the U.S.? Is it only because they hate our democracy, freedom and affluence?
(No! Their anger arises mainly from our arrogance and our imperial attitude
toward the rest of the world.)

Advent is about the Prince of Peace. In the liturgy for the very first
weekday of Advent the nonviolent theme is set forth in one of Isaiah’s
often-quoted metaphors.

He shall judge between nations, and impose terms
on many peoples. They shall beat their swords
Into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
One nation shall not raise the sword against another
nor shall they train for war again. (Isaiah 2:4)

Lest there be any mistaken idea about the intensity of the non-violence
theme in Advent, the Church continues the theme of peace in the Mass for
Tuesday of the first week of Advent. The completely non-violent dimension
of the Messiah’s reign is stated in language that seems incredible to people
conditioned to a violent world:

Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his
hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie
down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a
little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The
baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’
s lair.

Isaiah seems to be writing in the above quotes about “that day”, the day of
the messianic kingdom. The fulfillment of the kingdom does encourage
non-violence as a goal to work for even now for the kingdom is also now.
Each day during Advent 2006, about 40,000 people will die in out world from
the results of malnutrition, contaminated water and lack of medicine and all
health care. Also, during this Advent every 8 seconds one person will die
on planet Earth of HIV AIDS, most in the third world from lack of education
and medicine. The pandemic of HIV AIDS has already claimed the lives of
about 26 million people. AIDS and poverty which usually go together kill
more people than does war.

Our nation will probably continue to do little to relieve the suffering from
HIV AIDS in Africa where the epidemic is most destructive and in other
poverty-stricken nations because of our outlandish costs to maintain wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq. We have always found enough money to support war and
weapons. Even though we are the wealthiest nation in the world, we rate
19th among the industrial nations in granting humanitarian aid to third
world countries. Just a relatively small part of our military/defense
budget would buy a lot of bread for hungry people, a lot of houses for
homeless people, a lot of medicine for the sick and a lot of education for
the uneducated children and adults in the poorest nations. Poverty and
unchecked HIV AIDS make up “a weapon of mass destruction” (James Forbes).
Here I agree with Charles Emmanuel McCarthy: “Apathy in the face of
relievable human misery is great sin.”

We preach Christ crucified…an absurdity to the Gentiles; but to those who
are called…Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s
folly is wiser than men, and his weakness more powerful than men. (1
Corinthians 1:23-25)

In the light of human wisdom, the Cross is absurd, the teachings of Jesus on
wealth and violence are absurd, and the Beatitudes in Matthew’s Gospel are
the most absurd statement of values in all of literature; - -or are they the
wisest? In the Christmas gospel narratives both the crib and the cross are
important symbols.

We U.S. Americans insist on maintaining a lifestyle unknown anywhere else in
human history, a lifestyle climatically expressed in Advent spending,
ostensibly and ironically for Christmas gifts in the name of Jesus. We
shall cling to our economically privileged status and protect our “good
life” by any violence necessary and expect the Prince of Peace to bless us
in the celebration of his birthday.

The Catholic Church has an excellent heritage of non-violence documents but
has not done very well, globally and locally in proclaiming that heritage
and implementing that teaching in our world. Thinking globally is important
but acting locally is also very important.

It is very questionable that Christ can be found in the Christmas cribs, the
family celebrations, or in the churches if those looking for Him do not find
Him, in all the little people whom they meet in life: the sick, the
broken-hearted, the poor and the children. If we pass them by we have
passed by the living Christ - - Emmanuel - - God with us.

This article is a review of Chapter Two of the Compendium* that I have been reviewing recently. The theme is “Evangelization and Social Doctrine.” Many people will be surprised to read that the social justice teachings of the Catholic church are an essential part of the ministry of Evangelization, especially since most Catholic people are quite unaware of Catholic Social Doctrine. Catholic evangelization ministry would be quite incomplete without the inclusion of the social teachings of the Church. A major document of the modern Church on evangelization was written by Pope Paul VI. In the edition of this document that I read and studied included 16 pages devoted to the social doctrine of the Church.
The Compendium that I am reviewing in this article, includes the following statements and teachings:

1. “By means of her social doctrine, the Church takes on the task of preaching what the Lord has entrusted to her… She teaches people the demands of justice and peace and conformity with divine wisdom.” (Para 63, P 28)

2. “With her social doctrine not only does the Church not stray from her mission (evangelization) but she is rigorously faithful to it.” (Para 64, P 28)

3. “The Church’s social doctrine is an integral part of her evangelizing ministry…Evangelization would not be complete if it did not take into account the mutual demands continually made by the Gospel and by the concrete, personal and social life of man” (Para 66, P 29)

4. “The Church’s social doctrine is itself a valid instrument of evangelization. In effect, to teach and to spread her social doctrine pertains to the Church’s evangelization mission and is an essential part of the Christian message.” (Para 69, P 30)
Without using the quotes above I would not be able to sufficiently report the full importance of the social justice message of the Church. These quotations from the official teaching of the Catholic Church are saying that the social justice work of the Church’s teaching/action ministry are essential to Catholic education, Catholic evangelization and faith life, for all Catholics and not just for limited interested segments of the Catholic faithful.

Coincidentally, with the new current Renew program in the Crookston Diocese called “Why Catholic?” the very program, in keeping with the importance of Catholic social doctrine, will include a segment on the social doctrine of the Church.

Chapter two of the Compendium that we are reviewing continues to explore the nature of Catholic social teaching. The roots and content of Catholic social teaching are found in the Bible, Catholic theology, human reason (natural law) and from “contributions from all brands of knowledge, especially philosophy, the social sciences, politics, economics and others.”

“ Insofar as it (Catholic social doctrine) is part of the Church’s moral teaching, The Church’s social doctrine has the same dignity and authority as her moral teaching.” (Para 81, p 35 Compendium)

*Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2004.

This article is a review of Chapter Two of the Compendium* that I have been reviewing recently. The theme is “Evangelization and Social Doctrine.” Many people will be surprised to read that the social justice teachings of the Catholic church are an essential part of the ministry of Evangelization, especially since most Catholic people are quite unaware of Catholic Social Doctrine. Catholic evangelization ministry would be quite incomplete without the inclusion of the social teachings of the Church. A major document of the modern Church on evangelization was written by Pope Paul VI. In the edition of this document that I read and studied included 16 pages devoted to the social doctrine of the Church.
The Compendium that I am reviewing in this article, includes the following statements and teachings:
1. “By means of her social doctrine, the Church takes on the task of preaching what the Lord has entrusted to her… She teaches people the demands of justice and peace and conformity with divine wisdom.” (Para 63, P 28)
2. “With her social doctrine not only does the Church not stray from her mission (evangelization) but she is rigorously faithful to it.” (Para 64, P 28)
3. “The Church’s social doctrine is an integral part of her evangelizing ministry…Evangelization would not be complete if it did not take into account the mutual demands continually made by the Gospel and by the concrete, personal and social life of man” (Para 66, P 29)
4. “The Church’s social doctrine is itself a valid instrument of evangelization. In effect, to teach and to spread her social doctrine pertains to the Church’s evangelization mission and is an essential part of the Christian message.” (Para 69, P 30)
Without using the quotes above I would not be able to sufficiently report the full importance of the social justice message of the Church. These quotations from the official teaching of the Catholic Church are saying that the social justice work of the Church’s teaching/action ministry are essential to Catholic education, Catholic evangelization and faith life, for all Catholics and not just for limited interested segments of the Catholic faithful.
Coincidentally, with the new current Renew program in the Crookston Diocese called “Why Catholic?” the very program, in keeping with the importance of Catholic social doctrine, will include a segment on the social doctrine of the Church.
Chapter two of the Compendium that we are reviewing continues to explore the nature of Catholic social teaching. The roots and content of Catholic social teaching are found in the Bible, Catholic theology, human reason (natural law) and from “contributions from all brands of knowledge, especially philosophy, the social sciences, politics, economics and others.”
“ Insofar as it (Catholic social doctrine) is part of the Church’s moral teaching, The Church’s social doctrine has the same dignity and authority as her moral teaching.” (Para 81, p 35 Compendium)
*Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2004.

How important is this rich heritage of documents making up the social teaching of the church for over the past century? These documents represent the official teachings of the Catholic Church in matters of social justice and peace.

In the minds of the top leaders of the Catholic Church (especially Popes, Bishops), this heritage is of utmost importance. Unfortunately, in the regular practice of the Church this series of documents on social teaching is seldom preached and taught in most of our parishes and schools (including elementary, and secondary school, college and even seminaries).

In 2005 a new Compendium* of the Social Teachings was authored in Rome by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In this article I am reviewing a part of chapter 12 of this Compendium, “Social Doctrine and Ecclesial (church) action.”

In answering the question, how important is this social teaching to the Church, the authors of this Compendium have drawn from over two dozen official documents of the Catholic Church, and about another 150 supporting documents and addresses.

1. “The Church’s social teaching is the indispensable reference point that determines the nature, modality, articulation and development of pastoral activity in the social field.” (Para 524, p.230) This paragraph continues: ‘the Church’s social pastoral ministry is the living and concrete expression of the full awareness of her evangelizing mission in the social, economic, cultural and political realities of the world.’”

Comment: In simple terms this is the official social teaching of the church and it is an essential part of her evangelizing ministry.

2. “The social message of the Gospel must guide the Church in her two-fold pastoral activity; that of helping men and women to discover the truth and to choose the path that they will follow, and that is of encouraging Christians to bear witness to the spirit of service to the Gospel in the field of social activity.” (Para 525, p.230)

Comment: Once again, in simpler terms, action for social justice on the part of Christians is a more powerful form of evangelization than simply stating the social message in words.

3. “The Church’s social doctrine provides the fundamental criteria for pastoral action in the area of social activity…in proclaiming the Gospel, the social dimension is an essential and unavoidable but not the only dimension.” (Para 526, P231)

Comment: The Church is saying here that the proclamation of the Gospel (pastoral preaching) must apply the Gospel to social problems and public needs..

4. “The Church’s social doctrine is an indispensable reference point for a totally integrated formation.…this is especially true for the lay faithful who have primary responsibility in the secular world for applying the Church’s social doctrine in social and public life.” (Para 528, P231)

Comment: The lay people in the Church have this special ministry in the world to do the social justice action in the world of work, commerce and the professions. Lay people in the Church especially need the guidance of the Church’s social teaching for this special ministry to bring social justice activity into the workplace. The Second Vatican Council made it very clear that the social ministry in the world is the unique responsibility of the lay faithful.

My question is: How can the laity carry out this ministry if they are not knowledgeable about the Church’s social teaching. How can the lay faithful be knowledgeable about social doctrine if they are not being informed and prepared by pastors and teachers from the pulpit and the classrooms in our schools?

Chapter twelve of this Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church goes on to point out that all Catholic institutions, including colleges and seminaries have the responsibility of forming and preparing people for this special ministry.

The Church’s Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome has published a document entitled Guidelines for the Study and Teaching of the Church’s Social Doctrine in the Formation of Priests. I don’t remember ever seeing this document. I am looking for one now. I am wondering if this document is being used in seminaries, religious orders and dioceses in the United States.

My concluding questions:
• Why is an essential part of Catholic moral doctrine and ministry practically ignored in Catholic life?
• Why is this social doctrine so well developed and so poorly implemented?
• Why do pastors and teachers remain relatively uninformed of this teaching?

*Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Washington, D.C. 2005.
Available USCCB Publishing, 3211 Fourth Street NE, Washington D.C. 20017.Also available at www.usccb.org/publishing.

  About a year ago I wrote an article entitled: Religion can Be Dangerous.

By “dangerous religion,” Wallis includes the kinds of theology that condones and supports political domination. In writing about the United States intentions to dominate the world, Wallis writes:

“To this aggressive extension of American power in the world, President George W. Bush adds God, and that changes the picture dramatically. It’s one thing for a nation to assert its raw dominance in the world; it’s quite another to suggest, as this president does, that the success of American military and foreign policy is connected to a religiously inspired “mission” and even that his presidency may be a divine appointment for a time such as this.”

The author continues:

“I don’t doubt that George W. Bush’s faith is sincere and deeply held. The real question is the content and meaning of that faith and how it impacts his administration’s domestic and foreign policy.”
What kind of content and meaning does Jim Wallis have in mind?

The subtitle of God’s Politics is Why the right gets it wrong and the left doesn’t get it. What does the author mean by this question?

To answer this question I must first point out that the whole book, God’s Politics, is concerned with the influence of religious faith of politicians – or the lack of such faith. The author, Jim Wallis, returns time and time again to his convictions that bad theology inevitably leads to bad politics.

Certainly Wallis is largely equating the Right with the Republican Party and the Left with the Democratic Party. He is showing in this book that the Right does state religious beliefs and indicate how their faith does influence politics. The problem is that too much of the Right’s system of religious beliefs (their theology) is wrong because they are distorting the teachings of the Bible in general and the Gospels in particular. The reason that the Left “doesn’t get it” is that the Democrats don’t have, or at least do not state, their religious faith as a source of their politics. Again, a lack of theology is dangerous; it lacks a depth in moral values. A particular Democrat may have a religious faith, but as Wallis sees it, their faith is a private faith, not expressed in their political dialogue and gives the impression that their faith is not important to their politics.

A theology that justifies the killing of thousands of innocent people who are non-combatants in two wars is dangerous theology. Bringing terrorists to justice is one thing, and a good thing; to kill thousands of innocent people in response to terrorism is another thing. The wars against terrorism (Afghanistan and Iraq) killed many more innocent people, mostly non-combatants, than did the terrorists in 9/11 and in other terrorist’s activities. A theology that condones revenge and over-kill is dangerous theology.

*Jim Wallis, author: Harper, San Francisco, 2005