catholic social teachings an introductory context

CATHOLIC SOCIAL CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGSTEACHINGS

CATHOLIC SOCIAL CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGSTEACHINGS

CHURCH’S BEST-KEPT SECRETCHURCH’S BEST-KEPT SECRET

Over the last hundred years since 1878…

• The Catholic Church has maintained a social tradition of articulating her stand against existing social injustices perpetuated by the more dominantly oppressive economic and political structures

• She has made her steps by siding and identifying with the poor and the working class of society

• The events in Europe during the second half of the 19th century were then pointing towards modernization

• Slowly, the existing feudalistic structure of economy was beginning to dismantle itself to make way for the industrial boom, properly so called the Industrial Revolution

Capitalism

• Application of scientific discoveries in the process of manufacturing materials goods to expand the human capacity to provide for materials needs and desires

• Science, coupled with the economic system called Capitalism, led to the phenomenon of Industrialization

Mid-19th Century Europe

• Events of an economic nature produced a dramatic social, political and cultural impact

• Events connected with the Industrial Revolution profoundly changed centuries-old societal structures

• This raises serious problems of justice and posing the first great social question = The Labour Question

“Labour Question”

• Prompted by the conflict between labour and capital

Counter-Reaction

• Marxism ~ social doctrine and political revolutionary movement spawned by the ideals of Karl Marx to “rescue” the working man from the clutches of his capitalist exploiters

Church’s Response

• The church felt the need to become involved and intervene in a new way

• Res novae (“new things”) brought about by these events represented a challenge to her teaching, motivated her special pastoral concern for masses of people

Catholic Social Teachings

• Rooted in:– Scripture– Apostolic writings– Teachings of the Fathers of the

Church– Doctors of the Church in Middle Ages

•What is at the center of all Catholic social teaching?

• "At the center of all Catholic social teaching are the transcendence of God and the dignity of the human person. The human person is the clearest reflection of God's presence in the world; all of the Church's work in pursuit of both justice and peace is designed to protect and promote the dignity of every person. For each person not only reflects God, but is the expression of God's creative work and the meaning of Christ's redemptive ministry." U. S. Bishops. The Challenge of Peace (1983) 15.