January 17

Weekend Bulletin
Children’s Bulletin

Deacon’s Digest
What about Catholic Social Teaching?

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is often called the Church’s best-kept secret because even many involved and committed parishioners are unaware of CST. I have included a quick summation here but I hope all of you will take the time to study and look into this further. There is a link at the end of this article to assist you in that process.
Our Church, in its wisdom, has put this teaching together to assist in answering the question “How do I live my faith out in effective ways?” Indeed, in our RCIA program, where people are exploring the possibility of being Confirmed as Catholics, the last thing we teach them is about CST. They learn to come to the Church for assistance through the Eucharist and other Sacramental graces but what should they do with that newfound spiritual and physical strength? That’s where CST comes in. Now they have a template on what it means to be an active Catholic in the world!

Life & Dignity of the Human Person
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. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia.  The dignity of every person as a son or daughter of God is infinite and deserves to be respected and protected.

Call to Family, Community & Participation
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 the community. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. 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.

Rights & Responsibilities
The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities--to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.

Special Option for the Poor & Vulnerable
A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

The Dignity of Work & the Right of Workers
The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.

Solidarity
We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers and sisters keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that if you want peace, work for justice. The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.

Care for God’s Creation
We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God's creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.

For more info go to usccb.org and search for Catholic Social Teaching.