Catholic Social Teaching From a Vincentian Lens Jack Murphy,
Southeast Voice of the Poor Representative National VOP Chair
Slide 3
Voice of the Poor Prayer Lord of all people, During your time
on earth you identified with the poor and instructed us to care for
one another, for our neighbor and especially for the least of our
brothers and sisters. Be with us as we advocate for the poor. Help
us to persevere in joy and love on their behalf. Add your voice to
ours as we speak out for those who are not heard in our
communities. Guide us as we work, comfortable in the knowledge that
we are doing your will for this day and time and place, and that
you will take care of tomorrow. We ask this in the name of Jesus,
his Blessed Mother, our patron St. Vincent and our founder Blessed
Frederic. Amen Ruth Zemek, Phoenix Council
Slide 4
Workshop Objectives Familiarity with the Ten Themes
Appreciation for Vincentian historical and current contributions to
CST Beginning of a plan to teach CST back home
Slide 5
Agenda Ten Themes of Catholic Social Teaching Deep Dive into
Four Themes Group Activity to Review Remaining Seven Themes How
Would We Teach These Back Home
Slide 6
Foundations the Societys Systemic Change Effort 5
Slide 7
Perceptions of People in Need "Buddy Can You Spare A Dime" (Jay
Gorney /E.Y. Harburg, 1930) Nobody Knows You When You're Down &
Out (Jimmy Cox, 1923)
Slide 8
Vincentians and Catholic Social Thought 7.4 The practical
Vincentian approach to social justice The distinctive approach of
Vincentians to issues of social justice is to see them from the
perspective of those we visit who suffer from injustice. The Rule
of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul 7
Slide 9
Foundational Documents 24 Papal Encyclicals and Vatican
Documents including: Rerum Novarum (On the Condition of Labor)Pope
Leo XIII, 1891 The Church and Racism: Towards a more fraternal
societyPontifical Council for Justice and Peace, 1989 Compendium of
the Social Doctrine of the ChurchPontifical Council for Justice and
Peace, 2004 36 Documents from the US Bishops including: Labor Day
Statements Hunger Death Penalty Catholic Perspective on Crime and
Punishment Economic Life Peace Communities of Salt & Light
Slide 10
Who said this? 9 Economic activity cannot solve all social
problems through the simple application of commercial logic. This
needs to be directed towards the pursuit of the common good, for
which the political community in particular must also take
responsibility. Therefore, it must be borne in mind that grave
imbalances are produced when economic action, conceived merely as
an engine for wealth creation, is detached from political action,
conceived as a means for pursuing justice through redistribution.
Pope Benedict XVI Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth)
Slide 11
Catholic Social Teaching from a Vincentian Lens Dignity of the
Human Person Respect for Human Life Association Participation
Preferential Protection for the Poor Solidarity Stewardship
Subsidiarity Equality Common Good 10 Ten Building Blocks of
Catholic Social Teaching William J. Byron, America, October 31,
1998
Slide 12
Dignity of the Human Person Every human being is created in the
image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is
invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family.
Fr. Robert Maloney, CM This is the bedrock principle of Catholic
Social Teaching SVDP Position Papers Self Sufficient Wage
Affordable Housing Immigration Restorative Justice 11
Slide 13
Respect for Human Life Every person, from the moment of
conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to
life consistent with that dignity. Fr. Robert Maloney, CM SVDP
Positions Papers Health Care Homelessness Hunger Human Trafficking
12
Slide 14
Preferential Protection for the Poor We believe that we touch
Christ when we touch the needy Fr. Robert Maloney, CM Among our
tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice
to the cry of the poor, so that they are not abandoned to the laws
of an economy that seems at times to treat people as mere
consumers. Pope Francis, Address to Archbishop of Canterbury
(6/14/13) The proclamation of the Gospel is destined primarily to
the poor, to those who often lack the essentials for a decent life.
The good news is first announced to them, that God loves them
before all others and comes to visit them through the acts of
charity that the disciples of Christ carry out in his name. Pope
Francis General Audience (6/18/13) SVDP Position Paper Predatory
Lending 13
Slide 15
Common Good The common good is understood as the social
conditions that allow people to reach their full human potential
and to realize their human dignity. Fr. Robert Maloney, CM To love
someone is to desire that persons good and to take effective steps
to secure it. Besides the good of the individual, there is the good
that is linked to living in society: the common good. It is the
good of all of us, made up of individuals, families and
intermediate groups who together constitute society.To desire the
common good and strive towards it is a requirement of justice and
charity. Pope Benedict XVI Caritas in Veritate SVDP Positions
Papers Education Fair Wages 14
Slide 16
From the US Bishops: Sharing our social tradition more fully
and clearly is an essential way to bring good news, liberty, and
new sight to a society and world in desperate need of God's justice
and peace. 15
Slide 17
Vincentian Civil Discourse Let us learn, first of all, to
defend our belief without hating our adversaries, to appreciate
those who do not think as we do, to recognize that there are
Christians in every camp, and that God can be served now as always!
Let us complain less of our times and more of ourselves. Let us not
be discouraged, let us be better. Blessed Frederic (Baunard,
Correspondence, p.304)
Slide 18
I believe that the laity serve the faith better because they
confront all the different issues of life with knowledge and deal
with these issues in a Christian way. They do not deal with these
issues in generalities or in an apologetic manner like the
theologians who do so little to change the present situation.
(Biography of Frederic Ozanam by: Sister M. Teresa Candelas, D.C.)
"Let the lay not imagine that (their) pastors are always such
experts, that to every problem that arises...they can readily give
a concrete solution, or even that such is their mission." ( Gaudium
et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World,
1965 #43) A new state of affairs today both in the Church and in
social, economic, political and cultural life, calls with a
particular urgency for the action of the lay faithful. If lack of
commitment is always unacceptable, the present time renders it even
more so. It is not permissible for anyone to remain idle.
(Christifideles Laici, #3 St John Paul, II, On the Vocation and
Mission of the Lay Faithful )
Slide 19
What will you do with this information?
Slide 20
1. A Just Wage for Employees of the Society of St. Vincent de
Paul, April 2001 2. Affordable Housing for the Poor, February 2002
3. Health Care for the Poor, Feb. 2004 4. Immigration, Sept. 2004
5. Fair Wages, Sept. 2005 6. Restorative Justice, Sept. 2006 7.
Predatory Lending, April 2007 8. Homelessness, Aug. 2007 9. Hunger,
Sept. 2008 10. Education, Apr. 2010 11. Human Trafficking, Sept.
2010 19 http://www.SVDPusa.org/Resources/VoiceofthePoor.aspx
Current Position Papers of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Catholic Social Teaching Resources Serving in Hope, Module IV:
Our Vincentian Mission, Serving in Hope is our spiritual formation
program. Mod IV deals with the themes of Catholic Social Teaching
(www.svdpusa.org/members/Shop/SVdP-Catalog)www.svdpusa.org/members/Shop/SVdP-Catalog
Foundational Principles in the Social Teaching of the Church, Fr.
Robert Maloney, CM
(http://vinformation.famvin.org/vincentian-spirituality/in-
todays-world/ten-foundational-principles-in-the-social-
teaching-of-the-church/)http://vinformation.famvin.org/vincentian-spirituality/in-
todays-world/ten-foundational-principles-in-the-social-
teaching-of-the-church/ US Conference of Catholic Bishops:
http://usccb.org/beliefs-
and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-
teaching/index.cfmhttp://usccb.org/beliefs-
and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social- teaching/index.cfm
Living Justice: Catholic Social Teaching in Action, Thomas Massaro,
SJ William J. Byron. Ten Building Blocks to Catholic Social
Teaching. 23 Sept 2009. America Press. 31 Oct 1998.
(http://americamagazine.org/issue/100/ten-building-
blocks)http://americamagazine.org/issue/100/ten-building- blocks
Voice of the Poor:
http://www.svdpusa.org/members/ProgramsandTools/Voic
eofthePoor.aspx
http://www.svdpusa.org/members/ProgramsandTools/Voic
eofthePoor.aspx 21
Slide 23
Prayer for Systemic Change We praise and thank you, O God,
Creator of the Universe. You have made all things good and have
given us the earth to cultivate. Grant that we may always use
created things gratefully, and share them generously with those in
need. Give us creativity in helping the poor meet their basic human
needs. Open our minds and hearts so that we might stand at their
side and assist them to change whatever unjust structures keep them
poor. Enable us to be brothers and sisters to them, friends who
walk with them in their struggle for fundamental human rights. We
ask this through Christ our Lord. (from the Letter of Superior
General on theme of annual Vincentian Day of Prayer 2008 )