banner
scripture
Scripture
Scripture
We can only live life in all its fullness when we are in relationship with others - through community.
Romans 12:5
So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
Acts 2: 43-47
All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.
Philippians 2: 3-4
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
Luke 15: 4
Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
Major Documents
Major Documents
Documents
Fratelli Tutti On Fraternity and Social Friendship | Francis | 2020
In today’s world, the sense of belonging to a single human family is fading, and the dream of working together for justice and peace seems an outdated utopia. What reigns instead is a cool, comfortable and globalised indifference, born of deep disillusionment concealed behind a deceptive illusion: thinking that we are all-powerful, while failing to realise that we are all in the same boat.
Pope Francis, 2020
- Encyclical Letter | Fratelli Tutti"With these words, Saint Francis of Assisi addressed his brothers and sisters and proposed to them a way of life marked by the flavour of the Gospel. Of the counsels Francis offered, I would like to select the one in which he calls for a love that transcends the barriers of geography and distance, and declares blessed all those who love their brother “as much when he is far away from him as when he is with him”. In his simple and direct way, Saint Francis expressed the essence of a fraternal openness that allows us to acknowledge, appreciate and love each person, regardless of physical proximity, regardless of where he or she was born or lives."
- “Fratelli tutti”: short summary of Pope Francis's Social Encyclical | Vatican News"Fraternity and social friendship are the ways the Pontiff indicates to build a better, more just and peaceful world, with the contribution of all: people and institutions. With an emphatic confirmation of a ‘no’ to war and to globalized indifference ... "
- Fratelli Tutti – Brothers and Sisters All"Issued in 2020 on the vigil of the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, Fratelli Tutti is clearly shaped by the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet the text reveals that Pope Francis was already writing the encyclical at the time when the pandemic struck (n 7). It is a response to “present-day attempts to eliminate or ignore others” and instead to promote “a new vision of fraternity and social friendship” (n 6). The encyclical appeals to all to “acknowledge, appreciate and love each person, regardless of physical proximity, regardless of where he or she was born or lives” (n 1). "
- Brothers and Sisters All"Pope Francis’ new encyclical Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship, issues a strong challenge to xenophobia and an exaggerated focus on national self-interest. It encourages social and economic inclusion at all levels and stresses that all human beings are sisters and brothers, members of one human family. This is a timely message for Australia."
- What is Fratelli Tutti?: Your questions answered on Pope Francis' encyclical"The Vatican released the much-anticipated encyclical by Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti on 4 October 2020, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. This Q&A includes an encyclical definition and a look at what Pope Francis’ encyclical means for the world we hope to see."
Laudato Si'
Laudato Si' On the Care of Our Common Home | Francis | 2015
Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change.
Pope Francis, 2015
- Encyclical Letter | Laudato Si'"“LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”."
- Laudato Si’"Pope Francis issued his first social encyclical, Laudato Si’ in 2015. It takes its name from St Francis of Assisi’s famous Canticle of the Creatures and is also known by the English title On Care for Our Common Home. By 2015 most scientists were convinced that climate change was causing an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events, rising sea levels, threatening the existence of some species due to changes in habitat, and causing an increase in the global mean temperature. The twenty-first conference of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) was to take place in Paris 30 November – 11 December 2015. The timing of the encyclical seemed intended to encourage Catholic action in the lead up to this important event and to keep the spotlight on the need for effective international action. But Laudato Si’ is not just an encyclical on climate change ... "
- Laudato Si’ Action Plan"The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference launched its Laudato Si’ Action Plan on 5 June, World Environment Day, outlining practical responses to Pope Francis’ landmark 2015 encyclical letter, Laudato Si’ ... "
- Best Laudato Si’ summary"But to be clear, the best way to fully understand Laudato Si’ and Pope Francis’ teachings isn’t by reading a Laudato Si’ summary; it’s by reading and studying the 184-page encyclical letter. To truly grasp Pope Francis’ messages, you’ll need to read Laudato Si’ more than once. But it also can be helpful to review a Laudato Si’ summary from time to time and remind yourself how Pope Francis, relying on thousands of years of Catholic teaching, calls on all of us to live out our faith by caring for our common home. Below, Laudato Si’ Movement has compiled a handful of helpful Laudato Si’ summaries that, when put into action, will help you bring Pope Francis’ encyclical to life in your community. We’re also sharing our own Laudato Si’ summary about what is Laudato Si’, why this encyclical is so important, and how we can bring Laudato Si’ to life ..."
Evangelii Gaudium (On the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World
Evangelii Gaudium On the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World | Francis | 2013
More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: “Give them something to eat” (Mk 6:37).
Pope Francis, 2013
- Apostolic Exhortation | Evangelii Gaudium"The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come."
- Evangelii Gaudium"Pope Francis issued the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium in 2013. Also known by the English title The Joy of the Gospel, it was his first major teaching document. It is like a manifesto for Francis’ pontificate, addressing a wide range of topics. Although it is a long document, Francis’ conversational style makes it easy to read. He calls all Christians to share the joy of the Gospel and stresses the importance of the social dimension of evangelisation ..."
- Ten years of Evangelii Gaudium: Pope’s call for radical solidarity with the poor" ... The “guiding thread” throughout this sequence, he said, has been “the missionary nature of the Church” – the recognition, that is, that the Church cannot remain closed in itself, but must enter into “dialogue and encounter with today’s world, fragmented and battered as it is." ... "
- Evangelisation: Encounter, Discipleship, Mission"In this document, we will examine evangelisation in our Catholic Tradition. We will do so by reflecting on two key Gospel texts related to the Lord’s evangelising work. From this, we draw some pastoral observations ... "
- A Decade Later, Pope Francis’ ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ Continues To Resonate"“The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew,” Pope Francis wrote in the opening of “Evangelii Gaudium,” a 2013 document many have interpreted as the new pope’s presentation of his vision for the contemporary church ... "
Caritas in Veritate (Integral Human Development in Love and Truth
Caritas in Veritate Integral Human Development in Love and Truth | Benedict XVI | 2009
A society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized.
Pope Benedict XVI, 2009
- Encyclical Letter | Caritas in Veritate"Charity in truth, to which Jesus Christ bore witness by his earthly life and especially by his death and resurrection, is the principal driving force behind the authentic development of every person and of all humanity. Love — caritas — is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace. It is a force that has its origin in God, Eternal Love and Absolute Truth ... "
- Caritas in Veritate"Caritas in Veritate was Pope Benedict XVI’s only encyclical to focus exclusively on social justice matters. Published in 2009, it is the first post Cold War social encyclical ... "
- "Caritas in veritate": Pope Benedict XVI's enyclical 10 years later"Published on 29 June 2009, and coming forty years after Pope St. Paul VI’s Encyclical, Populorum progressio, Caritas in veritate confirms how “charity in truth” is the principal force behind the true development of every person and of all humanity ... "
- Caritas in Veritate Summary: Capstone and New Direction (Part 1 of 5)"A summary of Caritas in Veritate (CIV) begins with understanding its importance and requires recognizing its complexity and ambition and also its simplicity ... "
Centesimus Annus (The One Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum
Centesimus Annus The One Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum | John Paul II | 1991
When there is a question of defending the rights of individuals, the defenseless and the poor have a claim to special consideration. The richer class has many ways of shielding itself, and stands less in need of help from the State; whereas the mass of the poor have no resources of their own to fall back on, and must chiefly depend on the assistance of the State. It is for this reason that wage-earners, since they mostly belong to the latter class, should be specially cared for and protected by the government." (Rerum Novarum)…the more that individuals are defenseless within a given society, the more they require the care and concern of others, and in particular the intervention of governmental authority.
Pope John Paul II, 1991
- Centesimus Annus | Encyclical letter"The Centenary of the promulgation of the Encyclical which begins with the words "Rerum novarum",1 by my predecessor of venerable memory Pope Leo XIII, is an occasion of great importance for the present history of the Church and for my own Pontificate. It is an Encyclical that has the distinction of having been commemorated by solemn Papal documents from its fortieth anniversary to its ninetieth ... I now wish to propose a "re-reading" of Pope Leo's Encyclical by issuing an invitation to "look back" at the text itself in order to discover anew the richness of the fundamental principles which it formulated for dealing with the question of the condition of workers. But this is also an invitation to "look around" at the "new things" which surround us and in which we find ourselves caught up, very different from the "new things" which characterized the final decade of the last century."
- Centesimus Annus – The Hundredth Year"Pope John Paul II issued his last major social encyclical, Centesimus Annus, in 1991. It commemorates the one hundredth anniversary of Rerum Novarum. Momentous historical events shape its content. Communism fell in much of Eastern Europe in 1989. The Gulf War had just ended, and the USSR would soon collapse. John Paul II’s own involvement in these dramatic events lends additional significance to his reflections ... "
- Pope Francis says quest for the common good is paramount"Pope Francis thanked members of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontefice Foundation for their constant commitment to upholding the centrality of the person, the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity in their work and mission, and he reiterated his belief that “no one is saved alone." ... "
- 1991: Centesimus Annus (The Hundredth Year) Encyclical issued by Pope John Paul II"In the 1991 encyclical Centesimus Annus (The Hundredth Year), Pope John Paul II affirmed the groundbreaking encyclical Rerum Novarum from Pope Leo Xlll in 1891 where the fundamental rights and dignity of workers and work were clearly stated. It addressed any ongoing perceived conflict between the provision of capital and labour, acknowledging work as central to vocation, with a key social dimension that relates directly to the common good ... "
- Centesimus Annus (Hundredth Year)"The encyclical Centesimus Annus was written in 1991 by Pope John Paul II on the one hundredth anniversary of Rerum Novarum. It came on the heels of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. In it John Paul II seeks to conduct a “re-reading” of Pope Leo’s landmark encyclical to re-discover the richness of the fundamental principles in which Rerum Novarum dealt with the condition of workers and the economy as a whole ... "
Sollicitudo rei Socialis
Sollicitudo rei Socialis On Social Concerns | John Paul II | 1987
By sharing the good things you give us, may we secure justice and equality for every human being, an end to all division and a human society built on love and peace.
Pope John Paul II
- Sollicitudo Rei Socialis"The social concern of the Church, directed towards an authentic development of man and society which would respect and promote all the dimensions of the human person, has always expressed itself in the most varied ways. In recent years, one of the special means of intervention has been the Magisterium of the Roman Pontiffs which, beginning with the Encyclical Rerum Novarum of Leo XIII as a point of reference, has frequently dealt with the question and has sometimes made the dates of publication of the various social documents coincide with the anniversaries of that first document ... "
- Sollicitudo Rei Socialis – On Social Concerns"Pope John Paul II’s 1987 social encyclical Sollicitudo rei Socialis marks the twentieth anniversary of Populorum Progressio. Sollicitudo rei Socialis is also known by the English title On Social Concerns. It was the first major Catholic Social Teaching document to mark the anniversary of a social encyclical other than Rerum Novarum ... "
- The sharing of goods and the social function of private property"The Acts of the Apostles tells us that “no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.” This “is not communism; it is Christianity in its pure state.” With these words, Pope Francis, in the Mass celebrated on Divine Mercy Sunday, commented on the sharing of goods realized in the first Christian community ... "
- Who is my neighbour?" ... This year we also mark the 20th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s Encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (On Social Concern). Reflecting on the sinfulness of human beings, John Paul II highlighted two contemporary human actions and attitudes opposed to the will of God: the all-consuming desire for profit and the thirst for power ... "
- Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (The Concern of the Church for the Social Order)"In Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, Pope John Paul II celebrates the twentieth anniversary of Populorum Progressio by updating the Church’s teaching on the “development of peoples” and changes that took place in the preceding two decades ... "
Laborem Exercens
Laborem Exercens On Human Labour | John Paul II | 1981
The word of God’s revelation is profoundly marked by the fundamental truth that man, created in the image of God, shares by his work in the activity of the Creator and that, within the limits of his own human capabilities, man in a sense continues to develop that activity, and perfects it as he advances further and further in the discovery of the resources and values contained in the whole of creation.
Pope John Paul II, 1981
- Laborem Exercens | On Human Work"THROUGH WORK man must earn his daily bread1 and contribute to the continual advance of science and technology and, above all, to elevating unceasingly the cultural and moral level of the society within which he lives in community with those who belong to the same family ... "
- Laborem Exercens – On Human Labour"Pope John Paul II issued Laborem Exercens to mark the ninetieth anniversary of Rerum Novarum. It is also known by the English title On Human Labour. John Paul II’s own experience as a manual labourer and his personalist philosophical ethics shape this social encyclical ... "
- St Joseph the Worker, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patron of Workers" ... The life of St Joseph shows us the dignity of human work, which is the duty and the perfection of human beings, who in this way exercise dominion over creation, share in the work of the Creator, offer their service to the community, and participate in God’s plan of salvation ... "
- Catholic social teaching put to work"The Catholic Church has produced much teaching about the world of work and industrial relations ... "
- Learning from Laborem Exercens" ... That work is a fundamental component of human life is a message of the very first pages of the Bible, St. John Paul II points out in Laborem Exercens. The simple six-word commandment, “Fill the earth and subdue it,” calls us to imitate the Creator. The notion of subduing the earth may seem simple, but it takes in an all the diverse ways we can use the resources of the earth through work ... "
Justice in the World
Justice in the World | Synod of Bishops | 1971
Unless combated and overcome by social and political action, the influence of the new industrial and technological order favors the concentration of wealth, power and decision-making in the hands of a small public or private controlling group. Economic injustice and lack of social participation keep people from attaining their basic human ant civil rights.
- Justice in the World | World Synod of Catholic Bishops | 1971"Gathered from the whole world, in communion with all who believe in Christ and with the entire human family, and opening our hearts to the Spirit who is the whole of creation new, we have questioned ourselves about the mission of the People of God to further justice in the world ... "
- Justicia in Mundo – Justice in the World"The 1971 Synod of Bishops statement Justicia in Mundo is also known as Justice in the World. It is not a social encyclical, or a Papal document, but it is still regarded as one of the major international Catholic Social Teaching documents. Bishops from all over the world gathered in a meeting known as a Synod in 1971. They gathered to read the signs of the times and discern how the Church should respond ... "
- "Justice in the World" at 50: A Call to Action Worthy of Recovery"The Synod of Catholic Bishop’s 1971 document, “Justice in theWorld,”articulates boldly that “action on behalf of justice is a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel. ”Fifty years old, it is timely to assess this document today especially as religious educators address the many forms of inequality in the world. Examininggaps in the church’s approach to racial justice, this paper maintains that lessons learned from the past 50 years might guide future implementation of this important teaching. The paper proposes both activist and contemplative practices to recover the boldness and passion of “Justice in the World ... "
- In 1971, the bishops sounded a call for justice" ... They declared: "Even though it is not for us to elaborate a very profound analysis of the situation of the world, we have nevertheless been able to perceive the serious injustices which are building around the world of men a network of domination, oppression and abuses which stifle freedom and which keep the greater part of humanity from sharing in the building up of a more just and more fraternal world." ... "
Populorum Progressio
Populorum Progressio On the Development of Peoples | Paul VI | 1967
Development cannot be limited to mere economic growth. In order to be authentic, it must be complete: integral, that is, it has to promote the good of every person and of all humanity.
- Populorum Progressio | Encyclical of Pope Paul VI | On the Development of the Peoples"The progressive development of peoples is an object of deep interest and concern to the Church. This is particularly true in the case of those peoples who are trying to escape the ravages of hunger, poverty, endemic disease and ignorance; of those who are seeking a larger share in the benefits of civilization and a more active improvement of their human qualities; of those who are consciously striving for fuller growth ... "
- Populorum Progressio – On Development"Pope Paul VI issued the social encyclical Populorum Progressio in 1967. It is also known by the English title On the Progress of Peoples. As the 1960s progressed the hopes of former colonies for freedom and economic development met many obstacles. Conflicts, poverty and inequality seemed to be growing ... "
- Pope suppresses Populorum Progressio Foundation, but mission continues"Pope Francis establishes the Populorum Progressio Fund, and tells members of the former Foundation that the Synodal journey must help the Church become more “Samaritan,” comforting, and engaging in order to “touch the wounds of Christ’s suffering flesh in His people ... "
- 'Populorum Progressio' in context after 50 years"... Populorum Progressio gave a notable impetus to the Catholic Church’s participation in the effort to reduce and eventually eliminate poverty and discrimination in the world. Its message retains its relevance today where aspirations for global justice are still so far from being realized ... "
- 50 years of humble progress: on the anniversary of Populorum Progressio"Populorum Progressio was a call to all people of good will to be scandalised by poverty and inequality in the world. The encyclical’s core message was that the Church cannot be indifferent to this reality, and that those who ignore it do so at their own risk. Fifty years after its promulgation, considering that extreme poverty has not gone away and inequality has become even more grotesque, the papal wake-up call still rings loud and clear ... "
Gaudium et Spes
Gaudium et Spes Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World | Vatican II |1965
The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.
- Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World | Gaudium et Spes"The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community composed of men. United in Christ, they are led by the Holy Spirit in their journey to the Kingdom of their Father and they have welcomed the news of salvation which is meant for every man. That is why this community realizes that it is truly linked with mankind and its history by the deepest of bonds ... "
- Gaudium et Spes – The Church in the Modern World"Vatican II was a major event in the life of the Catholic Church. It took place at a time of rapid social and economic change. Former colonies were gaining independence. New technologies promised material progress but also held dangers. It was a time of tension between communism and the West. Gaudium et Spes, Vatican II’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, appeared in 1965. Its presentation of the role of the Church in the world marked a major development in the understanding of the place of work for justice in the mission of the Church ... "
- An overview of the Second Vatican Council"Pope John XXIII officially opened the Second Vatican Council on 11 October 1962 during a solemn ceremony inside St. Peter's Basilica, setting in motion a 4-year event which would see the Church open her doors to the world in a process of “updating” (in Italian: "aggiornamento") for the contemporary age ... "
- 1965: Vatican II Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes (‘Joys and Hopes’)"This important document emphasised a theology of Christian mission, describing the church as “leaven in the world” (Gaudium et Spes, 40). The church was called to play an active part in shaping the wider world, offering the gift of Christ in dialogue with all people in a collaborative model. All Christians, by virtue of their baptism, were invited and empowered to proclaim the Gospel by their lives and their living. This call to holiness was not reserved only for some but open to all, with the strong formation of Christian conscience considered a primary consideration and need ... "
- Gaudium et Spes (Hope and Joy)"Gaudium et Spes was issued when the Second Vatican Council ended in 1965. The document summarizes the council and gives an outline of the Church’s social teachings in a changing world .. "
Pacem in Terris
Pacem in Terris Peace on Earth | John XXIII | 1963
This means that, if any government does not acknowledge the rights of the human person or violates them, it not only fails in its duty, but its orders completely lack juridical force.
- Pacem in Terris | Encyclical of Pope John XXIII on Establishing Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, Charity and, Liberty"Peace on Earth—which man throughout the ages has so longed for and sought after—can never be established, never guaranteed, except by the diligent observance of the divinely established order ... "
- Pacem in Terris – Peace on Earth"When Pope John XXIII issued Pacem in Terris in 1963, the Second Vatican Council was still in progress. It was the time of the Cold War, the erection of the Berlin Wall, and a growing threat of nuclear war. In fact Pacem in Terris was a response to the Cuban missile crisis in which the world narrowly avoided a nuclear war. It is also known by the English title Peace on Earth ... "
- A timely but neglected encyclical"Sixty years after its publication, John XXIII's "Pacem in terris" retains a strong relevance in the world of piecemeal warfare that fails to "disarm the heart." ... "
- Choose Peace"The first major international Catholic Social Teaching document to address nuclear weapons was Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth). It was issued by Pope John XXIII in 1963 in the wake of the Cuban missile crisis. He lamented the resources diverted by the arms race from urgent human needs and rejected the argument that a balance of arms was necessary for the maintenance of peace (n 109-110). Pope John XXIII called attention to the constant fear created by the possibility of the intentional or “unexpected and unpremeditated” use of nuclear weapons and concluded that “the mere continuance of nuclear tests, undertaken with war in mind, can seriously jeopardize various kinds of life on earth” (n 111). His words remain strikingly contemporary ... "
- The Teaching and Methodology of Pacem in Terris"Pacem in Terris, Pope John XIII’s 1963 encyclical, is one of a series of hierarchical Catholic Church documents, beginning with Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891), which addresses the social problems facing society. Pope John Paul II and many others refer to these documents as Catholic social teaching,1 although all recognize that, in the broad sense, Catholic social teaching involves much more than just these documents. The documents of Catholic social teaching will furnish the primary lens through which this essay will discuss three aspects of Pacem in Terris—its methodology, its social teaching, and its optimism ... "
Mater et Magistra
Mater et Magistra Christianity and Social Progress | John XXIII | 1961
It is necessary that public authorities have a correct understanding of the common good. This embraces the sum total of those conditions of social living, whereby people are enabled more fully and more readily to achieve their own perfection.
- Mater Et Magistra | Encyclical of Pope John XXIII on Christrianity and Social Progress"Mother and Teacher of all nations—such is the Catholic Church in the mind of her Founder, Jesus Christ; to hold the world in an embrace of love, that men, in every age, should find in her their own completeness in a higher order of living, and their ultimate salvation. She is "the pillar and ground of the truth." To her was entrusted by her holy Founder the twofold task of giving life to her children and of teaching them and guiding them—both as individuals and as nations—with maternal care. Great is their dignity, a dignity which she has always guarded most zealously and held in the highest esteem ... "
- Mater et Magistra – On Christianity & Social Progress"Pope John XXIII issued Mater et Magistra in 1961. It is also known by the English title On Christianity and Social Progress. It celebrates the seventieth anniversary of Rerum Novarum ... "
- Religion: Mater et Magistra"The most important social statement of the Roman Catholic Church in recent centuries has been a document known as Rerum Novarum (Of New Things)* issued on May 15, 1891 by 81-year-old Leo XIII as a papal encyclical—an open letter to the bishops of the church. Dealing directly and forcibly with the social ills facing the world at the turn of the century, it condemned socialism as immoral but supported trade unions and higher wages, state regulation of industry and broader distribution of property and wealth. Brought up to date 40 years later by Pope Pius XI, it is the starting point of modern Catholic social thought, and the ideological bedrock on which today's huge Christian Democratic parties in Italy, Germany and Belgium are founded ... "
Quadragesimo Anno
Quadragesimo Anno After Forty Years | Pius XI | 1931
...the riches that economic-social developments constantly increase ought to be so distributed among individual persons and classes that ... the common good of all society will be kept inviolate.
- Quadragesimo Anno | Encyclical of Pope Pius XI on Reconstruction of the Social Order"Forty years have passed since Leo XIII's peerless Encyclical, On the Condition of Workers, first saw the light, and the whole Catholic world, filled with grateful recollection, is undertaking to commemorate it with befitting solemnity. Other Encyclicals of Our Predecessor had in a way prepared the path for that outstanding document and proof of pastoral care: namely, those on the family and the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony as the source of human society, on the origin of civil authority and its proper relations with the Church, on the chief duties of Christian citizens, against the tenets of Socialism against false teachings on human liberty, and others of the same nature fully expressing the mind of Leo XIII. Yet the Encyclical, On the Condition of Workers, compared with the rest had this special distinction that at a time when it was most opportune and actually necessary to do so, it laid down for all mankind the surest rules to solve aright that difficult problem of human relations called "the social question ... "
- Quadragesimo Anno"The world was in the grip of the Great Depression when Pope Pius XI issued Quadragesimo Anno. Published in 1931, it celebrated the fortieth anniversary of Rerum Novarum. The encyclical is also known by the English title On the Reconstruction of the Social Order. After World War I class struggle was becoming more bitter and totalitarian regimes were on the rise in Europe. Pius XI updates Leo XIII’s teachings, builds on them, and applies them to his contemporary situation ... "
- Pope to priests: Seek to eradicate all forms of inequality"On the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the election of Pope Pius XI to the See of Peter, Pope Francis met Monday with the community of the Pontifical Lombard Seminary of Saints Ambrose and Charles in Urbe ... "
- Catholic Social Doctrine Linked by Encyclicals Rerum Novarum and Quadragesimo Anno"There is a temptation, perhaps unique to Catholics in the United States, to read Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum (On Capital and Labor), 130 years old today, through a kind of nostalgic haze. It evokes images of working people of Irish, Italian and Polish descent moving between factory floors, packed parishes, a variety of often Church-related social organizations and, of course, the voting booths of great cities, where they made up the backbone of the Democratic Party for generations ... "
Rerum Novarum
Rerum Novarum On the Condition of the Working Classes | Leo XIII | 1891
The oppressed workers, above all, ought to be liberated from the savagery of greedy men, who inordinately use human beings as things for gain. Assuredly, neither justice nor humanity can countenance the exaction of so much work that the spirit is dulled from excessive toil and that along with it the body sinks crushed from exhaustion. The working energy of a man, like his entire nature, is circumscribed by definite limits beyond which it cannot go.
- Rerum Novarum | Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII on Capital and Labor"That the spirit of revolutionary change, which has long been disturbing the nations of the world, should have passed beyond the sphere of politics and made its influence felt in the cognate sphere of practical economics is not surprising. The elements of the conflict now raging are unmistakable, in the vast expansion of industrial pursuits and the marvellous discoveries of science; in the changed relations between masters and workmen; in the enormous fortunes of some few individuals, and the utter poverty of the masses; the increased self reliance and closer mutual combination of the working classes; as also, finally, in the prevailing moral degeneracy ... "
- Rerum Novarum – On the Condition of the Working Classes"Issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, this encyclical letter explores the conditions of the working classes in the wake of the industrial revolution. Critics say the Church arrived a little late and out of breath on this issue. Pope Leo XIII’s response was not quick, but this meant he was able to draw on experience. Catholic thinkers such as Archbishop von Kettler and various Catholic social movements had been responding to the poverty and exploitation of wage labourers for several decades. Their work and their thinking informed the Pope’s teaching ... "
- Cardinal Czerny: Church’s preferential option for poor is not ideology"“The preferential option for the poor is neither ideological nor does it correspond to a political vision of the Church, it is instead a choice born of the encounter with Christ” ... "
- Rerum Novarum (Of New Things)"Pope Leo XIII wrote the encyclical Rerum Novarum as the industrial revolution and political change swept across Europe. The relationship between employers and employees was changing dramatically. Individuals had become wealthy, but most remained poor even though they worked hard. Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical spoke of the condition of the working classes during a time when many advocated revolution ... "
catholic bishops
- Caritas New Zealand - The Common GoodThe Good of Each and All
Commitment to the common good means respecting the rights and responsibilities of all people.
Our actions have an impact on wider society. It is up to every one of us – governments, communities and
individuals – to promote the common good. When we make decisions, we should choose to consider the good of all.
No one should miss out on the opportunity to grow and fulfil their potential. Each and every person deserves to have what they need to survive and flourish.
Australian Catholic bishops Social Justice Statements
Australian Catholic Bishops Social Justice Statements
Social Justice Statement | Truth and Peace 2024-25
- Resources on the Social Justice Statement 2-24-25 | Truth and Peace"In 1963, the world was on the brink of nuclear war. It was at that time that Pope St. John XXIII issued his ground breaking encyclical letter, Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth). It was a heart-felt plea to the Church and all people of goodwill for an end to war and for the banning of nuclear weapons. He promoted a peace which is grounded in the inalienable and inviolable dignity of every person. His successors up to the present have echoed the same impassioned plea ... "
social justice statement | A Place to Call Home: Making a home for everyone in our land
- Resources on the Social Justice Statement 2018-19 | Social Justice Statement: A Place to Call Home: Making a home for everyone in our land"The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Statement for 2018–19 is titled A Place to Call Home: Making a home for everyone in our land. It confronts the growing challenge of homelessness and housing insecurity in Australia ... "
social justice statement | Everyone’s Business: Developing an inclusive and sustainable economy
- Resources on the Social Justice Statement 2017-18 | Everyone’s Business: Developing an inclusive and sustainable economy"Pope Francis has called for an economic system that places men and women at the very centre – one that meets the needs of all people and is just and sustainable. He denounces economic structures that take a purely utilitarian view of human beings, treating them as mere elements of production, to be thrown away if they are not seen as useful or productive. The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Statement for 2017–18 is titled ‘Everyone’s Business: Developing an inclusive and sustainable economy’. The Bishops call for an economy that is founded on justice and offers dignity and inclusion to every person ... "