Catholic Social Teaching
(Excerpted from “Committed Social Engagement: Catholic Social Teaching at Work in Society (College Textbook), Winifredo T. Nierras, Ph.D, Kindle Self-Publishing, ISBN: 9781073002276, pp. 34-43, June 10, 2019)
Catholic Social Teaching (also known as Catholic Social Doctrine) sums up the teachings of the Catholic Church on social engagement and social justice issues. It promotes a vision of a just society that is grounded in the Bible and in the wisdom gathered from experience by the Christian community as it has responded to social justice issues throughout history.
Saint Pope John Paul II stated that the Catholic Social Teaching is:
The accurate formulation of the results of a careful reflection on the complex realities of human existence, in society and in the international order, in the light of the faith and of the Church’s tradition. Its main aim is to interpret these realities, determining their conformity with or divergence from the lines of the Gospel teaching on the human person and his/her vocation, which is at once earthly and transcendent; its aim is thus to guide Christian behavior.[1]
The Catholic Social Teaching is making use of social sciences but its perspective is always moral, and it is essentially, “a body of wisdom that can help us live justly in the contemporary world.”[2] Given its moral perspective, the human person is central, as “the Church’s social doctrine focuses especially on the human person as s/he is involved in a complex network of relationships within modern societies. The human sciences and philosophy are helpful for interpreting the human person’s central place within society and for enabling her/him to understand her/himself better as a social being. However, the human person’s true identity is only fully revealed to her/him through faith, and it is precisely from faith that the Church’s social teaching begins.”[3]
The Catholic Social Teaching is not an ideology[4] nor a social theory.[5] The Second Vatican Council has explained this well. It says:
The Church has no models to present; models that are real and truly effective can only arise within the framework of different historical situations, through the efforts of all those who responsibly confront concrete problems in all their social, economic, political and cultural aspects, as these interact with one another.[6]
For such a task the Church offers her social teaching as an indispensable and ideal orientation, a teaching which, as already mentioned, recognizes the positive value of the market and of enterprise, but which at the same time points out that these must be oriented towards the common good.[7]
The Catholic Social Teaching is embodied in the encyclical. An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. The word comes from Latin encyclia meaning “general” or “encircling.” For the modern Catholic Church, a Papal encyclical is a letter, sent by the Pope and addressed either to the Catholic bishops or more usually to a much wider audience including “all of those of goodwill”. Papal encyclicals are so famous that the term encyclical is now used almost exclusively for those sent out by the Pope. The title of the encyclical was usually taken from its first few words in Latin. Some find the Latin pronunciation difficult so increasingly some documents are referred to in English. In Latin or English, the first few words do not give a great indication of the content of a papal document – but normally there will be a subheading in English which will give a much clearer idea of the content of a document.[8]
[1] Cf. Saint Pope John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, no. 41
[2] Cf. Krietemeyer, Ronald. Leaven for the Modern World: Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Education. Washington, DC: National Catholic Education Association, 2000, p. 20
[3] Cf. Saint Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, no. 54
[4] Specific blueprint for particular politico-economic system
[5] Specific framework of analysis derived from the social sciences
[6] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, no. 36; Pope Paul VI, Octogesima Adveniens, nos. 2-5
[7] Cf. Saint Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, no. 43
[8] Cf. Catholic Encyclopedia, Catholic On-line. www.catholic.org
Saint Pope John Paul II stated that the Catholic Social Teaching is:
The accurate formulation of the results of a careful reflection on the complex realities of human existence, in society and in the international order, in the light of the faith and of the Church’s tradition. Its main aim is to interpret these realities, determining their conformity with or divergence from the lines of the Gospel teaching on the human person and his/her vocation, which is at once earthly and transcendent; its aim is thus to guide Christian behavior.[1]
The Catholic Social Teaching is making use of social sciences but its perspective is always moral, and it is essentially, “a body of wisdom that can help us live justly in the contemporary world.”[2] Given its moral perspective, the human person is central, as “the Church’s social doctrine focuses especially on the human person as s/he is involved in a complex network of relationships within modern societies. The human sciences and philosophy are helpful for interpreting the human person’s central place within society and for enabling her/him to understand her/himself better as a social being. However, the human person’s true identity is only fully revealed to her/him through faith, and it is precisely from faith that the Church’s social teaching begins.”[3]
The Catholic Social Teaching is not an ideology[4] nor a social theory.[5] The Second Vatican Council has explained this well. It says:
The Church has no models to present; models that are real and truly effective can only arise within the framework of different historical situations, through the efforts of all those who responsibly confront concrete problems in all their social, economic, political and cultural aspects, as these interact with one another.[6]
For such a task the Church offers her social teaching as an indispensable and ideal orientation, a teaching which, as already mentioned, recognizes the positive value of the market and of enterprise, but which at the same time points out that these must be oriented towards the common good.[7]
The Catholic Social Teaching is embodied in the encyclical. An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. The word comes from Latin encyclia meaning “general” or “encircling.” For the modern Catholic Church, a Papal encyclical is a letter, sent by the Pope and addressed either to the Catholic bishops or more usually to a much wider audience including “all of those of goodwill”. Papal encyclicals are so famous that the term encyclical is now used almost exclusively for those sent out by the Pope. The title of the encyclical was usually taken from its first few words in Latin. Some find the Latin pronunciation difficult so increasingly some documents are referred to in English. In Latin or English, the first few words do not give a great indication of the content of a papal document – but normally there will be a subheading in English which will give a much clearer idea of the content of a document.[8]
[1] Cf. Saint Pope John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, no. 41
[2] Cf. Krietemeyer, Ronald. Leaven for the Modern World: Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Education. Washington, DC: National Catholic Education Association, 2000, p. 20
[3] Cf. Saint Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, no. 54
[4] Specific blueprint for particular politico-economic system
[5] Specific framework of analysis derived from the social sciences
[6] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, no. 36; Pope Paul VI, Octogesima Adveniens, nos. 2-5
[7] Cf. Saint Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, no. 43
[8] Cf. Catholic Encyclopedia, Catholic On-line. www.catholic.org
Nature of Church’s Social Doctrine[1]
1. Knowledge illuminated by faith
The Church's social doctrine was not initially thought of as an organic system but was formed over the course of time, through the numerous interventions of the Magisterium on social issues, a decisive clarification in this regard was made in the Encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: The Church's social doctrine “belongs to the field, not of ideology, but of theology and particularly of moral theology” (no. 72). The Church's social doctrine is therefore of a theological nature, specifically theological-moral, “since it is a doctrine aimed at guiding people's behavior.” “This teaching is to be found at the crossroads where Christian life and conscience come into contact with the real world. In fact, this social doctrine reflects three levels of theological-moral teaching: the foundational level of motivations; the directive level of norms for life in society; the deliberative level of consciences, called to mediate objective and general norms in concrete and particular social situations. These three levels implicitly define also the proper method and specific epistemological structure of the social doctrine of the Church (no. 73).
The Church's social doctrine finds its essential foundation in biblical revelation and in the tradition of the Church. From this source, which comes from above, it draws inspiration and light to understand, judge and guide human experience and history (no. 74). Faith and reason represent the two cognitive paths of the Church's social doctrine: Revelation and human nature. The “knowing” of faith understands and directs the life of men and women according to the light of the historical-salvific mystery, God's revelation and gift of himself to us in Christ. This understanding of faith includes reason, by means of which — insofar as possible — it unravels and comprehends revealed truth and integrates it with the truth of human nature, found in the divine plan expressed in creation. The Church's social doctrine is knowledge enlightened by faith, which, as such, is the expression of a greater capacity for knowledge (no. 75).
2. Society reconciled in justice and love
The Church's social doctrine has the task of proclamation, but also of denunciation. In the first place it is the proclamation of what the Church possesses as proper to herself: “a view of man and of human affairs in their totality.” This is done not only on the level of principles but also in practice. The Church's social doctrine, in fact, offers not only meaning, value and criteria of judgment, but also the norms and directives of action that arise from these. With her social doctrine the Church does not attempt to structure or organize society, but to appeal to, guide and form consciences. This social doctrine also entails a duty to denounce, when sin is present. By denunciation, the Church's social doctrine becomes judge and defender of unrecognized and violated rights, especially those of the poor, the least and the weak (no. 81). The intent of the Church's social doctrine is of the religious and moral order. Religious because the Church's evangelizing and salvific mission embraces man “in the full truth of his existence, of his personal being and also of his community and social being.” Moral because the Church aims at a “complete form of humanism,” that is to say, at the “liberation from everything that oppresses man” and “the development of the whole man and of all men” (no. 82).
3. Message for the Church and for humanity
In the tasks of evangelization, that is to say, of teaching, catechesis and formation that the Church's social doctrine inspires, it is addressed to every Christian, each according to the competence, charisms, office and mission of proclamation that is proper to each one. This social doctrine implies as well responsibilities regarding the building, organization and functioning of society, that is to say, political, economic and administrative obligations — obligations of a secular nature — which belong to the lay faithful, not to priests or religious. These responsibilities belong to the laity in a distinctive manner, by reason of the secular condition of their state of life, and of the secular nature of their vocation. By fulfilling these responsibilities, the lay faithful put the Church's social teaching into action and thus fulfill the Church's secular mission (no. 83).
Besides being destined primarily and specifically to the sons and daughters of the Church, her social doctrine also has a universal destination. It is to all people — in the name of mankind, of human dignity which is one and unique, and of humanity's care and promotion of society — to everyone in the name of the one God, Creator and ultimate end of man, that the Church's social doctrine is addressed. This social doctrine is a teaching explicitly addressed to all people of good will (no. 84).
4. Continuity and renewal
The Church's social doctrine does not depend on the different cultures, ideologies or opinions; it is a constant teaching that “remains identical in its fundamental inspiration, in its ‘principles of reflection', in its ‘criteria of judgment', in its basic ‘directives for action', and above all in its vital link with the Gospel of the Lord.” This is the foundational and permanent nucleus of the Church's social doctrine; by which it moves through history without being conditioned by history or running the risk of fading away. On the other hand, in its constant turning to history and in engaging the events taking place, the Church's social doctrine shows a capacity for continuous renewal (no. 85).
[1] This section is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
1. Knowledge illuminated by faith
The Church's social doctrine was not initially thought of as an organic system but was formed over the course of time, through the numerous interventions of the Magisterium on social issues, a decisive clarification in this regard was made in the Encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: The Church's social doctrine “belongs to the field, not of ideology, but of theology and particularly of moral theology” (no. 72). The Church's social doctrine is therefore of a theological nature, specifically theological-moral, “since it is a doctrine aimed at guiding people's behavior.” “This teaching is to be found at the crossroads where Christian life and conscience come into contact with the real world. In fact, this social doctrine reflects three levels of theological-moral teaching: the foundational level of motivations; the directive level of norms for life in society; the deliberative level of consciences, called to mediate objective and general norms in concrete and particular social situations. These three levels implicitly define also the proper method and specific epistemological structure of the social doctrine of the Church (no. 73).
The Church's social doctrine finds its essential foundation in biblical revelation and in the tradition of the Church. From this source, which comes from above, it draws inspiration and light to understand, judge and guide human experience and history (no. 74). Faith and reason represent the two cognitive paths of the Church's social doctrine: Revelation and human nature. The “knowing” of faith understands and directs the life of men and women according to the light of the historical-salvific mystery, God's revelation and gift of himself to us in Christ. This understanding of faith includes reason, by means of which — insofar as possible — it unravels and comprehends revealed truth and integrates it with the truth of human nature, found in the divine plan expressed in creation. The Church's social doctrine is knowledge enlightened by faith, which, as such, is the expression of a greater capacity for knowledge (no. 75).
2. Society reconciled in justice and love
The Church's social doctrine has the task of proclamation, but also of denunciation. In the first place it is the proclamation of what the Church possesses as proper to herself: “a view of man and of human affairs in their totality.” This is done not only on the level of principles but also in practice. The Church's social doctrine, in fact, offers not only meaning, value and criteria of judgment, but also the norms and directives of action that arise from these. With her social doctrine the Church does not attempt to structure or organize society, but to appeal to, guide and form consciences. This social doctrine also entails a duty to denounce, when sin is present. By denunciation, the Church's social doctrine becomes judge and defender of unrecognized and violated rights, especially those of the poor, the least and the weak (no. 81). The intent of the Church's social doctrine is of the religious and moral order. Religious because the Church's evangelizing and salvific mission embraces man “in the full truth of his existence, of his personal being and also of his community and social being.” Moral because the Church aims at a “complete form of humanism,” that is to say, at the “liberation from everything that oppresses man” and “the development of the whole man and of all men” (no. 82).
3. Message for the Church and for humanity
In the tasks of evangelization, that is to say, of teaching, catechesis and formation that the Church's social doctrine inspires, it is addressed to every Christian, each according to the competence, charisms, office and mission of proclamation that is proper to each one. This social doctrine implies as well responsibilities regarding the building, organization and functioning of society, that is to say, political, economic and administrative obligations — obligations of a secular nature — which belong to the lay faithful, not to priests or religious. These responsibilities belong to the laity in a distinctive manner, by reason of the secular condition of their state of life, and of the secular nature of their vocation. By fulfilling these responsibilities, the lay faithful put the Church's social teaching into action and thus fulfill the Church's secular mission (no. 83).
Besides being destined primarily and specifically to the sons and daughters of the Church, her social doctrine also has a universal destination. It is to all people — in the name of mankind, of human dignity which is one and unique, and of humanity's care and promotion of society — to everyone in the name of the one God, Creator and ultimate end of man, that the Church's social doctrine is addressed. This social doctrine is a teaching explicitly addressed to all people of good will (no. 84).
4. Continuity and renewal
The Church's social doctrine does not depend on the different cultures, ideologies or opinions; it is a constant teaching that “remains identical in its fundamental inspiration, in its ‘principles of reflection', in its ‘criteria of judgment', in its basic ‘directives for action', and above all in its vital link with the Gospel of the Lord.” This is the foundational and permanent nucleus of the Church's social doctrine; by which it moves through history without being conditioned by history or running the risk of fading away. On the other hand, in its constant turning to history and in engaging the events taking place, the Church's social doctrine shows a capacity for continuous renewal (no. 85).
[1] This section is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.