Teachings of the Catholic Church
That
O'Reilly Continually Trashes
Bill O'Reilly constantly expresses views about
how society and our economy should be organized which not only directly
contradict the teachings[1] of the Catholic Church on these issues, but
ridicule these teachings. Following are the specific teachings he
trashes:
The
world's resources were meant for all to share equitably, so that each
individual and people have a sufficient share:
It is
necessary to state once more the characteristic principle of Christian social
doctrine: the goods of this world are originally meant for all… The right to
private property is valid and necessary, but it does not nullify the value of
this principle. Private property, in fact, is under a "social
mortgage"… which means that it has an intrinsically social function, based
upon and justified precisely by the principle of the universal destination of
goods. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
God gave
the earth to the whole human race for the sustenance of all its members, without
excluding or favoring anyone. Centesimus Annus
One of
the greatest injustices in the contemporary world consists precisely in this:
that the ones who possess much are relatively few and those who possess almost
nothing are many. It is the injustice of the poor distribution of the goods and
services originally intended for all. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[2]
Christian
duty must be similarly global in scope, our responsibility being to all of
humanity:
Sacred
Scripture continually speaks to us of an active commitment to our neighbor and
demands of us a shared responsibility for all of humanity. This duty is not
limited to one's own family, nation or state, but extends progressively to all
humankind, since no one can consider himself extraneous or indifferent to the
lot of another member of the human family. No one can say that he is not responsible
for the well-being of his brother or sister (cf. Gen 4:9; Lk 10:29-37; Mt
25:31-46). Attentive and pressing concern for one's neighbor in a moment of
need [is] made easier today because of the new means of communication which
have brought people closer together… Centesimus Annus
Today
more than in the past, the Church's social doctrine must be open to an
international outlook... [G]iven the worldwide dimension which the social
question has assumed… this love of the preference for the poor, and the
decisions which it inspires in us, cannot but embrace the immense multitudes of
the hungry, the needy, the homeless, those without medical care and, above all,
those without hope of a better future. It is impossible not to take account of
the existence of these realities. To ignore them would mean becoming like the
"rich man" who pretended not to know the beggar Lazarus lying at his
gate (cf. Lk 16:19-31) Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[3]
The
market alone can not address all human needs, and its shortcomings need to be addressed:
[T]here
are many human needs which find no place on the market. It is a strict duty of
justice and truth not to allow fundamental human needs to remain unsatisfied,
and not to allow those burdened by such needs to perish… Even prior to the
logic of a fair exchange of goods and the forms of justice appropriate to it,
there exists something which is due to the person because he is a person, by
reason of his lofty dignity. Inseparable from that required
"something" is the possibility to survive and, at the same time, to make
an active contribution to the common good of humanity. Centesimus
Annus
[I]f
globalization is ruled merely by the laws of the market applied to suit the
powerful, the consequences cannot but be negative. These are, for example, the absolutizing
of the economy, unemployment, the reduction and deterioration of public
services, the destruction of the environment and natural resources, the growing
distance between rich and poor, unfair competition which puts the poor nations
in a situation of ever increasing inferiority… While acknowledging the positive
values which come with globalization, the Church considers with concern the
negative aspects which follow in its wake. Ecclesia in America
There is
certainly a legitimate sphere of autonomy in economic life which the State
should not enter. The State, however, has the task of determining the juridical
framework within which economic affairs are to be conducted, and thus of
safeguarding the prerequisites of a free economy, which presumes a certain
equality between the parties, such that one party would not be so powerful as
practically to reduce the other to subservience. Centesimus Annus [4]
The
existence of unjust political and economic structures must be recognized:
[O]ne
must denounce the existence of economic, financial and social mechanisms which,
although they are manipulated by people, often function almost automatically,
thus accentuating the situation of wealth for some and poverty for the rest. Solicitudo
Rei Socialis [5]
So
harmful are these structures that they can even be called "structures of
sin":
If the
present situation can be attributed to difficulties of various kinds, it is not
out of place to speak of "structures of sin"... "Sin" and
"structures of sin" are categories which are seldom applied to the
situation of the contemporary world. However, one cannot easily gain a profound
understanding of the reality that confronts us unless we give a name to the
root of the evils which afflict us. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[6]
These
"structures of sin" have created a scandalous situation where the
poor are actually becoming ever more numerous:
[T]he
leaders of nations and the heads of International Bodies... should not forget
to give precedence to the phenomenon of growing poverty. Unfortunately, instead
of becoming fewer the poor are becoming more numerous, not only in less
developed countries but--and this seems no less scandalous--in the more
developed ones too. Solicitudo
Rei Socialis
[T]he
poor are becoming ever more numerous, victims of specific policies and structures
which are often unjust. Ecclesia in America
[7]
Working to remove these structural injustices, or
"structures of sin," is critical, so much so that even the Vatican
itself will become involved:
It is a
question not only of alleviating the most serious and urgent needs through
individual actions here and there, but of uncovering the roots of evil and
proposing initiatives to make social, political and economic structures more
just and fraternal. Ecclesia in America
[8]
Once
more I express the hope, which the Synod Fathers made their own, that the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace together with other competent
agencies, such as the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of
State, "through study and dialogue with representatives of the First World
and with the leaders of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund,
will seek ways of resolving the problem of the foreign debt and produce
guidelines that would prevent similar situations from recurring on the occasion
of future loans." Ecclesia in America
Individual
acts of charity are not enough:
This
constant dedication to the poor and disadvantaged emerges in the Church's
social teaching, which ceaselessly invites the Christian community to a
commitment to overcome every form of exploitation and oppression. It is a
question not only of alleviating the most serious and urgent needs through
individual actions here and there, but of uncovering the roots of evil and
proposing initiatives to make social, political and economic structures more
just and fraternal. Ecclesia in America
[9]
A
government role can be appropriate in effectuating the social Gospel:
This applies both
domestically:
This
constant dedication to the poor and disadvantaged emerges in the Church's
social teaching, which ceaselessly invites the Christian community to a
commitment to overcome every form of exploitation and oppression. It is a
question not only of alleviating the most serious and urgent needs through
individual actions here and there, but of uncovering the roots of evil and
proposing initiatives to make social, political and economic structures more
just and fraternal. Ecclesia in America
[10]
as well as internationally:
[T]he
stronger and richer nations must have a sense of moral responsibility for the
other nations, so that a real international system may be established which
will rest on the foundation of the equality of all peoples and on the necessary
respect for their legitimate differences. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[11]
The Vatican itself
will go beyond charitable work and seek to influence governmental and
international bodies:
Once
more I express the hope, which the Synod Fathers made their own, that the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace together with other competent
agencies, such as the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of
State, "through study and dialogue with representatives of the First World
and with the leaders of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund,
will seek ways of resolving the problem of the foreign debt and produce
guidelines that would prevent similar situations from recurring on the occasion
of future loans." Ecclesia in America
Extreme,
life-threatening poverty is caused by injustice, not laziness:
[T]he
poor are becoming ever more numerous, victims of specific policies and
structures which are often unjust. Ecclesia in America
[O]ne
must denounce the existence of economic, financial and social mechanisms which,
although they are manipulated by people, often function almost automatically,
thus accentuating the situation of wealth for some and poverty for the rest. Solicitudo
Rei Socialis
Demonization
of the poor is therefore wrong:
It will
be necessary above all to abandon a mentality in which the poor - as
individuals and as people - are considered a burden, as irksome intruders
trying to consume what others have produced. The poor ask for the right to
share in enjoying material goods and to make use of their capacity to work,
thus creating a world that is more just and prosperous for all. The advancement
of the poor constitutes a great opportunity for the moral, cultural and even economic
growth of all humanity. Centesimus Annus
Love for
others, and in the first place love for the poor, in whom the Church sees
Christ himself, is made concrete in the promotion of justice. Justice will
never be fully attained unless people see in the poor person, who is asking for
help in order to survive, not an annoyance or a burden, but an opportunity for
showing kindness and a chance for greater enrichment. Only such an awareness
can give the courage needed to face the risk and the change involved in every
authentic attempt to come to the aid of another. Centesimus Annus
[12]
Christians
must exercise a "preferential option for the poor":
As far
as the Church is concerned, the social message of the Gospel must not be
considered a theory, but above all else a basis and a motivation for action...
Christ's words "as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren,
you did it to me" (Mt 25:40) were not intended to remain a pious wish, but
were meant to become a concrete life commitment... Love for others, and in the
first place love for the poor, in whom the Church sees Christ himself, is made
concrete in the promotion of justice... Centesimus Annus
It will
not be superfluous… to re-examine and further clarify in this light the
characteristic themes and guidelines dealt with by the Magisterium in recent
years.
Here I would like to indicate one of
them: the option or love of preference for the poor. This is an option, or a
special form of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity, to which the
whole tradition of the Church bears witness. It affects the life of each
Christian inasmuch as he or she seeks to imitate the life of Christ, but it
applies equally to our social responsibilities and hence to our manner of
living, and to the logical decisions to be made concerning the ownership and
use of goods... Our daily life as well as our decisions in the political and
economic fields must be marked by these realities." Solicitudo Rei Socialis [13]
A
living wage is required by fundamental justice:
[I]n
every case a just wage is the concrete means of verifying the justice of the whole
socioeconomic system and, in any case, of checking that it is functioning
justly. It is not the only means of checking, but it is a particularly important
one and in a sense the key means… Just remuneration for the work of an adult
who is responsible for a family means remuneration which will suffice for
establishing and properly maintaining a family and for providing security for
its future. Laborem Exercens
Other Popes have also written
of their support for a living wage:
"[T]he
worker must be paid a wage sufficient to support him and his family. …[I]f this
cannot always be done under existing circumstances, social justice demands that
changes be introduced as soon as possible whereby such a wage will be assured
to every adult workingman." Quadragesimo Anno [14]
Help
for immigrants, even for undocumented aliens, is required:
"Truly,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did
it to me" (Mt 25:40; cf. 25:45). The awareness of communion with Christ
and with our brothers and sisters… leads to the service of our neighbors in all
their needs, material and spiritual, since the face of Christ shines forth in
every human being… It is expressed in Christian love which seeks the good of
others, especially of those most in need.
…Taking the Gospel as its starting-point, a culture of solidarity needs to be
promoted, capable of inspiring timely initiatives in support of the poor and
the outcast, especially refugees forced to leave their villages and lands in
order to flee violence. Ecclesia in America
In its
history, America has experienced many immigrations, as waves of men
and women came to its various regions in the hope of a better future. The
phenomenon continues even today, especially with many people and families from
Latin American countries who have moved to the northern parts of the continent,
to the point where in some cases they constitute a substantial part of the
population... With this in mind, the Synod Fathers recalled that "the
Church in America must be a vigilant advocate, defending against any
unjust restriction the natural right of individual persons to move freely
within their own nation and from one nation to another. Attention must be
called to the rights of migrants and their families and to respect for their
human dignity, even in cases of non-legal immigration." Ecclesia in America
Fundamental
changes in global economic structures and practices are necessary:
·
The interdependence produced by
globalization includes but extends beyond economics, into the moral realm:
[I]t is
already possible to point to the positive and moral value of the growing
awareness of interdependence among individuals and nations. The fact that men
and women in various parts of the world feel personally affected by the
injustices and violations of human rights committed in distant countries,
countries which perhaps they will never visit, is a further sign of a reality
transformed into awareness, thus acquiring a moral connotation....It is above
all a question of interdependence, sensed as a system determining relationships
in the contemporary world, in its economic, cultural, political and religious
elements, and accepted as a moral category. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
·
This broad-scale interdependence
gives rise to a duty towards the suffering called "solidarity":
When
interdependence becomes recognized... the correlative response as a moral and
social attitude, as a "virtue", is solidarity. This then is not a
feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many
people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering
determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say to the good
of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all.
This determination is based on the solid conviction that what is hindering full
development is that desire for profit and that thirst for power already
mentioned. These attitudes and "structures of sin" are only
conquered--presupposing the help of divine grace--by a diametrically opposed
attitude: a commitment to the good of one's neighbor with the readiness, in the
Gospel sense, to "lose oneself" for the sake of the other instead of
exploiting him, and to "serve him" instead of oppressing him for
one's own advantage (cf. Mt 10:40-42; 20: 25; Mk 10: 42-45; Lk 22: 25-27). Solicitudo
Rei Socialis [15]
·
The requirements of solidarity
must inform all analyses of the costs and benefits of globalization:
The
globalized economy must be analyzed in the light of the principles of social
justice, respecting the preferential option for the poor who must be allowed to
take their place in such an economy, and the requirements of the international
common good... The Church in America is called... to cooperate with every
legitimate means in reducing the negative effects of globalization, such as the
domination of the powerful over the weak, especially in the economic sphere,
and the loss of the values of local cultures in favor of a misconstrued
homogenization. Ecclesia in America
A
feature of the contemporary world is the tendency towards globalization... [I]f
globalization is ruled merely by the laws of the market applied to suit the
powerful, the consequences cannot but be negative. These are, for example, the absolutizing
of the economy, unemployment, the reduction and deterioration of public
services, the destruction of the environment and natural resources, the growing
distance between rich and poor, unfair competition which puts the poor nations
in a situation of ever increasing inferiority... While acknowledging the
positive values which come with globalization, the Church considers with
concern the negative aspects which follow in its wake. Ecclesia in America
[16]
·
Such analyses make clear a
Christian duty to create a world economic system that is fair to all (not just
to the richer nations):
By
virtue of her own evangelical duty the Church feels called to take her stand
beside the poor, to discern the justice of their requests, and to help satisfy
them... The same criterion is applied by analogy in international
relationships. Interdependence must be transformed into solidarity, based upon
the principle that the goods of creation are meant for all. That which human
industry produces through the processing of raw materials, with the
contribution of work, must serve equally for the good of all... Surmounting
every type of imperialism and determination to preserve their own hegemony, the
stronger and richer nations must have a sense of moral responsibility for the
other nations, so that a real international system may be established which
will rest on the foundation of the equality of all peoples and on the necessary
respect for their legitimate differences. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[17]
Specific areas that need to
be addressed include:
·
the international trade system
The
international trade system today frequently discriminates against the products
of the young industries of the developing countries and discourages the
producers of raw materials. There exists, too, a kind of international division
of labor, whereby the low-cost products of certain countries which lack
effective labor laws or which are too weak to apply them are sold in other parts
of the world at considerable profit for the companies engaged in this form of
production, which knows no frontiers. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
·
the international monetary system
The
world monetary and financial system is marked by an excessive fluctuation of
exchange rates and interest rates, to the detriment of the balance of payments
and the debt situation of the poorer countries. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
·
technological exchanges
Forms of
technology and their transfer constitute today one of the major problems of
international exchange and of the grave damage deriving therefrom. There are
quite frequent cases of developing countries being denied needed forms of
technology or sent useless ones. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
· international
debt
The
principle that debts must be paid is certainly just. However, it is not right
to demand or expect payment when the effect would be the imposition of
political choices leading to hunger and despair for entire peoples. It cannot
be expected that the debts which have been contracted should be paid at the
price of unbearable sacrifices. In such cases it is necessary to find--as in
fact is partly happening--ways to lighten, defer or even cancel the debt,
compatible with the fundamental right of peoples to subsistence and progress. Centesimus
Annus [18]
INDEX
The world's
resources were meant for all to share equitably, so that each individual and
people have a sufficient share:
Christian
duty must be similarly global in scope, our responsibility being to all of
humanity:
The market
alone can not address all human needs, and its shortcomings need to be
addressed:
The existence
of unjust political and economic structures must be recognized:
So harmful
are these structures that they can even be called "structures of
sin":
Working to
remove these structural injustices, or "structures of sin," is
critical, so much so that even the Vatican itself will become involved:
Individual
acts of charity are not enough:
A government
role can be appropriate in effectuating the social Gospel:
Extreme,
life-threatening poverty is caused by injustice, not laziness:
Demonization
of the poor is therefore wrong:
Christians
must exercise a "preferential option for the poor":
A living wage
is required by fundamental justice:
Help for
immigrants, even for undocumented aliens, is required:
Fundamental
changes in global economic structures and practices are necessary:
[1]
Papal documents that will be cited
in this essay are:
Quadragesimo Anno (The Fortieth
Year ), Encyclical On Reconstruction of the Social Order,
Pius XI, 1931
Populorum Progresio (On the
Development of Peoples), Encyclical Letter, Pope Paul VI, 1967
Laborem Exercens (On Human Work),
Encyclical on Human Work , Pope John Paul II, 1981
Solicitudo Rei Socialis (On Social
Concern), Encyclical Letter, Pope John Paul II, 1987
Centesimus Annus (The Hundredth
Year), Encyclical Letter, Pope John Paul II, 1991
Ecclesia in America
(The Church in America), post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Pope John Paul II, 1999
All footnotes in the cited
passages have been omitted.
[2] Also:
[T]he
goods of creation are meant for all. That which human industry produces through
the processing of raw materials, with the contribution of work, must serve
equally for the good of all. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[T]he
developing countries are much more numerous than the developed ones; the multitudes
of human beings who lack the goods and services offered by development are much
more numerous than those who possess them. We are therefore faced with a
serious problem of unequal distribution of the means of subsistence originally
meant for everybody... Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[A]nother
name for peace is development... [T]o accomplish this, the poor--be they
individuals or nations--need to be provided with realistic opportunities....
This may mean making important changes in established lifestyles, in order to
limit the waste of environmental and human resources, thus enabling every
individual and all the peoples of the earth to have a sufficient share of those
resources. Centesimus Annus
The
Church in America must encourage the international agencies of the
continent to establish an economic order dominated not only by the profit
motive but also by the pursuit of the common good of nations and of the
international community, the equitable distribution of goods and the integral
development of peoples. Ecclesia in America
[3] Also:
[P]art
of the teaching and most ancient practice of the Church is her conviction that
she is obliged by her vocation she herself, her ministers and each of her
members to relieve the misery of the suffering, both far and near, not only out
of her "abundance" but also out of her "necessities." Solicitudo
Rei Socialis
[I]t is
already possible to point to the positive and moral value of the growing
awareness of interdependence among individuals and nations. The fact that men
and women in various parts of the world feel personally affected by the
injustices and violations of human rights committed in distant countries,
countries which perhaps they will never visit, is a further sign of a reality
transformed into awareness, thus acquiring a moral connotation.
It is above all a question of interdependence, sensed as a system determining
relationships in the contemporary world, in its economic, cultural, political
and religious elements, and accepted as a moral category. When interdependence
becomes recognized in this way, the correlative response as a moral and social
attitude, as a "virtue", is solidarity. This then is not a feeling of
vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both
near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to
commit oneself to the common good; that is to say to the good of all and of
each individual, because we are all really responsible for all. Solicitudo
Rei Socialis
In light
of the imminent Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, and recalling the social
significance that Jubilees had in the Old Testament, I wrote: "In the
spirit of the Book of Leviticus (25:8-12), Christians will have to raise their
voice on behalf of all the poor of the world, proposing the Jubilee as an
appropriate time to give thought, among other things, to reducing
substantially, if not cancelling outright, the international debt which
seriously threatens the future of many nations." Ecclesia in America
[4] Also:
More and
more, in many countries of America, a system known as "neoliberalism"
prevails; based on a purely economic conception of man, this system considers
profit and the law of the market as its only parameters, to the detriment of
the dignity of and the respect due to individuals and peoples. At times this
system has become the ideological justification for certain attitudes and
behavior in the social and political spheres leading to the neglect of the
weaker members of society. Indeed, the poor are becoming ever more numerous,
victims of specific policies and structures which are often unjust. Ecclesia in America
Just as
there is a collective responsibility for avoiding war, so too there is a
collective responsibility for promoting development. Just as within individual
societies it is possible and right to organize a solid economy which will
direct the functioning of the market to the common good, so too there is a
similar need for adequate interventions on the international level... [t]o
accomplish this, the poor--be they individuals or nations--need to be provided
with realistic opportunities. Creating such conditions calls for a concerted
worldwide effort to promote development, an effort which also involves
sacrificing the positions of income and of power enjoyed by the more developed
economies... This may mean making important changes in established
lifestyles... Centesimus Annus
[5] Also:
[T]he
poor are becoming ever more numerous, victims of specific policies and
structures which are often unjust. Ecclesia in America
It is a
question not only of alleviating the most serious and urgent needs through
individual actions here and there, but of uncovering the roots of evil and
proposing initiatives to make social, political and economic structures more
just and fraternal." Ecclesia in America
[T]he
decisions which either accelerate or slows down the development of peoples are
really political in character. In order to overcome the misguided mechanisms
mentioned earlier and to replace them with new ones which will be more just and
in conformity with the common good of humanity, an effective political will is
needed." Solicitudo Rei Socialis
cf.:
[T]he
stronger and richer nations must have a sense of moral responsibility for the
other nations, so that a real international system may be established which
will rest on the foundation of the equality of all peoples and on the necessary
respect for their legitimate differences. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[6] Also:
Obviously,
not only individuals fall victim to this double attitude of sin; nations and
blocs can do so too. And this favors even more the introduction of the
"structures of sin" of which I have spoken... I have wished to
introduce this type of analysis above all in order to point out the true nature
of the evil which faces us with respect to the development of peoples: it is a
question of a moral evil, the fruit of many sins which lead to "structures
of sin." Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[W]hat
is hindering full development is that desire for profit and that thirst for
power already mentioned. These attitudes and "structures of sin" are
only conquered--presupposing the help of divine grace--by a diametrically
opposed attitude: a commitment to the good of one's neighbor with the
readiness, in the Gospel sense, to "lose oneself" for the sake of the
other instead of exploiting him, and to "serve him" instead of
oppressing him for one's own advantage… Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[8] Also:
[T]he
decisions which either accelerate or slows down the development of peoples are
really political in character. In order to overcome the misguided mechanisms
mentioned earlier and to replace them with new ones which will be more just and
in conformity with the common good of humanity, an effective political will is
needed. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[T]he stronger and richer nations
must have a sense of moral responsibility for the other nations, so that a real
international system may be established which will rest on the foundation of
the equality of all peoples and on the necessary respect for their legitimate
differences. Solicitudo Rei
Socialis
[9] Also:
[T]he
option or love of preference for the poor…affects the life of each Christian
inasmuch as he or she seeks to imitate the life of Christ, but it applies
equally to our social responsibilities and hence to our manner of living, and
to the logical decisions to be made concerning the ownership and use of
goods... Our daily life as well as our decisions in the political and economic
fields must be marked by these realities. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
Christ's
words "as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it
to me" (Mt 25 :40) were not intended to remain a pious wish, but were
meant to become a concrete life commitment... Love for others, and in the first
place love for the poor, in whom the Church sees Christ himself, is made
concrete in the promotion of justice... Justice...is not merely a matter of
"giving from one's surplus," but of helping entire peoples which are
presently excluded or marginalized to enter into the sphere of economic and
human development...[I]t requires... a change of lifestyles, of models of
production and consumption, and of the established structures of power which
today govern societies… Centesimus Annus
The passage directly
following is from a section entitled "The social dimension of conversion":
[C]onversion
is incomplete if we are not aware of the demands of the Christian life and if
we do not strive to meet them… Hence, for the Christian people of America
conversion to the Gospel means to revise "all the different areas and
aspects of life, especially those related to the social order and the pursuit
of the common good"... Involvement in the political field is clearly part
of the vocation and activity of the lay faithful. Ecclesia in America
In reference to the next two
passages, note that the Pope uses the term "development of peoples" in
connection with the necessity to help the poor on an international level:
The
obligation to commit oneself to the development of peoples is not just an
individual duty, and still less an individualistic one, as if it were possible
to achieve this development through the isolated efforts of each individual. It
is an imperative which obliges each and every man and woman, as well as
societies and nations. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[T]he
decisions which either accelerate or slows down the development of peoples are
really political in character. In order to overcome the misguided mechanisms
mentioned earlier and to replace them with new ones which will be more just and
in conformity with the common good of humanity, an effective political will is
needed. Unfortunately, after analyzing the situation we have to conclude that
this political will has been insufficient. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
As noted in the text, even
the Church must be directly involved in this greater-than-individual-charity
effort:
Once
more I express the hope, which the Synod Fathers made their own, that the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace together with other competent
agencies, such as the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of
State, "through study and dialogue with representatives of the First World
and with the leaders of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund,
will seek ways of resolving the problem of the foreign debt and produce
guidelines that would prevent similar situations from recurring on the occasion
of future loans." Ecclesia in America
[10] Also:
[T]he
Church's social teaching has an... experiential dimension... which is to be
found at the crossroads where Christian life and conscience come into contact
with the real world. This teaching is seen in the efforts of individuals,
families, people involved in cultural and social life, as well as politicians
and statesmen to give it a concrete form and application in history. Centesimus
Annus
[11] Also:
The
obligation to commit oneself to the development of peoples is not just an
individual duty, and still less an individualistic one, as if it were possible
to achieve this development through the isolated efforts of each individual. It
is an imperative which obliges each and every man and woman, as well as
societies and nations. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
The
Church in America must encourage the international agencies of the
continent to establish an economic order dominated not only by the profit
motive but also by the pursuit of the common good of nations and of the
international community, the equitable distribution of goods and the integral
development of peoples. Ecclesia in America
In light
of the imminent Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, and recalling the social
significance that Jubilees had in the Old Testament, I wrote: "In the
spirit of the Book of Leviticus (25:8-12), Christians will have to raise their
voice on behalf of all the poor of the world, proposing the Jubilee as an appropriate
time to give thought, among other things, to reducing substantially, if not cancelling
outright, the international debt which seriously threatens the future of many
nations." Ecclesia in America
[T]he
decisions which either accelerate or slows down the development of peoples are
really political in character. In order to overcome the misguided mechanisms
mentioned earlier and to replace them with new ones which will be more just and
in conformity with the common good of humanity, an effective political will is
needed. Unfortunately, after analyzing the situation we have to conclude that
this political will has been insufficient. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
[12] Also:
We
are... faced with a serious problem of unequal distribution of the means of
subsistence originally meant for everybody, and thus also an unequal
distribution of the benefits deriving from them. And this happens not through the
fault of the needy people, and even less through a sort of inevitability
dependent on natural conditions or circumstances as a whole. Solicitudo
Rei Socialis
[13] Also:
The
globalized economy must be analyzed in the light of the principles of social
justice, respecting the preferential option for the poor who must be allowed to
take their place in such an economy, and the requirements of the international
common good... The Church in America is called... to cooperate with every
legitimate means in reducing the negative effects of globalization, such as the
domination of the powerful over the weak, especially in the economic sphere,
and the loss of the values of local cultures in favor of a misconstrued homogenization.
Ecclesia in America
"Truly,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did
it to me" (Mt 25:40; cf. 25:45). The awareness of communion with Christ
and with our brothers and sisters, for its part the fruit of conversion, leads
to the service of our neighbors in all their needs, material and spiritual,
since the face of Christ shines forth in every human being. "Solidarity is
thus the fruit of the communion which is grounded in the mystery of the triune
God, and in the Son of God who took flesh and died for all. It is expressed in
Christian love which seeks the good of others, especially of those most in
need".... [t]his is the
source of a commitment to reciprocal solidarity and the sharing of the
spiritual gifts and material goods with which God has blessed them... [a] culture of solidarity needs to be
promoted, capable of inspiring timely initiatives in support of the poor and
the outcast... Ecclesia in America
cf.:
The
Gospel text concerning the final judgment (cf. Mt 25:31-46), which states that
we will be judged on our love towards the needy in whom the Lord Jesus is
mysteriously present, indicates that we must not neglect a third place of
encounter with Christ: "the persons, especially the poor, with whom Christ
identifies himself"... At the closing of the Second Vatican Council,
Pope Paul VI recalled that "on the face of every human being, especially
when marked by tears and sufferings, we can and must see the face of Christ (cf.
Mt 25:40), the Son of Man". Ecclesia in America
[14] Also: in the
following passage, Pope John Paul II quotes approvingly the then-100-year-old
encyclical "Rerum Novarum" of Pope Leo XIII:
The Pope immediately adds another right which the worker has as a person. This
is the right to a "just wage," which cannot be left to the "free
consent of the parties, so that the employer, having paid what was agreed upon,
has done his part and seemingly is not called upon to do anything beyond…"
It was said at the time that the State does not have the power to intervene in
the terms of these contracts, except to ensure the fulfillment of what had been
explicitly agreed upon. This concept of relations between employers and
employees, purely pragmatic and inspired by a thoroughgoing individualism, is
severely censured in the encyclical as contrary to the twofold nature of work
as a personal and necessary reality. For if work as something personal belongs
to the sphere of the individual's free use of his own abilities and energy, as
something necessary it is governed by the grave obligation of every individual
to ensure "the preservation of life." "It necessarily
follows," the Pope concludes, "that every individual has a natural
right to procure what is required to live; and the poor can procure that in no
other way than by what they can earn through their work…"
A workman's wages should be sufficient to enable him to support himself, his
wife and his children. "If through necessity or fear of a worse evil the
workman accepts harder conditions because an employer or contractor will afford
no better, he is made the victim of force and injustice…"
Would that these words, written at a time when what has been called
"unbridled capitalism" was pressing forward, should not have to be
repeated today with the same severity. Unfortunately, even today one finds instances
of contracts between employers and employees which lack reference to the most
elementary justice regarding the employment of children or women, working
hours, the hygienic condition of the workplace and fair pay; and this is the
case despite the international declarations and conventions on the subject and
the internal laws of states. The Pope attributed to the "public
authority" the "strict duty" of providing properly for the
welfare of the workers, because a failure to do so violates justice; indeed, he
did not hesitate to speak of "distributive justice…" Centesimus
Annus
[15] Also:
"Truly,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did
it to me" (Mt 25:40; cf. 25:45). The awareness of communion with Christ
and with our brothers and sisters, for its part the fruit of conversion, leads
to the service of our neighbors in all their needs, material and spiritual,
since the face of Christ shines forth in every human being. "Solidarity is
thus the fruit of the communion which is grounded in the mystery of the triune
God, and in the Son of God who took flesh and died for all. It is expressed in
Christian love which seeks the good of others, especially of those most in
need".... [T]his is the source of a commitment to reciprocal solidarity
and the sharing of the spiritual gifts and material goods with which God has
blessed them... [A] culture of solidarity needs to be promoted, capable of
inspiring timely initiatives in support of the poor and the outcast... The
Church in America must encourage the international agencies of the
continent to establish an economic order dominated not only by the profit
motive but also by the pursuit of the common good of nations and of the
international community, the equitable distribution of goods and the integral
development of peoples. Ecclesia in America
[16] Also:
For this
reason, another name for peace is development... Just as there is a collective
responsibility for avoiding war, so too there is a collective responsibility
for promoting development. Just as within individual societies it is possible
and right to organize a solid economy which will direct the functioning of the
market to the common good, so too there is a similar need for adequate
interventions on the international level... [T]o accomplish this, the poor--be
they individuals or nations--need to be provided with realistic opportunities.
Creating such conditions calls for a concerted worldwide effort to promote
development, an effort which also involves sacrificing the positions of income
and of power enjoyed by the more developed economies... This may mean making
important changes in established lifestyles… Centesimus Annus
Today we
are facing the so-called "globalization" of the economy, a phenomenon
which is not to be dismissed, since it can create unusual opportunities for
greater prosperity. There is a growing feeling, however, that this increasing
internationalization of the economy ought to be accompanied by effective
international agencies which will oversee and direct the economy to the common
good, something that an individual state, even if it were the most powerful on
earth, would not be in a position to do. In order to achieve this result, it is
necessary that there be increased coordination among the more powerful
countries, and that in international agencies the interests of the whole human
family be equally represented. It is also necessary that in evaluating the
consequences of their decisions, these agencies always give sufficient
consideration to peoples and countries which have little weight in the
international market, but which are burdened by the most acute and desperate
needs, and are thus more dependent on support for their development. Much remains
to be done in this area. Centesimus Annus
Today
more than in the past, the Church's social doctrine must be open to an
international outlook, in line with the Second Vatican Council... the most
recent Encyclicals... and particularly in line with the Encyclical which we are
commemorating.... [G]iven the worldwide dimension which the social question has
assumed… love of the preference for the poor, and the decisions which it
inspires in us, cannot but embrace the immense multitudes of the hungry, the
needy, the homeless, those without medical care and, above all, those without
hope of a better future. It is impossible not to take account of the existence
of these realities. To ignore them would mean becoming like the "rich
man" who pretended not to know the beggar Lazarus lying it his gate (cf. Lk
16:19-31)...
Our daily life as well as our decisions in the political and economic fields
must be marked by these realities. Likewise the leaders of nations and the
heads of International Bodies, while they are obliged always to keep in mind
the true human dimension as a priority in their development plans, should not
forget to give precedence to the phenomenon of growing poverty. Solicitudo
Rei Socialis
[17] Also:
In this
way, the solidarity which we propose is the path to peace and at the same time
to development. For world peace is inconceivable unless the world's leaders
come to recognize that interdependence in itself demands the abandonment of the
politics of blocs, the sacrifice of all forms of economic, military or
political imperialism, and the transformation of mutual distrust into
collaboration. This is precisely the act proper to solidarity among individuals
and nations.
The motto of the pontificate of my esteemed predecessor Pius XII was Opus
iustitiae pax, peace as the fruit of justice. Today one could say, with the
same exactness and the same power of biblical inspiration (cf. Is 32:17; Jas 3:18): Opus
solidaritatis pax, peace as the fruit of solidarity. Solicitudo
Rei Socialis
[18] Also:
The
existence of a foreign debt which is suffocating quite a few countries of the
American continent represents a complex problem... I... have frequently
expressed my concern about this situation, which in some cases has become
unbearable. In light of the imminent Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, and
recalling the social significance that Jubilees had in the Old Testament, I
wrote: "In the spirit of the Book of Leviticus (25:8-12), Christians will
have to raise their voice on behalf of all the poor of the world, proposing the
Jubilee as an appropriate time to give thought, among other things, to reducing
substantially, if not cancelling outright, the international debt which
seriously threatens the future of many nations. Ecclesia in America
Circumstances
having changed, both within the debtor nations and in the international
financial market, the instrument chosen to make a contribution to development
has turned into a counter-productive mechanism. This is because the debtor
nations, in order to service their debt, find themselves obliged to export the
capital needed for improving or at least maintaining their standard of living.
It is also because, for the same reason, they are unable to obtain new and equally
essential financing.
Through this mechanism, the means intended for the development of peoples has
turned into a brake upon development instead, and indeed in some cases has even
aggravated underdevelopment. Solicitudo Rei Socialis
As noted earlier, even the Vatican itself
will join in the effort to solve the Third
World debt problem:
Once
more I express the hope, which the Synod Fathers made their own, that the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace together with other competent
agencies, such as the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of
State, "through study and dialogue with representatives of the First World
and with the leaders of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund,
will seek ways of resolving the problem of the foreign debt and produce
guidelines that would prevent similar situations from recurring on the occasion
of future loans." Ecclesia in America
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