Our Lady of the Holy Rosary — St. Richard Catholic Church

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary-St. Richard Catholic Church

July 08, 2018 - FOURTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SAFE RELEASE OF LEAH SHARIBU AND OTHERS WHO ARE HELD CAPTIVE BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO RENOUNCE THEIR CHRISTIAN FAITH

"Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades.” 

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium

CHARITY AND JUSTICE

What injustices do you observe happening today?

Catholic Social Teaching ("CST")

calls us to serve those in need and to change the structures that deny people their dignity and rights as children of God. Service and action, charity and justice are complementary components of parish social ministry. Neither alone is sufficient; both are essential signs of the gospel at work. A parish serious about social ministry will offer opportunities to serve those in need and to advocate for justice and peace. These are not competing priorities, but two dimensions of the same fundamental mission to protect the life and dignity of the human person. Communities of Salt and Light (USCCB).

Charity responds to the immediate and basic needs of individuals and their families. Through charity we seek to provide direct services like food, clothing, shelter, and emergency services. Such acts may include being present to those in need, volunteering at homeless shelters, tutoring children, donating to food pantries and clothing drives, assisting women who face crisis pregnancy, sponsoring refugee families, visiting the sick or imprisoned, and financially contributing to outreach ministries such as St. Vincent de Paul or Catholic Charities in their efforts to provide some of these services.

Catholic social teaching. . .distinguishes three dimensions of basic justice: commutative justice, distributive justice, and social justice. Commutative justice calls for fundamental fairness in all agreements and exchanges between individuals or private social groups … Distributive justice requires that the allocation of income, wealth, and power in society be evaluated in light of its effects on persons whose basic material needs are unmet. … Social justice implies that persons have an obligation to be active and productive participants in the life of society and that society has a duty to enable them to participate in this way. Economic Justice for All (USCCB), nos. 68-71.

Social Justice responds to long-term needs and it is directed to addressing the root causes of social problems. It seeks to transform the underlying institutions and structures that contribute in causing social injustices such as hunger, poverty, homelessness, discrimination, exploitation, violence, war and other unjust political, economic, and social conditions and structures.

We are called to get involved through learning more about the pressing social issues of our time and CST regarding these issues, advocating for peace and justice, and actively participating in the political process to help transform unjust social conditions and structures.

Reflect on Your Experience

What charitable acts do you do?

How do you participate in helping to transform unjust social conditions and structures?

"The Mission of Charity"

"Charity vs. Justice" (TEDx Talk)

"Charity vs. Justice - How Are They Different"

"Igniting the Social Justice Generation" (TEDx Talk)

"Difference Between Charity and Social Justice"

"What Charity Really Means"

"Be the Change"

"Charity and Justice"