PARTNERS IN MISSION

1
Brief Historical Outline of Key Issues in
CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGDonal Dorr
2
1891 Pope Leo XIII Rerum Novarum(The first
Major Social Encyclical) SRONG DEFENCE OF
(European) WORKERS against Exploitation of poor
(industrial) workers by Uncontrolled Capitalism.
Right to Strike

• But because his fear of Communism, Anarchy and
  Revolution he gave priority to value of STABILITY
  over the value of Justice. So Submit your
  reward will be in Heaven

3
1931 Pope Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno Radical
Alternative to Capitalism and Socialism partly
similar to Fascism Mussolini, Franco, Salazar.
Leaning far more to the Right than to the Left

• 1945-1958 Pope Pius XII Fear of Communism so
  settle in practice for democratic capitalism
  warn against giving undue power to the State.
  Therefore, hostile to Welfare State

4
1958-1963 John XXIII, the peasant pope. He
realized that in practice CST was being used as
an ideology of right-wing politics.

• So 1961 Mater et Magistra Radical Change.
  Welfare State necessary. A Shift to the Left?A
  move away from the Right
• Church gets new enemies, new allies
• Mater Si, Magistra no!
• Christians for Socialism

5
1965 Vatican II Church in Modern World (GS)
Church Willing to Relinquish Privileges so as to
be Free to offer Prophetic Challenge.

• State should take over Latifundia unused huge
  tracts of land

6
1967 Paul VI Populorum Progressio Integral
Development

• Global development
• 1971 Octogesima adveniens Economic problems
  require political solutions
• Inductive (bottom up) approach
• Subsidiarity Different areas, need different
  solutions.

7
1971 Synod of Bishops Justice in the World
see previous talk

• 1971 Pope John Paul II Redeemer of Humankind
• A Christian Humanism The Way to God is through
  humankind
• 1981 On Human WorkDialogue with Marxism e.g.
  about alienation and about struggle
• 1987 Concern (SRS) Solidarity

8
1990 Message for World Day of Peace A Major
Document on Ecology

• Integrity of Creation
• But perhaps too much focused on welfare of Human
• What about Intrinsic Value of Animals, Forests
  etc?

9
1991 Centesimus Annus What was he really
saying? Weigel and right-wing USA Catholics
interpret the pope as condemning Welfare State
and defending capitalism

• I see him as asking us to go beyond hand-out
  welfare to empowering the poor

10
2005 Pope Benedict XVI Deus Caritas Est God
is Love Churchs focus should be mainly on
Charity rather than JusticeLeave justice to
action of lay people in personal capacity.

• Call for Caritas agencies to focus more on
  welfare than justice.
• More power to Vatican Cor Unum than to Caritas
  Internationalis

11
2007 Caritas in Veritate, The Truth in Love
Economy of Communion alongside purely
commercial business, as model and challenge. Very
important.

• But continuing serious reservations about
  Liberation and struggle of the marginalized for
  justice. Fear of revolution

12
ROLE OF WOMEN1890-1965 Womans Place is in the
Home

• Vatican II 1965 Outside but .
• John Paul II 1981-2005 Equal reinterpret
  Scripture
• But Nature of Woman, no
  Ordination
• Ratzinger-Benedict Infallible
• Pope Francis New approach , but ??

13
PEACE

• Traditional Just War
• John XXIII 1963 Human Rights
  linked to Peace
• Vatican II Condemned use of nuclear WMD
  omitted liberation struggles
• Paul VI Development the new Name
  for Peace
• J P II Condemned Iraq war
• 2013 Ecology and Peace Resource war
• 2013 Peace and Lampedusa

14
2013 Pope FrancisA Radical New Approach we
Hope and Pray.

• Consultation
• Collegiality
• Role of Women
• Ecology