More on Social Justice

The other day I talked a bit about those whom I called Social Justice Moonbats. I'd like to say a little more about what I see as true social justice as taught by the Catholic Church.

True social justice begins with the basics of the Catholic Church, sin, repentance & salvation. The root of all injustice comes from man's sinfulness & what occured in the Garden of Eden. Jesus death was to atone for our sins. It was to break the chains of sin that hold each of us in bondage. We have been set free to follow Jesus. Those who follow Jesus are called to care for those in need. Jesus made it clear that how we treat others is how we treat Him. How we are to live this out is shown in the Catholic Church's social teachings as found in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. I would highly reccomend every Catholic get a copy of it. It has been 1 of my best tools to deal with those who twist the teachings of the Church to justify a lot that is socialism, not Christianity.

1 of the surest tests you are dealing with a Social Justice Moonbat is when they profess that the government (federal in particular) needs to be the primary means by which what they see as social injustice is corrected. This SJ Moonbats also are usually opposed to any form of "welfare" that requires those being helped to help themselves in some way. That is why they screamed the loudest about welfare reform that required job training as well as limits on how much help people could receive. If the program they are promoting develops dependency on the government, promotes a socialist or communist economic system, then the people doing so are either niave or full blown moonbats. Sometimes both.

Catholic social teaching calls on us to help those in need. This teaching doesn't call for them to become dependant on welfare. We are to help them better their lives so that they can support themselves as they should. Subsidiarity is at the heart of true Catholic social teaching. A part of subsidiarity is the idea that social problems are dealt with as close to the problem as possible.

"The principle of subsidiarity is opposed to certain forms of centralization, bureaucratization, and welfare assistance and to the unjustified and excessive presence of the State in public mechanisms. “By intervening directly and depriving society of its responsibility, the Social Assistance State leads to a loss of human energies and an inordinate increase of public agencies, which are dominated more by bureaucratic ways of thinking than by concern for serving their clients, and which are accompanied by an enormous increase in spending”. An absent or insufficient recognition of private initiative — in economic matters also — and the failure to recognize its public function, contribute to the undermining of the principle of subsidiarity, as monopolies do as well." (Sec 187 Compendium)

Given that we now see families who are in their 3rd generation of being on welfare, the costs of welfare, etc in the USA, this paragraph sounds to me like a lot of the programs that have been arround since the 60s & are supported by the SJ Moonbats are being condemned by the teachings of the Catholic Church. & esp anything that smacks of socialism is condemned.

In St. Paul's Epistles there are many references to what welfare should & shouldn't consist of. In talking about widows he puts them into 2 groups. There are those widows who have relatives that can take care of them. St. Paul makes it clear that these relatives MUST do so. The 2nd group are those he calls true widows, elderly women who have no means of support other than the Church. These women are to be valued for their wisdom & insight. They are to be looked to for the advise they can give to younger women. Since these are the ones who are truly without any means of support, they are to be helped. But notice, it isn't merely a handout ever here. It is to enable these women to serve by ministering to the younger women. So, it could be said that these women are being given a means of employment (although what they do is much more than simply that) to earn a living. (See 1 Timothy 5)

St. Paul also talks of those who can work & will not. (See 2 Thessalonians 3) They are to get NO aide in any way shape or form. As Paul puts it, no work no food.

Those who are to get aide are those who truly need it. Those who are in a situation where they can do nothing to help themselves.

Social justice is NOT what is promoted as "Liberation Theology". Liberation Theology ends up with a Jesus who's whole message is centered on this world. It tends to deny the need for repentance, it tends to depend on socialist & marxist concepts that are in opposition to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Jesus is usually reduced to a good moral teacher.

There are plenty of ways out there to help the poor that are much more than a handout. A good example is the work I have talked about so many times being done in Magadan. Remember the story of Olga in my last post. They don't just give handouts, they help people to get training to earn a living. Another orginization I wholeheartly support is Habitat for Humanity. Part of their requirements for helping someone to get a better home is that the family has to put in sweat equity as well as receive training to enable them to be able to do upkeep on the place.

Then there is Heifer International. This orginization provides the means for people to provide for themselves through farming. Let me share a bit from their website describing what their work has done: "Today, millions of people who were once hungry will be nourished by milk, eggs and fresh vegetables. Families who for generations knew only poverty will be building new homes and starting businesses. Children who once headed out to the fields to do backbreaking work will be heading into schoolrooms to learn to read. And people who never thought they’d be in a position to help someone else will be experiencing the joy of charitable giving." Sounds a lot like actual Catholic Social Justice in practice. & without the governmental centralization, socialization that the moonbats promote. Also, horror of horrors to the socialists, it does so using capitalist principals.

Part of how we will be judged at the end of time is based on what we did to the least of our brethren. The least will be 1st of all the unborn. But, Scripture makes it clear that what we do to those in need will also be a part of this. The Church says that we live this out in what it calls "the seven corporal works of mercy" They are:
1. Feed the hungry.

2. Give drink to the thirsty.

3. Clothe the naked.

4. Shelter the homeless.

5. Visit the sick.

6. Visit the imprisoned.

7. Bury the dead.

Notice that they are all individual acts. While the government does play a role, its place is clearly not to be the primary role. & those of us who push the responsibility off onto the government & don't give time as well as money are risking being grouped in with the goats. The proper mix is different for each of us & requires us to seek after God's will & guidance. & it WILL cost in ways that go far beyond dollars & cents if you are truly willing to obey God's call. But, it will NEVER involve working for a kingdom that is solely an Earthly kingdom, solely a physical kingdom, solely devoted to excluding God's salvific message of repentance & penance. It will be truly evangelistic in its nature. It will not build up a socialist/communist society. It will be aimed towards proclaiming the Gospel. It will NOT be this world of Social Justice Moonbats. It will be working for building the true Kingdom of God we are all called to be about doing.

Again, I highly recommend getting a copy of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. It has been a true eye opener for me on what the real social teachings of the Church are. 1 of those eye openers involved with what role unions are truly supposed to play & what they are NOT to do. Someday, Ill share more on that.

(Added 12 May 2007, 1:25 am) I realized I forgot to point out the list at the right of charitable orginizations I support. I have actually met a couple of the directors of Cross International Catholic Outreach over the years. What it says about Sr. Linda Koontz's experience doesn't describe the half of it.