Christian life strives to order this world's goods to God
and to fraternal charity.

(Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2401)

Life and dignity of the human person.

"...the Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Our belief in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching."
US Council of Catholic Bishops

Take a few minutes this week to read our article on stem cell research This was approved by our pastor and included as an insert in our Sunday parish bulletin. (Read article)
 

Call to Family, Community, and Participation

"The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society in economics and politics, in law and policy directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable."
US Council of Catholic Bishops

This is certainly an all encompassing theme. Yet it is a most basic theme, that of family. We Catholics have an incredible responsibility. We are expected to personally live the teachings of Jesus, and to guide others to ultimate love.

How is your family doing in the love department? Most of us have room for improvement. Maybe we need to work on controlling anger, avoiding pride and envy, encouraging temperance and patience. Maybe it's as simple as giving an extra hug to the kids on a busy day. Maybe it's more complicated. Is there division in your family? Old hurts that need to be forgiven? What can yoou do this week to take a step to improving that situation?

Take some time to evaluate your family situation this week. How can it be improved? We recently started doing something that has had a wonderful impact on our family. Our parish leaders gave out small containers of Holy Water. We bless each other at night by dipping a finger in the Holy Water and making the Sign of the Cross on each person's forehead with the blessed water. It is amazing what wonderful things have come from such a simple action. If your immediate family is in good shape, why not go beyond your circle of comfort? Get prepared to be an informed voter on Election Day. Join a parish committee. Pick up some litter. Make your family and community better.   

Rights and Responsibilities

"The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to one another, to our families, and to the larger society."
US Council of Catholic Bishops

Rights and responsibilities, quite the challenge. We hear it in our house frequently, "I deserve to do it because we live in a free country," or "I have a right to do that!" Teaching our children the responsibilities that go along with our cherished rights is often difficult. However, it is only by embracing both concepts that we can live the Word of God.

Our family often discusses politics. We are both active and informed in the political process of our town, state, and nation. We have encouraged our children to be so, too. For example, we always take them into the voting booth when we vote. We discuss the issues in the news. We compare the candidates' viewpoints with our own viewpoints and that of the Catholic Church (ours is typically consistent with the Church). Our children could share their political opinions by the time they were 4-5 years old!

This is a simple example of living Catholic social justice. There are many other ways we can promote rights and responsibilities. If you have not considered this theme, start out with a few minutes of reflection. How do you live out this teaching? Do you donate goods to shelters? Do you choose to shop in stores on the "wrong" side of town to encourage businesses in struggling areas? How often do you lovingly prepare your income taxes, thanking the Lord that you have the gifts to support our country?

If you have considered this theme of social justice, commit to actually promoting rights and responsibilities by a specific date, and resolve to do more over the next Church year. Living your faith will enhance your faith more than you could ever believe.
 

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

"A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first."
US Council of Catholic Bishops

There are so many options for families who choose to experience this aspect of Catholic social teaching. Visiting a homeless shelter, donating to a shelter, helping at a homeless shelter, and eating at a homeless shelter are all appropriate options to become aware of the plight of the poor and vulnerable.

We are suggesting something a bit closer to home if the above options do not work for you right now. Instead, teach someone, maybe even yourself, to cook a healthy meal. Some fantastic moms in our parish worked with our junior high kids and helped them prepare a meal for their families. When these young teens brought home Sunday dinner to their families, it obviously gave them an incredible sense of accomplishment. Plus, it's something they can do for themselves and others in the future.

If you do not usually take the time to teach your children how to cook, plan a few extra minutes (okay, probably an hour) to work together to prepare a meal. If you do not know how to cook, peruse a basic cookbook (something for a crock-pot works well) and schedule a time to learn together. If you normally cook with your family, invite a neighbor who may need some help with the basics. Just keep it fun and healthy!
 

Solidarity

"We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that 'if you want peace, work for justice.' The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict. "
US Council of Catholic Bishops

We find this the most difficult Catholic social teaching to practice. Intellectually it's pretty easy to picture all people as our brothers and sisters and to support everyone's human rights. Then we see pictures of victims of ethnic cleansing and wonder helplessly what we can do. We hear of offensive child labor laws in countries run by tyrants and feel totally useless. What can one family do to foster solidarity?

We made a list of a few things to do this week:

1. Check out the Catholic Relief Services web site.  
2. Pray for oppressed people who are contributing to our lives, such as the many people in China who do not enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy.
3. Pray for the people who are victims of ethnic cleansing, and for guidance for our leaders who may be able to positively influence a deplorable situation.
    

Care for God’s Creation

"We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored."
US Council of Catholic Bishops

This last theme of Catholic social justice is already a regular part of our lives. We compost, recycle, garden organically, etc. We try to use things until they are worn out; if they are not worn out, we donate them to local charities. We remind each other to conserve water, turn off the lights, and not waste food. We were feeling pretty good about our success in this area.

Then we looked at our laundry room. A pair of pants worn to Mass then thrown in the laundry basket. A T-shirt worn an hour then thrown into the wash when it was bested by a sweater for a meeting with friends. Many different pieces of clothing were tossed down the laundry chute simply because the owner could not be bothered to hang them back up again. Obviously we're not doing quite as good a job as we thought in caring for God's creation! There's definitely a need to improve our laundry habits.

Why don't you take a look at your own family this week? Are there ways you could be a better steward of God's creation? How much waste do you produce? Can that apparent waste be reused or recycled? It's a great time to make a stewardship plan for the new year!