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"Catholic Social Thought": PASTORAL ACTION IN THE SOCIAL FIELD

To present the Church's position clearly and without any other ideological frills

SOCIAL DOCTRINE AND THE INCULTURATION OF FAITH

  • 521.
    • “Aware of the power of Christianity to renew even cultural and social realities, the Church offers the contribution of her teaching to the building up of the human community by bringing out the social significance of the Gospel.”
      • Congregation for the Clergy, General Directory for Catechesis, 18, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City 1997, pp. 21-22.
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 11: AAS 83 (1991), 259-260.
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 5: AAS 83 (1991), 799.
  • 522.
    • “In her social doctrine the Church offers above all an integral vision of man and a complete understanding of his personal and social dimensions.”
      • Romans 8:23
      • Romans 8:1-11
      • Ephesians 1:14
      • Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 22: AAS 58 (1966), 1043.
  • 523.
    • “This Christian anthropology gives life to and supports the pastoral task of inculturation of the faith, which aims at an interior renewal, through the power of the Gospel, of modern man’s criteria of judgment, the values underlying his decisions, the way he thinks and the models after which his life is patterned.”
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 52: AAS 83 (1991), 300.
      • Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 20: AAS 68 (1976), 18-19.
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 11: AAS 83 (1991), 259-260.
      • John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, 35: AAS 81 (1989), 458.
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 5: AAS 83 (1991), 800.

SOCIAL DOCTRINE AND SOCIAL PASTORAL ACTIVITY

  • 524.
    • “The Church’s social teaching is the indispensable reference point that determines the nature, modality, articulation and development of pastoral activity in the social field.”
      • John Paul II; Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 11: AAS 83 (1991), 259.
  • 525.
    • “The social message of the Gospel must guide the Church in her twofold pastoral activity: that of helping men and women to discover the truth and to choose the path that they will follow, and that of encouraging Christians to bear witness with a spirit of service to the Gospel in the field of social activity.”
      • Paul VI, Apostolic Letter Octogesima Adveniens, 51: AAS 63 (1971), 440.
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 57: AAS 83 (1991), 862.
  • 526.
    • “The Church’s social doctrine provides the fundamental criteria for pastoral action in the area of social activity: proclaiming the Gospel; placing the Gospel message in the context of social realities; planning actions aimed at the renewal of these realities; and conforming them to the demands of Christian morality.”
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 48: AAS 80 (1988), 583-584.
  • 527.
    • “Above all, the pastoral activity of the Church in the social sector must bear witness to the truth of the human person.”
      • Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 76: AAS 58 (1966), 1099-1100.
    • “The social action of Christians must be inspired by the fundamental principle of the centrality of the human person.”
      • John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), 453.
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus 54: AAS 83 (1991), 859-860.
      • John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris: AAS 55 (1963), 265-266.

SOCIAL DOCTRINE AND FORMATION

  • 528.
    • “The Church’s social doctrine is an indispensable reference point for a totally integrated Christian formation.”
      • John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, 60: AAS 81 (1989), 511.
  • 529.
    • “The formative value of the Church’s social doctrine should receive more attention in catechesis.”
      • Congregation for the Clergy, General Directory for Catechesis, 30, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City 1997, pp. 30-32.
      • John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae, 18: AAS 71 (1979), 1291-1292.
      • John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae, 5: AAS 71 (1979), 1281.
      • Congregation for the Clergy, General Directory for Catechesis, 54, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City 1997, p. 54.
      • John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae, 29: AAS 71 (1979), 1301-1302.
      • Congregation for the Clergy, General Directory for Catechesis, 17, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City 1997, p. 21.
  • 530.
    • “In the context of catechesis above all it is important that the teaching of the Church’s social doctrine be directed towards motivating action for the evangelization and humanization of temporal realities.”
      • Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Declaration Dignitatis Humanae, 8: AAS 58 (1966), 935.
    • “The witness of a Christian life has an extraordinary formative value.”
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Vertatis Splendoris, 107: AAS 85 (1993), 1217.
  • 531.
    • “The Church’s social doctrine must be the basis of an intense and constant work of formation, especially of the lay faithful.  Such a formation should take into account their obligations in civil society.”
      • Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 81: AAS 59 (1967), 296-297.
      • Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 75: AAS 58 (1966), 1097-1098.
      • Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 75: AAS 58 (1966), 1098.
  • 532.
    • “Catholic educational institutions can and indeed must carry out a precious formative service, dedicating themselves in a particular way to the inculturation of the Christian message, that is to say, to the productive encounter between the Gospel and the various branches of knowledge.”
    • “The ‘Social Weeks’ of Catholics that the Magisterium has always encouraged are important examples of formational opportunities.”
  • 533.
    • “No less important is the commitment to use the Church’s social doctrine in the formation of priests and candidates to the priesthood who, in the context of their preparation for ministry, must develop a thorough knowledge of the Church’s teaching and her pastoral concerns in the social sphere as well as a keen interest in the social issues of their day.”
      • Congregation for Catholic Education, Guidelines for the Study and Teaching of the Church’s Social Doctrine in the Formation of Priests, 30 December 1988, Vatican Polyglot Press, Rome 1988.

PROMOTING DIALOGUE

  • 534.
    • “The Church’s social doctrine is a privileged instrument of dialogue between Christian communities and the civil and political community.”
  • 535.
    • “The social teaching of the Church is also fertile soil for dialogue and collaboration in the ecumenical sphere.”
  • 536.
    • “In the common tradition of the Old Testament, the Catholic Church is able to engage in dialogue with her Jewish brothers and sisters, which she does also through her social doctrine, in order to build together a future of justice and peace for all people, as sons and daughters of the one God.”
      • Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Declaration Nostra Aetate, 4: AAS 58 (1966), 742-743.
  • 537.
    • “The Church’s social doctrine is also characterized by a constant call to dialogue among all members of the world’s religions.”
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 32: AAS 80 (1988), 556-557.

THE SUBJECTS OF SOCIAL PASTORAL ACTIVITY

  • 538.
    • “The entire people of God has a role to play as the Church fulfils her mission.”
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 2: AAS 83 (1991), 250.
    • “Pastoral work in the social sector is also meant for all Christians, who are called to become active subjects in bearing witness to this social doctrine.”
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 3: AAS 83 (1991), 795.
      • John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 3: AAS 83 (1991), 796.
  • 539.
    • “In the particular Church, the primary responsibility for the pastoral commitment to evangelize social realities falls to the bishop.”
    • “The pastoral action of the Bishop is realized through the ministry of priests, who participate in the Bishop’s mission of teaching, sanctifying and governing the Christian community.”
  • 540.
    • “This pastoral work in the social sector also includes the work of consecrated persons according to their particular charism.  Their shining witness, especially in situations of great poverty, represents a reminder to all people of the values of holiness and generous service to one’s neighbor.”

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