Social Concerns Column for Sunday, December 25, 2011, The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. --Psalm 33:5

Catholic World Day of Peace, January 1st.  

Catholic teaching promotes peace as a positive, action-oriented concept. In the words of Pope John Paul II, "Peace is not just the absence of war. It involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations. It involves collaboration and binding agreements.”  There is a close relationship in Catholic teaching between peace and justice. Peace is the fruit of justice and is dependent upon right order among human beings.  -- Catholic Charities Office for Social Justice, http://www.osjspm.org/page.aspx?pid=491

Read more quotes on peace at: http://www.osjspm.org/admin/document.doc?id=22

What is “charity” and what is “justice” for a practicing Catholic?  

Msgr. Marvin Mottet, Diocese of Davenport, explains it this way: It takes two feet to walk and to keep our balance: one “justice,” the other “charity.” One foot is focused on institutional change, the other on direct service.

Without both feet, we lose balance. When I served on the National Committee of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, I saw an application from Bread for the World: they weren’t passing out food baskets or running soup kitchens, but working for institutional change—addressing public policies that could relieve hunger and poverty. I said, “This is what we are all about.”

If we use only the first foot (direct service), we could make matters worse by fostering dependency. If we use only the second foot (institutional change), we might become too far removed from the realities of the situation.  A true Christian lifestyle requires of us that we live in solidarity with those in need and come to their assistance in emergencies. We cannot isolate ourselves.

Direct service can provide us with the data needed for institutional changes. It is sometimes classified as “charity.” Institutional change is “working for justice.” There can be no love without justice. If we really love, we will work to change structures, systems, laws, and policies that are harmful to people.

Read the full article at: http://tinyurl.com/charity-justice


Would you like to pursue a social justice project? 
The St. Michael Parish Social Concerns Ministry would like to help you to help others!  Call Joanne, 443-1422, or keep reading this column every Sunday.  Every week our goal is to provide you opportunities for both feet: direct service and institutional change.