Social Justice - Current Issues

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

Every four years, about one year before the Presidential Elections, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops issue a document called "Faithful Citizenship". The introduction to the document says that "it does not offer a voters guide, scorecard of issues or direction on how to vote," the introduction adds. "It applies Catholic moral principles to a range of important issues and warns against misguided appeals to 'conscience' to ignore fundamental moral claims, to reduce Catholic moral concerns to one or two matters, or to justify choices simply to advance partisan, ideological or personal interests."

The introduction lists six "current and fundamental problems, some involving opposition to intrinsic evils and others raising serious moral questions:"

-- Abortion "and other threats to the lives and dignity of others who are vulnerable, sick or unwanted."

-- Conscience threats to Catholic ministries in health care, education and social services.

-- "Intensifying efforts to redefine marriage" or to undermine it as "the permanent, faithful and fruitful union of one man and one woman."

-- An economic crisis that has increased national and global unemployment, poverty and hunger, requiring efforts to "protect those who are poor and vulnerable as well as future generations."

-- "The failure to repair a broken immigration system."

-- "Serious moral questions" raised by wars, terror and violence, "particularly the absence of justice, security and peace in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East."

Read the document here: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship 

October is Respect Life Month

During the month of October, the US Bishops ask us to reflect on life.   The theme chosen for this year’s Respect Life program is “I came so that all might have life and have it to the full.” 

Click here to learn more about what activities are planned in our Diocese this month to promote the dignity of life from conception to natural death.

Click here to read more about the Pro-Life Activities of the US Bishops.

US Bishops Labor Day Statement

Every year the US Bishops publish a Statement on Labor Day affirming the rights of workers, and analyzing the economic and work-related issues of the day in the light of Catholic Social Teaching. The Bishops' Statement this year is called, Human Costs and Moral Challenges of a Broken Economy. It discusses the plight of people who are poor an unemployed, and asks all institutions in society to work together to promote just and dignified employment for all. It also defends the rights of workers to form Trade Unions.      

Workers and Trade Union Rights

In recent weeks there has been much controversy about Trade Unions and their collective bargaining rights. The Church has always defended the rights of workers to form Unions to defend their rights. Pope Benedict said recently in his encyclical letter (below) Caritas in Veritate, that "The repeated calls issued within the Church’s social doctrine, beginning with Rerum Novarum (1891), for the promotion of workers’ associations that can defend their rights must therefore be honored today even more than in the past [#25]. 

The Provincial Council of the Franciscans recently published a document In Support of Workers Rights.

"Caritas in Veritate"

A Papal Encyclical on Social Justice is always a major event for Catholics. Download it from the Vatican web site. 

See Busting the DREAM Act Myths

Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope - A Pastoral Letter Concerning Migration from the Catholic Bishops of Mexico and the United States

Vatican Urges Nuclear Disarmament

National Religious Campaign Against Torture - See article

Justice Jottings - from the Diocese of Raleigh, bimonthly quotations from Scriptures and Church documents on Justice topics.

Listing of earlier Justice Jottings

Focus on Peace and Justice - newsletter from the Diocese of Raleigh

Report on the Debt Ceiling Debate

Last Updated: October 5 2011