Choose Life!

SSpS International JPIC Seminar Steyl, Holland 1-21 October 2012 Toni Harris OP

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

 Our Context  Development and Content  SSpS Commitments  A Closer Look

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

Session 1 12 October 2012

The Pastoral Cycle

ILLUMINATION - REFLECTION

The Light of Catholic Social Teaching

John 8: 10-11

“Has no one condemned you? . . . Neither do I condemn you.”

7 Billion People

193 Member States

Africa:

Angola Benin Botswana, Ethiopia Ghana Mozambique Togo South Africa Zambia

Oceania:

Australia Papua New Guinea

SSpS – Countries of Service

The Americas:

Antigua & Barbuda Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Cuba Ecuador Jamaica Mexico Paraguay Saint Kitts USA

Asia:

India Indonesia Japan Korea Philippines Taiwan Timor Leste Russia /Siberia

Europe:

Austria Czech Republic England Germany Hungary Ireland Italy Moldavia Netherlands Poland Portugal Slovakia Spain Switzerland Romania Ukraine

POOREST PLACES:

Where are the SSpS Sisters among the peoples of the poorest countries of the world?

World's Poorest Countries

The rankings below were published in the United Nation's 2010 Human Development Report and reflect the countries with the lowest human development.

1. Zimbabwe 2. Congo-DRC 3. Niger 4. Burundi 5. Mozambique 6. Guinea-Bissau 7. Chad 8. Liberia 9. Burkina Faso 10. Mali 11. Central African Republic 12. Sierra Leone 13. Ethiopia 14. Guinea 15. Afghanistan 16. Sudan 17. Malawi 18. Rwanda 19. Gambia 20. Zambia 21. Côte d'lvoire 22. Tanzania 23. Djibouti 24. Angola 25. Haiti 26. Senegal 27. Uganda 28. Nigeria 29. Lesotho 30. Comoros 31. Togo 32. Nepal 33. Papua New Guinea 34. Mauritania 35. Madagascar 36. Benin 37. Yemen 38. Myanmar 39. Cameroon 40. Ghana 41. Bangladesh 42. Kenya www.infoplease.com

ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL CONFLICT

Where are the SSpS Sisters among the peoples of countries with actual or potential conflicts?

Actual or Potential Conflict

Countries in Conflict (1 OCT 2012):

Deteriorated Situations



China/Japan



Mali



Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan)



Syria Conflict Risk Alert



Mali



Venezuela

Conflict Resolution Opportunity



Colombia

www.crisisgroup.org

CONFLICT - Unchanged Situations

Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India (non-Kashmir), Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel Occupied Palestinian Territories , Jordan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Caucasus (Russia), North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zimbabwe

Religious communities either . . . announce the Good News in the midst of the world . . . or else they succumb by decline quickly or slowly, simply because they have conformed to the world.

(Vita Consecrata, 1b)

The first task which must be once again assumed with enthusiasm is

the proclamation of Christ to all.

This task falls especially to consecrated men and women . . . (Starting Afresh from Christ, 2002)

As we look around our world and when we reflect seriously on the Gospel, we cannot help but be challenged to work to bring our reality into closer conformity with Gospel demands. That challenge means working toward the elimination of everything in our reality that does not respect and sustain the basic dignity, fundamental rights, and decent quality of life for all persons.

“Megatrends and Mission: Re-Imagining the Missionary in the New World”

• • • • •

Realities that have a bearing on our mission: Multiculturality Migration Religious Plurality Poverty Earth EDGAR JAVIER SVD

Reflect:



RECALL EFFORTS THAT YOUR MEMBERS HAVE MADE AND ARE MAKING TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD.



IDENTIFY JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF YOUR CONGREGATION’S EFFORTS.

What do we mean by

“justice?”

establishing equality in our relationships with others to do the good due one’s neighbor, community , creation and God avoid doing evil by inflicting no injury on one’s neighbor , community or creation

dimensions of basic justice



commutative justice: fundamental fairness in all agreements and exchanges



distributive justice: the benefits and the burdens of society are shared fairly



restorative justice: the need to repair the harm done to victims



social justice: all persons have an unmet debt to the common good

“right relationship”: contemporary re-articulation of the commitment to do the good due God, neighbor, one’s self, and all of creation.

CHARITY AND JUSTICE

Responding to immediate human needs (hunger, shelter, clothing, etc.) is not the same as working to change the systems that create injustices in society. This distinction may be understood as the difference between charity and justice, the difference between works of mercy and works that change oppressive social systems.

“Charity will never be true charity unless it takes justice into account …. Let no one attempt with small gifts of charity to exempt themselves from the great duties imposed by justice.” Pius XI,

Divini Redemptoris

(1937)

Although there is an essential relationship between charity and justice, they are not the same. Working for justice involves changing systems, structures, institutions and public policies that are the root causes of social injustices. The Gospel demands that followers of Jesus walk with both these “feet:” the two feet of charity and justice.

OF WHAT PARTICULAR INJUSTICES ARE YOU AWARE IN THE PLACES WHERE YOU LIVE AND SERVE?

. . . a society that does not respect and sustain the basic dignity, fundamental rights, and decent quality of life for all persons.