1. Social Justice
Chapter 24

2. Social Justice – ensuring human needs are met; rights protected
A. Made in image of God:
Trinity = community of 3 persons
B. Each person has infinite value.
C. Our love for God must translate into love for all people.
D. Roots of Social Justice in O.T. and N.T.
1. Prophets: Isaiah, Amos
2. Jesus!!!

3. II. Social Justice Principles
A. The Common Good—when the conditions in society exist that allow all people to reach their human and spiritual fulfillment.
1. Not doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
2. Not doing what is best for only our country.

4. II. Social Justice Principles, cont’d . . .
B. Responsibility of Political Authority
1. Defend and promote the Common Good.
2. Responsibility from God to make decisions for the Common Good.
3. Ensure basic “human rights”
4. United Nations recognizes these.

5. II. Social Justice Principles, cont’d
C. Human Dignity
1. Calls us to reflect on “Great Commandment” or “Golden Rule”
2. Consider every human being as “another self.”
3. Belief in human equality is found in U.S. “founding documents”
4. Huge inequalities between “haves” and “have nots” exists

6. II. Social Justice Principles, cont’d
D. Human Solidarity
1. Connected to every human in world
2. Concern with all people receiving enough to meet basic human needs.
3. Include rather than exclude.
4. Promote virtues like generosity, concern for environment, tolerance rather than vices like greed and jealousy.

7. III. Service and Justice
A. Service—trying to meet immediate needs like food, clothing, comfort to sick and imprisoned, etc. Easy to see results.
B. Justice—working to change structures of society that will allow for people to have basic human rights. Results are over the long-term; not easy to see.
C. Both Service and Justice are needed to fight Social Injustice.

8. What is a Social Encyclical?
An authoratative teaching letter issued by a Pope to the Universal Church
Follows in the spirit of the biblical letters of the New Testament
Addresses issues such as social justice, peace, human rights, solidarity, and the common good
Pope Francis– Laudato Si– climate change

9. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821)
Born into wealthy Episcopalian family- NYC
Married wealthy merchant - had 5 children
Did works of mercy/charity - sister-in-law
After husbands death – became a Catholic
Founded – Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph
Founded - first Catholic school & orphanage in US
First saint born in the United States