The Second Vatican Council offers us Gaudium et Spes (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World) and Dignitatis Humanae(Declaration on Religious Freedom) on the subject. John XXIII contributed two documents in his short reign: Mater et Magistra (on Christianity and the social progress) and Pacem in Terris (“Peace on Earth”). Pope Pius XII, his successor, would not write a document on the matter, but did address the teaching in radio messages and various speeches. Recognizing the importance of Pope Leo’s work, in 1931 Pope Pius XI wrote Quadragesimo Anno (“In the 40th Year,” recognizing the anniversery of Pope Leo’s landmark document) in which he coined the term “social justice.” Pope Leo XIII wrote the encyclical Rerum Novarum (on capitol and labor) in 1891, inaugurating Catholic social doctrine. 2419 and following) states that social doctrine is a body of teaching that began as a response to the revolutions of the 19th century.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Nos. For example, one popular social-justice program never includes a unit on abortion, which is mentioned several times throughout the social teaching, but includes several units on absolute pacifism, though this position does not reflect the doctrinal documents. Like the Second Vatican Council, confusion about social doctrine of the Church often arises because a false “spirit” of social justice is passed off as doctrine when it has little resemblance to the actual teaching.
The “it” is the social doctrine of the Catholic Church. And yet the vast majority of Catholics are either unaware of it or very confused about it. Pope Benedict XVI wrote that it is of “fundamental importance,” necessary for the proper preparation of all the laity.
0 kommentar(er)
