Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching Book

	Introduction	13
	Abbreviations	17
1	Life and the Dignity of the Human Person	19
	Brothers and Sisters to Us, U.S. Bishops	19
	Racial and Economic Justice	20
	The Church and Prejudice	20
	Presence of Racism in the United States Today	20
	Christian Response to Racism	21
	Statement on Capital Punishment, U.S. Bishops	23
	Purposes of Punishment	24
	Christian Values in the Abolition of Capital Punishment	24
	Difficulties Inherent in Capital Punishment	25
	Conclusions	25
	The Gospel of Life, Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II	26
	Present-Day Threats to Human Life	27
	Attacks by the State	27
	Culture of Death	27
	The Pro-Abortion Culture	28
	The Right to Life	28
	The Christian Message Concerning Life	30
	Jesus and the Proclamation of Human Dignity	30
	God's Holy Law	31
	The Death Penalty	31
	The Crime of Abortion	32
	Embryo Experimentation	33
	Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques	33
	Euthanasia	34
	Suicide	34
	Proclaiming the Right to Life in a Democratic Society	35
	Toward a New Culture of Human Life	35
	Education in Values	36
	The Role of Women	36
	Reflection Questions	37
2	Call to Family, Community, and Participation	41
	The Condition of Labor, Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII	41
	Each Family Possesses Certain Rights	41
	On Reconstructing the Social Order, Quadragesimo Anno, Pope Pius XI	42
	Support for the Worker and Family	42
	On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum, Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II	42
	"Human Ecology": The Family	42
	The Gospel of Life, Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II	43
	Role of the Family	43
	Mobilization of Consciences	44
	Reflection Questions	44
3	Rights and Responsibilities	47
	Economic Justice for All, U.S. Bishops	47
	The Church and the U.S. Economy	47
	The Christian Vision of Economic Life	48
	The Various Dimensions of Justice	49
	Social Sin	49
	Economic Policy Issues	50
	Employment	50
	Poverty	50
	Food and Agriculture	51
	The U.S. Economy and Developing Nations	52
	Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines, NCCB/USCC	52
	Principles for NCCB/USCC Investments	52
	NCCB/USCC Investment Policies	54
	Reflection Questions	54
4	Option for the Poor and Vulnerable	57
	On Christianity and Social Progress, Mater et Magistra, Pope John XXIII	57
	The Encyclical Rerum Novarum	58
	Development of the Teachings of Rerum Novarum	59
	Intervention of Public Authority in Economic Life	59
	Concern for the Working Class	60
	New Aspects of the Social Question	62
	Readjustment of the Relationship Between Workers and Management	62
	Concern for the Agricultural Enterprise	62
	Concern for Less Economically Advanced Countries	62
	Cooperation and Mutual Assistance Among Nations	63
	Reconstruction of Social Relationships in Truth, Justice, and Love	64
	Role of Religion in Technological and Economic Development	64
	The Development of Peoples, Populorum Progressio, Pope Paul VI	65
	Universality of the Problem	65
	Nature of the Problem	65
	The Church's Role in Development	65
	Action That Must Be Undertaken	66
	A Spirit of Solidarity	67
	On Social Concern, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, Pope John Paul II	68
	Survey of the Contemporary World	69
	Authentic Human Development	70
	A Theological Reading of Modern Problems	71
	Some Particular Guidelines	73
	Reflection Questions	74
5	The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers	77
	The Condition of Labor, Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII	77
	Purpose for Employment	77
	Distinctiveness of the Human Being	78
	Proper Order Within Society	78
	Rich and Poor Must Not Be Understood as Adversaries	78
	Duties of the Worker	78
	Duties of Employers	79
	The Church Reminds the Rich of the Gospel Mandate	79
	How People Are to Use Their Possessions	79
	Poverty Is Not a Disgrace	80
	The Church Must Tend to Worldly Matters as Well as the Divine	80
	The State Must Provide Aid When Needed	80
	Peace and Good Order Needed for the State	81
	Protection of Rights by the State	81
	Payment of Wages	82
	Workers' Associations	82
	On Reconstructing the Social Order, Quadragesimo Anno, Pope Pius XI	82
	Partnership Between Employer and Employee	83
	Individual and Social Character of Labor	83
	Subsidiarity	83
	On Human Work, Laborem Exercens, Pope John Paul II	84
	The Dignity of Labor and the Laborer	84
	The Individual and Work	84
	A Right Order of Values	84
	Worker Solidarity	85
	Labor and Personal Dignity	85
	The Priority of Labor Over Capital	85
	Work and Ownership	86
	Rights of Workers	86
	A Spirituality of Work	88
	On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum, Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II	89
	Toward the "New Things" of Today	89
	The Error of Socialism	89
	The Use of "Subsidiarity" by the State to Promote Reform	90
	Private Property and the Purpose of Material Goods	90
	The Gift of Work and Land	91
	The Poor and the Modern Business Economy	91
	The Role of Profit in Business	92
	Relations Between Poor and Wealthy Nations	92
	The Danger of Consumerism	93
	Respect for the Earth and Environment	93
	State and Culture	94
	The Development of Authentic Democracy	95
	The Economic Activity of the State	95
	The Person as the Way of the Church	96
	Reflection Questions	97
6	Solidarity	101
	Peace on Earth, Pacem in Terris, Pope John XXIII	101
	Order in the Universe	101
	Order Between Persons	102
	Rights	102
	Duties	103
	Relations Between Individuals and the Public Authorities	103
	Relations Between States	104
	Relationship of People and Political Communities	105
	Pastoral Exhortations	106
	The Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and Our Response, a Pastoral Letter on War and Peace, U.S. Bishops	107
	Peace in the Modern World: Religious Perspectives and Principles	107
	Core of Church's Teaching on Peace	107
	Theology of Peace	108
	"Peace" in Hebrew Scripture	108
	"Peace" in Christian Scripture	108
	Defense Against Aggression	109
	Proportionality and Discrimination in Targets	110
	Conscientious Objection	111
	Nuclear Arms Race	111
	Working to Shape a Peaceful World	113
	The Work of the Church in Promoting Peace in the World	114
	Challenges to Peace: Persons and Their Roles Specifically Addressed	114
	Reflection Questions	115
7	Care for God's Creation	117
	Renewing the Earth, U.S. Bishops	117
	Effects of Environmental Blight	118
	Religious and Ethical Dimensions of the Problem	118
	Role of Developed Nations	120
	A Christian Response	121
	Reflection Questions	122
	Appendix	125
	Papal Biographies	125
	Pope Leo XIII	125
	Pope Pius XI	126
	Pope John XXIII	127
	Pope Paul VI	128
	Pope John Paul II	129
	Chart of Historic Milestones	130
	Homily Guide, Catholic Social Teaching	132
	Sample Penance Service	140
	Sources	145
	Suggested Reading and Resources	146
	Glossary	149
	Index	157