Social Ministry

Life and Dignity of the Human Person
     The human person is central, the clearest reflection of God among us.  Each person possesses a basic dignity that comes from God, not from race or gender, age, or economic status.    We believe people are sacred and deserving of life from conception until natural death.  In a materialistic world and declining respect for human life, we must proclaim the dignity of the human person.  We believe this is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching.  In our society human life is under attack from abortion to the death penalty to assisted suicide.  Every human person is precious, people are more valuable than things. The test of every institution or policy is whether it enhances or threatens human life and human dignity.

Call to Family, Community, and Participation
     The human person is both sacred and social.  We realize our dignity and the rights in relationships with others in our community.  "We are one body; when one suffers we all suffer."  Our participation in the up-building of society is both a right and an obligation.   We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.  We believe that the role of government and other institutions is to protect human life and human dignity and promote the common good.

Rights and Responsibilities
     People have a fundamental right to life, food, shelter, health care, education, and employment.  All people have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives.  Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to respect the rights of others in the wider society and to work for the common good.  Any denial of these rights harms the persons and society.  In a world where some speak mostly of "rights" and others mostly of "responsibilities," we believe that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved.  Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities--to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
     The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.  The poor have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the nation.  We are called to look at public policy decisions in terms of how they affect the poor.  The overarching Gospel principle is the obligation to attend to the poor - "what you did for the least of these is what you did for me."

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
     People have the right to decent and productive work, fair wages, to form and join unions, private property, and economic initiative.  The economy exists to serve the people, not the other way around.  Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a vocation, a participation in creation.   Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation.  If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected. Respecting these rights promotes an economy that protects human life, defends human rights, and advances the well-being of all.

Solidarity
     We are one human family and are interdependent.  Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic, and ideological differences.  We are called to work globally for justice.  Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in an interdependent world.  Solidarity calls us to stand united with the poor and the powerless as our own brothers and sisters.  We believe that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever they live.   Learning to practice the virtue of solidarity means learning that "loving our neighbor" has global dimensions.  This virtue is described by John Paul II as "a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all" (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, no 38).

Care for God's Creation
     On a planet struggling over environmental issues, we believe that we show our respect for our Creator by our stewardship of creation.    We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God's creation.  This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.

Prayer for Life
Loving God, you have created all life.
Create in us a stirring to be an extension of your love.
Help us to defend life from conception until natural death.
Strengthen us with the ability to respect all peoples from all corners of the earth.
Help us to follow the example of Jesus and to reach out to all of our neighbors around the globe.  We ask this in your Loving name.  Amen.

Prayer for Community
Embracing Father,
you reach out to us in love at all times.
Bless us with the ability to see our neighbor in need.
Help us to reach out to our communities with loving action.
Guide us in the work that Jesus began and that you want to continue in each of us according to your call.  Enlighten us on our journey and guide us with peaceful hearts and minds.  Amen.

Prayer for Basic Rights 
Lord of Wisdom,
enlighten us with your vision of a people who reach out to one another.
Magnify the injustices in our daily walk with you so that we may see the basic rights of others that need to be defended.
Provide us with the voice to speak as your Spirit leads.  Amen.

Prayer for the Poor
God of Justice,
mold us into a people who are truly a reflection of your goodness for all people.
Open our hearts and minds to see the injustice in the world and to call on you for guidance to bring about true healing in our world.  Amen.

Prayer for Work
Creator God,
thank you for the gift of work
and the ability to participate with you in bringing forth your Kingdom.
Provide our community and world with the work needed to sustain life and to create peoples who reach out to one another in service.
Keep us faithful on our journey toward the dignity of work for all our global family.
Inspire us to follow Jesus more closely.  Amen.

Prayer for Solidarity
Almighty and ever-living God,
you are present in all people.  Help us to see you in every face we encounter.
A loving community, nation, and world are brought about by peace.
You are the essence of peace and love.
Inspire us to move in a way
that alleviates suffering and is conscious of the needs of others.  
In the name of Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Prayer for our Earth
Loving Father,
you have blessed us with this earthly dwelling place.
Guide us in preserving its beauty and maintaining its soil for our sustenance.
Help us to reach out to one another in peace and love as we share this earthly home.  Amen

Excerpts are taken from the:  
Office of Social Development & World Peace
National Conference of Catholic Bishops/United States Catholic Conference
October 20, 1999, © United States Catholic Conference
These principles build on the foundation of Catholic social teaching; the dignity of human life.  This central Catholic principle requires that we measure every policy, every institution, and every action by whether it protects human life and enhances human dignity, especially for the poor and vulnerable.