The Season for Social Justice 2009
Honoring the Dignity of Work
Supporting the Rights of Workers
It has become our practice at Old St. Patrick’s to designate September as a Season for Social Justice. During this time we set our sights on gaining a greater appreciation and understanding of the Catholic social ethic. Selecting a theme from Catholic Social Teaching, we use the Season as a time for dialogue, learning, inspiration, reflection, and most importantly, as an impetus to action.
The following seven principles highlight the major themes from the body of Catholic Social Teaching. This year our focus is on the Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers.
Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers (Season theme for 2009)
Our faith tradition teaches us that the economy must serve people, not the other way around. Our work should be more than a way to make a living; it should reflect our continuing participation in God’s creation. Therefore, the dignity of work must be protected and the basic rights of workers must be respected — the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property and to economic initiative.
Working for the Common Good (Season theme for 2008)
The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society in economics and politics, in law and policy, directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Therefore, 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.
Care for God’s Creation (Season theme for 2007)
The goods of the earth are gifts from God. We have a responsibility to care for these goods as stewards and trustees, not only as consumers and users.
Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable (Season theme for 2006)
The opposite of rich and powerful is poor and powerless. If the good of all, the common good is to prevail, preferential protection must move toward those affected adversely by the absence of power and the presence of privation.
The Dignity of the Human Person
All people are sacred, made in the image and likeness of God. We firmly hold that people do not lose dignity because of disability, poverty, lack of success, age, or race.
Rights and Responsibilities
People have a fundamental right to life, food, shelter, health care, education and employment. Just as importantly, 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.
Solidarity
We are one human family. Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic and ideological differences.
Source: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Frequently Asked Questions
What is social justice?
Ask two people and you’re likely to get three answers. However, sometimes it helps clarify the conversation if we make a distinction between works of charity and works of justice.
Acts of charity are good works directed toward meeting the immediate needs of others. Feeding hungry people at a food pantry or shelter is an act of charity.
Acts of justice usually begin with questions. For example, why do so many people have to rely on food pantries and shelters for their food? Is it possible that something systemic or structural contributes to poverty? Do I in any way contribute to systemic inequalities? The key to acts of justice is naming the root causes of a social injustice. Acts of justice are good works directed toward eliminating injustice through systemic change. Working for social justice necessarily calls us to question our economic, political, and social policies and choices.
How is “work” a social justice issue?
Work is a reality that touches on the fulfillment of human beings. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops writes: “The economy must serve people, not the other way around. 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 — the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property and to economic initiative.”
Social justice issues are often complex, can we find guidance in our faith tradition? Actually, quite a bit. The call for social justice is expressed throughout the Scriptures, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Sacred Scripture has always been the source for developing Catholic thinking regarding social justice.
And while there is no official canon of Catholic Social Teaching, the church has come to recognize a body of writings, beginning with the 1891 encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum and continuing to the present, as a trustworthy articulation of the Catholic thinking on social justice. Promoting The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers is one of the universally accepted principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Click Here for Notable Quotations from Catholic Social Teaching on the Theme of Work and Workers' Rights
Additional resources related to Catholic teaching on work and workers can be found at:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
www.usccb.org
click on Social Justice Issues
Interfaith Worker Justice
www.iwj.org
The Season for Social Justice at Old St. Patrick’s Church
- celebrates your good work on behalf of social justice,
- invites you to intentionally anchor this good work in your Catholic identity,
- draws your attention to the challenges of the Catholic Social Ethic,
- encourages you to continue with renewed commitment your work of building a better and more just world.
Scheduled Activities
We draw your attention to these special September activities focusing on issues of work and worker justice. Look for more activities to develop throughout the year as we continue to explore the theme.
Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009
Sunday liturgies focus on our celebration of Labor Day, the dignity of work, and the rights of workers.
Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009
Alternative Market
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Church Hall
Join us in the church hall Sunday, September 20th from 9 am – 1 pm as we host over 20 local businesses, artisans, job training programs, and organizations that uphold the ideals of worker justice and promote a fair, conscious economy.
The Catholic Bishops of the United States outlined key elements of a just economy in a document called Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. The Bishops state that:
"Employers contribute to the common good through the services or products they provide and by creating jobs that uphold the dignity and rights of workers. Workers have rights to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to adequate benefits and security in their old age, to the choice of whether to organize and join unions, to the opportunity for legal status for immigrant workers, to private property, and to economic initiative."
The Alternative Market will offer an opportunity for you to support the dignity and rights of workers by:
- Becoming aware of local, fair trade and environmentally conscious vendors who uphold the dignity and rights of workers, provide meaningful and productive work, as well as a decent and fair wage for their employees.
- Appreciating and supporting vendors through purchases of their products or learning about their services.
- Better understanding the impact your spending choices make on the lives of others with every purchase you make.
- Sampling delicious, local foods and Fair Trade coffee and teas while you learn about all the ways you can make a just economy a reality through simple actions!
Small, local, and Fair Trade vendors will feature not only their products, but also share the stories of the individuals who grow or craft the items for sale. Make the choice to support those who empower and uplift workers near and far. Every purchase you make can be a step toward a more fair, just, and conscious economy. Please note: not all our vendors are equipped to handle credit card transactions, so please remember to bring your checkbook.
Click here to learn about the participating vendors.
Faith, Fear, & Finance: Spiritual Reflection on the Economic Downturn
led by Al Gustafson
Monday, Sept. 28, 2009
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Fr. Jack Wall Mission Center
711 W. Monroe Street
Room 25AB
Often left unaddressed, one of the results of the economic downturn has been a disturbing sense of vulnerability that many of us are experiencing. This uneasy feeling may trouble our thoughts about personal finance, employment and vocation, our dreams for what constitutes a comfortable life, our plans for retirement, and our futures in general.
Our hope is that this session will provide us with an opportunity to explore what faith has to say about an economic downturn and the very human experience of vulnerability and unexpected change. Among the questions we will explore are: what has the economic crisis revealed about our own personal spiritualities? Does our faith have anything to say about this kind of vulnerability? How might communities of faith respond to this crisis? Can grace and growth be found within a financial crisis?
Al Gustafson has served as the Executive Director of Crossroads Center for Faith and Work at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago. He is a founder and past president of Career Transitions Center of Chicago. Al is a frequent retreat leader and a spiritual director. He holds degrees in accounting, ethics and spirituality.
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