Life and Dignity of the Human
Person
The dignity of the human
person is reflective of Jesus’ ministry.
All life, from conception thru natural death, is held sacred.
Abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, poverty, animal cruelty,
discrimination, are all practices that violate this teaching.
Call to Family, Community, and
Participation
The family is the core of a
Christian society. Just as Jesus
formed the first Christian community and early church recognized that Jesus came
for all of humanity, “community” is the arena in which we live a Christian life.
A society that diminishes the importance of family and promotes “rugged
individualism” conflicts with Jesus’ teaching that we are interdependent with
each other and dependent on God.
Social or political practices that isolate large segments of the population
violate this teaching.
Rights and Responsibilities
Rights
to food, shelter, employment, health care, education, etc. are all recognized
and supported by our Catholic tradition.
A society whose economics and politics systemically deny any segment of
its populations these rights violates this teaching.
However, with each right comes the responsibility to use that right to
advance the common good. Although
Judeo-Christian tradition supports property rights, such rights must be
accompanied by the responsibility to steward the property for future
generations.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
Jesus’ commandments, The
Beatitudes, begin with “Blessed are the
Poor in Spirit …” Not all of
God’s children are blessed with physical health, high intelligence, emotional
stability, or other attributes that are necessary for success in a competitive
society. Many people start life
with symptoms of poor prenatal care, dysfunctional parents, unhealthy
environments, etc. A Christian society supports its poor and vulnerable with a
combination of private and public programs.
The Dignity of Work and the Rights
of Workers
Work is a fundamental
component of a person’s life journey.
Work is necessary for a society to progress towards God’s kingdom on
earth. Work that demeans a person’s
dignity has been too common in our nation’s history.
The exploitation of the poor and immigrants on plantations, coal mines,
sweat shops, railroad gangs, farm fields, etc. violates this teaching.
A just working environment is healthy, safe and provides a living wage.
When these rights are not being met, Catholic tradition has a long
history of supporting the right of workers to organize without intimidation.
Solidarity
Jesus used the story of the
Good Samaritan to answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?”
Our neighbor is not just the person next door; it’s the person in
Care for God’s Creation
We are partners with God in
preserving the natural world that reflects God’s glory and providence.
We bless the Creator when we bless the Creator’s Creation.
We grow in our spiritual understanding of God by reflecting on wonders of
the natural world. When we allow
this gift to be diminished by pollution, erosion, non-renewal resource
extraction, over consumption, etc, we have chosen to place our personal welfare
ahead of our less fortunate neighbors and future generations.
Our Catholic tradition calls us to
value, protect and cherish our sacramental universe.
Click here to see information on the MHC Social Actions Grant