|
The
Church's social doctrine
54. Faced
with the grave social problems which, with different characteristics, are
present throughout America, Catholics know that they can find in the Church's
social doctrine an answer which serves as a starting-point in the search for
practical solutions. Spreading this doctrine is an authentic pastoral priority.
It is therefore important “that in America the agents of evangelization
(Bishops, priests, teachers, pastoral workers, etc.) make their own this
treasure which is the Church's social teaching and, inspired by it, become
capable of interpreting the present situation and determine the actions to
take”. (199) In this regard, special care must be taken to train lay
persons capable of working, on the basis of their faith in Christ, to transform
earthly realities. In addition, it will help to promote and support the study
of this doctrine in every area of the life of the particular Churches in
America, especially in the universities, so that it may be more deeply known
and applied to American society. The complex social reality of the continent is
a fruitful field for the analysis and application of the universal principles
contained in this doctrine.
To this
end, it would be very useful to have a compendium or approved synthesis of
Catholic social doctrine, including a “Catechism”, which would show the
connection between it and the new evangelization. The part which the Catechism
of the Catholic Church devotes to this material, in its treatment of the
seventh commandment of the Decalogue, could serve as the starting-point for
such a “Catechism of Catholic Social Doctrine”. Naturally, as in the case of
the Catechism of the Catholic Church, such a synthesis would only
formulate general principles, leaving their application to further treatment of
the specific issues bound up with the different local situations. (200)
An
important place in the Church's social doctrine belongs to the right to
dignified labor. Consequently, given the high rates of unemployment found in
numerous countries in America and the harsh conditions in which many industrial
and rural workers find themselves, “it is necessary to value work as a factor
of the fulfillment and dignity of the human person. It is the ethical
responsibility of an organized society to promote and support a culture of
work”. (201)
|