Choose Life!

Choose Life! SSpS International JPIC Seminar

Steyl, Holland 1-21 October 2012

Toni Harris OP

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGOur Context

Development and ContentSSpS Commitments

A Closer Look

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

Session 112 October 2012

The Pastoral Cycle

ILLUMINATION - REFLECTIONThe Light of Catholic Social Teaching

John 8: 10-11

“Has no one condemned you?

. . . Neither do I condemn you.”

7 Billion People

193 Member States

SSpS – Countries of ServiceAfrica:AngolaBeninBotswana,EthiopiaGhanaMozambiqueTogoSouth AfricaZambia

Oceania:AustraliaPapua New Guinea

The Americas:Antigua & BarbudaArgentinaBoliviaBrazilChileCubaEcuadorJamaicaMexicoParaguaySaint KittsUSA

Asia:IndiaIndonesiaJapanKoreaPhilippinesTaiwanTimor LesteRussia /Siberia

Europe:AustriaCzech RepublicEngland GermanyHungaryIrelandItalyMoldaviaNetherlandsPolandPortugalSlovakiaSpainSwitzerlandRomaniaUkraine

POOREST PLACES:

Where are the SSpS Sisters among the peoples

of the poorest countries of the world?

1. Zimbabwe 22. Tanzania 2. Congo-DRC 23. Djibouti 3. Niger 24. Angola4. Burundi 25. Haiti5. Mozambique 26. Senegal6. Guinea-Bissau 27. Uganda7. Chad 28. Nigeria8. Liberia 29. Lesotho9. Burkina Faso 30. Comoros10. Mali 31. Togo11. Central African Republic 32. Nepal12. Sierra Leone 33. Papua New Guinea13. Ethiopia 34. Mauritania14. Guinea 35. Madagascar15. Afghanistan 36. Benin16. Sudan 37. Yemen17. Malawi 38. Myanmar18. Rwanda 39. Cameroon19. Gambia 40. Ghana20. Zambia 41. Bangladesh21. Côte d'lvoire 42. Kenya

World's Poorest CountriesThe rankings below were published in the United Nation's 2010 Human Development Report

and reflect the countries with the lowest human development.

www.infoplease.com

ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL CONFLICT

Where are the SSpS Sisters among the peoples of countries

with actual or potential conflicts?

Actual or Potential ConflictCountries in Conflict (1 OCT 2012):

Deteriorated SituationsChina/Japan Mali Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan)Syria

Conflict Risk AlertMaliVenezuela

Conflict Resolution OpportunityColombia www.crisisgroup.org

CONFLICT - Unchanged SituationsAfghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India (non-Kashmir), Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel Occupied Palestinian Territories , Jordan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Caucasus (Russia), North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zimbabwe

–Religious communities either –. . . announce the Good News– in the midst of the world . . . –or else they succumb by decline

quickly or slowly, –simply because –they have conformed – to the world.– (Vita Consecrata, 1b)

–The first task –which must be once again

–assumed with enthusiasm is–the proclamation

–of Christ to all. –This task falls especially

–to consecrated – men and women . . .

– (Starting Afresh from Christ, 2002)

– As we look around our world– and when we reflect seriously

– on the Gospel, – we cannot help but be challenged– to work to bring our reality into

– closer conformity with Gospel demands. – That challenge means working toward

–the elimination of everything in our reality that does not respect and sustain

– the basic dignity, – fundamental rights,

– and decent quality of life for all persons.

EDGAR JAVIER SVD

“Megatrends and Mission: Re-Imagining the Missionary in the New World”Realities that have a bearing on our mission:• Multiculturality• Migration• Religious Plurality• Poverty• Earth

Reflect:RECALL EFFORTS THAT YOUR

MEMBERS HAVE MADE AND ARE MAKING TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD.

IDENTIFY JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF YOUR CONGREGATION’S EFFORTS.

What do we mean by “justice?”

establishing equality in our relationships with others

to do the good due one’s neighbor, community , creation and God

avoid doing evil by inflicting no injury on one’s neighbor , community or creation

dimensions of basic justice

commutative justice: fundamental fairness in all agreements and exchanges

distributive justice: the benefits and the burdens of society are shared fairly

restorative justice: the need to repair the harm done to victims

social justice: all persons have an unmet debt to the common good

“right relationship”: contemporary re-articulation

of the commitmentto do the good due God,

neighbor, one’s self, and all of creation.

CHARITY AND JUSTICEResponding to immediate human needs (hunger, shelter, clothing, etc.) is not the same as working to change the systemsthat create injustices in society. This distinction may be understood as the difference between charity and justice, the difference between works of mercy and works that change oppressive social systems.

– “Charity will never be true charity unless it takes justice into account ….

– Let no one attempt – with small gifts of charity – to exempt themselves from – the great duties – imposed by justice.” – Pius XI, Divini Redemptoris (1937)

– Although there is an essential relationship between charity and justice, – they are not the same.

– Working for justice involves changing systems, structures, institutions and public policies

– that are the root causes of social injustices. – The Gospel demands that followers of Jesus

walk with both these “feet:” – the two feet of charity and justice.

. . . a society that does not respect and sustain the basic dignity, fundamental rights, and decent quality of life for all persons.

OF WHAT PARTICULAR INJUSTICES ARE YOU AWARE IN THE PLACES WHERE YOU LIVE AND SERVE?