Remaining Schedule 2/26 Catholic Social Justice 5/5 Morality 3/7 1st Scrutiny 3/8-11 Parish Lenten Mission 3/14 2nd Scrutiny 3/19 Presentation on Holy Triduum 3/21 3rd Scrutiny 3/26 Preview of Easter Vigil Mass 3/28 RCIA Retreat 4/2 Holy Thursday 4/3 Good Friday 4/4 Easter Vigil 4/5 Easter 4/9 NO RCIA Masters Week 4/16 Celebration 4/23 Spirituality 4/30 Devotions/Dogma

Please join us in the Parish Life Center at 6:00pm on Sunday, March 8th for a Welcome Reception for Sister Caterina and Sister Inga.  The Mission will be in the main Church at 7:00pm Sunday, March 8th - Wednesday, March 11th.  Our Lenten Penance Service will be immediately following the Mission on Wednesday, March 11th.

Our mission will be led by Sr. M. Caterina Esselen and  Sr. M. Inga Kvassayová with the Congregation of the  Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.  The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy was founded in Warsaw, Poland on November 1, 1862 and is the congregation to which Saint Faustina belonged.  The sisters participate in carrying out Saint Faustina's mission by spreading the devotion to the Divine Mercy, by proclaiming the message of the infinite mercy of God, and by imploring Divine  Mercy for the entire world.  The sister’s current assignment is in the Congregation’s community in Boston, MA.

Catholic Social Justice

The Great Commandment

And the Pharisees said to him “Teacher, which commandment in the Law is the greatest?” Jesus said in reply “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”(Matt :22)

So…What was He saying?

It was a two part answer. In it He clearly states that;

1. Man has a spiritual side and with it comes responsibilities.

2. Man has a social side and with it there are also responsibilities.

Although Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees was simple in form, in practice, it’s a another issue. Lets look at the “Social Side” of Jesus

The Social Side of Jesus

Who were Jesus’ disciples?

With whom did He associate?

With whom did He dine? Who did He advocate

for? Against whom did He

preach? Who were the biggest

beneficiaries of His ministry?

Where was His house? What did he own?

Social Justice Defined

“The respect for the human person and the rights which flow from human dignity are guaranteed. Society must provide the conditions that allow people to obtain what is their due according to their nature and vocation.”(CCC 1928)

Once Again, a pretty simple statement with broad implications

Especially when you keep in mind that the Catholic Church is a Global Entity.

There are Catholics in literally every Country in the World.

So we have to remember…

GOD IS NOT

NOR DOES HE PREFER adhocracy government in an unstructured

fashion; an unstructured organization anarchy government by none andrarchy/androcracy government by men aristocracy government by the nobility autarchy government by an absolute ruler autocracy government by one individual bureaucracy government by civil servants confederacy a union of sovereign states;

federation demarchy government by the people; popular

government democracy government by the people ethnocracy government by a particular ethnic

group gerontocracy government by the aged gynarchy government by women gynocracy government by women; gynarchy heptarchy government by seven people hierarchy government by a ranked body;

government by priests hierocracy government by priests or religious

ministers kakistocracy government by the worst

kleptocracy government by thieves matriarchy government by women or

mothers meritocracy government by those with merit monarchy government by one individual ochlocracy government by mobs oligarchy government by the few panarchy universal rule or dominion patriarchy government by men or fathers plantocracy government by plantation

owners plutocracy government by the wealthy polyarchy government by many people pornocracy government by harlots synarchy joint sovereignty technocracy government by technical

experts tetrarchy government by four people thalassocracy sovereignty of the seas theocracy government by priests or by

religious law timocracy government by the propertied

class

No, He really doesn’t care

As long as the form of Government serves the people, He’s okay with it.

It’s all about the needs of the people. Hence a benevolent dictatorship is

preferred over an oppressive republic.

Caring communism is better than manipulative capitalism.

And visa versa.

But to make things simple..

We will focus on what happens here in our Society using the guidelines of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB){5-281}. It is an evolving document which has it’s foundation in LEO XIII’s Rerum Novarum (Of New Things) 1891.

It Focuses on these 7 Areas

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person.2. Importance of Family and Community.3. Our Rights as well as our

Responsibilities.4. Options for the Poor and Vulnerable.5. The Dignity of Work and Rights of

Workers.6. Solidarity7. Care for the Environment.

HUMAN DIGNITYWHAT MAKES US

THINK WE ARE ENTITLED TO DIGNITY?

“ God created man in His image; In his Divine Image He created them. Male and female, He created them.” (Gen 1:27)

DIGNITY

From Vatican II; “…Man was created to the image of God, and is capable of knowing and loving his creator..by his innermost nature man is a social being and unless he relates to himself and others he can neither live nor develop his potential.”

(CCC 1713) Man is obliged to follow moral law which urges him to ‘do good and avoid evil. This law makes itself heard in his conscience.’

The Issues

Euthanasia Assisted

Suicide Cloning IVF

Death Penalty Unjust War Genocide Torture Abortion Birth Control

EUTHANASIA

Mobile Euthanasia a Hit with the DutchPosted March 3, 2012. (New Haven Register)

AMSTERDAM - The Dutch mobile euthanasia clinics that began offering assisted death in people's homes last week received nearly 60 requests within their two first days of operation, Dutch daily De Volkskrant reported Saturday.

On Thursday, six mobile Levenseinde (Life End) units went into operation around the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal since 2002.

Euthanasia

Obviously anything can be made ‘Legal’

The intentional hastening of Human death is strictly forbidden. Either as a medical decision (euthanasia), a second party decision (mercy killing) or a personal decision (suicide/assisted suicide).

In cases where Death is inevitable, measures should be taken to provide comfort but it is not necessary to take ‘Extreme Measures’ to prolong life.

Cloning/In Vitro Fertilzation

Pope Paul VI has taught that there is an "inseparable connection, willed by God, and unable to be broken by man on his own initiative, between the two meanings of the conjugal act: the unitive meaning and the procreative meaning.“

To paraphrase the gist of several documents, cloning and in vitro fertilization are a violation of the Rights of the Human Being and undermine the integrity of the child.

Latest Issue 3 DNA Babies

That is to say, that a child has the right to grow up with confidence in the belief that his existence shares the validity of normal human integrity.

The Death Penalty

34 States Execute

Of the 34 states 33 ‘offer’ lethal injection.

Optionally, 10 have electrocution, 4 have the gas chamber, 3 have firing squads, and 3 have hanging.

Oklahoma offers 3 ways.

Nebraska offers none**.

Elsewhere

30% of Foreign Countries permit execution.

50% have banned it 15% have it as part of their law but have

‘de facto’ banned the practice 5% of Countries only use it in extreme

cases, National Emergencies, Marshall Law, War.

Ironically the Vatican banned it as recently as 1969. Although no executions had been ordered since 1870.**

Sooo…

Can a Catholic Support the Death Penalty?

Well, there is no prohibition…but “It is clear that punishment must be

carefully evaluated and decided upon, and ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent” (JP II, 1995)

In Essence

The execution of a human being is only acceptable if that is the ONLY way Society can be protected. He goes on to say that with improved security in the prison systems that it is ‘practically nonexistent’ that such a case would exists.

Execution with the intention of Vengeance is prohibited.

“Possible Candidates”

Remember, we are supposed to see Christ in everyone

.

War-Genocide-Torture

Justified armed conflict for “Legitimate Defense” is not prohibited.

“Pre-emptive” War is unjust and therefore forbidden.

War can only be declared as a last resort.

Respect for the humanity of the enemy must be observed.

Humanity

The dynamics of Armed Conflict are complex assuming that the majority on either side feel that they are ‘right.’

Great effort is made to depict the enemy as ‘something less than human.’

Humanity

Depicting the enemy as a lower life form diminishes the culpability.

Humanity

The moral quandary is when this becomes acceptable, it leads to ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ which are clearly sinful.

Torture

Cruelty and causing extreme suffering are sinful.

Genocide

Worst yet is the targeting of an entire National, Ethnic, or Religious group for extinction.

Abortion

The Catholic Church emphatically asserts that Human Life begins at the Moment of Conception.

It is at this moment the Child is bestowed with an Eternal Soul.

Abortion

From the moment of Conception the Child is entitled to the Full Dignity of Human Life.

No exceptions are made, including potential death of the Mother, Rape, or Incest.

The ‘twins’ argument. Abortion. Is.

Prohibited.

Birth Control

Pope Paul VI published the Encyclical Humanae Vitae (Human Life) in 1968 which restated the Church’s position that artificial interruption of normal procreation is immoral and therefore sinful.

Birth Control

Humanae Vitae was not without controversy. Many Catholic Theologians, Clergy, a large percentage of the Laity, particularly in North and South America and Europe full expected the Church to soften It’s position on birth control.

The Papal Commission originally formed by Pope John XXIII and expanded by Pope Paul VI recommended change by a margin of 69-10. (1968)

The Commission consisted of Clergy, married couples, single women, medical personnel (some of whom were not Catholic), as well as laic medical ethnologists.

In spite of the overwhelming vote for change, Pope Paul VI upheld the Church’s prevailing position.

Among the dissenters were Pope Emeritus Benedict .

Birth Control

Short Summary; Marital intimacy without being open to the Creation of Life is not truly an Act of Love and therefore frustrates God’s Design and Contradicts His Will. The utilization of God’s Gift contrary to it’s intended purpose is sinful.

Call To Families

FAMILY

The ‘Family’ is the basic building block of a community. Lessons learned within the family are the absolute key in the formation a

social being. Aside from fostering a sacred,

spiritual environment the family unit must instill among its members the necessary traits needed for functioning in the larger community.

The breakdown of the Family threatens order.

Some Key Concepts gleaned from a Healthy Family Environment

Sharing Caring Humility Justice Respect for

Authority Protection Forgiveness Responsibility Compassion Self Respect

Laughter Conscience Morality Fairness Equality Love Hate Forgiveness Concern for others Empathy

The Family

Experiments if Social Engineering, redefinition of what constitutes a ‘Family’ and the tendency to allow Institutions to assume many of the functions formerly reserved for the family setting have by-and-large been problematic.

Right vs Responsibilities

You have the right to live.

The right to choose and acquire the things needed for a dignified existence.

The right not to be denied those things to which you have rightful and legal claim to.

You have the responsibility to share your talents with the community.

You must promote peace.

You must show generosity.

You must stand up against inequality. Social/Economic/Racial

The Poor and Vulnerable

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, therefore he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”(Luke 4:18)

This was Jesus’ first utterance at the beginning of his public ministry.

Preference for the Poor

“..to satisfy the demands of justice and equality, strenuous efforts must be made, without disregarding the rights of persons or the natural qualities of each country, to remove, as quickly as possible, the immense economic inequalities which now exist in many cases and are growing and which are connected with individual and social discrimination.” (Gaudium et Spes 66) {Joy and Hope, Pastoral Constitution of the Modern Church; Paul VI}

Who are the Poor?

Well, the poorest nation in the World is Zimbabwe with an annual per-capita income of <$200 annually.

Or it could be a suppressed area, community, family or individual.

What makes you poor? The inability to provide yourself with the basic human needs to lead a full and dignified life.

What Can You Do?

Actually the Catholic Church and particularly the Catholic Church in America does a pretty good job at this.

Everyone should give of the 3T’s. If you don’t have any T’s you can

always pray, of course if you don’t have any T’s you are likely to be a beneficiary.

We Do Pretty Good at That

Subsidiary Charity

The main philosophy in Catholic Charity is “Subsidiary Charity”

That is, providing the tools, knowledge, resources, education, guidance, and counseling to allow the poor to provide for themselves.

What Can I do?

There are numerous opportunities within the ministries of the Church as well as in the Secular World where you might offer your help.

Too many to list.“As you did it to one of the least of

these my brethren, you did to me.” (Matt 25:40)

The Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

Work is an opportunity to use our gifts to fulfill God’s plan for us.

There is a dignity and satisfaction derived from work and to this end we should protect jobs and workers.

Workers should give an honest days work for and honest days wage.

Employers should care for the health and welfare of the worker.

WORK

The Economy should serve the people, not the other way around.

Work is more than a way to make a living, it is a way for a person to contribute his individual talents towards God’s plan.

The Workplace

Employers as well as workers must treat each other with respect and consideration.

All parties involved should set aside their personal interests in consideration of the ‘greater good’ of economic equality for all.

SOLIDARITY

“If you want Peace, Work for Justice.”

Pope Paul VI

Solidarity

The Catholic Church has a Global Vision

Yes..you are your brothers keeper.

We are all of one race, the human race

“Love Thy Neighbor” is a Global Concept

Pope John Paul II firmly restated the Church’s commitment to “the greater good” Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (Concern for Social Order) No.38 (1987)

The Human Family

At its core there is no distinction based on National, Racial, Ethnic, Economic, or Ideological differences.

“Loving our neighbor” has global dimensions and includes standing up against racism, extreme poverty and disease wherever they exist.

Special Issue “Immigration”

Regardless of legal status immigrants should be treated with fairness and respect.

They should not be denied property, services, or the protection necessary to live a dignified existence.

Immigration

There should be a system which encourages legality for both immigrants and employers.

It is morally imperative to assist immigrants in need and there should be no legal impediment in providing such assistance.

Illegal Immigration

Neither The Catholic Church, the USCCB, The Pope, nor the Church Hierarchy condone open borders or illegal immigration.

The Church respects National Solidarity and Security.

The concern is for the Human persons which are here.

Care For God’s Creation

Catholic Tradition INSISTS that you show respect for God by being a good steward of all His Creation

We were given Dominion over the Earth way back in Genesis

We are responsible for its care

Dominion = Stewardship not Domination

Use of resources should always take into consideration not only the needs of all in the current generation, but extend to the needs of generations to come.

God is Revealed in Nature

Since the onset of time Man has always held a sense of wonder in the Natural World around him.

The beauty, intricacies, and balance in nature speak of the Care and Love of Our Creator.

Harmony Between Science and Human Values

There is no prohibition in the cloning of animals or plants whenever it provides a significant benefit for mankind and makes better use of the Earth’s resources.

The same applies for scientific production management of resources (i.e.. factory farms)

Inflicting undue suffering or cruelty is sinful.

GMF’s

Bumper Stickers Seen on the same car

Okay…there IS a big difference between us and animals, that’s why we were give dominion.

There is only a single distinction supported Biblically or by Christian Theology. Humans and All Others.

Environmental Stewardship

Projecting human traits on non-human species and visa versa can be an impediment to spiritual actualization.

Pizarro and Clement VII

Distinction

I know we all love our dogs, cats, horses, ferrets, etc..

Where is the Line?

But do we love our cockroaches?

A Quotation

“We shall never be rough or heartless when it is not necessary, that is clear. We Germans, who are the only people in the world with a decent attitude toward animals, will also assume a decent attitude toward these human animals.” (Heinrich Himmler)

And in conclusion……

"It is the outlook of those who see life in its deeper meaning, who grasp its utter gratuitousness, its beauty and its invitation to freedom and responsibility. It is the outlook of those who do not presume to take possession of reality but instead accept it as a gift, discovering in all things the reflection of the Creator and seeing in every person his living image" (Evangelium vitae, n. 83) John Paul II 1995.

Thank You and God Bless!

Peace!

Distinction

Yes, we all love our dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, etc.