<\/p>\n
CAPP International Conference<\/span><\/h5>\nThe Health of Nations<\/strong>: Pope Francis<\/em>‘ Call for Inclusion<\/span><\/h5>\nNew York City, September 24, 2021<\/span><\/h5>\nby Bishop Frank J. Caggiano<\/span><\/h5>\n <\/p>\n
Introduction<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
Thank you for those kind words. Good morning everyone. I am absolutely delighted to join you today and I am grateful for the opportunity to offer some initial reflections to set the stage for what I believe is going to be a very productive, fruitful dialogue about the \u201cSocial Gospel\u201d, that is, Catholic social teachings that we hold so dear, and Pope Francis\u2019 particular call for inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nA Window of Opportunity<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I believe this topic is of great significance for many reasons, not least of which because we are living in a \u201cwindow of opportunity\u201d. More specifically, given the widespread dislocation caused by the pandemic, a growing number of people are now far more comfortable with the notion that things need to change than before the pandemic began. We have the opportunity, not simply to reevaluate our economic, political, and social orders, but actually to change them for the better. In other words, we need not limit ourselves to seek solely greater economic stability, but to realize what Catholic social teaching mandates: to respect the dignity of each human being and to foster inclusion for all.<\/span><\/p>\n\n![\"Bishop](\"https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Bishop-Frank-Caggiano.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Pope Francis\u2014A Man for the Time<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I<\/span> believe that Pope Francis is the right man, with the right voice, at the right time during this window of opportunity to engage believers and people of good will in this project. I speak not only of his many prophetic acts of inclusion, such as erecting showers under the rotunda of St. Peter\u2019s Square, sharing his birthday breakfast with the homeless, going to Lampedusa or even opening the Office of Papal Charities but the very substance of his teaching of which you are all familiar. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFor example, he has an unwavering commitment to promote the dignity and needs of those who are excluded and vulnerable in our economic, social, and political order; to promote the common good and to situate individual rights within the common good; to dare to say that \u201csiamo tutti fratelli e sorelle<\/em>\u201d (i.e., we are all brothers and sisters), echoing St. Francis of Assisi\u2019s vision of a unity formed irrespective of culture, language, nationality; to reaffirm the importance of families and local communities as building blocks that will respect the dignity of individuals and to advocate for an integral ecology. My friends, this is a profound call to inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTwo Tasks<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So what is my task today? I stand before you, as a pastor of the Church, to do two things.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, I wish to situate the work of this day within the larger context of what Catholic social teaching states.<\/span><\/p>\nSecond, I will seek to explain elements of Pope Francis\u2019 call to inclusion, examining what they could mean for the conversation we will have today.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWe are all called to maintain, defend and advocate for the fullness of the Truth, despite the complexity of the issue or the personal cost to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWhat is Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
To begin, I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that if you ask the average Catholic what Catholic social teaching is, they would be hard-pressed to figure out how best to respond. I think they would point to the mandate of the Gospel to be charitable, to love one\u2019s neighbor as oneself, but they would not necessarily understand the robust, sophisticated, and articulated vision of teachings that challenges all believers to engage the world, in concrete and effective ways, to realize this mandate of charity. Pope Francis is one of many voices in a long tradition that has articulated this mandate.<\/span><\/p>\nTHE BEGINNING<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Most commentators would say modern Catholic social teaching began with (Rerum Novarum)<\/a> written by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. However, the roots of Catholic social teaching began in the teachings and ministry of the Lord Himself and in our living Apostolic Tradition as the Church over the centuries has responded to changing circumstances such as feudalism, industrialization, modernism, politics, wars, technology, globalization, and now the digital continent.<\/span><\/p>\nAt its heart, Catholic social teaching marries the evangelical mandate of love (to will the good of the other) with the demands of reason (illustrated by the natural law and also informed by the social sciences) so that we can identify concrete paths to foster the dignity of every human person and the common good that binds us together.<\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON TWO “UNITIES”<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nThis \u201cmarriage\u201d, my friends, is also founded upon two unities that are central in Catholic thinking.<\/span><\/p>\nThe first is the unity of faith and reason that complement one another, in the same way that grace builds upon nature.<\/span><\/p>\nThe second unity is summarized by the scriptural exposition of St. James who affirmed that faith without good works is dead. <\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON THREE PRINCIPLES<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nBefore we move to Pope Francis\u2019s call to inclusion, allow me to offer two additional preliminary remarks.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, there are three fundamental principles that undergird Catholic social teaching, further articulated by complementary corollaries. Some theologians identify seven fundamental principles for Catholic social teaching. In any case, we must understand that these principles do not exist in isolation. They exist in creative tension with one other, creating a cohesive and comprehensive picture that at times must be self-correcting of the potential excesses of any one principle.<\/span><\/p>\nConsider the image of a mosaic. When you look at the pieces of a mosaic, each is beautiful, but you do not appreciate the full beauty of the entire mosaic until you see the pieces together.<\/span><\/p>\nHow Do We Implement Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So part of our challenge is to realize the full vision of Catholic social teaching in our complex, complicated and divided world. It is a world that seeks exclusion rather than inclusion. We must reflect deeply upon the simple question: how do we concretize \u2013 in the messy world in which we live \u2013 the full message of Catholic social teaching?<\/span><\/p>\nThe second premise follows from the first. Given the enormity of our economic and political orders and the complexity of the social structures found in countries around the world, there will be legitimate disagreement among us, even in this room, regarding how to apply these principles to everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\nI am hoping that some of that diverse thinking will come to the fore during our question and answer session. However such disagreements should never be a reason for us to shy away from the discussion. Pope Francis is no stranger to controversy; neither should we because of the import of what stands before us.<\/span><\/p>\nPope Francis’ Call for Inclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So, let us turn to Pope Francis\u2019 teachings. The Holy Father has made a clear call for inclusion that animates much of his papal magisterium. In order to understand this fundamental call, I wish to suggest that there is a basic theological principle that undergirds much of what Pope Francis is asking of us. It is a fundamental principle that unites what otherwise could be misunderstood as unrelated moral imperatives.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
In the Tradition of the Church, this fundamental principle is called communio<\/em> or communion. It can also described as social fraternity.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/em> is a mystery, not because we cannot speak of it or describe it. Rather, it is a reality that is better understood by entering into it because by doing so, we are responding to a divine invitation.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is the invitation? The invitation is for all of us who are made in God\u2019s image and likeness, through the power of grace, to enter into the very life of God who is Himself a divine communion of perfect love.<\/span><\/p>\nIn Christian revelation, we speak of God as a Trinity of divine persons, bound together in love since \u201cGod is love\u201d. Our communio<\/em> reflects this divine life, reminding us of who we are and the bond we share with every human being, of all races, cultures and backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\nIt also reminds us of our obligation to sustain our common life and the care of creation which allows human life to endure. In short, as we hear in chapter 1 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, paraphrasing the Holy Father\u2019s words, we must reaffirm that there are no \u201cothers<\/em>\u201d or \u201cthem<\/em>\u201d only \u201cus<\/em>\u201d, who includes God. This is our communio<\/em> with God and one other.<\/span><\/p>\nSource of Communio<\/em>? Covenant<\/span><\/h2>\n
Where does the notion of communio<\/em> come from? In the Jewish scriptures, it is the notion of covenant<\/em>. In offering a covenant to His chosen people, God binds Himself in love to them even though they do not necessarily merit such love because of past infidelities.<\/span><\/p>\nThe covenant is God\u2019s everlasting and irrevocable invitation to share divine life with His Chosen People. For those of us who are Christians, we believe that this covenant is perfectly fulfilled in the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy? It is not solely because Christ forgives our sins in His free sacrifice upon the Cross, but through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Christ is the living bridge into the life of God. He is the divine bridge into an everlasting Communion who is the Trinity.<\/span><\/p>\nAs human beings created and redeemed by Christ, communio is a consequence and fulfillment of who we are meant to be, with God and with one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWhen Pope Francis speaks of inclusion…He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nSource of \u201cInclusion\u201d? Communio<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
In (Fratelli Tutti, 94)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father writes, \u201cOnly by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThus, when Pope Francis speaks of inclusion, he is not describing something transactional in nature. He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhether we call it fraternal love or social friendship, it is synonymous with the reality of which I am speaking. We are to live in communion with each other because we should know no other way how to live. We must be impelled by this communion (i.e., \u201ccommon union\u201d), to redefine not only our personal relationships but every social and economic structure.<\/span><\/p>\nPractical Implications? Mercy<\/span><\/h2>\n
When this vision is applied to daily life, we can understand why Pope Francis constantly speaks of mercy. My friends, the effect of living communion is<\/em> mercy. Mercy is the spiritual bridge that will leave no person behind.<\/span><\/p>\nSynodality<\/span><\/h2>\n
When Pope Francis speaks of synodality as an essential part of the Church\u2019s life, what he is saying is that the journey of faith excludes no one. It is not just bishops who are tasked to discern the voice of the Spirit but all God\u2019s people share this task by the power of their baptism.<\/span><\/p>\nEven those who do not share Christian faith have a role in our discernment because they share the very fabric of who we are as potential respondents to the divine call to communion<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nIn short, there is a personal and communal obligation to look at the economic, political, and social order through this lens of communio<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Three Principles of Catholic Social Teaching<\/span><\/h2>\n
Allow me to go deeper. I will use the three fundamental principles of Catholic social teachings to illustrate in greater detail what Pope Francis is teaching us.<\/span><\/p>\nIf you recall, St John Paul II in (Ecclesia in America, 55)<\/a>, said, \u201cher [that is, the Church’s] moral vision in this area [Catholic social teaching] rests on three cornerstones of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity.\u201d For the balance of my remarks I will explore each of these fundamental cornerstones to illustrate the implications of our Holy Father\u2019s call to inclusion.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman Dignity\u2014of All<\/span><\/h2>\n
Let us begin with the fundamental principle of human dignity and the value of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nWhile Pope Francis has constantly reaffirmed the dignity and value of unborn life, he also has made it clear that such dignity extends to every person, including the marginalized, the vulnerable, and the excluded in our midst.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman lives that have become marginalized and invisible to the economic and political order around us must be protected and nurtured. They deserve respect, protection and inclusion, not because we accord it, but because it is already inherent in the fundamental nature of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 107)<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0this imperative is summarized with the fundamental reaffirmation that every human person has a right to live with dignity and develop integrally.<\/span><\/p>\nSo who are the marginalized for Pope Francis?<\/span><\/p>\nThey include the physically poor, those who lack the necessities of life and migrants whose dignity is challenged at the borders. He also reminds us that the elderly, the uneducated, refugees, and those who are suffering from the effects of climate change are also among the marginalized.<\/span><\/p>\nThe fourth chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> dreams of \u201ca heart open to the world\u201d. It affirms that human dignity exists in every stage and season of life. It is never to be judged in a utilitarian fashion. It is universal since it embraces every human person and knows no distinction of politics or national boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\nFinally, it is a dignity that must safeguard a preferential option for the marginalized persons in our midst who will otherwise be left behind.<\/span><\/p>\nA Real and Practical Challenge<\/span><\/h2>\n
Pope Francis does not mince words. He challenges the political, economic and social orders to include the excluded.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Evangelii Gaudium)<\/em><\/a>, Pope Francis challenges all governments to assure dignified work, health care, and education for all their people. He also criticizes the \u201cidolatry of money\u201d, in which the human person, because of the economic structures that now exist, is no longer an agent of economic life but is reduced to a center of consumption for profit. He speaks of the victims of a \u201cneoliberal faith\u201d in an unfettered marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 168)<\/em><\/a>, the Pope challenges the mistaken belief that the marketplace will solve all problems through \u201cspillover\u201d or \u201ctrickle\u201d theories. <\/span><\/p>\nIntegral Human Development<\/span><\/h2>\n
In light of these challenges, the Pope affirms the need for a full integral human development as he observes in (Fratelli Tutti, 21)<\/em><\/a>: \u201cSome economic rules have proved effective for growth but not for integral human development. Wealth has increased but together with inequality and the result that that there are `new forms of poverty emerging\u2019.\u201d A simple stroll down any avenue in Manhattan vividly illustrates the consequences that such inequality has created.<\/span><\/p>\nRequires Strong Communities<\/span><\/h2>\n
Associated with dignity of the human person is the essential role that both the family and the local community play in assuring the welfare and dignity of human life. <\/span><\/p>\nThis theme is particularly developed in (Amoris Laetitia)<\/em><\/a>. Every human life needs these two basic communities to realize each person\u2019s human potential and to thrive in communio<\/em> with God and one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBottom Line\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
So if you were to ask me, \u201cBishop Frank, summarize all this in a sentence,\u201d I would respond this way. For Pope Francis, the basic moral test for any society is determined by the manner in which we treat the poor and marginalized in our midst. To the extent that we are failing this test is the measure to which we need to change. <\/span><\/p>\nSolidarity<\/span><\/h2>\n
The second principle of Catholic social teaching is human solidarity. Solidarity is the basis of the communio<\/em> of which I have already spoken. In fact, such solidarity underlies our obligation to identify and protect the common good.<\/span><\/p>\nWe live in a time, particularly here in the United States where personal rights have almost been divinized and a discussion of the common good has been set aside. The Holy Father says that such divinization of personal rights is a recipe for disaster because the common good checks personal excess. Both individual rights and the common good are in a very delicate and creative balance.<\/span><\/p>\nAn urgent task facing our contemporary society is the need to articulate what the common good entails so that it is in fact held in common by society at large.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Common Good<\/span><\/h2>\n
For Pope Francis, the notion of advancing the common good resonates very deeply in his writings. He challenges his listeners to understand the common good as essential in any conversation of an economic political or social order.<\/span><\/p>\nMore specifically, by the common good, the Holy Father is speaking of the long-term common good. In (Fratelli Tutti, 76)<\/em><\/a>, he states, \u201cTrue statecraft is manifest, when in difficult times we uphold high principles and think of the long-term common good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIn fact, in chapter 5 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father challenges us to reimagine a better type of political order, one based on charity and fraternity. He calls it \u201cpolitical love\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\nDo you see a lot of political love in Washington? My friends, we have a lot of work to do.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen the Holy Father speaks of the ideal of a fraternal society based on dialogue, it is clear that realizing this ideal is becoming harder and harder to live in our fractured and divided world. In fact, to the Hungarian bishops, whom the Pope just visited last week, he said, \u201cif we want the river of the Gospel here also in Hungary to penetrate people’s lives [and note the emphasis] to lead to a more fraternal<\/em> and solidary<\/em> society [which is a synonym for an inclusive society], the church needs to build new bridges of dialogue.\u201d The pope has been insistent on realizing this ideal for all believers. <\/span><\/p>\nWhat Gets in the Way?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Regarding the societal structures and obstacles that prevent the realization of a truly fraternal society, the title of the opening chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> is sobering: \u201cDark Clouds over a Closed World.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIt summarizes many of the difficulties that I have already outlined. Inan earlier document, the Pope speaks of a \u201cnew tyranny\u201d in
New York City, September 24, 2021<\/span><\/h5>\nby Bishop Frank J. Caggiano<\/span><\/h5>\n <\/p>\n
Introduction<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
Thank you for those kind words. Good morning everyone. I am absolutely delighted to join you today and I am grateful for the opportunity to offer some initial reflections to set the stage for what I believe is going to be a very productive, fruitful dialogue about the \u201cSocial Gospel\u201d, that is, Catholic social teachings that we hold so dear, and Pope Francis\u2019 particular call for inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nA Window of Opportunity<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I believe this topic is of great significance for many reasons, not least of which because we are living in a \u201cwindow of opportunity\u201d. More specifically, given the widespread dislocation caused by the pandemic, a growing number of people are now far more comfortable with the notion that things need to change than before the pandemic began. We have the opportunity, not simply to reevaluate our economic, political, and social orders, but actually to change them for the better. In other words, we need not limit ourselves to seek solely greater economic stability, but to realize what Catholic social teaching mandates: to respect the dignity of each human being and to foster inclusion for all.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Pope Francis\u2014A Man for the Time<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I<\/span> believe that Pope Francis is the right man, with the right voice, at the right time during this window of opportunity to engage believers and people of good will in this project. I speak not only of his many prophetic acts of inclusion, such as erecting showers under the rotunda of St. Peter\u2019s Square, sharing his birthday breakfast with the homeless, going to Lampedusa or even opening the Office of Papal Charities but the very substance of his teaching of which you are all familiar. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFor example, he has an unwavering commitment to promote the dignity and needs of those who are excluded and vulnerable in our economic, social, and political order; to promote the common good and to situate individual rights within the common good; to dare to say that \u201csiamo tutti fratelli e sorelle<\/em>\u201d (i.e., we are all brothers and sisters), echoing St. Francis of Assisi\u2019s vision of a unity formed irrespective of culture, language, nationality; to reaffirm the importance of families and local communities as building blocks that will respect the dignity of individuals and to advocate for an integral ecology. My friends, this is a profound call to inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTwo Tasks<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So what is my task today? I stand before you, as a pastor of the Church, to do two things.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, I wish to situate the work of this day within the larger context of what Catholic social teaching states.<\/span><\/p>\nSecond, I will seek to explain elements of Pope Francis\u2019 call to inclusion, examining what they could mean for the conversation we will have today.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWe are all called to maintain, defend and advocate for the fullness of the Truth, despite the complexity of the issue or the personal cost to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWhat is Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
To begin, I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that if you ask the average Catholic what Catholic social teaching is, they would be hard-pressed to figure out how best to respond. I think they would point to the mandate of the Gospel to be charitable, to love one\u2019s neighbor as oneself, but they would not necessarily understand the robust, sophisticated, and articulated vision of teachings that challenges all believers to engage the world, in concrete and effective ways, to realize this mandate of charity. Pope Francis is one of many voices in a long tradition that has articulated this mandate.<\/span><\/p>\nTHE BEGINNING<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Most commentators would say modern Catholic social teaching began with (Rerum Novarum)<\/a> written by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. However, the roots of Catholic social teaching began in the teachings and ministry of the Lord Himself and in our living Apostolic Tradition as the Church over the centuries has responded to changing circumstances such as feudalism, industrialization, modernism, politics, wars, technology, globalization, and now the digital continent.<\/span><\/p>\nAt its heart, Catholic social teaching marries the evangelical mandate of love (to will the good of the other) with the demands of reason (illustrated by the natural law and also informed by the social sciences) so that we can identify concrete paths to foster the dignity of every human person and the common good that binds us together.<\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON TWO “UNITIES”<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nThis \u201cmarriage\u201d, my friends, is also founded upon two unities that are central in Catholic thinking.<\/span><\/p>\nThe first is the unity of faith and reason that complement one another, in the same way that grace builds upon nature.<\/span><\/p>\nThe second unity is summarized by the scriptural exposition of St. James who affirmed that faith without good works is dead. <\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON THREE PRINCIPLES<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nBefore we move to Pope Francis\u2019s call to inclusion, allow me to offer two additional preliminary remarks.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, there are three fundamental principles that undergird Catholic social teaching, further articulated by complementary corollaries. Some theologians identify seven fundamental principles for Catholic social teaching. In any case, we must understand that these principles do not exist in isolation. They exist in creative tension with one other, creating a cohesive and comprehensive picture that at times must be self-correcting of the potential excesses of any one principle.<\/span><\/p>\nConsider the image of a mosaic. When you look at the pieces of a mosaic, each is beautiful, but you do not appreciate the full beauty of the entire mosaic until you see the pieces together.<\/span><\/p>\nHow Do We Implement Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So part of our challenge is to realize the full vision of Catholic social teaching in our complex, complicated and divided world. It is a world that seeks exclusion rather than inclusion. We must reflect deeply upon the simple question: how do we concretize \u2013 in the messy world in which we live \u2013 the full message of Catholic social teaching?<\/span><\/p>\nThe second premise follows from the first. Given the enormity of our economic and political orders and the complexity of the social structures found in countries around the world, there will be legitimate disagreement among us, even in this room, regarding how to apply these principles to everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\nI am hoping that some of that diverse thinking will come to the fore during our question and answer session. However such disagreements should never be a reason for us to shy away from the discussion. Pope Francis is no stranger to controversy; neither should we because of the import of what stands before us.<\/span><\/p>\nPope Francis’ Call for Inclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So, let us turn to Pope Francis\u2019 teachings. The Holy Father has made a clear call for inclusion that animates much of his papal magisterium. In order to understand this fundamental call, I wish to suggest that there is a basic theological principle that undergirds much of what Pope Francis is asking of us. It is a fundamental principle that unites what otherwise could be misunderstood as unrelated moral imperatives.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
In the Tradition of the Church, this fundamental principle is called communio<\/em> or communion. It can also described as social fraternity.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/em> is a mystery, not because we cannot speak of it or describe it. Rather, it is a reality that is better understood by entering into it because by doing so, we are responding to a divine invitation.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is the invitation? The invitation is for all of us who are made in God\u2019s image and likeness, through the power of grace, to enter into the very life of God who is Himself a divine communion of perfect love.<\/span><\/p>\nIn Christian revelation, we speak of God as a Trinity of divine persons, bound together in love since \u201cGod is love\u201d. Our communio<\/em> reflects this divine life, reminding us of who we are and the bond we share with every human being, of all races, cultures and backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\nIt also reminds us of our obligation to sustain our common life and the care of creation which allows human life to endure. In short, as we hear in chapter 1 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, paraphrasing the Holy Father\u2019s words, we must reaffirm that there are no \u201cothers<\/em>\u201d or \u201cthem<\/em>\u201d only \u201cus<\/em>\u201d, who includes God. This is our communio<\/em> with God and one other.<\/span><\/p>\nSource of Communio<\/em>? Covenant<\/span><\/h2>\n
Where does the notion of communio<\/em> come from? In the Jewish scriptures, it is the notion of covenant<\/em>. In offering a covenant to His chosen people, God binds Himself in love to them even though they do not necessarily merit such love because of past infidelities.<\/span><\/p>\nThe covenant is God\u2019s everlasting and irrevocable invitation to share divine life with His Chosen People. For those of us who are Christians, we believe that this covenant is perfectly fulfilled in the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy? It is not solely because Christ forgives our sins in His free sacrifice upon the Cross, but through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Christ is the living bridge into the life of God. He is the divine bridge into an everlasting Communion who is the Trinity.<\/span><\/p>\nAs human beings created and redeemed by Christ, communio is a consequence and fulfillment of who we are meant to be, with God and with one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWhen Pope Francis speaks of inclusion…He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nSource of \u201cInclusion\u201d? Communio<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
In (Fratelli Tutti, 94)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father writes, \u201cOnly by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThus, when Pope Francis speaks of inclusion, he is not describing something transactional in nature. He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhether we call it fraternal love or social friendship, it is synonymous with the reality of which I am speaking. We are to live in communion with each other because we should know no other way how to live. We must be impelled by this communion (i.e., \u201ccommon union\u201d), to redefine not only our personal relationships but every social and economic structure.<\/span><\/p>\nPractical Implications? Mercy<\/span><\/h2>\n
When this vision is applied to daily life, we can understand why Pope Francis constantly speaks of mercy. My friends, the effect of living communion is<\/em> mercy. Mercy is the spiritual bridge that will leave no person behind.<\/span><\/p>\nSynodality<\/span><\/h2>\n
When Pope Francis speaks of synodality as an essential part of the Church\u2019s life, what he is saying is that the journey of faith excludes no one. It is not just bishops who are tasked to discern the voice of the Spirit but all God\u2019s people share this task by the power of their baptism.<\/span><\/p>\nEven those who do not share Christian faith have a role in our discernment because they share the very fabric of who we are as potential respondents to the divine call to communion<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nIn short, there is a personal and communal obligation to look at the economic, political, and social order through this lens of communio<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Three Principles of Catholic Social Teaching<\/span><\/h2>\n
Allow me to go deeper. I will use the three fundamental principles of Catholic social teachings to illustrate in greater detail what Pope Francis is teaching us.<\/span><\/p>\nIf you recall, St John Paul II in (Ecclesia in America, 55)<\/a>, said, \u201cher [that is, the Church’s] moral vision in this area [Catholic social teaching] rests on three cornerstones of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity.\u201d For the balance of my remarks I will explore each of these fundamental cornerstones to illustrate the implications of our Holy Father\u2019s call to inclusion.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman Dignity\u2014of All<\/span><\/h2>\n
Let us begin with the fundamental principle of human dignity and the value of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nWhile Pope Francis has constantly reaffirmed the dignity and value of unborn life, he also has made it clear that such dignity extends to every person, including the marginalized, the vulnerable, and the excluded in our midst.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman lives that have become marginalized and invisible to the economic and political order around us must be protected and nurtured. They deserve respect, protection and inclusion, not because we accord it, but because it is already inherent in the fundamental nature of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 107)<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0this imperative is summarized with the fundamental reaffirmation that every human person has a right to live with dignity and develop integrally.<\/span><\/p>\nSo who are the marginalized for Pope Francis?<\/span><\/p>\nThey include the physically poor, those who lack the necessities of life and migrants whose dignity is challenged at the borders. He also reminds us that the elderly, the uneducated, refugees, and those who are suffering from the effects of climate change are also among the marginalized.<\/span><\/p>\nThe fourth chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> dreams of \u201ca heart open to the world\u201d. It affirms that human dignity exists in every stage and season of life. It is never to be judged in a utilitarian fashion. It is universal since it embraces every human person and knows no distinction of politics or national boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\nFinally, it is a dignity that must safeguard a preferential option for the marginalized persons in our midst who will otherwise be left behind.<\/span><\/p>\nA Real and Practical Challenge<\/span><\/h2>\n
Pope Francis does not mince words. He challenges the political, economic and social orders to include the excluded.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Evangelii Gaudium)<\/em><\/a>, Pope Francis challenges all governments to assure dignified work, health care, and education for all their people. He also criticizes the \u201cidolatry of money\u201d, in which the human person, because of the economic structures that now exist, is no longer an agent of economic life but is reduced to a center of consumption for profit. He speaks of the victims of a \u201cneoliberal faith\u201d in an unfettered marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 168)<\/em><\/a>, the Pope challenges the mistaken belief that the marketplace will solve all problems through \u201cspillover\u201d or \u201ctrickle\u201d theories. <\/span><\/p>\nIntegral Human Development<\/span><\/h2>\n
In light of these challenges, the Pope affirms the need for a full integral human development as he observes in (Fratelli Tutti, 21)<\/em><\/a>: \u201cSome economic rules have proved effective for growth but not for integral human development. Wealth has increased but together with inequality and the result that that there are `new forms of poverty emerging\u2019.\u201d A simple stroll down any avenue in Manhattan vividly illustrates the consequences that such inequality has created.<\/span><\/p>\nRequires Strong Communities<\/span><\/h2>\n
Associated with dignity of the human person is the essential role that both the family and the local community play in assuring the welfare and dignity of human life. <\/span><\/p>\nThis theme is particularly developed in (Amoris Laetitia)<\/em><\/a>. Every human life needs these two basic communities to realize each person\u2019s human potential and to thrive in communio<\/em> with God and one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBottom Line\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
So if you were to ask me, \u201cBishop Frank, summarize all this in a sentence,\u201d I would respond this way. For Pope Francis, the basic moral test for any society is determined by the manner in which we treat the poor and marginalized in our midst. To the extent that we are failing this test is the measure to which we need to change. <\/span><\/p>\nSolidarity<\/span><\/h2>\n
The second principle of Catholic social teaching is human solidarity. Solidarity is the basis of the communio<\/em> of which I have already spoken. In fact, such solidarity underlies our obligation to identify and protect the common good.<\/span><\/p>\nWe live in a time, particularly here in the United States where personal rights have almost been divinized and a discussion of the common good has been set aside. The Holy Father says that such divinization of personal rights is a recipe for disaster because the common good checks personal excess. Both individual rights and the common good are in a very delicate and creative balance.<\/span><\/p>\nAn urgent task facing our contemporary society is the need to articulate what the common good entails so that it is in fact held in common by society at large.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Common Good<\/span><\/h2>\n
For Pope Francis, the notion of advancing the common good resonates very deeply in his writings. He challenges his listeners to understand the common good as essential in any conversation of an economic political or social order.<\/span><\/p>\nMore specifically, by the common good, the Holy Father is speaking of the long-term common good. In (Fratelli Tutti, 76)<\/em><\/a>, he states, \u201cTrue statecraft is manifest, when in difficult times we uphold high principles and think of the long-term common good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIn fact, in chapter 5 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father challenges us to reimagine a better type of political order, one based on charity and fraternity. He calls it \u201cpolitical love\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\nDo you see a lot of political love in Washington? My friends, we have a lot of work to do.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen the Holy Father speaks of the ideal of a fraternal society based on dialogue, it is clear that realizing this ideal is becoming harder and harder to live in our fractured and divided world. In fact, to the Hungarian bishops, whom the Pope just visited last week, he said, \u201cif we want the river of the Gospel here also in Hungary to penetrate people’s lives [and note the emphasis] to lead to a more fraternal<\/em> and solidary<\/em> society [which is a synonym for an inclusive society], the church needs to build new bridges of dialogue.\u201d The pope has been insistent on realizing this ideal for all believers. <\/span><\/p>\nWhat Gets in the Way?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Regarding the societal structures and obstacles that prevent the realization of a truly fraternal society, the title of the opening chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> is sobering: \u201cDark Clouds over a Closed World.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIt summarizes many of the difficulties that I have already outlined. Inan earlier document, the Pope speaks of a \u201cnew tyranny\u201d in
<\/p>\n
Introduction<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
Thank you for those kind words. Good morning everyone. I am absolutely delighted to join you today and I am grateful for the opportunity to offer some initial reflections to set the stage for what I believe is going to be a very productive, fruitful dialogue about the \u201cSocial Gospel\u201d, that is, Catholic social teachings that we hold so dear, and Pope Francis\u2019 particular call for inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nA Window of Opportunity<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I believe this topic is of great significance for many reasons, not least of which because we are living in a \u201cwindow of opportunity\u201d. More specifically, given the widespread dislocation caused by the pandemic, a growing number of people are now far more comfortable with the notion that things need to change than before the pandemic began. We have the opportunity, not simply to reevaluate our economic, political, and social orders, but actually to change them for the better. In other words, we need not limit ourselves to seek solely greater economic stability, but to realize what Catholic social teaching mandates: to respect the dignity of each human being and to foster inclusion for all.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Pope Francis\u2014A Man for the Time<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I<\/span> believe that Pope Francis is the right man, with the right voice, at the right time during this window of opportunity to engage believers and people of good will in this project. I speak not only of his many prophetic acts of inclusion, such as erecting showers under the rotunda of St. Peter\u2019s Square, sharing his birthday breakfast with the homeless, going to Lampedusa or even opening the Office of Papal Charities but the very substance of his teaching of which you are all familiar. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFor example, he has an unwavering commitment to promote the dignity and needs of those who are excluded and vulnerable in our economic, social, and political order; to promote the common good and to situate individual rights within the common good; to dare to say that \u201csiamo tutti fratelli e sorelle<\/em>\u201d (i.e., we are all brothers and sisters), echoing St. Francis of Assisi\u2019s vision of a unity formed irrespective of culture, language, nationality; to reaffirm the importance of families and local communities as building blocks that will respect the dignity of individuals and to advocate for an integral ecology. My friends, this is a profound call to inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTwo Tasks<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So what is my task today? I stand before you, as a pastor of the Church, to do two things.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, I wish to situate the work of this day within the larger context of what Catholic social teaching states.<\/span><\/p>\nSecond, I will seek to explain elements of Pope Francis\u2019 call to inclusion, examining what they could mean for the conversation we will have today.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWe are all called to maintain, defend and advocate for the fullness of the Truth, despite the complexity of the issue or the personal cost to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWhat is Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
To begin, I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that if you ask the average Catholic what Catholic social teaching is, they would be hard-pressed to figure out how best to respond. I think they would point to the mandate of the Gospel to be charitable, to love one\u2019s neighbor as oneself, but they would not necessarily understand the robust, sophisticated, and articulated vision of teachings that challenges all believers to engage the world, in concrete and effective ways, to realize this mandate of charity. Pope Francis is one of many voices in a long tradition that has articulated this mandate.<\/span><\/p>\nTHE BEGINNING<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Most commentators would say modern Catholic social teaching began with (Rerum Novarum)<\/a> written by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. However, the roots of Catholic social teaching began in the teachings and ministry of the Lord Himself and in our living Apostolic Tradition as the Church over the centuries has responded to changing circumstances such as feudalism, industrialization, modernism, politics, wars, technology, globalization, and now the digital continent.<\/span><\/p>\nAt its heart, Catholic social teaching marries the evangelical mandate of love (to will the good of the other) with the demands of reason (illustrated by the natural law and also informed by the social sciences) so that we can identify concrete paths to foster the dignity of every human person and the common good that binds us together.<\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON TWO “UNITIES”<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nThis \u201cmarriage\u201d, my friends, is also founded upon two unities that are central in Catholic thinking.<\/span><\/p>\nThe first is the unity of faith and reason that complement one another, in the same way that grace builds upon nature.<\/span><\/p>\nThe second unity is summarized by the scriptural exposition of St. James who affirmed that faith without good works is dead. <\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON THREE PRINCIPLES<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nBefore we move to Pope Francis\u2019s call to inclusion, allow me to offer two additional preliminary remarks.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, there are three fundamental principles that undergird Catholic social teaching, further articulated by complementary corollaries. Some theologians identify seven fundamental principles for Catholic social teaching. In any case, we must understand that these principles do not exist in isolation. They exist in creative tension with one other, creating a cohesive and comprehensive picture that at times must be self-correcting of the potential excesses of any one principle.<\/span><\/p>\nConsider the image of a mosaic. When you look at the pieces of a mosaic, each is beautiful, but you do not appreciate the full beauty of the entire mosaic until you see the pieces together.<\/span><\/p>\nHow Do We Implement Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So part of our challenge is to realize the full vision of Catholic social teaching in our complex, complicated and divided world. It is a world that seeks exclusion rather than inclusion. We must reflect deeply upon the simple question: how do we concretize \u2013 in the messy world in which we live \u2013 the full message of Catholic social teaching?<\/span><\/p>\nThe second premise follows from the first. Given the enormity of our economic and political orders and the complexity of the social structures found in countries around the world, there will be legitimate disagreement among us, even in this room, regarding how to apply these principles to everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\nI am hoping that some of that diverse thinking will come to the fore during our question and answer session. However such disagreements should never be a reason for us to shy away from the discussion. Pope Francis is no stranger to controversy; neither should we because of the import of what stands before us.<\/span><\/p>\nPope Francis’ Call for Inclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So, let us turn to Pope Francis\u2019 teachings. The Holy Father has made a clear call for inclusion that animates much of his papal magisterium. In order to understand this fundamental call, I wish to suggest that there is a basic theological principle that undergirds much of what Pope Francis is asking of us. It is a fundamental principle that unites what otherwise could be misunderstood as unrelated moral imperatives.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
In the Tradition of the Church, this fundamental principle is called communio<\/em> or communion. It can also described as social fraternity.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/em> is a mystery, not because we cannot speak of it or describe it. Rather, it is a reality that is better understood by entering into it because by doing so, we are responding to a divine invitation.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is the invitation? The invitation is for all of us who are made in God\u2019s image and likeness, through the power of grace, to enter into the very life of God who is Himself a divine communion of perfect love.<\/span><\/p>\nIn Christian revelation, we speak of God as a Trinity of divine persons, bound together in love since \u201cGod is love\u201d. Our communio<\/em> reflects this divine life, reminding us of who we are and the bond we share with every human being, of all races, cultures and backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\nIt also reminds us of our obligation to sustain our common life and the care of creation which allows human life to endure. In short, as we hear in chapter 1 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, paraphrasing the Holy Father\u2019s words, we must reaffirm that there are no \u201cothers<\/em>\u201d or \u201cthem<\/em>\u201d only \u201cus<\/em>\u201d, who includes God. This is our communio<\/em> with God and one other.<\/span><\/p>\nSource of Communio<\/em>? Covenant<\/span><\/h2>\n
Where does the notion of communio<\/em> come from? In the Jewish scriptures, it is the notion of covenant<\/em>. In offering a covenant to His chosen people, God binds Himself in love to them even though they do not necessarily merit such love because of past infidelities.<\/span><\/p>\nThe covenant is God\u2019s everlasting and irrevocable invitation to share divine life with His Chosen People. For those of us who are Christians, we believe that this covenant is perfectly fulfilled in the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy? It is not solely because Christ forgives our sins in His free sacrifice upon the Cross, but through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Christ is the living bridge into the life of God. He is the divine bridge into an everlasting Communion who is the Trinity.<\/span><\/p>\nAs human beings created and redeemed by Christ, communio is a consequence and fulfillment of who we are meant to be, with God and with one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWhen Pope Francis speaks of inclusion…He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nSource of \u201cInclusion\u201d? Communio<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
In (Fratelli Tutti, 94)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father writes, \u201cOnly by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThus, when Pope Francis speaks of inclusion, he is not describing something transactional in nature. He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhether we call it fraternal love or social friendship, it is synonymous with the reality of which I am speaking. We are to live in communion with each other because we should know no other way how to live. We must be impelled by this communion (i.e., \u201ccommon union\u201d), to redefine not only our personal relationships but every social and economic structure.<\/span><\/p>\nPractical Implications? Mercy<\/span><\/h2>\n
When this vision is applied to daily life, we can understand why Pope Francis constantly speaks of mercy. My friends, the effect of living communion is<\/em> mercy. Mercy is the spiritual bridge that will leave no person behind.<\/span><\/p>\nSynodality<\/span><\/h2>\n
When Pope Francis speaks of synodality as an essential part of the Church\u2019s life, what he is saying is that the journey of faith excludes no one. It is not just bishops who are tasked to discern the voice of the Spirit but all God\u2019s people share this task by the power of their baptism.<\/span><\/p>\nEven those who do not share Christian faith have a role in our discernment because they share the very fabric of who we are as potential respondents to the divine call to communion<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nIn short, there is a personal and communal obligation to look at the economic, political, and social order through this lens of communio<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Three Principles of Catholic Social Teaching<\/span><\/h2>\n
Allow me to go deeper. I will use the three fundamental principles of Catholic social teachings to illustrate in greater detail what Pope Francis is teaching us.<\/span><\/p>\nIf you recall, St John Paul II in (Ecclesia in America, 55)<\/a>, said, \u201cher [that is, the Church’s] moral vision in this area [Catholic social teaching] rests on three cornerstones of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity.\u201d For the balance of my remarks I will explore each of these fundamental cornerstones to illustrate the implications of our Holy Father\u2019s call to inclusion.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman Dignity\u2014of All<\/span><\/h2>\n
Let us begin with the fundamental principle of human dignity and the value of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nWhile Pope Francis has constantly reaffirmed the dignity and value of unborn life, he also has made it clear that such dignity extends to every person, including the marginalized, the vulnerable, and the excluded in our midst.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman lives that have become marginalized and invisible to the economic and political order around us must be protected and nurtured. They deserve respect, protection and inclusion, not because we accord it, but because it is already inherent in the fundamental nature of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 107)<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0this imperative is summarized with the fundamental reaffirmation that every human person has a right to live with dignity and develop integrally.<\/span><\/p>\nSo who are the marginalized for Pope Francis?<\/span><\/p>\nThey include the physically poor, those who lack the necessities of life and migrants whose dignity is challenged at the borders. He also reminds us that the elderly, the uneducated, refugees, and those who are suffering from the effects of climate change are also among the marginalized.<\/span><\/p>\nThe fourth chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> dreams of \u201ca heart open to the world\u201d. It affirms that human dignity exists in every stage and season of life. It is never to be judged in a utilitarian fashion. It is universal since it embraces every human person and knows no distinction of politics or national boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\nFinally, it is a dignity that must safeguard a preferential option for the marginalized persons in our midst who will otherwise be left behind.<\/span><\/p>\nA Real and Practical Challenge<\/span><\/h2>\n
Pope Francis does not mince words. He challenges the political, economic and social orders to include the excluded.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Evangelii Gaudium)<\/em><\/a>, Pope Francis challenges all governments to assure dignified work, health care, and education for all their people. He also criticizes the \u201cidolatry of money\u201d, in which the human person, because of the economic structures that now exist, is no longer an agent of economic life but is reduced to a center of consumption for profit. He speaks of the victims of a \u201cneoliberal faith\u201d in an unfettered marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 168)<\/em><\/a>, the Pope challenges the mistaken belief that the marketplace will solve all problems through \u201cspillover\u201d or \u201ctrickle\u201d theories. <\/span><\/p>\nIntegral Human Development<\/span><\/h2>\n
In light of these challenges, the Pope affirms the need for a full integral human development as he observes in (Fratelli Tutti, 21)<\/em><\/a>: \u201cSome economic rules have proved effective for growth but not for integral human development. Wealth has increased but together with inequality and the result that that there are `new forms of poverty emerging\u2019.\u201d A simple stroll down any avenue in Manhattan vividly illustrates the consequences that such inequality has created.<\/span><\/p>\nRequires Strong Communities<\/span><\/h2>\n
Associated with dignity of the human person is the essential role that both the family and the local community play in assuring the welfare and dignity of human life. <\/span><\/p>\nThis theme is particularly developed in (Amoris Laetitia)<\/em><\/a>. Every human life needs these two basic communities to realize each person\u2019s human potential and to thrive in communio<\/em> with God and one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBottom Line\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
So if you were to ask me, \u201cBishop Frank, summarize all this in a sentence,\u201d I would respond this way. For Pope Francis, the basic moral test for any society is determined by the manner in which we treat the poor and marginalized in our midst. To the extent that we are failing this test is the measure to which we need to change. <\/span><\/p>\nSolidarity<\/span><\/h2>\n
The second principle of Catholic social teaching is human solidarity. Solidarity is the basis of the communio<\/em> of which I have already spoken. In fact, such solidarity underlies our obligation to identify and protect the common good.<\/span><\/p>\nWe live in a time, particularly here in the United States where personal rights have almost been divinized and a discussion of the common good has been set aside. The Holy Father says that such divinization of personal rights is a recipe for disaster because the common good checks personal excess. Both individual rights and the common good are in a very delicate and creative balance.<\/span><\/p>\nAn urgent task facing our contemporary society is the need to articulate what the common good entails so that it is in fact held in common by society at large.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Common Good<\/span><\/h2>\n
For Pope Francis, the notion of advancing the common good resonates very deeply in his writings. He challenges his listeners to understand the common good as essential in any conversation of an economic political or social order.<\/span><\/p>\nMore specifically, by the common good, the Holy Father is speaking of the long-term common good. In (Fratelli Tutti, 76)<\/em><\/a>, he states, \u201cTrue statecraft is manifest, when in difficult times we uphold high principles and think of the long-term common good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIn fact, in chapter 5 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father challenges us to reimagine a better type of political order, one based on charity and fraternity. He calls it \u201cpolitical love\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\nDo you see a lot of political love in Washington? My friends, we have a lot of work to do.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen the Holy Father speaks of the ideal of a fraternal society based on dialogue, it is clear that realizing this ideal is becoming harder and harder to live in our fractured and divided world. In fact, to the Hungarian bishops, whom the Pope just visited last week, he said, \u201cif we want the river of the Gospel here also in Hungary to penetrate people’s lives [and note the emphasis] to lead to a more fraternal<\/em> and solidary<\/em> society [which is a synonym for an inclusive society], the church needs to build new bridges of dialogue.\u201d The pope has been insistent on realizing this ideal for all believers. <\/span><\/p>\nWhat Gets in the Way?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Regarding the societal structures and obstacles that prevent the realization of a truly fraternal society, the title of the opening chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> is sobering: \u201cDark Clouds over a Closed World.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIt summarizes many of the difficulties that I have already outlined. Inan earlier document, the Pope speaks of a \u201cnew tyranny\u201d in
Thank you for those kind words. Good morning everyone. I am absolutely delighted to join you today and I am grateful for the opportunity to offer some initial reflections to set the stage for what I believe is going to be a very productive, fruitful dialogue about the \u201cSocial Gospel\u201d, that is, Catholic social teachings that we hold so dear, and Pope Francis\u2019 particular call for inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
A Window of Opportunity<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I believe this topic is of great significance for many reasons, not least of which because we are living in a \u201cwindow of opportunity\u201d. More specifically, given the widespread dislocation caused by the pandemic, a growing number of people are now far more comfortable with the notion that things need to change than before the pandemic began. We have the opportunity, not simply to reevaluate our economic, political, and social orders, but actually to change them for the better. In other words, we need not limit ourselves to seek solely greater economic stability, but to realize what Catholic social teaching mandates: to respect the dignity of each human being and to foster inclusion for all.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Pope Francis\u2014A Man for the Time<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I<\/span> believe that Pope Francis is the right man, with the right voice, at the right time during this window of opportunity to engage believers and people of good will in this project. I speak not only of his many prophetic acts of inclusion, such as erecting showers under the rotunda of St. Peter\u2019s Square, sharing his birthday breakfast with the homeless, going to Lampedusa or even opening the Office of Papal Charities but the very substance of his teaching of which you are all familiar. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFor example, he has an unwavering commitment to promote the dignity and needs of those who are excluded and vulnerable in our economic, social, and political order; to promote the common good and to situate individual rights within the common good; to dare to say that \u201csiamo tutti fratelli e sorelle<\/em>\u201d (i.e., we are all brothers and sisters), echoing St. Francis of Assisi\u2019s vision of a unity formed irrespective of culture, language, nationality; to reaffirm the importance of families and local communities as building blocks that will respect the dignity of individuals and to advocate for an integral ecology. My friends, this is a profound call to inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTwo Tasks<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So what is my task today? I stand before you, as a pastor of the Church, to do two things.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, I wish to situate the work of this day within the larger context of what Catholic social teaching states.<\/span><\/p>\nSecond, I will seek to explain elements of Pope Francis\u2019 call to inclusion, examining what they could mean for the conversation we will have today.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWe are all called to maintain, defend and advocate for the fullness of the Truth, despite the complexity of the issue or the personal cost to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWhat is Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
To begin, I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that if you ask the average Catholic what Catholic social teaching is, they would be hard-pressed to figure out how best to respond. I think they would point to the mandate of the Gospel to be charitable, to love one\u2019s neighbor as oneself, but they would not necessarily understand the robust, sophisticated, and articulated vision of teachings that challenges all believers to engage the world, in concrete and effective ways, to realize this mandate of charity. Pope Francis is one of many voices in a long tradition that has articulated this mandate.<\/span><\/p>\nTHE BEGINNING<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Most commentators would say modern Catholic social teaching began with (Rerum Novarum)<\/a> written by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. However, the roots of Catholic social teaching began in the teachings and ministry of the Lord Himself and in our living Apostolic Tradition as the Church over the centuries has responded to changing circumstances such as feudalism, industrialization, modernism, politics, wars, technology, globalization, and now the digital continent.<\/span><\/p>\nAt its heart, Catholic social teaching marries the evangelical mandate of love (to will the good of the other) with the demands of reason (illustrated by the natural law and also informed by the social sciences) so that we can identify concrete paths to foster the dignity of every human person and the common good that binds us together.<\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON TWO “UNITIES”<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nThis \u201cmarriage\u201d, my friends, is also founded upon two unities that are central in Catholic thinking.<\/span><\/p>\nThe first is the unity of faith and reason that complement one another, in the same way that grace builds upon nature.<\/span><\/p>\nThe second unity is summarized by the scriptural exposition of St. James who affirmed that faith without good works is dead. <\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON THREE PRINCIPLES<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nBefore we move to Pope Francis\u2019s call to inclusion, allow me to offer two additional preliminary remarks.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, there are three fundamental principles that undergird Catholic social teaching, further articulated by complementary corollaries. Some theologians identify seven fundamental principles for Catholic social teaching. In any case, we must understand that these principles do not exist in isolation. They exist in creative tension with one other, creating a cohesive and comprehensive picture that at times must be self-correcting of the potential excesses of any one principle.<\/span><\/p>\nConsider the image of a mosaic. When you look at the pieces of a mosaic, each is beautiful, but you do not appreciate the full beauty of the entire mosaic until you see the pieces together.<\/span><\/p>\nHow Do We Implement Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So part of our challenge is to realize the full vision of Catholic social teaching in our complex, complicated and divided world. It is a world that seeks exclusion rather than inclusion. We must reflect deeply upon the simple question: how do we concretize \u2013 in the messy world in which we live \u2013 the full message of Catholic social teaching?<\/span><\/p>\nThe second premise follows from the first. Given the enormity of our economic and political orders and the complexity of the social structures found in countries around the world, there will be legitimate disagreement among us, even in this room, regarding how to apply these principles to everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\nI am hoping that some of that diverse thinking will come to the fore during our question and answer session. However such disagreements should never be a reason for us to shy away from the discussion. Pope Francis is no stranger to controversy; neither should we because of the import of what stands before us.<\/span><\/p>\nPope Francis’ Call for Inclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So, let us turn to Pope Francis\u2019 teachings. The Holy Father has made a clear call for inclusion that animates much of his papal magisterium. In order to understand this fundamental call, I wish to suggest that there is a basic theological principle that undergirds much of what Pope Francis is asking of us. It is a fundamental principle that unites what otherwise could be misunderstood as unrelated moral imperatives.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
In the Tradition of the Church, this fundamental principle is called communio<\/em> or communion. It can also described as social fraternity.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/em> is a mystery, not because we cannot speak of it or describe it. Rather, it is a reality that is better understood by entering into it because by doing so, we are responding to a divine invitation.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is the invitation? The invitation is for all of us who are made in God\u2019s image and likeness, through the power of grace, to enter into the very life of God who is Himself a divine communion of perfect love.<\/span><\/p>\nIn Christian revelation, we speak of God as a Trinity of divine persons, bound together in love since \u201cGod is love\u201d. Our communio<\/em> reflects this divine life, reminding us of who we are and the bond we share with every human being, of all races, cultures and backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\nIt also reminds us of our obligation to sustain our common life and the care of creation which allows human life to endure. In short, as we hear in chapter 1 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, paraphrasing the Holy Father\u2019s words, we must reaffirm that there are no \u201cothers<\/em>\u201d or \u201cthem<\/em>\u201d only \u201cus<\/em>\u201d, who includes God. This is our communio<\/em> with God and one other.<\/span><\/p>\nSource of Communio<\/em>? Covenant<\/span><\/h2>\n
Where does the notion of communio<\/em> come from? In the Jewish scriptures, it is the notion of covenant<\/em>. In offering a covenant to His chosen people, God binds Himself in love to them even though they do not necessarily merit such love because of past infidelities.<\/span><\/p>\nThe covenant is God\u2019s everlasting and irrevocable invitation to share divine life with His Chosen People. For those of us who are Christians, we believe that this covenant is perfectly fulfilled in the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy? It is not solely because Christ forgives our sins in His free sacrifice upon the Cross, but through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Christ is the living bridge into the life of God. He is the divine bridge into an everlasting Communion who is the Trinity.<\/span><\/p>\nAs human beings created and redeemed by Christ, communio is a consequence and fulfillment of who we are meant to be, with God and with one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWhen Pope Francis speaks of inclusion…He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nSource of \u201cInclusion\u201d? Communio<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
In (Fratelli Tutti, 94)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father writes, \u201cOnly by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThus, when Pope Francis speaks of inclusion, he is not describing something transactional in nature. He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhether we call it fraternal love or social friendship, it is synonymous with the reality of which I am speaking. We are to live in communion with each other because we should know no other way how to live. We must be impelled by this communion (i.e., \u201ccommon union\u201d), to redefine not only our personal relationships but every social and economic structure.<\/span><\/p>\nPractical Implications? Mercy<\/span><\/h2>\n
When this vision is applied to daily life, we can understand why Pope Francis constantly speaks of mercy. My friends, the effect of living communion is<\/em> mercy. Mercy is the spiritual bridge that will leave no person behind.<\/span><\/p>\nSynodality<\/span><\/h2>\n
When Pope Francis speaks of synodality as an essential part of the Church\u2019s life, what he is saying is that the journey of faith excludes no one. It is not just bishops who are tasked to discern the voice of the Spirit but all God\u2019s people share this task by the power of their baptism.<\/span><\/p>\nEven those who do not share Christian faith have a role in our discernment because they share the very fabric of who we are as potential respondents to the divine call to communion<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nIn short, there is a personal and communal obligation to look at the economic, political, and social order through this lens of communio<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Three Principles of Catholic Social Teaching<\/span><\/h2>\n
Allow me to go deeper. I will use the three fundamental principles of Catholic social teachings to illustrate in greater detail what Pope Francis is teaching us.<\/span><\/p>\nIf you recall, St John Paul II in (Ecclesia in America, 55)<\/a>, said, \u201cher [that is, the Church’s] moral vision in this area [Catholic social teaching] rests on three cornerstones of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity.\u201d For the balance of my remarks I will explore each of these fundamental cornerstones to illustrate the implications of our Holy Father\u2019s call to inclusion.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman Dignity\u2014of All<\/span><\/h2>\n
Let us begin with the fundamental principle of human dignity and the value of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nWhile Pope Francis has constantly reaffirmed the dignity and value of unborn life, he also has made it clear that such dignity extends to every person, including the marginalized, the vulnerable, and the excluded in our midst.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman lives that have become marginalized and invisible to the economic and political order around us must be protected and nurtured. They deserve respect, protection and inclusion, not because we accord it, but because it is already inherent in the fundamental nature of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 107)<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0this imperative is summarized with the fundamental reaffirmation that every human person has a right to live with dignity and develop integrally.<\/span><\/p>\nSo who are the marginalized for Pope Francis?<\/span><\/p>\nThey include the physically poor, those who lack the necessities of life and migrants whose dignity is challenged at the borders. He also reminds us that the elderly, the uneducated, refugees, and those who are suffering from the effects of climate change are also among the marginalized.<\/span><\/p>\nThe fourth chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> dreams of \u201ca heart open to the world\u201d. It affirms that human dignity exists in every stage and season of life. It is never to be judged in a utilitarian fashion. It is universal since it embraces every human person and knows no distinction of politics or national boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\nFinally, it is a dignity that must safeguard a preferential option for the marginalized persons in our midst who will otherwise be left behind.<\/span><\/p>\nA Real and Practical Challenge<\/span><\/h2>\n
Pope Francis does not mince words. He challenges the political, economic and social orders to include the excluded.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Evangelii Gaudium)<\/em><\/a>, Pope Francis challenges all governments to assure dignified work, health care, and education for all their people. He also criticizes the \u201cidolatry of money\u201d, in which the human person, because of the economic structures that now exist, is no longer an agent of economic life but is reduced to a center of consumption for profit. He speaks of the victims of a \u201cneoliberal faith\u201d in an unfettered marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 168)<\/em><\/a>, the Pope challenges the mistaken belief that the marketplace will solve all problems through \u201cspillover\u201d or \u201ctrickle\u201d theories. <\/span><\/p>\nIntegral Human Development<\/span><\/h2>\n
In light of these challenges, the Pope affirms the need for a full integral human development as he observes in (Fratelli Tutti, 21)<\/em><\/a>: \u201cSome economic rules have proved effective for growth but not for integral human development. Wealth has increased but together with inequality and the result that that there are `new forms of poverty emerging\u2019.\u201d A simple stroll down any avenue in Manhattan vividly illustrates the consequences that such inequality has created.<\/span><\/p>\nRequires Strong Communities<\/span><\/h2>\n
Associated with dignity of the human person is the essential role that both the family and the local community play in assuring the welfare and dignity of human life. <\/span><\/p>\nThis theme is particularly developed in (Amoris Laetitia)<\/em><\/a>. Every human life needs these two basic communities to realize each person\u2019s human potential and to thrive in communio<\/em> with God and one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBottom Line\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
So if you were to ask me, \u201cBishop Frank, summarize all this in a sentence,\u201d I would respond this way. For Pope Francis, the basic moral test for any society is determined by the manner in which we treat the poor and marginalized in our midst. To the extent that we are failing this test is the measure to which we need to change. <\/span><\/p>\nSolidarity<\/span><\/h2>\n
The second principle of Catholic social teaching is human solidarity. Solidarity is the basis of the communio<\/em> of which I have already spoken. In fact, such solidarity underlies our obligation to identify and protect the common good.<\/span><\/p>\nWe live in a time, particularly here in the United States where personal rights have almost been divinized and a discussion of the common good has been set aside. The Holy Father says that such divinization of personal rights is a recipe for disaster because the common good checks personal excess. Both individual rights and the common good are in a very delicate and creative balance.<\/span><\/p>\nAn urgent task facing our contemporary society is the need to articulate what the common good entails so that it is in fact held in common by society at large.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Common Good<\/span><\/h2>\n
For Pope Francis, the notion of advancing the common good resonates very deeply in his writings. He challenges his listeners to understand the common good as essential in any conversation of an economic political or social order.<\/span><\/p>\nMore specifically, by the common good, the Holy Father is speaking of the long-term common good. In (Fratelli Tutti, 76)<\/em><\/a>, he states, \u201cTrue statecraft is manifest, when in difficult times we uphold high principles and think of the long-term common good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIn fact, in chapter 5 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father challenges us to reimagine a better type of political order, one based on charity and fraternity. He calls it \u201cpolitical love\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\nDo you see a lot of political love in Washington? My friends, we have a lot of work to do.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen the Holy Father speaks of the ideal of a fraternal society based on dialogue, it is clear that realizing this ideal is becoming harder and harder to live in our fractured and divided world. In fact, to the Hungarian bishops, whom the Pope just visited last week, he said, \u201cif we want the river of the Gospel here also in Hungary to penetrate people’s lives [and note the emphasis] to lead to a more fraternal<\/em> and solidary<\/em> society [which is a synonym for an inclusive society], the church needs to build new bridges of dialogue.\u201d The pope has been insistent on realizing this ideal for all believers. <\/span><\/p>\nWhat Gets in the Way?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Regarding the societal structures and obstacles that prevent the realization of a truly fraternal society, the title of the opening chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> is sobering: \u201cDark Clouds over a Closed World.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIt summarizes many of the difficulties that I have already outlined. Inan earlier document, the Pope speaks of a \u201cnew tyranny\u201d in
I believe this topic is of great significance for many reasons, not least of which because we are living in a \u201cwindow of opportunity\u201d. More specifically, given the widespread dislocation caused by the pandemic, a growing number of people are now far more comfortable with the notion that things need to change than before the pandemic began. We have the opportunity, not simply to reevaluate our economic, political, and social orders, but actually to change them for the better. In other words, we need not limit ourselves to seek solely greater economic stability, but to realize what Catholic social teaching mandates: to respect the dignity of each human being and to foster inclusion for all.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Pope Francis\u2014A Man for the Time<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
I<\/span> believe that Pope Francis is the right man, with the right voice, at the right time during this window of opportunity to engage believers and people of good will in this project. I speak not only of his many prophetic acts of inclusion, such as erecting showers under the rotunda of St. Peter\u2019s Square, sharing his birthday breakfast with the homeless, going to Lampedusa or even opening the Office of Papal Charities but the very substance of his teaching of which you are all familiar. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFor example, he has an unwavering commitment to promote the dignity and needs of those who are excluded and vulnerable in our economic, social, and political order; to promote the common good and to situate individual rights within the common good; to dare to say that \u201csiamo tutti fratelli e sorelle<\/em>\u201d (i.e., we are all brothers and sisters), echoing St. Francis of Assisi\u2019s vision of a unity formed irrespective of culture, language, nationality; to reaffirm the importance of families and local communities as building blocks that will respect the dignity of individuals and to advocate for an integral ecology. My friends, this is a profound call to inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTwo Tasks<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So what is my task today? I stand before you, as a pastor of the Church, to do two things.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, I wish to situate the work of this day within the larger context of what Catholic social teaching states.<\/span><\/p>\nSecond, I will seek to explain elements of Pope Francis\u2019 call to inclusion, examining what they could mean for the conversation we will have today.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWe are all called to maintain, defend and advocate for the fullness of the Truth, despite the complexity of the issue or the personal cost to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWhat is Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
To begin, I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that if you ask the average Catholic what Catholic social teaching is, they would be hard-pressed to figure out how best to respond. I think they would point to the mandate of the Gospel to be charitable, to love one\u2019s neighbor as oneself, but they would not necessarily understand the robust, sophisticated, and articulated vision of teachings that challenges all believers to engage the world, in concrete and effective ways, to realize this mandate of charity. Pope Francis is one of many voices in a long tradition that has articulated this mandate.<\/span><\/p>\nTHE BEGINNING<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Most commentators would say modern Catholic social teaching began with (Rerum Novarum)<\/a> written by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. However, the roots of Catholic social teaching began in the teachings and ministry of the Lord Himself and in our living Apostolic Tradition as the Church over the centuries has responded to changing circumstances such as feudalism, industrialization, modernism, politics, wars, technology, globalization, and now the digital continent.<\/span><\/p>\nAt its heart, Catholic social teaching marries the evangelical mandate of love (to will the good of the other) with the demands of reason (illustrated by the natural law and also informed by the social sciences) so that we can identify concrete paths to foster the dignity of every human person and the common good that binds us together.<\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON TWO “UNITIES”<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nThis \u201cmarriage\u201d, my friends, is also founded upon two unities that are central in Catholic thinking.<\/span><\/p>\nThe first is the unity of faith and reason that complement one another, in the same way that grace builds upon nature.<\/span><\/p>\nThe second unity is summarized by the scriptural exposition of St. James who affirmed that faith without good works is dead. <\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON THREE PRINCIPLES<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nBefore we move to Pope Francis\u2019s call to inclusion, allow me to offer two additional preliminary remarks.<\/span><\/p>\nFirst, there are three fundamental principles that undergird Catholic social teaching, further articulated by complementary corollaries. Some theologians identify seven fundamental principles for Catholic social teaching. In any case, we must understand that these principles do not exist in isolation. They exist in creative tension with one other, creating a cohesive and comprehensive picture that at times must be self-correcting of the potential excesses of any one principle.<\/span><\/p>\nConsider the image of a mosaic. When you look at the pieces of a mosaic, each is beautiful, but you do not appreciate the full beauty of the entire mosaic until you see the pieces together.<\/span><\/p>\nHow Do We Implement Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So part of our challenge is to realize the full vision of Catholic social teaching in our complex, complicated and divided world. It is a world that seeks exclusion rather than inclusion. We must reflect deeply upon the simple question: how do we concretize \u2013 in the messy world in which we live \u2013 the full message of Catholic social teaching?<\/span><\/p>\nThe second premise follows from the first. Given the enormity of our economic and political orders and the complexity of the social structures found in countries around the world, there will be legitimate disagreement among us, even in this room, regarding how to apply these principles to everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\nI am hoping that some of that diverse thinking will come to the fore during our question and answer session. However such disagreements should never be a reason for us to shy away from the discussion. Pope Francis is no stranger to controversy; neither should we because of the import of what stands before us.<\/span><\/p>\nPope Francis’ Call for Inclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So, let us turn to Pope Francis\u2019 teachings. The Holy Father has made a clear call for inclusion that animates much of his papal magisterium. In order to understand this fundamental call, I wish to suggest that there is a basic theological principle that undergirds much of what Pope Francis is asking of us. It is a fundamental principle that unites what otherwise could be misunderstood as unrelated moral imperatives.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
In the Tradition of the Church, this fundamental principle is called communio<\/em> or communion. It can also described as social fraternity.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/em> is a mystery, not because we cannot speak of it or describe it. Rather, it is a reality that is better understood by entering into it because by doing so, we are responding to a divine invitation.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is the invitation? The invitation is for all of us who are made in God\u2019s image and likeness, through the power of grace, to enter into the very life of God who is Himself a divine communion of perfect love.<\/span><\/p>\nIn Christian revelation, we speak of God as a Trinity of divine persons, bound together in love since \u201cGod is love\u201d. Our communio<\/em> reflects this divine life, reminding us of who we are and the bond we share with every human being, of all races, cultures and backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\nIt also reminds us of our obligation to sustain our common life and the care of creation which allows human life to endure. In short, as we hear in chapter 1 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, paraphrasing the Holy Father\u2019s words, we must reaffirm that there are no \u201cothers<\/em>\u201d or \u201cthem<\/em>\u201d only \u201cus<\/em>\u201d, who includes God. This is our communio<\/em> with God and one other.<\/span><\/p>\nSource of Communio<\/em>? Covenant<\/span><\/h2>\n
Where does the notion of communio<\/em> come from? In the Jewish scriptures, it is the notion of covenant<\/em>. In offering a covenant to His chosen people, God binds Himself in love to them even though they do not necessarily merit such love because of past infidelities.<\/span><\/p>\nThe covenant is God\u2019s everlasting and irrevocable invitation to share divine life with His Chosen People. For those of us who are Christians, we believe that this covenant is perfectly fulfilled in the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy? It is not solely because Christ forgives our sins in His free sacrifice upon the Cross, but through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Christ is the living bridge into the life of God. He is the divine bridge into an everlasting Communion who is the Trinity.<\/span><\/p>\nAs human beings created and redeemed by Christ, communio is a consequence and fulfillment of who we are meant to be, with God and with one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\nWhen Pope Francis speaks of inclusion…He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nSource of \u201cInclusion\u201d? Communio<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
In (Fratelli Tutti, 94)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father writes, \u201cOnly by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThus, when Pope Francis speaks of inclusion, he is not describing something transactional in nature. He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\nWhether we call it fraternal love or social friendship, it is synonymous with the reality of which I am speaking. We are to live in communion with each other because we should know no other way how to live. We must be impelled by this communion (i.e., \u201ccommon union\u201d), to redefine not only our personal relationships but every social and economic structure.<\/span><\/p>\nPractical Implications? Mercy<\/span><\/h2>\n
When this vision is applied to daily life, we can understand why Pope Francis constantly speaks of mercy. My friends, the effect of living communion is<\/em> mercy. Mercy is the spiritual bridge that will leave no person behind.<\/span><\/p>\nSynodality<\/span><\/h2>\n
When Pope Francis speaks of synodality as an essential part of the Church\u2019s life, what he is saying is that the journey of faith excludes no one. It is not just bishops who are tasked to discern the voice of the Spirit but all God\u2019s people share this task by the power of their baptism.<\/span><\/p>\nEven those who do not share Christian faith have a role in our discernment because they share the very fabric of who we are as potential respondents to the divine call to communion<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nIn short, there is a personal and communal obligation to look at the economic, political, and social order through this lens of communio<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Three Principles of Catholic Social Teaching<\/span><\/h2>\n
Allow me to go deeper. I will use the three fundamental principles of Catholic social teachings to illustrate in greater detail what Pope Francis is teaching us.<\/span><\/p>\nIf you recall, St John Paul II in (Ecclesia in America, 55)<\/a>, said, \u201cher [that is, the Church’s] moral vision in this area [Catholic social teaching] rests on three cornerstones of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity.\u201d For the balance of my remarks I will explore each of these fundamental cornerstones to illustrate the implications of our Holy Father\u2019s call to inclusion.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman Dignity\u2014of All<\/span><\/h2>\n
Let us begin with the fundamental principle of human dignity and the value of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nWhile Pope Francis has constantly reaffirmed the dignity and value of unborn life, he also has made it clear that such dignity extends to every person, including the marginalized, the vulnerable, and the excluded in our midst.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman lives that have become marginalized and invisible to the economic and political order around us must be protected and nurtured. They deserve respect, protection and inclusion, not because we accord it, but because it is already inherent in the fundamental nature of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 107)<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0this imperative is summarized with the fundamental reaffirmation that every human person has a right to live with dignity and develop integrally.<\/span><\/p>\nSo who are the marginalized for Pope Francis?<\/span><\/p>\nThey include the physically poor, those who lack the necessities of life and migrants whose dignity is challenged at the borders. He also reminds us that the elderly, the uneducated, refugees, and those who are suffering from the effects of climate change are also among the marginalized.<\/span><\/p>\nThe fourth chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> dreams of \u201ca heart open to the world\u201d. It affirms that human dignity exists in every stage and season of life. It is never to be judged in a utilitarian fashion. It is universal since it embraces every human person and knows no distinction of politics or national boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\nFinally, it is a dignity that must safeguard a preferential option for the marginalized persons in our midst who will otherwise be left behind.<\/span><\/p>\nA Real and Practical Challenge<\/span><\/h2>\n
Pope Francis does not mince words. He challenges the political, economic and social orders to include the excluded.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Evangelii Gaudium)<\/em><\/a>, Pope Francis challenges all governments to assure dignified work, health care, and education for all their people. He also criticizes the \u201cidolatry of money\u201d, in which the human person, because of the economic structures that now exist, is no longer an agent of economic life but is reduced to a center of consumption for profit. He speaks of the victims of a \u201cneoliberal faith\u201d in an unfettered marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\nIn (Fratelli Tutti, 168)<\/em><\/a>, the Pope challenges the mistaken belief that the marketplace will solve all problems through \u201cspillover\u201d or \u201ctrickle\u201d theories. <\/span><\/p>\nIntegral Human Development<\/span><\/h2>\n
In light of these challenges, the Pope affirms the need for a full integral human development as he observes in (Fratelli Tutti, 21)<\/em><\/a>: \u201cSome economic rules have proved effective for growth but not for integral human development. Wealth has increased but together with inequality and the result that that there are `new forms of poverty emerging\u2019.\u201d A simple stroll down any avenue in Manhattan vividly illustrates the consequences that such inequality has created.<\/span><\/p>\nRequires Strong Communities<\/span><\/h2>\n
Associated with dignity of the human person is the essential role that both the family and the local community play in assuring the welfare and dignity of human life. <\/span><\/p>\nThis theme is particularly developed in (Amoris Laetitia)<\/em><\/a>. Every human life needs these two basic communities to realize each person\u2019s human potential and to thrive in communio<\/em> with God and one another.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBottom Line\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
So if you were to ask me, \u201cBishop Frank, summarize all this in a sentence,\u201d I would respond this way. For Pope Francis, the basic moral test for any society is determined by the manner in which we treat the poor and marginalized in our midst. To the extent that we are failing this test is the measure to which we need to change. <\/span><\/p>\nSolidarity<\/span><\/h2>\n
The second principle of Catholic social teaching is human solidarity. Solidarity is the basis of the communio<\/em> of which I have already spoken. In fact, such solidarity underlies our obligation to identify and protect the common good.<\/span><\/p>\nWe live in a time, particularly here in the United States where personal rights have almost been divinized and a discussion of the common good has been set aside. The Holy Father says that such divinization of personal rights is a recipe for disaster because the common good checks personal excess. Both individual rights and the common good are in a very delicate and creative balance.<\/span><\/p>\nAn urgent task facing our contemporary society is the need to articulate what the common good entails so that it is in fact held in common by society at large.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Common Good<\/span><\/h2>\n
For Pope Francis, the notion of advancing the common good resonates very deeply in his writings. He challenges his listeners to understand the common good as essential in any conversation of an economic political or social order.<\/span><\/p>\nMore specifically, by the common good, the Holy Father is speaking of the long-term common good. In (Fratelli Tutti, 76)<\/em><\/a>, he states, \u201cTrue statecraft is manifest, when in difficult times we uphold high principles and think of the long-term common good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIn fact, in chapter 5 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father challenges us to reimagine a better type of political order, one based on charity and fraternity. He calls it \u201cpolitical love\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\nDo you see a lot of political love in Washington? My friends, we have a lot of work to do.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen the Holy Father speaks of the ideal of a fraternal society based on dialogue, it is clear that realizing this ideal is becoming harder and harder to live in our fractured and divided world. In fact, to the Hungarian bishops, whom the Pope just visited last week, he said, \u201cif we want the river of the Gospel here also in Hungary to penetrate people’s lives [and note the emphasis] to lead to a more fraternal<\/em> and solidary<\/em> society [which is a synonym for an inclusive society], the church needs to build new bridges of dialogue.\u201d The pope has been insistent on realizing this ideal for all believers. <\/span><\/p>\nWhat Gets in the Way?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Regarding the societal structures and obstacles that prevent the realization of a truly fraternal society, the title of the opening chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> is sobering: \u201cDark Clouds over a Closed World.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIt summarizes many of the difficulties that I have already outlined. Inan earlier document, the Pope speaks of a \u201cnew tyranny\u201d in
I<\/span> believe that Pope Francis is the right man, with the right voice, at the right time during this window of opportunity to engage believers and people of good will in this project. I speak not only of his many prophetic acts of inclusion, such as erecting showers under the rotunda of St. Peter\u2019s Square, sharing his birthday breakfast with the homeless, going to Lampedusa or even opening the Office of Papal Charities but the very substance of his teaching of which you are all familiar. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
For example, he has an unwavering commitment to promote the dignity and needs of those who are excluded and vulnerable in our economic, social, and political order; to promote the common good and to situate individual rights within the common good; to dare to say that \u201csiamo tutti fratelli e sorelle<\/em>\u201d (i.e., we are all brothers and sisters), echoing St. Francis of Assisi\u2019s vision of a unity formed irrespective of culture, language, nationality; to reaffirm the importance of families and local communities as building blocks that will respect the dignity of individuals and to advocate for an integral ecology. My friends, this is a profound call to inclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n First, I wish to situate the work of this day within the larger context of what Catholic social teaching states.<\/span><\/p>\n Second, I will seek to explain elements of Pope Francis\u2019 call to inclusion, examining what they could mean for the conversation we will have today.<\/span><\/p>\n We are all called to maintain, defend and advocate for the fullness of the Truth, despite the complexity of the issue or the personal cost to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n At its heart, Catholic social teaching marries the evangelical mandate of love (to will the good of the other) with the demands of reason (illustrated by the natural law and also informed by the social sciences) so that we can identify concrete paths to foster the dignity of every human person and the common good that binds us together.<\/span><\/p>\n This \u201cmarriage\u201d, my friends, is also founded upon two unities that are central in Catholic thinking.<\/span><\/p>\n The first is the unity of faith and reason that complement one another, in the same way that grace builds upon nature.<\/span><\/p>\n The second unity is summarized by the scriptural exposition of St. James who affirmed that faith without good works is dead. <\/span><\/p>\n Before we move to Pope Francis\u2019s call to inclusion, allow me to offer two additional preliminary remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n First, there are three fundamental principles that undergird Catholic social teaching, further articulated by complementary corollaries. Some theologians identify seven fundamental principles for Catholic social teaching. In any case, we must understand that these principles do not exist in isolation. They exist in creative tension with one other, creating a cohesive and comprehensive picture that at times must be self-correcting of the potential excesses of any one principle.<\/span><\/p>\n Consider the image of a mosaic. When you look at the pieces of a mosaic, each is beautiful, but you do not appreciate the full beauty of the entire mosaic until you see the pieces together.<\/span><\/p>\n The second premise follows from the first. Given the enormity of our economic and political orders and the complexity of the social structures found in countries around the world, there will be legitimate disagreement among us, even in this room, regarding how to apply these principles to everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\n I am hoping that some of that diverse thinking will come to the fore during our question and answer session. However such disagreements should never be a reason for us to shy away from the discussion. Pope Francis is no stranger to controversy; neither should we because of the import of what stands before us.<\/span><\/p>\n Communio<\/em> is a mystery, not because we cannot speak of it or describe it. Rather, it is a reality that is better understood by entering into it because by doing so, we are responding to a divine invitation.<\/span><\/p>\n What is the invitation? The invitation is for all of us who are made in God\u2019s image and likeness, through the power of grace, to enter into the very life of God who is Himself a divine communion of perfect love.<\/span><\/p>\n In Christian revelation, we speak of God as a Trinity of divine persons, bound together in love since \u201cGod is love\u201d. Our communio<\/em> reflects this divine life, reminding us of who we are and the bond we share with every human being, of all races, cultures and backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\n It also reminds us of our obligation to sustain our common life and the care of creation which allows human life to endure. In short, as we hear in chapter 1 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, paraphrasing the Holy Father\u2019s words, we must reaffirm that there are no \u201cothers<\/em>\u201d or \u201cthem<\/em>\u201d only \u201cus<\/em>\u201d, who includes God. This is our communio<\/em> with God and one other.<\/span><\/p>\n The covenant is God\u2019s everlasting and irrevocable invitation to share divine life with His Chosen People. For those of us who are Christians, we believe that this covenant is perfectly fulfilled in the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n Why? It is not solely because Christ forgives our sins in His free sacrifice upon the Cross, but through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Christ is the living bridge into the life of God. He is the divine bridge into an everlasting Communion who is the Trinity.<\/span><\/p>\n As human beings created and redeemed by Christ, communio is a consequence and fulfillment of who we are meant to be, with God and with one another.<\/span><\/p>\n When Pope Francis speaks of inclusion…He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Thus, when Pope Francis speaks of inclusion, he is not describing something transactional in nature. He is speaking of a profound change of mentality and lifestyle, which is a fundamental reflection of who we are in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n Whether we call it fraternal love or social friendship, it is synonymous with the reality of which I am speaking. We are to live in communion with each other because we should know no other way how to live. We must be impelled by this communion (i.e., \u201ccommon union\u201d), to redefine not only our personal relationships but every social and economic structure.<\/span><\/p>\n Even those who do not share Christian faith have a role in our discernment because they share the very fabric of who we are as potential respondents to the divine call to communion<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n In short, there is a personal and communal obligation to look at the economic, political, and social order through this lens of communio<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n If you recall, St John Paul II in (Ecclesia in America, 55)<\/a>, said, \u201cher [that is, the Church’s] moral vision in this area [Catholic social teaching] rests on three cornerstones of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity.\u201d For the balance of my remarks I will explore each of these fundamental cornerstones to illustrate the implications of our Holy Father\u2019s call to inclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n While Pope Francis has constantly reaffirmed the dignity and value of unborn life, he also has made it clear that such dignity extends to every person, including the marginalized, the vulnerable, and the excluded in our midst.<\/span><\/p>\n Human lives that have become marginalized and invisible to the economic and political order around us must be protected and nurtured. They deserve respect, protection and inclusion, not because we accord it, but because it is already inherent in the fundamental nature of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\n In (Fratelli Tutti, 107)<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0this imperative is summarized with the fundamental reaffirmation that every human person has a right to live with dignity and develop integrally.<\/span><\/p>\n So who are the marginalized for Pope Francis?<\/span><\/p>\n They include the physically poor, those who lack the necessities of life and migrants whose dignity is challenged at the borders. He also reminds us that the elderly, the uneducated, refugees, and those who are suffering from the effects of climate change are also among the marginalized.<\/span><\/p>\n The fourth chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> dreams of \u201ca heart open to the world\u201d. It affirms that human dignity exists in every stage and season of life. It is never to be judged in a utilitarian fashion. It is universal since it embraces every human person and knows no distinction of politics or national boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, it is a dignity that must safeguard a preferential option for the marginalized persons in our midst who will otherwise be left behind.<\/span><\/p>\n In (Evangelii Gaudium)<\/em><\/a>, Pope Francis challenges all governments to assure dignified work, health care, and education for all their people. He also criticizes the \u201cidolatry of money\u201d, in which the human person, because of the economic structures that now exist, is no longer an agent of economic life but is reduced to a center of consumption for profit. He speaks of the victims of a \u201cneoliberal faith\u201d in an unfettered marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\n In (Fratelli Tutti, 168)<\/em><\/a>, the Pope challenges the mistaken belief that the marketplace will solve all problems through \u201cspillover\u201d or \u201ctrickle\u201d theories. <\/span><\/p>\n This theme is particularly developed in (Amoris Laetitia)<\/em><\/a>. Every human life needs these two basic communities to realize each person\u2019s human potential and to thrive in communio<\/em> with God and one another.<\/span><\/p>\n We live in a time, particularly here in the United States where personal rights have almost been divinized and a discussion of the common good has been set aside. The Holy Father says that such divinization of personal rights is a recipe for disaster because the common good checks personal excess. Both individual rights and the common good are in a very delicate and creative balance.<\/span><\/p>\n An urgent task facing our contemporary society is the need to articulate what the common good entails so that it is in fact held in common by society at large.<\/span><\/p>\n More specifically, by the common good, the Holy Father is speaking of the long-term common good. In (Fratelli Tutti, 76)<\/em><\/a>, he states, \u201cTrue statecraft is manifest, when in difficult times we uphold high principles and think of the long-term common good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In fact, in chapter 5 of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father challenges us to reimagine a better type of political order, one based on charity and fraternity. He calls it \u201cpolitical love\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Do you see a lot of political love in Washington? My friends, we have a lot of work to do.<\/span><\/p>\n When the Holy Father speaks of the ideal of a fraternal society based on dialogue, it is clear that realizing this ideal is becoming harder and harder to live in our fractured and divided world. In fact, to the Hungarian bishops, whom the Pope just visited last week, he said, \u201cif we want the river of the Gospel here also in Hungary to penetrate people’s lives [and note the emphasis] to lead to a more fraternal<\/em> and solidary<\/em> society [which is a synonym for an inclusive society], the church needs to build new bridges of dialogue.\u201d The pope has been insistent on realizing this ideal for all believers. <\/span><\/p>\n It summarizes many of the difficulties that I have already outlined. Inan earlier document, the Pope speaks of a \u201cnew tyranny\u201d in Two Tasks<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So what is my task today? I stand before you, as a pastor of the Church, to do two things.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
What is Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
To begin, I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that if you ask the average Catholic what Catholic social teaching is, they would be hard-pressed to figure out how best to respond. I think they would point to the mandate of the Gospel to be charitable, to love one\u2019s neighbor as oneself, but they would not necessarily understand the robust, sophisticated, and articulated vision of teachings that challenges all believers to engage the world, in concrete and effective ways, to realize this mandate of charity. Pope Francis is one of many voices in a long tradition that has articulated this mandate.<\/span><\/p>\nTHE BEGINNING<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Most commentators would say modern Catholic social teaching began with (Rerum Novarum)<\/a> written by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. However, the roots of Catholic social teaching began in the teachings and ministry of the Lord Himself and in our living Apostolic Tradition as the Church over the centuries has responded to changing circumstances such as feudalism, industrialization, modernism, politics, wars, technology, globalization, and now the digital continent.<\/span><\/p>\nFOUNDED ON TWO “UNITIES”<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
FOUNDED ON THREE PRINCIPLES<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
How Do We Implement Catholic Social Teaching?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So part of our challenge is to realize the full vision of Catholic social teaching in our complex, complicated and divided world. It is a world that seeks exclusion rather than inclusion. We must reflect deeply upon the simple question: how do we concretize \u2013 in the messy world in which we live \u2013 the full message of Catholic social teaching?<\/span><\/p>\nPope Francis’ Call for Inclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
So, let us turn to Pope Francis\u2019 teachings. The Holy Father has made a clear call for inclusion that animates much of his papal magisterium. In order to understand this fundamental call, I wish to suggest that there is a basic theological principle that undergirds much of what Pope Francis is asking of us. It is a fundamental principle that unites what otherwise could be misunderstood as unrelated moral imperatives.<\/span><\/p>\nCommunio<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
In the Tradition of the Church, this fundamental principle is called communio<\/em> or communion. It can also described as social fraternity.<\/span><\/p>\nSource of Communio<\/em>? Covenant<\/span><\/h2>\n
Where does the notion of communio<\/em> come from? In the Jewish scriptures, it is the notion of covenant<\/em>. In offering a covenant to His chosen people, God binds Himself in love to them even though they do not necessarily merit such love because of past infidelities.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Source of \u201cInclusion\u201d? Communio<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
In (Fratelli Tutti, 94)<\/em><\/a>, the Holy Father writes, \u201cOnly by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nPractical Implications? Mercy<\/span><\/h2>\n
When this vision is applied to daily life, we can understand why Pope Francis constantly speaks of mercy. My friends, the effect of living communion is<\/em> mercy. Mercy is the spiritual bridge that will leave no person behind.<\/span><\/p>\nSynodality<\/span><\/h2>\n
When Pope Francis speaks of synodality as an essential part of the Church\u2019s life, what he is saying is that the journey of faith excludes no one. It is not just bishops who are tasked to discern the voice of the Spirit but all God\u2019s people share this task by the power of their baptism.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Three Principles of Catholic Social Teaching<\/span><\/h2>\n
Allow me to go deeper. I will use the three fundamental principles of Catholic social teachings to illustrate in greater detail what Pope Francis is teaching us.<\/span><\/p>\nHuman Dignity\u2014of All<\/span><\/h2>\n
Let us begin with the fundamental principle of human dignity and the value of every human person.<\/span><\/p>\nA Real and Practical Challenge<\/span><\/h2>\n
Pope Francis does not mince words. He challenges the political, economic and social orders to include the excluded.<\/span><\/p>\nIntegral Human Development<\/span><\/h2>\n
In light of these challenges, the Pope affirms the need for a full integral human development as he observes in (Fratelli Tutti, 21)<\/em><\/a>: \u201cSome economic rules have proved effective for growth but not for integral human development. Wealth has increased but together with inequality and the result that that there are `new forms of poverty emerging\u2019.\u201d A simple stroll down any avenue in Manhattan vividly illustrates the consequences that such inequality has created.<\/span><\/p>\nRequires Strong Communities<\/span><\/h2>\n
Associated with dignity of the human person is the essential role that both the family and the local community play in assuring the welfare and dignity of human life. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBottom Line\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
So if you were to ask me, \u201cBishop Frank, summarize all this in a sentence,\u201d I would respond this way. For Pope Francis, the basic moral test for any society is determined by the manner in which we treat the poor and marginalized in our midst. To the extent that we are failing this test is the measure to which we need to change. <\/span><\/p>\nSolidarity<\/span><\/h2>\n
The second principle of Catholic social teaching is human solidarity. Solidarity is the basis of the communio<\/em> of which I have already spoken. In fact, such solidarity underlies our obligation to identify and protect the common good.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Common Good<\/span><\/h2>\n
For Pope Francis, the notion of advancing the common good resonates very deeply in his writings. He challenges his listeners to understand the common good as essential in any conversation of an economic political or social order.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat Gets in the Way?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Regarding the societal structures and obstacles that prevent the realization of a truly fraternal society, the title of the opening chapter of (Fratelli Tutti)<\/em><\/a> is sobering: \u201cDark Clouds over a Closed World.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n