economic justice conference 2013 report

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Towards a Just Economic Order:Challenges of Catholic Social

Teaching

Conference Report

12-13th April 2013

Edinburgh



Summary

This conference was organised as a joint event by SCIAF, Justice & PeaceScotland, the Scottish Catholic Parliamentary Office and the Justice & PeaceOffice of the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh.

The conference began at 7.30 pm on Friday 12th April in St Augustine’s HighSchool, Edinburgh. Bishop Peter Moran, the President of the Justice & PeaceCommission and of SCIAF welcomed participants from all over Scotland andexplained that the aim of the conference was to encourage reflection onCatholic Social Teaching (CST) in the light of current economic thought thatputs profit before people. This may be a difficult time for the Catholic Churchin Scotland - but Bishop Peter stressed that it is the Easter season and we have

our new Pope Francis and a 'good news story to tell’ . He then read from aletter sent by Cardinal Turkson of the Pontifical Council for Justice & Peace.

Two inspiring Keynote addresses followed – the first from Dr Anna Rowlands,the Director of the Centre for Catholic Social Thought and Practice in London,who stressed that ‘true justice requires an account of hope’ and that ‘healthy functioning institutions within a society foster the development of ethicalindividuals and virtue.’

In the second address, by Professor Michael Northcott, Professor of Ethics atthe University of Edinburgh, the historical religious perspective on economics

and justice was traced from the Garden of Eden through the Old Testament’semphasis on ‘land as the basis of God’s economy of distributive justice’ andChrist’s parables about the ‘redemptive actions’ required by both landownersand labourers, to the present day.

In the discussion session that followed some important points were raised andthe speakers were able to contribute additional insights.

On Saturday 13th April participants reconvened to be welcomed by MiriamMcHardy, the Justice & Peace Coordinator for the Archdiocese of St Andrewsand Edinburgh.Miriam hoped that the conference discussions would encourage people toengage more fully, especially in the lead up to the 2014 referendum. Sheasked people to ‘take time, individually and with others, to decide on actionand to hold in mind the question - what does my faith ask me to do?’

Ellen Charlton, the Chair of the National Justice & Peace Commission led theconference in a prayerful reflection – focusing on each person’s role in justice &injustice by both commission and omission.

Margaret Lynch, the CEO of Citizens Advice Scotland decided to dispense with

her prepared speech and spoke from the heart about the current situation inthe Scottish church and society and the need for a greater use of CatholicSocial Teaching.

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Patrick Grady from SCIAF gave a short presentation describing the situation inBurundi where SCIAF have partners. In a film clip Fr Deo, founder of theAgakura Agricultural Training Centre in Burundi described the ‘disease of landgrabbing’ and the effects of climate change and food insecurity.Claire Falconer - a volunteer with the Poverty Alliance and Fife Gingerbread

Lone Parent Group - then bravely gave a personal testimony to the reality of existence for people living in poverty.

During the breaks between sessions animated discussions were evidenteverywhere as participants relished the opportunity to explore all they hadlistened to and to make new or re-connections with people from other areas.

Participants then had the opportunity to choose to attend two from a selectionof workshops:Enough food for everyone IF - John Sharp, SCIAF Debt Justice - Alys Mumford, Jubilee ScotlandGreening your parish - Gordon Hudson, Eco-Congregation ScotlandCharity & Justice - Marie Cooke, Justice & Peace GlasgowCommunities & Economic Empowerment - Jackie Arreaza, GlasgowWomen's Reliance GroupAddressing Housing and Homelessness - Alastair Cameron, ScottishChurches Housing ActionEnding refugee destitution - Rachel Farrier, Refugee Survival Trust Forming a Credit Union – Nancy MacGillivray, West Lothian Credit Union

At noon the participants gathered again in the main hall to listen to a lively and

thought provoking reflection from Rev Ewan Aitken on the findings of theChurch of Scotland ‘s Special Commission on the Purposes of EconomicActivity’s report A Right Relationship with Money – published May 2012.

After lunch participants attended their third choice of workshops then at 2pm Tim Duffy gave a presentation to the whole group on Towards a Just EconomicOrder - what does this mean for us? Participants were then invited to formsmall groups to reflect on all they had heard and discuss how to take thisforward in concrete action across the dioceses.

Bishop Stephen Robson, the Auxiliary Bishop of St Andrews & Edinburgh joined

the conference to lead the closing prayers and service of commitment whereparticipants pledged to personally implement the inspiring words they hadlistened to into some specific concrete actions – see pages 14 and 18-19.

Participants at the conference were unanimous in their praise for those whohad organized the event and indebted to all the speakers and workshopleaders who had given them substantial food for thought. A highlight foreveryone was the ecumenical nature of the event, reflected in both thecontributors and the participants. Most of those who attended the conferencewere seasoned campaigners and activists who had gained much neededpersonal sustenance from the presentations. In the auditorium you could haveheard a pin drop during the speeches because delegates were riveted by thequality of the material. This was complemented by the lively buzz in the caféarea during breaks when everyone participated in the informal discussions.

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The conference’s success was very evident in the hope-filled and re-inspiredspring in the step of people as they left the venue – the challenge now is tobuild on this new energy and enthusiasm and share it more widely.

Conference ProgrammeFriday 12th April

7pm Registration

7.30pm Welcome – Bishop Peter Moran

7.45pm Keynote contributions and panel discussion

• Dr Anna Rowlands, Director Centre for Catholic Social

Thought and Practice

• Professor Michael Northcott, Professor of Ethics University

of Edinburgh

9pm Drinks reception

Opening speech of welcome by Bishop Peter Moran

Welcome, everyone to St Augustine's High School for this opening session of our National Joint Conference. Our theme is Catholic Social Teaching andEconomic Justice. The venue is appropriate - the work that goes on in this schoolis a great example of faith in action. Our conference continues tomorrowdiscussing themes we will hear tonight and considering practical responses. Welook forward to having you with us again - we value your input!

Four agencies have collaborated in making this event happen - the ScottishCatholic Parliamentary Office, Justice & Peace Scotland, the Scottish CatholicInternational Aid Fund (SCIAF) and the Archdiocesan Office for Justice & Peacefor St Andrews and Edinburgh. An unusual and very promising joint initiative,working together for a just world. I am grateful to them all.

This conference is a response to the economic crisis that has beset Scotland andthe wider world since 2008. It aims to encourage reflection on what CatholicSocial Teaching can offer as alternatives to the current economic models that putprofit before people and the market ahead of the common good.

This evening we hope to begin a conversation, to consider what kind of newethical economic model would ensure the protection of the most vulnerable,respect for all people and the pursuit of the common good. You are welcome tobe part of that conversation. I hope there will be plenty of time to allow you tomake a contribution.

We cannot ignore that this has been a difficult time for the Catholic Church inScotland. We might feel that our credibility has been damaged and our ability to

speak out on important issues and values has been diminished. But this is theEaster season. We have seen Pope Francis elected. The Church has a goodnews story to tell. Rooted in the Gospel and guided by Jesus Christ we respond

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to the invitation to act in the world: to feed the hungry, house the homeless,befriend the lonely, and stand with the oppressed and marginalized. The Churchover the centuries, and still today, does this work through many lay people,religious sisters, deacons and priests: through individual acts of justice andcharity, and through organizations set up to challenge injustice and respond toneed.

This response to the Gospel is also spelt out in the rich and powerful body of Catholic Social Teaching that highlights the dignity of the human person, theoption for the poor and the importance of the Common Good (as profoundlyarticulated by Pope Benedict during his state visit to the UK in 2010).

I am happy to tell you that we have received a letter for our conference fromCardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace:

April 9 2013

Message to H. E. Bishop Peter A. Moran, Bishop Emeritus of Aberdeen,President of the National Commission for Justice and Peace of Scotland on theoccasion of the “Faith and Economic Justice” Congress April 2013

Excellency, please accept my most cordial and friendly greetings in the Lord.At the same time, please extend these warmest greetings, in the name of the

Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace as well as my own, to the participants inthe “Faith and Economic Justice” Congress that is taking place with theassistance of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, the CatholicParliamentary Office and the Justice and Peace Commission of Scotland overwhich you preside.

Given the recent history of the Church, it is especially gratifying to learn thatinitiatives are under way in local communities that seek to strengthen the faithof believers in Christ and enrich the witness of salvation that He brought to ourworld.

We feel certain that this Congress – bringing local communities together inresponse to the recent Synod of Bishops on “The New Evangelization for the

Transmission of the Christian Faith” – will encourage all Christians in yournation, in communion with the Church and led by the ministry of our HolyFather Francis, to take up tasks of evangelizing; and to enrich the world withtheir own testimony of a faith that collaboratively and fruitfully promotes thetrue common good as well as respect for the dignity of every person.

Your Congress takes place while the Church is celebrating the Year of Faith. Inthis special Year, responding to the call to love of God and neighbour that we

have received in Christ,1

we are all invited to deepen our understanding of theWord of God and the teaching of the Church. I have no doubt that the

1 Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 2401-2463.

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Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church and the encyclical Caritas inVeritate will have special value for the Congress participants. Both resourcesoffer specific guidance regarding the contemporary challenges faced byevangelization and by different human societies. They invite us to conversionand to effective solidarity founded on communion with God and solidarity withour brothers and sisters.2

As Catholic Social Teaching points out, the human person is the beginning,subject and end of all social institutions.3 What flows from this fundamentalprinciple is an effective recognition of everyone’s responsibility and of everyhuman community to promote the common good of all. As a consequence –and as an essential element of the current evangelization – all the faithful arecalled to reflect critically on whether the human family is making use of themost suitable means to achieve the global common good.

As society becomes ever more globalized, bringing us closer as neighbours butnot necessarily making us more fraternal to one another,4 we find that “thepresent economic, social and cultural structures are ill-equipped to meet thedemands of genuine development.”5 So the Church is called to fostereveryone’s desire to respond to the will of God by participating in the manyinitiatives to better the lives of all.

In the light of the social doctrine of the Church, we are asked to anchor truehuman development in the dignity of the person and of peoples; to overcome“the lack of brotherhood among individuals and peoples”6 to seek better waysof coordinating political participation and promoting social justice; and toensure that genuine solidarity animates the networks of economic, political and

social interdependence that are burgeoning during the current process of globalization.7

Two recent publications of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace –Towards reforming the international financial and monetary systems in thecontext of global public authority 8 and Vocation of the Business Leader: AReflection9 – are addressed to leaders and organizations with significantresponsibility in the world, but they speak as well to all people of good will.

They stimulate reflection on the contemporary situation, and encourage theexercise of responsibility in pursuit of the good for all. May we achieve greatereconomic justice in our times and for future generations, so that hope for a

better future and confidence in the human capacity for good may never beextinguished.

We pray for the Lord’s abundant blessings on all the participants in thisCongress, and through them His blessings on all the Church and people of

2 Cf. Caritas in Veritate, n. 78.3 Cf. Gaudium et Spes, 25, 1.4 Cf. Caritas in Veritate, n. 19.5 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, n. 564.6

Cf. Caritas in Veritate, n. 19.7 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, n. 563.8 http://www.pcgp.it/dati/2011-11/08-999999/Towards%20Reforming%20ENG.pdf 9 http://www.stthomas.edu/cathstudies/cst/VocationBusinessLead/

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Scotland. May our Lord Jesus Christ, the principal driving force of authenticdevelopment of every person and of all humanity,10 inspire you to grow aswitnesses in faith and as effective promoters of charity in truth.

Cardinal Peter K.A. TurksonPresident

Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace

Keynote Presentation by Dr. Anna Rowlands

Austerity, the financial crisis, skivers versus strivers, the deserving versus theundeserving poor – we probably don’t we need reminding that language is akind of power – but it is, and precisely because the Church understands this, itoffers us a distinct kind of language for talking about social, political andeconomic life in the form of Catholic Social Teaching.

I can’t cover everything CST has to say about economic justice in 20 minutes,so I’m being very selective tonight: what I will do is - explore some of thehighlights of the most recent, 2009 social teaching in Caritas in Veritate andoffer a reminder of three important underpinnings to Catholic views about

economic justice: our distinctive view of the common good, of social justice andof the Christian task of politics in relation to economic life.

Many of the catch-phrases of CST that I will use this evening are also wordsthat are widely used in politics and society: the common good, social justice,human dignity, solidarity – but most of these words have lost their anchorpoints in the rich and wide language of faith – so, the way I will use these wordstonight has some affinity to the way they might be used in the street, but alsosome crucial differences.

Caritas in Veritate:

When Caritas in Veritate was being prepared in the early 2000’s it wasintended to commemorate the encyclical written 40 years before by Pope PaulVI in which the Church addressed a truly global call for economic justice. In thatencyclical of 1967, the Pope coined a new phrase – the task of the Church is topromote what he called ‘authentic human development’. This was a dynamicway of talking about an old idea - the dignity of the human person. AsBenedict began examining the challenges and opportunities for ‘authentichuman development’ 40 years on in 2007, he realised that he needed to delaypublishing the encyclical – why? Because the beginnings of the financial crisiswere all around him, and the Church realised quickly the magnitude of the

economic changes happening. To write on authentic human development andglobal issues of justice and not talk about the crisis would produce a stillborn

10 Cf. Caritas in Veritate, n. 1.

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encyclical – and so the encyclical was born late, but with great vitality. To thesurprise of many, it offered a fresh perspective on the crisis – and analternative moral framework for thinking about the point of economics. Overthe years I have heard a number of leading economists (not themselvesCatholic) say that Caritas in Veritate offers some of the most challenging andhopeful words to be spoken/written on the crisis and an economic future

beyond it.

At its most basic Caritas in Veritate suggests that we need a dramatic shift inthe way we understand the role of economics and markets in providing forhuman flourishing – we need much more than calls for regulations,prosecutions or changes in pay structures – we need to go back to basics,reminding ourselves of the basic truths that 1) economic life – and theoperation of markets IS a moral matter, and its core moral purpose is to servea good beyond itself: the good of the human person in a stable and productivesociety 2) the state is never a neutral actor but is a MORAL actor in economicmatters. These basic recognitions are part of the constructive process of reimaging the moral purpose of economic life – locally, globally andinternationally, with the human person and created order at its root.

The basics of CST, which Pope Benedict drew on in 2009, included thefollowing:All economic activity is rooted in real, prior social relationships: in other words,“we are called to work and make, to buy and sell, in ways that preserve ourdignity and the dignity of our neighbour”

Our social relationships are rooted in the warp and weft of the way we are

created: we are made with a bias towards sharing life within the body, aCatholic vision of economic life is committed to just/fair relationships but evenmore than this – it thinks that economic life can be about relationships of giftand communion.

Markets are not morally self-sufficient – ie they cannot produce an account of the value of life, nor generate a convincing basis for hope; - and yet true justicerequires some kind of account of hope. When markets trespass on that territorythey tend to confuse its sources of hope – turning salvation into the desire toconsume. Economics has sealed up the drawbridge too long, and needs inhumility to lower it, accepting its need to be accountable to, and draw from the

wisdom of the wider social body.

Concrete forms of hope are found in relationships of solidarity and trust: andironically, solidarity and trust are the basis of a decent business, is the stuff of energetic politics, and markets turn out to need social cohesion. CV suggeststhat one of the mistakes of recent times has been to imagine that these socialrelationships of trust should happen only before or after economic exchanges,but not as the lifeblood of market, business or political exchanges themselves.For the sake of common flourishing and a stable economy, in fact, it seems thatCST has spent 120 years being quite right when it says that relationships of friendship, solidarity, trust and reciprocity should be part of every stage of thelife of the market, the practice of a business, the way we work. Justice must beapplied to every phase of economic activity: it is both the means and ends.

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CV also addressed an important political dimension of this question: itchallenges the idea the task of economics and business is to generate wealth,the task of governments is to sort out some kind of basic redistribution, guidedby the ballot box. That division of labour does not make sense in a world wherebusiness and economic life flows beyond national borders – governments havea role, but in a globalised world economic justice can only be ensured if it is

absorbed within every phase of the dynamic of economics and businessexchange itself.

Finally, CV challenging the idea that all business has to be about profitmaximisation: there are three subjects in this economic marriage – themarkets, the State AND civil society. Economic justice requires a mixed kind of economic life in which non-profits; social enterprises, cooperatives, mutualsand more conventional businesses are enabled to flourish. It turns out that CSTis big society in ways much more radical than the big society.

And yet, CST wasn’t invented in 2009: so lets spend a few minutes exploringthe language of social justice and the common good on which the particularteaching about economic justice: living wage, living simply etc are built, and onwhich CV drew.

• When people talk generally about the common good, they often mean‘the greatest good for the greatest number’ or a view of the social good as thebalancing or trading of interests. A Catholic view of the CG, the basis for itsview of economic justice is different in two important ways: it is based on theflourishing of all with a priority for the poorest and weakest, and it demandsthat we seek to discover the good in a personal, relational and participatory

way through deep relationships with our neighbour: this is much moredemanding than merely balancing or trading interests. This is ambitious -makes some very uncomfortable - but it is absolutely core to CST.

• The basic ingredients of the common good lie not just in seeingindividuals as social persons, but also in believing in the importance of healthyinstitutions: Healthy institutions help form good consciences and virtuouscharacter. The social order depends on just persons and healthy institutions inrelationship to each other.

• The common good values charity and solidarity rooted in non-

paternalistic relationships: Catholic teaching on solidarity as the root of socialand economic relationships is about being ‘with’, rather than simply ‘for’ or‘against’ – this logic of ‘being alongside or with’ mirrors our relationship of freedom with God: in the incarnation God is Emmanuel ‘God with us’; in the

journey of discipleship, which we have made most intensely during this HolyWeek. God is both for and with us, and in response he asks us to live lives thatare with him and with one another. One of the greatest moral threats is thatposed by social, political and economic forces, which cause isolation andalienation: the logic of faith is precisely the opposite: a social logic of companionship that begins in the relationship God seeks with us. The commongood is rooted in our life in Christ, and we simply extend that logic like agarment through the personal and institutional relationships that we findourselves in.

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• Finally, something about the common good, politics and the State:Catholic social teaching reminds us that we are created BOTH social ANDpolitical by nature – ie its not the Catholic way to assume that politics isinevitably a grubby kind of business – politics is part of the goodness of ourcreated nature, inherent to our dignity as well as a consequence of sin. Partlyfor this reason CST stresses that in exercising its duty towards the poorest

nationally and internationally the State must balance two temptations: seekingto do too much – squashing rather than serving civil society, but also (and lessoften remembered) it warns about failing to be ambitious enough in our politicsand the state – government can risk failing to exercise its unique capacity toorganise, distribute, regulate, intervene, stimulate and protect the conditionsfor the common good. In the 1930’s, Pope Pius’s vision of an ambitious butlimited state stressed the role of the State as a “service of synthesis andprotection” and with a meaningful priority in public policy for those mostvulnerable – he says sharply that the policy maker should actively seek toensure that they build in a bias at the forefront policy the needs of those leastable to lobby in their own favour/interest. Part of ‘good’ of politics is to seekwholeheartedly to place the basic needs of the poorest first in policy makingand advocacy: CST asks us to think sharply - who are those who are least ableto lobby on their own behalf in the current economic climate, within the currentpolitical system? How can their voices be brought to the table? Lets put thateven more plainly: a central way to describe the purpose of the State from theperspective of CST is to say that it’s moral task is try to humanise the way werelate to each other – keeping at bay the endless temptations to dehumanisethose relations through the market and state – that is at the heart of theelected politicians task, and it is part of civil societies function too. A vital partof subsidiarity therefore is about humanising institutions, partly by ensuring

that the structures we create meet real needs, involve those whose lives aremost affected by those institutions and that they are meaningfully accountable.If the Common Good is a much-used phrase, yet little connected with its richroots, the same can be said of the language of social justice. In fact, in the1800’s a pioneering Jesuit Luigi Taparelli d’Azeglio coined the phrase social

justice – it is ‘Catholic speak’ in the best sense – yet most people have longsince lost that association. And in fact it sits as one branch of a three-folddefinition of justice.

Firstly, Christian justice is distributive – that is, concerned with the meeting of basic needs and ensuring a fair distribution of the world’s goods and resources

– including the fair distribution of justice itself. Business, politics and civilsociety are all part of that work of distribution.

Secondly, justice is social – we have grown accustomed to general talk aboutsocial justice focusing on the details of rival government programmes and theiroutcomes, this is narrow and thin talk of social justice: thinking about social

justice in CST is wider and deeper than this: justice as social means that justicerequires the freedom and means for me to be able to shape, approve andparticipate in the laws and values of the society in which I live. A crucial part of

justice is therefore my freedom to contribute actively to the common good andto shape the laws to which I will be subject. A just society is one in which thereis greatest potential for me to act, participate and communicate as a social andpolitical person. This is perhaps the area of thinking about justice, which seemsmost lacking in even basic fairness for those experiencing extreme poverty,

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uncertain immigration status, long-term unemployment… It is a dedication tothis sense of social justice which has impelled many Church based groups tocampaign for greater dignity, self-determination and capacity for those inpoverty.

Third – my favourite and the most neglected kind of justice: commutative

justice. Talking about justice as ‘commutative’ refers to the way in which justice requires not just acts of law and politics but requires decency and equityin interpersonal relationships – it is a way of reminding us that justice is aprofoundly personal relationship of trust and humanity. That’s how God does

justice – person to person, upholding reciprocal dignity. Just conduct comeswith office, and extends far beyond fairness of procedure; it overflows into akind of personal gift. The absence of this sense of personal just conduct was atthe very heart of the financial crisis.

In concrete terms and based on their work with people in poverty – the Catholiccaritas agencies in my bit of the UK have begun to interpret these visions of CST and articulate the moral purpose of economic life in the language of thecommunities with whom they work – this is what we are invited to do with CST– they have discerned concrete priorities for = job creation, poverty reduction,environmental sustainability, and promoting the conditions for peace andstability within communities. CAFOD has leaned on Caritas in Veritate andcalled for:• Substantive justice – in prices, wages and rates of interest• Systems that foster economic relationships of mutuality and trust – trueeconomic renewal is viewed as dependent upon that.• A new model for business to conceive of itself as a relational enterprise

• Dispersed forms of political authority, stretching from local tointernational levels, willing to hold markets to just practice, and to provide aservice of redistribution that markets themselves cannot fully achieve.

Whilst policy makers of the left, centre and right have talked about social justice in terms of equality of opportunity and equality of outcome, Catholicagencies have used this vision of CST, the common good and social justice totalk distinctively about equality of participation. What are the conditionsnecessary to ensure minimum levels not just of shelter, food and basic healthbut also of social, political and economic participation? There is no route out of poverty at home or abroad that does not build and maximise participation; and

participation of all in society is a necessary minimum condition for the CommonGood for Catholics. For this reason, the simple root of all thinking about CSTand economic life lies in a call to structural and personal relationships of solidarity, participation and communion within our neighbourhood, workplace,region, nation and our relationship with our global neighbour.

Keynote Presentation by Professor Michael NorthcottMichael Northcott, has spoken often on religion and the environment but herehe gave a historical religious perspective on economics and justice tracing itfrom the Garden of Eden – where the Genesis writers saw agriculture as apunishment for Adam and Eve’s sins - through the Old Testament’s emphasison ‘land as the basis of God’s economy of distributive justice.’ The biblicalconcept of Jubilee where land can be returned to those who have lost it everyfifty years corrected the tendency of groups/individuals to acquire wealth

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unequally. The rituals of tithing and sacrifice etc were to remind people thatGod is the ultimate owner of the land. Christ’s parables about the ‘redemptiveactions’ required by both landowners and labourers show a land dimension too.

The Holy Spirit is given as a promise of inheritance.

Focusing on religion and the distribution of land/wealth - the crucial role of

monasticism in agricultural reform was explored, then qualified by thereminder that when monks accumulated too much land this corrupted theirwhole way of life until the Reformation took this land away. The historical tourcontinued through the decades after the forties when there seemed to be a‘rough social consensus that land redistribution was the way to go’ until thewatershed of 1980 after which Christian adherence declined and social justicewas no longer seen as a priority. Today Michael postulated there seems evento be ‘an atheist project to negate social justice in society’ – yet he concluded’only love of neighbour will bring us back to love of God.’

Panel Discussion

Delegates brought up some important issues – eg the need for preaching aboutCST from the pulpit, the need for an awareness of personal responsibility aswell as structural injustice, the need for accountability from those with power,the need to strengthen civic society and for a consensus on redistribution andthe common good.Anna replied with emphasis on the responsibility of the church to be counterculture, on the liturgy as a core preaching aid and on the redistribution of wealth eloquently described the ‘increasing gap in the stories we tell ourselvesabout what it means to be human - we malnourish ourselves if we cut ourselves off from the nutrients that faith provides and buy into the current

narrative of consumerism.’ Michael commented on the last judgement parable of sheep and goats tostress that ‘ people who have lived redemptive lives are those who have helpedothers, sensitive to their suffering…the gospel is more urgent and relevant than ever in the light of the crisis and suffering of our time.’ Michael alsospoke of the deepened impact of using the wording ‘debts/debtors’ rather than‘trespass/ trespassers’ in the Lord's Prayer and expressed the hope that ‘PopeFrancis’ call for the poor will be the voice that is heard in the world.’ Saturday 13th April9.30am Coffee and Registration

10am Welcome – Miriam McHardy, Archdiocesan Co-ordinator

for Justice & Peace St Andrews & Edinburgh

10.10am Opening Prayer – Ellen Charlton – Chair Justice & Peace

Commission

10.20am Keynote speech – Margaret Lynch, CEO Citizens Advice

Scotland

10.50am Presentation – Patrick Grady, SCIAF Advocacy Manager

11am Reflection – Claire Falconer

11.10am Workshops 1& 2

12.00 Presentation – Rev Ewan Aitken, Church of Scotland

12.30 Lunch

1.30pm Workshops 3

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2pm Reflection – Tim Duffy, Justice & Peace Scotland

2.30pm Small group discussions

3.15pm Tea/coffee

3.30pm Groups agree action points – personal commitments

3.45pm Closing session with prayer led by Bishop Stephen

Robson4.30pm Close

Welcome

Miriam McHardy was clear that while CST may still be the church’s ‘best kept secret ’ - it should in fact be a tool for the church to engage in the world andprovide perspectives, which can address some of today's problems eg theeffects of the economic crisis locally, nationally and globally. Participants werechallenged ‘to reflect on how each of us can use CST to reflect and debate amore ethical economic model. All the more relevant now as we approach the2014 referendum and consider what our hopes and aspirations are for our nation.’

Opening Prayer – Ellen Charlton J&PLord of Life, we bring before you all our hopes and fears.We give you thanks for the gift of our creation,And offer to you our work today, in prayer.We remember our shortcomings and selfishness,

The times we have failed to see the needs of our neighbour,

Or worse, passed by on the other side of the roadAnd so, in the words of the repentant tax gatherer,Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.Paid up members of the consumer society,We have often forgotten our responsibility

To give back to others out of what we have been given.Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.We have unbalanced and damaged your creation,

Taking for ourselves that which you intended for all.We do violence to one another and separate ourselves from you.Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Your wish was that we should enjoy Life in all its fullness. Yet how many lack the most basic necessities?And in a society that confuses needs and wantsHow many live with a diet of delusion?Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.We remember the other man in the parable,Regaling God with his own puffed-up success.

Yet we know that we learn far more from our failures,Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.We are redeemed in your Passion, Death and Resurrection.Bring us together in your communityOf justice and love.Empower us with your Spirit,

To turn our faith into action,

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And with you we shall renew the face of the earth.

Keynote speech - Margaret LynchMargaret was clear from the outset that the challenge was in how ‘we got togrips with the big issues’ – and how we contributed to ‘building the kind of

church we needed’ - that is a ‘vibrant faith community which can engage withsociety in a radical way’.She urged authenticity and said that the church needed ‘to sweep in front of our own door before telling the world what it needs to clean up.’ Margaretstressed that ‘renewal of the church will go hand in hand with spiritual renewal’as ‘CST principles oblige us to change the way we think and the way we liveand engage with society in a very radical way.’ Pope Francis was welcomed as‘genuinely inspirational because he lives and breathes accompaniment andservice.’ Margaret identified a need for clarification of the roles of both clergyand laity and for formation for the laity that will enable them to build authenticcommunities. Margaret cited Dietrich Bonhoefffer as a model – someone whorejected ‘cheap grace’ and refused to take the easy route of least resistance.Margaret’s clarion call was not for ‘charity or compassion but communion –solidarity - we need to model the change we want to see - valuing every human person as equal in dignity and worthy of respect.’

Presentation - Patrick GradyIn the filmed interview Fr Deo from Burundi explained that while aid mayalleviate suffering in the world’s poorest communities it is certainly not thesolution - rather training, the just redistribution of wealth and a solidarity builton mutual respect are needed. If the richest ten percent of the population

could redistribute their wealth not as gift but as giving back to others what istheirs by right justice would be done. Globalisation, war and climate change alladd to the problem. The challenge for the Christian today is to relateevangelisation to the development of peoples.

Reflection – Claire FalconerClaire related her personal story of trying to make ends meet while caring for achild, and trying to study to improve her chances of employment. It is not onlythose on benefits but also many families relying on p/t or f/t wages which are atthe minimum level who struggle financially. Many have to make choicesbetween food or heating and some turn to loan companies in their desperation

making their situation even worse. Claire stressed that not everyone wasstrong enough to cope with the pressures of poverty and so many becomephysically and mentally ill. ‘No one asks to live in poverty – most do what they can’ – but ‘ you can’t really understand poverty until you live in it .’

Workshop SummariesEight workshops were held with delegates able to select three different ones toattend

Enough food for Everyone IF - John Sharp, SCIAF

Enough Food for Everyone IF is a UK-wide coalition of 150+ organizations,which have joined together to campaign for action by political leaders on the

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issue of global hunger. Over 17 organizations are also working together inScotland to make sure we play our part. The workshop covered the following:

• Context for the campaign

• Facts and figures of hunger as well as the real life stories of the pain of hunger

• People were asked to discuss what role they play in the global food

system• Reflected on what CST says about tackling hunger and poverty

• Basics of what the IF campaign is actually asking for on Aid, Tax, Landuse and Transparency

• Different ways we can get involved in the campaign.For more information - http://www.sciaf.org.uk http://enoughfoodif.org

Debt Justice - Alys Mumford, Jubilee Scotland

At this workshop we discussed the ongoing problems of global debt, and what

we can do here in Scotland to fight against the unjust practices involved.Many attendees had been involved in both Jubilee 2000 and Make PovertyHistory, which were focused on debt cancellation, so this was a chance to catchup on the latest developments. We discussed the information recently releasedby the UK government, which shows where some of the debts owed to the UK come from – over 75% of the debts owed by Indonesia are for arms, whichwere used against innocent civilians during the Suharto regime, and Kenya isstill paying back millions for a hydro electric dam which produces hardly anyelectricity.In Scotland, we have a great opportunity to join the fight for debt justice bypromoting ourselves as a place of arbitration for sovereign debt – where debtor

and creditor countries can come together in a neutral space to decide on asettlement.For more information - http://www.jubileescotland.org.uk

Greening your parish - Gordon Hudson, Eco-Congregation Scotland

The Eco-Congregation workshops were entitled "Greening Your Parish". Thiswas somewhat misleading as the workshops were actually about social

justice rather than local environmental measures. Why should Christians careabout the environment? Because the effect our lifestyles is having on theworlds poor is disproportionate. The countries most affected by climate change

are some of the world's poorest, yet they have contributed little to theproblem. We all have to take some responsibility for this situation. The churchhas a role in the community as prophet and advocate for the poor.

Pope Francis has already spoken about the need for people to protect theenvironment and Eco-Congregation provides a framework through whichparishes can take practical action on climate change in their parish and localcommunity.For more information - http://www.ecocongregationscotland.org

Charity & Justice - Marie Cooke, Justice & Peace Glasgow

This was a whistle-stop tour of some of the key points that underpin theChristian basis for work for justice – often seen as in opposition to charity if thisis understood merely as giving to those less fortunate than ourselves yet Pope

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http://www.sciaf.org.uk/

http://enoughfoodif.org/

http://www.jubileescotland.org.uk/

http://www.ecocongregationscotland.org/

http://www.sciaf.org.uk/

http://enoughfoodif.org/

http://www.jubileescotland.org.uk/

http://www.ecocongregationscotland.org/



Benedict XVI was clear in Caritas in Veritate - ‘Charity is at the heart of theChurch's social doctrine’ indeed – ‘Charity goes beyond justice’

We considered the history of CST and its clear foundation in Scripture – the CSTprinciples –the See Judge Act methodology – and the validation by the 1971Synod of Bishops in their statement that “ Action on behalf of justice and

participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as aconstitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel .” Reflecting onthe fact that action for justice transcends denominational divisions -crossesfaith differences – and resounds with ‘all people of good will’ – the tremendousopportunity to work with others for the common good was outlined. Are wewilling to accept the challenge – if so, what are we going to do now?For more information - http://www.justiceandpeacescotland.org.uk

Communities and economic empowerment: learning from internationalexperiences - Jackie Arreaza, Glasgow Women's Reliance Group

We looked at the role of communities in a just economic order and how theyare important for the common good reflected in Catholic Social Teaching. Someslides were shown with examples of women in India taking an active role indeveloping their collective future - community-led development, i.e. notsomething that is done for people, but by them. Communities need to beinvolved from the start in the decision-making and throughout a developmentproject (nothing about us without us is for us). Community empowermenthappens when spaces and opportunities (information and resources) arecreated for people to lead their own economic development.

Participants of the workshop were invited to discuss the social and economicbenefits of the self-help model and how they relate to Catholic Social Teachingand whether this model would work in our communities here in Scotland.Some examples of savings groups were given – eg in Glasgow (Passage FromIndia) and in Spain (ACAF) where they have adapted this model to work in aEuropean context.For more information - http://www.passagefromindia.org

Addressing Housing and Homelessness - Alastair Cameron, Scottish

Churches Housing Action

Skivers and Strivers – how new benefit rules hit them both was the ironic titleof the workshop on benefits reform. Alastair set out the changes as they affecthousing, and explained how they are likely to increase homelessness. Otherrules affecting people who are out of work, and disabled people are alsocoming in, but were not covered in detail.

The ‘bedroom tax’ has grabbed the headlines, but it is only one of a number of changes that will take money off people claiming Housing Benefit. Thesepeople already have little money to live on. The Government says this willincrease incentives to work, but often the work is not available, or is part-time

and on low wages – so people still need to claim Housing Benefit. Alastairpointed out that more new Housing Benefit claimants are working than areunemployed; and the Government saves more in benefits that people are

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http://www.justiceandpeacescotland.org.uk/

http://www.passagefromindia.org/

http://www.justiceandpeacescotland.org.uk/

http://www.passagefromindia.org/



entitled to but don’t claim than they lose in benefit fraud. On theGovernment’s own figures, benefit fraud is less than 1% of the welfare budget,yet public perception is that it is over 25% - a perception reinforced bystatements by Ministers, enthusiastically passed on by sections of the press.For more information - http://www.churches-housing.org

Ending refugee destitution - Rachel Farrier, Refugee Survival Trust

RST is a small volunteer-led charity that provides grants to asylum seekers andrefugees living in Scotland. These grants either alleviate destitution, or helprefugees and asylum seekers to overcome obstacles in accessing educationaland employment opportunities. RST uses the information and experiencegained from providing these grants to lobby for procedural and policy changesto tackle the root causes of destitution.

The workshops were very relaxed and informal sessions, where Rachel

provided information and participants asked questions as we were going along. There were some interesting discussions about the needs of asylum seekersthat might find themselves in smaller communities, and also about whetherthere was housing owned by the Catholic Church that could be given over tonew schemes to house destitute asylum seekers.For more information - http://www.rst.org.uk

Forming a Credit Union - Nancy MacGillivray, West Lothian Credit

Union

A credit union is a not for profit organisation offering affordable financialservices in the form of savings accounts, low cost loans to its members. Themembers elect a Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting, so themembers control the credit union.

During the workshop it was evident that people appreciated the ethos of creditunions, and were supportive of the movement. Participants were particularlyinterested in the difference in amounts of interest charged between the creditunion and other lenders. They were also interested to hear of developments inthe sector especially in the light of the welfare reforms. It was evident that we

do need to inform more people of credit unions, how they work and that theyare inclusive benefitting the whole community – no more ’poor man’s bank’.For more information - http://www.livingstoncreditunion.co.uk

Presentation - Rev Ewan Aitken

Ewan Aitken gave a lively report on the findings of the Church of Scotland ‘sSpecial Commission on the Purposes of Economic Activity’s report A Right Relationship with Money – published May 2012. The commission set out toaddress five questions - How can the church offer society a vision; How can thechurch model that vision; How can quality of life and values underpineconomics; How can inequality be addressed; How can the church influencebehavioural change?

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http://www.churches-housing.org/

http://www.rst.org.uk/

http://www.livingstoncreditunion.co.uk/

http://www.churches-housing.org/

http://www.rst.org.uk/

http://www.livingstoncreditunion.co.uk/



Ewan reminded that Carlyle called economics ‘the dismal science’ because itwas ‘all about greed and the consequences of desires’. The reality should bethat economics is about ‘what it means to be human.’ There is a ‘vocation of economic exchange’ that is ‘not all is bad there are opportunities for re-distribution of wealth for example tax is how we contribute to the care of

others.’ The ‘moral hazard’ is that ‘ you should not do something that is not inthe best interests of others.’ The problem of ‘greedy bankers’ needs to beoffset by ‘good bankers’ who see this as a vocation. Fair trade has shown thatthere are other ways of commerce that can work.

A key proposal from the Commission’s Report was that churches should worktogether to target social justice issues, speaking out with a united voice thatwill carry more weight and expanding the conversation on morality beyondsexuality to all aspects of ethical living.

Reflection – Tim Duffy Tim began with a five minute ‘break’ to breathe in and out and relax. He thensuggested a word game – substituting a verb for a noun – eg ‘ you don’t havefaith, power, love – you are faithful, powerful, loving.’ Tim stressed ‘that thedanger of nouns is limitation – eg the church as noun equals fortress, cathedral– the church as verb equals pilgrim people of God.’ He emphasized that ‘life isnot noun but a verb, not a thing but an action – less of an object and more of a process - therefore Catholic Social Teaching remains a dead thing unless it istranslated into our lives as part of our formation.’ Therefore can we move‘from CST as teaching to living – to Catholic social forming – no longer a

compendium of useful ideas to put into action but now an active ongoingdeveloping process of change.’

Personal Commitments

Statement of Commitment Having attended the conference ‘Towards a just economic order: Challenges of Catholic Social Teaching’ and reflected on the call to action as a requirement of

our Catholic faith, as declared in the Gospels and the social teaching of theCatholic Church, I commit myself to the following action….

As support for my action, I will ask the following person/people to help memaintain this commitment… Signed and dated

Catholic Social Teaching

• Conveying the importance of implementing CST in my parish and withinother J&P groups in the diocese

• To build joint working within the church to help develop understanding of CST

• Try to get ‘my own’ and other young people to be aware of CST and thetruth and lies about poverty

• To encourage young people in their understanding and practice of CST

• Run CST reflection groups throughout the diocese in the run up to the2014 Independence Referendum

• Ask Catholic centres to run courses on Catholic Social Teaching

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• Request that the diocesan centre gives a series of talks on CST

• Read and reflect on some encyclical documents on CST – be more carefulin my grocery shopping, no ‘past sell by date’ waste

• To take more time to look at the biblical picture before acting – See, Judge, Act and relate to CST

• To find out more about biblical basis for CST – especially with reference

to financial/economic situation

• To increase my own knowledge of CST and raise awareness amongfriends/family

• More open discussion on meaning of faith in public life

• Seek ways of being church that grow from experience in the church andof the wider world – CST

Ecology

• Promotion of ecological action in the dioceses, eg fair trade and buying

local produce – and promote abolition of demonizing language

• Establishment of an eco-congregation

• Research the eco-congregations registration and discuss with the most appropriate group in my parish - J&P

Justice & Peace

• To try and make the work of J&P more relevant in my diocese

• I will work to restart the parish J&P group which has been through

difficult times

• Restart the J&P group in my parish and try to involve other parishes inaction

Group activism

• Grassroots involvement with local Homeless Centre – allowing

empowerment through listening/ encouraging individual ‘storytelling’ –support a particular ‘minority’

• Grassroots/bottom up involvement with initiatives in Scotland and abroad– facilitate individuals to tell their own story and self help

• Remain a member of the local Social & Economic Justice Forum in order to better the lives of the weakest in my local community

• Supporting the Refugee Survival Trust

• Consider -joining a political party – an action group to promote CST indiocese

• To approach those organizing ‘the answer is community’ to get involved

• Promote the IF campaign – specifically at festivals and at the Cathedral

• Sending the Jubilee postcard to the Minister – and refugee card – inviting participant to an eco-congregation meeting

• Use information on Charity & Justice to help with briefing diocesan J&Pcommissions in England & Wales on the importance of maintaining acommitment to J&P

Individual activism• Asking if I may and providing excerpts from CST to be included in church

bulletin

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• Using more Fair trade goods – writing an article for parish newsletter about this conference and speaking to PP about CST

• To place extracts from CST in the parish newsletter

• To speak out for others who have no voice – and to keep campaigning

• Making changes in my personal life and priorities to more fully ‘be’ the

gospel

• To promote ecumenical action in social justice in our area

• To help dispel the myths on poverty as promoted in the tabloid press

• Writing to my MP asking him to speak out against food speculation andgetting others to sign postcards

• I shall write to one or more MSP/MP’s on a J&P issue

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Commitment Service – Economic Justice Conference

Welcome by Bishop Stephen Robson

Opening Prayer:Creating and healing and transforming God, who makes one of all those

sharing in the hope of faith, remind us that we are more than the people in thisroom and more than the present time, that we may be your instrument forpeace and justice in the present time and for all time. All: Amen. ( Brian

Burch, Toronto Catholic Worker Community)

Hymn – Servant King (Graham Kendrick)

Gospel: The Last Judgement - Matthew 25:42-46

Short homily and invitation to commitment

Intercessory prayers by conference participants

Song: The Summons (John Bell)

(Signed commitments are gathered in baskets at the end of each row andbrought up to the celebrant)

Affirmation of commitment, by placing our commitment into the context of prayer by saying together: Your Kingdom Come (Adaptation Catherine Gorman/ CAFOD)

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.Lead us to worship only you, Lord, and not money,To put people before profit and ‘being’ before havingThy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heavenGive us this day our daily bread.Inspire us to work together to change the worldSo that everyone has enough and all can live life to the full.Forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us, And lead us not into temptation,But deliver us from evil.

Create in us the desire to live in harmony with creationSo that all people may flourish and your kingdom come. Amen

Closing Reflection: Pope Benedict on short-term solutions‘The inadequacy of pragmatic, short-term solutions to complex social andethical problems has been illustrated all too clearly by the recent globalfinancial crisis. There is widespread agreement that the lack of a solid ethicalfoundation for economic activity has contributed to the grave difficulties nowbeing experienced by millions of people throughout the world. Just as “every economic decision has a moral consequence” (Caritas in Veritate 37) so too in the political field, the ethical dimension of policy has far-reaching consequences

that no government can afford to ignore.’ (Speech at the Guildhall 2010)

Final blessing

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Recommendations

This conference was intended not as a unique event but rather as a catalyst to

more joint agency work aimed at inspiring and equipping people of faith to

support work for a just world. This was a first response to the findings of the

recent research project where those already active in justice and peace

activities indicated that they needed opportunities to network and to have their

own knowledge developed as well as be personally re-energised. It was also

envisaged that the conference would encourage people to reflect in the run up

to the 2014 referendum, on what Christianity, and in particular CST had to offer

to a more ethical economic system

Participants highlighted some suggestions re the way forward:

Agencies:

• Formation of ecumenical/interfaith initiatives on issues of justice andpeace

• CST workshops to be delivered in small scale, local events -opportunities to read and reflect on Scripture, the social teachings,Vatican II documents etc - especially in the lead up to the IndependenceReferendum to help people realise they can make informed choices.

• More joint Catholic agency working modelling solidarity

• For future events consider language, themes, location, timing, publicityto maximise accessibility and attendance

• Information on the initiatives globally, nationally and locally which peopleof faith could engage with to contribute to the common good

• Greater use of IT/Social media/recording for subsequent group use

• In the light of the support for the act of personal commitment – perhaps aprayer of commitment could be drawn up to be used by individuals andparishes

Parishes:

• More should be said, and more often, about Catholic Social Teachingfrom the pulpit

• Initiatives to facilitate dialogue between clergy and laity were seen as

more necessary than ever in the light of the current climate in theCatholic Church in Scotland

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• Opportunities to network and share good praxis betweenparishes/dioceses

Individuals:

• The need to attract more people of good will to actively support social justice was seen as urgent – especially young people – clergy – teachers

economic justice conference 2013 report

Documents