Social Teachings of the Church Issues Responses 1. Rerum Novarum

Condition of Labor Pope Leo XIII

May 1891

- Production is controlled by a few - Concentrated wealth promotes greed - Masses are destitute - Inhuman conditions exist - Decline of morals causes conflict - Socialism rejects private property - Socialism favors class warfare theory

- Fix limits of private possession by the industry of men and the peoples - Recall that just ownership of money is distinct from just use: challenge the rich to give to poor; blind state to serve common good. - Promote trade associations and just wages - Call the Church to unite the rich and the poor - Recognize that private property is a right and stabilizer of society - Encourage equitable relations between capital and labor

2. Quadragessimo Anno Reconstructing Social Order

Pope Pius XI May 1931

- Fine competition has destroyed itself - Wealth is concentrated - Economic dictatorship controls investment and credit - Economic instability leads to less of morals - Public authority is slave to mens greed - Communion seeks class warfare and extermination of private property - Workers are non-owning and receive unjust wage

- Bring competition under public authority - Share superfluous wealth - Seek just distribution of created goods - Apply laws of Christian moderation and charity - Promote international cooperation in economic life - Encourage partnership in ownership or management, reserve certain kinds of property to the state - Give workers just wage

3. Mater Et Magistra Christianity and Social Progress

Pope John XXIII May 1961

Private enterprise and the state are for the common good - Agriculture is a depressed sector of the economy - Remuneration of work must be just - Private property holders have social responsibility - Prosperous and poor nations grow more divergent - Christian social doctrine is an integral part of Christian Life

- Support the state in promoting the economy for the benefit of all citizens - Make an effort to develop industry and agriculture as regards technological progress - Foster the expression and values of the individual - Aid less developed countries - Communicate a strong, Christian Social doctrine - Affirm employee profit sharing policies - Encourage effective safeguards against monopolization

4. Pacem in Terris Peace on Earth Pope John XXIII

April 1963

- Nuclear war is constant fear - Armaments are continually increasing - Present governments are inadequate to promote universal common good

- Establish peace on mutual trust - Agree on disarmament with effective controls - Set up world-wide authority bases on subsidiary

5. Gadium Et Spes Church in Modern World

Vatican II December 1965

- Economic inequalities are immense - Hunger, poverty, illiteracy torment huge proportion of worlds citizens and foster disputes - Abundance of wealth and resources enjoyed by few - Nuclear war remains a threat - Human interdependent in the world is growing - Lack of true Christianity contributes to atheism

- Change modern world commerce radically - Work for political and economic decisions which conform to human dignity - Urge state to distribute fairly, especially insufficiently cultivated estates - End arms race with disarmaments backed by adequate and workable safeguards - Establish international community with subsidiarity - Challenge Christians to take seriously their temporal duties activated by justice and love

6. Populorum Progressio Development of Peoples

Pope Paul VI

- Pernicious opinions held about economics:

Profit as chief incentive in economic devt

- Remind more affluent of their duties:

Give assistance to development of poorer nation

May 1967 Private ownership of means of production as an absolute right with neither limits nor social duty

Improve trade relations according to social justice

Do not allow own progress to hinder others development

Expropriate if necessary for common good

7, Octogessima Adveniens Call to Action

Pope Paul VI May 1971

- Flagrant inequalities exist in the economic, cultural and political development of nations - Every social ideology contains possible ambiguities - Modern economy creates new problems:

Fairness in exchange of goods and division of wealth

Sharing of responsibilities

- Revise the relationships between nations: International division of production; structure of exchange; control of profits - Allow each country to promote its own development - Share responsibility and decision making

8. Synod Statements Justice in the World

Synod of Bishops November 1971

- Injustices building a network of domination, oppression and abuses around the world - Wealth, power, decision making in the hands of the law - Arms race is threatening mans highest good-life - Richer nations increasing high rates of consumption - Marginal people increasing because of rapid growth in population and labor force, lack of agrarian reform and massive migratory flow to cities

- Ratify and adhere to UN Declaration of human rights - Recognize right to development composed both of economic growth and participation - Support international organizations capable if restraining armaments race, discouraging trade in weapons and settling conflicts by peaceful method - Proclaim, educate and witness justice at all levels - Recognize individual and sin - Foster aims of second development decade

9. Laborem Exercens On Human Work Pope John Paul II

May 1981

- General situations of man in the modern world brings the problem of underemployment; conditions of shameful and unworthy poverty - Work is treated as sort of merchandise - Wide ranging anomaly that gave rise to the worker question sometimes described as proletariat question - Rising conflict between labor and capital - The question of finding work for all who are capable of it

- Calls for the discovery of the new meaning of human work to ensure authentic progress by man and society - The concept mans dominion over the earth should go over the heart of ethical and social question ; a central place in the whole sphere of social and economic policy - Continuous study of the subject of work and the subjects living conditions - Priority of labor over capital as opposed to the economistic and materialistic thought - Respect and promotion of the rights of workers- just wages, trade unions, ownership - The agents defined here as indirect employer must make provision for overall planning - International collaboration in planning and organizing labor - Provide work for disabled person