Rule and Statutes
3.22 Working for Social Justice
Affirming the dignity of each human being as created in God’s image,
Vincentians envision a just society in which the rights, responsibilities and
development of all people are promoted. The distinctive approach of Vincentians
to issues of social justice is to see them from the perspective of those in
need who are suffering from injustice. The Society helps those in need to speak
for themselves. When they cannot, the Society must speak on their behalf so
that they will not be ignored.
The Catholic Church has a relatively small but significant body of teaching known nowadays as, The Social Teaching of the Church. Unfortunately, many Catholics do not adequately understand that the social teaching of the Church is an essential part of Catholic faith. Catholic social teaching has been summarized under ten principles.
Ten
Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
Principles, once internalized,
lead to something. They prompt activity, impel motion, direct choices.
The Principle of Human Dignity.
Every human being is created in the
image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is invaluable and
worthy of respect as a member of the human family.
The Principle of Respect for
Human Life.
Every person, from the moment of
conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to life
consistent with that dignity.
The Principle of Association.
The person is not only sacred but also
social.
The Principle of Participation.
People have a right and a duty to
participate in society, seeking together for the common good and well-being of
all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
The Principle of Preferential
Protection for the Poor and Vulnerable.
In a society marred by deepening
divisions between rich and poor, Catholic teaching recalls the story of the
last judgment (Mt. 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and
vulnerable first.
The Principle of Solidarity.
Catholic social teaching proclaims that
we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever they live. We are one human
family.
The Principle of Stewardship.
The Catholic tradition insists that we
show our respect for the Creator/Owner by our stewardship of creation.
The Principle of Subsidiarity
This principle deals chiefly with the
responsibilities and limits of government which should not usurp the essential
roles of voluntary associations.
The Principle of Human Equality.
Equality of all persons comes from
their essential dignity.
The Principle of the Common Good
The common good is understood as the
social conditions that allow people to reach their full human potential and to
realize their human dignity.
 |
| https://www.slideshare.net/mw28/ozanam-on-almsgiving |
We are, of course, very familiar with the work that Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and his companions did bringing relief to individuals living in poverty. We forget that, other than his service to the poor, Ozanam researched the conditions of the working classes and defended their rights as human beings and workers. He co-founded a newspaper l’Ère Nouvelle (New era) to propagate his social and political ideas. It was not the intention of our founder to perpetuate dependency on charitable hand-outs. Inspired by Saint Vincent de Paul he lived and implemented Catholic Social Teaching long before anyone ever coined that title.