Justice and Charity

by Fulton J. Sheen

“Our country must be built upon a justice and charity in which our individual rights and privileges are conditioned by the service of the common good.”

The dominating influence of Capitalism and Communism over modern societies has eclipsed the Catholic Church’s communication of her social and economic principles. Campaigns to win the affections of the faithful have persuaded many that Capitalism—with its promise of unlimited freedom and praise for the accumulation of wealth—is an authentic expression of Catholic social teaching and that the richness of the social tradition with its preferential option for the poor is driven by class-hatred, envy, and egalitarianism.

Grounded in his expertise of the social doctrine of the Catholic Church, in Justice and Charity, Fulton J. Sheen explores how Capitalism’s failure to submit to justice and Communism’s rejection of Christian Charity can be corrected only by a revolution in the heart of men by means of encountering Jesus Christ. Back in print for the first time since its original publication.

Justice and Charity is a thought-provoking exploration into the social tradition of the Catholic Church led by one of her finest voices.

ACS - American Chesterton Society is an imprint of TAN Books

Genres: Catholic

192 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2016

About the author

Fulton John Sheen was an American bishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois, in 1919, Sheen quickly became a renowned theologian, earning the Cardinal Mercier Prize for International Philosophy in 1923. He went on to teach theology and philosophy at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and served as a parish priest before he was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York in 1951. He held this position until 1966 when he was made bishop of the Diocese of Rochester in New York. He resigned as bishop of Rochester in 1969 as his 75th birthday approached and was made archbishop of the titular see of Newport, Wales.
For 20 years as "Father Sheen", later monsignor, he hosted the night-time radio program The Catholic Hour on NBC (1930–1950) before he moved to television and presented Life Is Worth Living (1952–1957). Sheen's final presenting role was on the syndicated The Fulton Sheen Program (1961–1968) with a format that was very similar to that of the earlier Life Is Worth Living show. For that work, Sheen twice won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality, and was featured on the cover of Time magazine. Starting in 2009, his shows were being re-broadcast on the EWTN and the Trinity Broadcasting Network's Church Channel cable networks. His contribution to televised preaching resulted in Sheen often being called one of the first televangelists.
The cause for his canonization was officially opened in 2002. In June 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially recognized a decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints stating that he lived a life of "heroic virtues," a major step towards beatification, and he is now referred to as venerable. On July 5, 2019, Pope Francis approved a reputed miracle that occurred through the intercession of Sheen, clearing the way for his beatification. Sheen was scheduled to be beatified in Peoria on December 21, 2019, but his beatification was postponed after Bishop Salvatore Matano of Rochester expressed concern that Sheen's handling of a 1963 sexual misconduct case against a priest might be cited unfavorably in a forthcoming report from the New York Attorney General. The Diocese of Peoria countered that Sheen's handling of the case had already been "thoroughly examined" and "exonerated" and that Sheen had "never put children in harm's way".

Reviews

[Juni Pontes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta obra reúne uma série de discursos ministrados pelo Venerável Fulton Sheen, por volta do ano de 1938, que trata dos problemas sociais de seu tempo, como as condições miseráveis do trabalho, a incitação à destruição da ordem social e a revolução.
Na primeira parte do livro, ele aponta os erros das ideologias liberal e comunista e propõe como alternativa a doutrina social da Igreja, cujos principais divulgadores no século XX foram G. K. Chesterton e Hilaire Belloc.
Na segunda parte, Fulton Sheen lança mão de 2 meditações católicas típicas do período da Quaresma e Semana Santa, para contemplar o problema individual e a cruz. Na primeira meditação, as "Sete palavras de Jesus na cruz", ele discorre sobre o problema da dor e do sofrimento, que tem gerado revoltas e revoluções, e como a aceitação do sofrimento pode regenerar as almas e promover a melhora das comunidades.
A segunda meditação é a Via Sacra, com as suas XIV estações, que Sheen intitulou de "O Caminho da Cruz para Comunistas", em que ele aponta o erro de idolatria em acreditar nas soluções humanas, como o Estado e sistemas de governo, para se alcançar o paraíso na terra.
Esta obra continua atual, uma vez que o Ocidente ainda é estrangulado por essas duas ideologias, que nos impedem de ver a realidade sem as lentes tanto do comunismo, quanto do liberalismo.

[larryoguay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in late 1930's, but just as relevant for

the early 2000's, and more than likely relevant for the mid 2050's of our continued on it's down ward path.

[Rachel Vryhof · Rating 4 out of 5]

It helps to have a good knowledge of the history of the times the radio show aired, but it still felt incredibly prescient.

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen was decades before his time. "Justice and Charity" was published in 1938; and even then he was preaching and warning against Communism.

"To dictate to a Dictator, Bishop Sheen wrote, "is the shortest cut to a tombstone." This entire book was outlined in clear English language to be on guard for those individuals who promise "a silver moon" to rid the world problems of mankind. Of this he warned: "Those who hate religion are seeking religion; those who wrongly condemn are still seeking justice; those who overthrow order are seeking a new order; even those who blaspheme are adoring their own gods; but still adoring.

[Fr. Dave Tomaszycki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, balanced, and learned addresses on Catholic Social Teaching. We could never have radio addresses like this today, we are just too dumb.