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Catholic Social Thought: The Documentary Heritage
This classic compendium of church teaching offers the most complete access to more than 100 years of official statements of the Catholic Church on social issues." "With documents ranging from Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum (1891) to Pope Benedict XVI's Caritas in Veritate (2009), this is the single most comprehensive collection available of primary documents of Catholic social thought.
Along with the complete texts of every essential papal encyclical, this volume also includes the important documents of the American bishops on peace, the economy, and racism. Every document is preceded by an introductory essay and helpful notes, making it an exceptional reference and teaching tool.
This updated and expanded edition of a classic reference work remains an indispensable tool for scholars and students, religious and lay people, and everyone concerned with the official statements of the Catholic Church on social issues and world peace.
David O'Brien is Professor Emeritus of Catholic Studies at the College of the Holy Cross and University Professor of Faith and Culture at the University of Dayton. He has served as President of the American Catholic Historical Association
Thomas A. Shannon is Professor Emeritus of Religion and Social Ethics in the Department of Humanities and Arts at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Along with the complete texts of every essential papal encyclical, this volume also includes the important documents of the American bishops on peace, the economy, and racism. Every document is preceded by an introductory essay and helpful notes, making it an exceptional reference and teaching tool.
This updated and expanded edition of a classic reference work remains an indispensable tool for scholars and students, religious and lay people, and everyone concerned with the official statements of the Catholic Church on social issues and world peace.
David O'Brien is Professor Emeritus of Catholic Studies at the College of the Holy Cross and University Professor of Faith and Culture at the University of Dayton. He has served as President of the American Catholic Historical Association
Thomas A. Shannon is Professor Emeritus of Religion and Social Ethics in the Department of Humanities and Arts at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts.
688 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1992
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About the author
David J. O'Brien
28 books1 followerDavid O'Brien is Professor Emeritus of Catholic Studies at the College of the Holy Cross and University Professor of Faith and Culture at the University of Dayton. He has served as President of the American Catholic Historical Association
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February 10, 2023
A FINE COLLECTION OF IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
The Preface to this 1992 book explains, “Since 1978 when our previous collection of many of these documents… a great deal has happened in the Roman Catholic Church. For one thing, Pope John Paul II has deepened the theological and cultural foundations of Catholic social teaching… At the same time, the pope and his curia have challenged some developments of Catholic social theology, particularly in Latin America; they have even more forcefully attempted to control the application of Catholic teaching in concrete political context. Where once there was a more or less top down character to Catholic social teaching… there is not sharp debate… about poverty and politics, about markets, economic growth, political pluralism, and many other issues. Another major development … has been the vigorous development of American Catholic social thought, most notably … on such crucial subjects as racism, nuclear weapons and the economy… We hope this collection reflects these important developments.”
The Introduction states, “Advocates of one or another of the modern church’s oppositions on peace and human rights … often… miss the broader ‘Catholic’ dimensions of its teaching, its century-long effort to unify the church and enable it to exert a significant influence upon society as a whole… it is precisely the effort to be BOTH prophetic and responsible that distinguishes Catholic social teaching and makes it so significant in the modern world… if men and women do not believe that it is possible to live in justice and peace, they will slip ever deeper into a fatalism that … confirms the drift of events toward greater tragedy.” (Pg. 5)
The 1891 ‘Rerum Novarum’ Encyclical letter of Leo XIII states, “[Socialists] hold that, by transferring property from private persons to the community, the present evil state of things will be set to rights… But their proposals are so clearly futile … that if they were carried out the workingman himself would be among the first to suffer… Thus it is clear that the main tenet of socialism, the community of goods, must be utterly rejected; for it would injure those whom it is intended to benefit… Our first and most fundamental principle … must be the inviolability of private property.” (Pg. 15, 19; #3, 12) The 1931 ‘Quadregemiso Anno’ of Pius XI asserts, “ ‘Religious socialism,’ ‘Christian socialism’ are expressions implying a contradiction in terms. No one can be at the same time a sincere Catholic and a true socialist.” (Pg. 69; #120)
The 1961 ‘Mater et Magistra’ of John XXIII suggests, “Perhaps the most pressing question of our day concerns the relationship between economically advanced commonwealths and those that are in process of development… the nations that enjoy a sufficiency and abundance of everything may not overlook the plight of other nations whose citizens experience such domestic problems that they are all but overcome by poverty and hunger, and are not able to enjoy basic human rights… justice and humanity require that these richer countries come to the aid of those in need.” (Pg. 110-111; #157-161)
John XXIII’s 1963 ‘Pacem In Terris’ notes, “it is obvious to everyone that women are now taking part in public life. This is happening more rapidly perhaps in nations of Christian civilization, and, more slowly, but broadly, among peoples who have inherited other traditions… women… will not tolerate being treated as mere material instruments, but demand rights befitting a human person both in domestic and public life.” (Pg. 137; #41) He also states, “It is especially in keeping with principles of justice that effective measures be taken by the civil authorities to improve the lot of the citizens of an ethnic minority…” (Pg. 146; #96)
But most importantly, he asserts, “The production of arms is allegedly justified on the grounds that … peace cannot be preserved without an equal balance of armaments. And so, if one country increases its armaments, others feel the need to do the same… Consequently, people live in constant fear lest the storm … should break upon the with dreadful violence… Justice, then, right reason and consideration for human dignity urgently demand that the arms race should cease… that nuclear weapons should be banned, and finally that all come to an agreement on a fitting program of disarmament.” (Pg. 148-149; #110-113)
Paul VI’s 1967 ‘Populorum Progressio’ states that “private property does not constitute for anyone an absolute or unconditioned right. No one is justified in keeping for his exclusive use what he does not need, when others lack necessities.” (Pg. 245; #23) He continues, “Individual initiative alone and the mere free play of competition could never assure successful development. One must avoid the risk of increasing still more the wealth of the rich and the dominion of the strong, while leaving the poor in their misery and adding to the servitude of the oppressed.” (Pg. 247)
He continues, “the superfluous wealth of rich countries should be placed at the service of poor countries … Excessive economic, social, and cultural inequalities among peoples around tensions and conflicts, and are a danger to peace… the way to peace lies in the area of development… Government officials, it is your concern to mobilize your peoples to form a more effective world solidarity, and above all to make them accept the necessary taxes on their luxuries and wasteful expenditures, in order to bring about development and to save the peace.” (Pg. 251; #49; 259-260; #83-84)
In 1987, John Paul II in ‘Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: On Social Concern,’ pointed out, “Nor may we close our eyes to another painful would in today’s world: the phenomenon of TERRORISM, understood as the intention to kill people and destroy property indiscriminately, and to create a climate of terror and insecurity, often including the taking of hostages… acts of terrorism are never justifiable.” (Pg. 409; #24)
John Paul II added in 1991 in his ‘Centusimus Annus,’ “All of this can be summed up by repeating once more that economic freedom is only one element of human freedom. When it becomes autonomous, when man is seen more as a producer or consumer or consumer of goods than as a subject who produces and consumes in order to live, then economic freedom loses its necessary relationship to the human person and ends up by alienating and oppressing him.” (Pg. 469; #39)
In 1983, the U.S. Catholic Bishops issued ‘The Challenge of Peace,’ which observed, “nuclear was threatens the existence of our planet; this is a more menacing threat than any the world has known. It is neither tolerable nor necessary that human beings live under this threat… the global threat of nuclear war is a central concern of the universal Church… The nuclear threat transcends religious, cultural, and national boundaries…” (Pg. 492-493; #3-7) They also stated the criteria for ‘Just War’: Just Cause; Competent Authority; Comparative Justice; Right Intention; Last Resort; Probability of Success; and Proportionality.” (Pg. 512-514; #85-99)
In 1986, the Bishops issued ‘Economic Justice for All,’ which argued, “The ‘option for the poor’ … is not an adversarial slogan that pits one group or class against another. Rather it states that the deprivation and powerlessness of the poor wounds the whole community.” (Pg. 600; #88) Later, they add, “the preferential option for the poor is the central priority for policy choice. It offers a unique perspective on foreign policy in whose light U.S. relationships, especially with developing countries, can be reassessed.” (Pg. 637; #260)
This is an excellent collection of documents, that will be “must reading” for anyone seriously studying Catholic social thought.
The Preface to this 1992 book explains, “Since 1978 when our previous collection of many of these documents… a great deal has happened in the Roman Catholic Church. For one thing, Pope John Paul II has deepened the theological and cultural foundations of Catholic social teaching… At the same time, the pope and his curia have challenged some developments of Catholic social theology, particularly in Latin America; they have even more forcefully attempted to control the application of Catholic teaching in concrete political context. Where once there was a more or less top down character to Catholic social teaching… there is not sharp debate… about poverty and politics, about markets, economic growth, political pluralism, and many other issues. Another major development … has been the vigorous development of American Catholic social thought, most notably … on such crucial subjects as racism, nuclear weapons and the economy… We hope this collection reflects these important developments.”
The Introduction states, “Advocates of one or another of the modern church’s oppositions on peace and human rights … often… miss the broader ‘Catholic’ dimensions of its teaching, its century-long effort to unify the church and enable it to exert a significant influence upon society as a whole… it is precisely the effort to be BOTH prophetic and responsible that distinguishes Catholic social teaching and makes it so significant in the modern world… if men and women do not believe that it is possible to live in justice and peace, they will slip ever deeper into a fatalism that … confirms the drift of events toward greater tragedy.” (Pg. 5)
The 1891 ‘Rerum Novarum’ Encyclical letter of Leo XIII states, “[Socialists] hold that, by transferring property from private persons to the community, the present evil state of things will be set to rights… But their proposals are so clearly futile … that if they were carried out the workingman himself would be among the first to suffer… Thus it is clear that the main tenet of socialism, the community of goods, must be utterly rejected; for it would injure those whom it is intended to benefit… Our first and most fundamental principle … must be the inviolability of private property.” (Pg. 15, 19; #3, 12) The 1931 ‘Quadregemiso Anno’ of Pius XI asserts, “ ‘Religious socialism,’ ‘Christian socialism’ are expressions implying a contradiction in terms. No one can be at the same time a sincere Catholic and a true socialist.” (Pg. 69; #120)
The 1961 ‘Mater et Magistra’ of John XXIII suggests, “Perhaps the most pressing question of our day concerns the relationship between economically advanced commonwealths and those that are in process of development… the nations that enjoy a sufficiency and abundance of everything may not overlook the plight of other nations whose citizens experience such domestic problems that they are all but overcome by poverty and hunger, and are not able to enjoy basic human rights… justice and humanity require that these richer countries come to the aid of those in need.” (Pg. 110-111; #157-161)
John XXIII’s 1963 ‘Pacem In Terris’ notes, “it is obvious to everyone that women are now taking part in public life. This is happening more rapidly perhaps in nations of Christian civilization, and, more slowly, but broadly, among peoples who have inherited other traditions… women… will not tolerate being treated as mere material instruments, but demand rights befitting a human person both in domestic and public life.” (Pg. 137; #41) He also states, “It is especially in keeping with principles of justice that effective measures be taken by the civil authorities to improve the lot of the citizens of an ethnic minority…” (Pg. 146; #96)
But most importantly, he asserts, “The production of arms is allegedly justified on the grounds that … peace cannot be preserved without an equal balance of armaments. And so, if one country increases its armaments, others feel the need to do the same… Consequently, people live in constant fear lest the storm … should break upon the with dreadful violence… Justice, then, right reason and consideration for human dignity urgently demand that the arms race should cease… that nuclear weapons should be banned, and finally that all come to an agreement on a fitting program of disarmament.” (Pg. 148-149; #110-113)
Paul VI’s 1967 ‘Populorum Progressio’ states that “private property does not constitute for anyone an absolute or unconditioned right. No one is justified in keeping for his exclusive use what he does not need, when others lack necessities.” (Pg. 245; #23) He continues, “Individual initiative alone and the mere free play of competition could never assure successful development. One must avoid the risk of increasing still more the wealth of the rich and the dominion of the strong, while leaving the poor in their misery and adding to the servitude of the oppressed.” (Pg. 247)
He continues, “the superfluous wealth of rich countries should be placed at the service of poor countries … Excessive economic, social, and cultural inequalities among peoples around tensions and conflicts, and are a danger to peace… the way to peace lies in the area of development… Government officials, it is your concern to mobilize your peoples to form a more effective world solidarity, and above all to make them accept the necessary taxes on their luxuries and wasteful expenditures, in order to bring about development and to save the peace.” (Pg. 251; #49; 259-260; #83-84)
In 1987, John Paul II in ‘Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: On Social Concern,’ pointed out, “Nor may we close our eyes to another painful would in today’s world: the phenomenon of TERRORISM, understood as the intention to kill people and destroy property indiscriminately, and to create a climate of terror and insecurity, often including the taking of hostages… acts of terrorism are never justifiable.” (Pg. 409; #24)
John Paul II added in 1991 in his ‘Centusimus Annus,’ “All of this can be summed up by repeating once more that economic freedom is only one element of human freedom. When it becomes autonomous, when man is seen more as a producer or consumer or consumer of goods than as a subject who produces and consumes in order to live, then economic freedom loses its necessary relationship to the human person and ends up by alienating and oppressing him.” (Pg. 469; #39)
In 1983, the U.S. Catholic Bishops issued ‘The Challenge of Peace,’ which observed, “nuclear was threatens the existence of our planet; this is a more menacing threat than any the world has known. It is neither tolerable nor necessary that human beings live under this threat… the global threat of nuclear war is a central concern of the universal Church… The nuclear threat transcends religious, cultural, and national boundaries…” (Pg. 492-493; #3-7) They also stated the criteria for ‘Just War’: Just Cause; Competent Authority; Comparative Justice; Right Intention; Last Resort; Probability of Success; and Proportionality.” (Pg. 512-514; #85-99)
In 1986, the Bishops issued ‘Economic Justice for All,’ which argued, “The ‘option for the poor’ … is not an adversarial slogan that pits one group or class against another. Rather it states that the deprivation and powerlessness of the poor wounds the whole community.” (Pg. 600; #88) Later, they add, “the preferential option for the poor is the central priority for policy choice. It offers a unique perspective on foreign policy in whose light U.S. relationships, especially with developing countries, can be reassessed.” (Pg. 637; #260)
This is an excellent collection of documents, that will be “must reading” for anyone seriously studying Catholic social thought.
March 20, 2024
Only has a few pages from two legitimate popes (Leo XIII and Pius XI), the rest contain the blathering of antipopes (John 23, Jp2 etc)
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