Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Todays Objective
Part I Our Catholic Identity
Strengthening grounding in the Catholic foundation of Catholic Charities
1. Faith Foundation
The foundation of what we do - service, advocacy and convening - springs from our faith tradition.
Scripture, especially the life and witness of Jesus Christ Catholic teaching, especially Catholic moral and social teaching The living witness of the Catholic Church Reinforced and challenged by the Sacramental and Prophetic Traditions
Dt 6:5 You shall the love the Lord, your God Lev 19:18 You shall love your neighbor
The way that we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. (1 John 3:16-18)
Early Church
2. Made in the Image of God Our understanding of the human person shapes how we serve people.
Made in the image of God Life is sacred and all people have dignity Sinful and redeemable, blest and broken
God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female He created them. ~ Gen. 1: 27
Those who work for the Churchs charitable organizations must be distinguished by the fact that they do not merely meet the needs of the moment, but they dedicate themselves to others with heartfelt concern, enabling them to experience the richness of their humanity. Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, #31b
Universal
U.S. Bishops
As Catholics, we must come together with a common conviction that we can no longer tolerate the moral scandal of poverty in our land and so much hunger and deprivation in our world. As believers, we can debate how best to overcome these realities, but we must be united in our determination to do so. Our faith teaches us that poor people are not issues or problems but sisters and brothers in God's one human family.
A Place at the Table, U.S. Bishops 2002
Grounded in Faith
The central message is simple: our faith is profoundly social. We cannot be called truly Catholic unless we hear and heed the Church's call to serve those in need and work for justice and peace.
Communities of Salt and Light, U.S. Bishops, 1993
Vision 2000
In fulfilling its own servant role, Catholic Charities must help the Church at large to fulfill its service mission. The services provided by Catholic Charities agencies were never intended to exonerate the faithful of the responsibilities of Christian discipleship and the need for a community of believers to be personally involved in caring for one anotherVision 2000 calls Catholic Charities agencies to become more fully integrated into local parish communities, providing stimulus and leadership in nurturing faith, proclaiming justice, serving people and building community.
Our History
Beginnings
1910 Founding of the National Conference of Catholic Charities (over 50% of Catholics are foreign born) -to promote the creation of diocesan bureaus -to bring about a sense of solidarity -to encourage professional social work practices -to be the attorney for the poor
Vision 2000
I. Relating to Those We Serve Quality service Empowerment III. Relating to Church Catholic Identity Mission
Identifying and solidifying alliances on emerging issues and opportunities Branding and Crisis Communication
Opportunities to Showcase Our Identity 4. Making Professional Development and Formation a Priority for Yourself
Keeping yourself up to speed on the opportunities and challenges of this sector Providing yourself with the Formation of the Heart in which you are lead to an encounter with the creator which awakens their love and opens their spirit to others.
Catholic social teaching provides us with tools to guide us as we strive to live out the Gospel call through the mission of Catholic Charities.
What Catholic Social Teaching provides 1. Link between Beliefs and Action
The Principles Help Make the Connection
2. Evaluation Criteria
The Principles of Catholic Social Teaching Gleaned from the Body of Catholic Social Teaching
HOW?
The deeper the connection between our beliefs and actions the closer we stay to our mission and identity.
B -> A
Beliefs
Principles
Action
Vision Statement
Believing in the presence of God in our midst, we proclaim the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person by sharing in the mission of Jesus given to the Church. To this end, Catholic Charities works with individuals, families and communities to help them meet their needs, address their issues, eliminate oppression, and build a just and compassionate society.
Belief
Believing in the presence of God in our midst, we proclaim the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person by sharing in the mission of Jesus given to the Church. To this end, Catholic Charities works with individuals, families and communities to help them meet their needs, address their issues, eliminate oppression, and build a just and compassionate society.
Principles
Believing in the presence of God in our midst, we proclaim the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person by sharing in the mission of Jesus given to the Church. To this end, Catholic Charities works with individuals, families and communities to help them meet their needs, address their issues, eliminate oppression, and build a just and compassionate society.
Practice
Believing in the presence of God in our midst, we proclaim the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person by sharing in the mission of Jesus given to the Church. To this end, Catholic Charities works with individuals, families and communities to help them meet their needs, address their issues, eliminate oppression, and build a just and compassionate society.
The Link
Beliefs
Principles
Action
1891 1931 1961 1963 1965 1967 1971 1971 1979 1981 1988 1991 1995 2009
Rerum Novarum Quadragesimo Anno Mother and Teacher Peace on Earth Church in the Modern World The Development of Peoples A Call to Action Justice in the World Redeemer of Humanity On Human Work On Social Concern The One Hundredth Year The Gospel of Life Charity in Truth
Leo XIII Pius XI John XXIII John XXIII Vatican II Paul VI Paul VI Synod of Bishops John Paul II John Paul II John Paul II John Paul II John Paul II Benedict XVI
Part I: Principles
These principles, the expression of the whole truth about man known by reason and faith, are born of the encounter of the Gospel message and of its demands summarized in the supreme commandment of love of God and neighbor in justice with the problems that emanating from the life of society. Compendium of the Social Doctrine # 160
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Life and Dignity of the Human Person Family, Community and Participation Rights and Responsibilities Option for the Poor and Vulnerable Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers Solidarity Care of Gods Creation
Each document is a theological reflection of the signs of the times an in depth analysis of a moment in time and evaluation of that reality in light of the teaching and witness of Christ.
1. 2. 3. 4.
What is going on? Why is it happening? How do we evaluate it? How do we respond?
Social Analysis: Linking Faith and Justice, Joe Holland and Peter Henriot, S.J.
I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey.
(Ex 3: 16-17)
4. How do we respond?
The Progressive Era Labor Unions
1. 2. 3. 4.
What is going on? Why is it happening? How do we evaluate it? How do we respond?
Social Analysis: Linking Faith and Justice, Joe Holland and Peter Henriot, S.J.
A Helpful Paradigm
Beliefs
Principles
Action
Materials