Social Justice and Outreach

Social justice and outreach are an essential part of our Catholic faith.  St. Joseph strives to fulfill its call to social outreach (charity) by addressing the immediate concerns of those who are in need, as well as addressing the underlying social justice issues that lead to injustices.

Social outreach can take many forms.  It can include volunteering at the local food shelf or thrift store, providing transportation, food or clothing to individuals with limited options, providing meals to the homebound or to persons who are homeless. Social justice involves taking an active role in policy-making that impacts the health of the community at large - transportation, workforce housing, domestic violence, education or health care.

The call to social justice and outreach can be found in the book of Exodus 1:8-2:10.  Pharaoh’s daughter found a baby boy all alone in a papyrus basket floating on the river.  Moved with pity, she drew him out of the water and named him Moses.  Moses was in need and Pharaoh’s daughter reached out and saw to that need.  However the story does not begin there.  Why was he there in the first place?  What caused him to be in need?  Moses’ being in the river was a direct result of Pharaoh addressing the increasing population of the Hebrew’s in Egypt.  Because they were a perceived threat to Egypt’s power, they were made slaves and oppressed.  But the Hebrews continued to multiply and spread.  Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects to throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews.  This cause and effect is the basis of why we, as Catholics, are called to not only reach out to those in need but address the cause of that need as well.    

Modern Catholic social teaching is based in both tradition and Scripture.  We, as Catholics, are called to care of those in need (Luke 10:25-37, 14:12-14).  Official Church documents from the nineteenth century to the present have developed this teaching based on the following key principles:

• Human Dignity:  Human life is sacred and the dignity of the person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.
• Community and the Common Good:  The person is not only sacred but social.  Therefore, we must organize society in such a way that human life and dignity are protected and common good is promoted.
• Rights and Responsibilities:  Every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency.  We have responsibilities to one another, our families and to society at large to ensure the protection of these fundamental rights.
• The Poor and Vulnerable:  The needs of the poor and vulnerable shall be put first.
• Participation:  A fundamental demand of justice and a requirement for human dignity is that all people have the right to participate in the economic, political and cultural life of their respective societies.
• Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers:  All workers have the right to productive work, to fair wages, to organize and join unions, to private property and to economic initiative.
• Stewardship of Creation:  We are called to care for and live in relationship with all of God’s creation, both people and planet.
• Solidarity:  Our efforts toward justice should not be limited to those of the same race or nationality; rather, our call to love our neighbor has global implications.
• Role of Government:  It is the role of government to help individual citizens fulfill the responsibilities of promoting human dignity, protecting human rights and building the common good.
• Promotion of Peace:  Peace is something that must be actively sought by building mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations.
   

Overview  |  Human Dignity  |  Common Good  |  Rights and Responsibilities  |  Option for the Poor  |  Participation

Dignity of Work  I  Stewardship of Creation  I  Solidarity  I  Role of Government  I  Promotion of Peace

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This page last updated on 04/03/2008