Holy Cross Social Justice Committee
Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit comes to renew the face of the earth. Make us worthy stewards of the earth you have given us for our home and give us strength and courage to pursue a just society for all.
Since 2017, the Social Justice Committee (SJC) at Holy Cross has been working on many fronts that touch the lives of our brothers and sisters through education, advocacy, and action.
Meeting Time
Meetings are held the first Sunday of every month at 10:00am between the 9:00am and 11:00am Masses. Please join us on the ground floor of the church!
Contact
To contact the Social Justice Committee, email Bruce Giermann at socialjustice@holycrossphl.org
Vision Statement
The Holy Cross Social Justice Committee (HC-SJC) is a vehicle through which parishioners can take the Word of God and bring it to life through the action of serving the Jesus in others.
Driving Our Mission
The HC-SJC is focusing on urgent and timely issues facing our community, as well as longer more systemic issues that need our attention.
Stewards of the Earth
Weekly publication providing parishioners with information on various social topics as well as opportunities to act.
There is a common tendency to think that the practice of justice, especially Social Justice, is an optional part of being a Christian, something mandated by political correctness rather than by the Gospels. Generally we don’t see the call to reach out actively to the poor as something from which cannot exempt ourselves.
But we are wrong in this. In the Gospels and in Christian scriptures in general, the call to reach out to the poor and to help create justice in the world is non-negotiable as keeping the Commandments and going to church. Indeed, striving for justice must be part of all authentic worship.
In the New Testament, one line out of ten is a direct challenge to reach out to the poor. In Luke’s Gospel, we find this in every sixth line. In the epistle of James, this occurs in every fifth line. The challenge to reach out to the poor is an integral and non-negotiable part of being a Christian, commanded as strongly as any of the Commandments.
And this challenge is contained in the Eucharist itself: the Eucharistic table calls us to justice, to reach out to the poor.
—Father Ronald Rolheiser Our One Great Act of Fidelity…Waiting For Christ in the Eucharist
Learn more about Catholic Social Justice
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ORIGINS OF THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) as we now have it was developed over the years starting with certain papal encyclicals They were responding to the degrading social conditions caused by the industrial revolution during the mid 19th century. The Social Teaching was refined through other papal documents throughout the 20th and 21st centuries including certain documents of Vatican II.
In 2004, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, at the direction of St Pope John Paul II, issued the Compendium of the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church (free at vatican.va). From this, Catholic organizations summarized the teachings into lists of principles which were then promoted by various dioceses.
However, there is no one standard or official list of these principles. For example, the lists can have 4,6,7, 8, or 10 principles. Some combine principles which other lists have separated out. Four principles are considered by some as non-negotiable: Human Dignity, Common Good, Solidarity, and Subsidiarity (aka Role of Government). Our list include these 4 but break them down into another 6 principles, 10 total. [Our source came from the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis, office of Catholic Charities.]
Origins of Catholic Social Justice
Catholic Social Justice is the response we take to the social injustices in our communities and the world. These injustices occur when there is disrespect for the God-given dignity of all human persons and the rights which flow from such dignity. We aim to help society to provide the conditions that allow people to obtain what is their due according to their nature and vocation. [see Catholic Catechism #1928]
Catholic Social Justice has its roots in biblical teachings found in the Old and New Testaments. The teachings had been developed by the early Church Fathers, popes, and councils (especially Vatican II). It is developed further by Catholic Social Teaching and by current papal documentsand encyclicals.
Central to all these teachings are the Gospels: the words and actions of Jesus Christ, who preached that the Reign of God was at hand. This was good news to the poor and all who were suffering social injustices. (Luke 4:18)
Therefore Catholic Social Justice is not an offshoot or branch of secular social justice. It is not rooted in the tenets of socialism, communism, or fascism. Nor is it a mouthpiece for any political party.
Actions of the Holy Cross Social Justice Committee
Since 2017, the Social Justice Committee has been meeting to address urgent and timely issues facing our communities and our planet. We have examined and responded to issues such as environmental injustice, justice regarding inequity and inequality, justice for immigrants, preference for the poor and vulnerable, and life and dignity of the human person.
We educate and advocate through legislative contacts, working with other organizations and parishes, hosting events such as seminars and workshops, and by informing the parish through the Stewards of the Earth column which appears weekly in our Parish Bulletin.
Catholic Social Justice is based on the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which in turn is sourced from Old Testament prophets, the Gospels, and Tradition as interpreted through the Catholic Church. It is through this lens that we see how our activities remain Catholic and faithful to the mission of Jesus Christ.
“Inequality is the root of social ills.”–Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel), #202
What is Catholic Social Justice?
The Catholic Church defines Catholic Social Justice as “actions which recognize the fundamental dignity and worth of every person from conception to death.”
Catholic Social Justice is ACTIONS we take guided by the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching. It is our responses to social injustices in our communities and the world. These injustices occur when there is disrespect for the God-given dignity of all human persons and the rights which flow from such dignity. We aim to help society to provide the conditions that allow people to obtain what is their due according to their nature and vocation. [see Catholic Catechism #1928]
Catholic Social Justice has its roots in the teachings found in the Old and New Testaments. The teachings had been developed over time by the early Church Fathers, popes, councils (especially Vatican II), and includes papal encyclicals and documents. Central to all these teachings are the Gospels: the words and actions of Jesus Christ, who preached that the Reign of God was at hand which was good news to the poor
and all who were suffering social injustices. (Luke 4:18)
In contrast, secular social justice is not centered on the person of Jesus.
Therefore Catholic Social Justice is not an offshoot or branch of secular social justice. It is not rooted in the tenets of socialism, communism, or fascism. Nor is it a mouthpiece for any political party, especially “where incompatible with human dignity and responsibility at all stages of life or contrary to natural law.” [Virginia Catholic Conference]
[Jesus said] “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and the recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19
“Inequality is the root of social ills”–Pope Francis, Evengelii Gaudium, #202
How the Catholic Church Developed Social Teaching
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) as we now have it was developed over the years starting primarily with papal encyclicals responding
in part to the degrading social conditions caused by the industrial revolution during the mid 19th century. The Social Teaching was refined through other papal documents throughout the 20th and
21st centuries including certain documents of Vatican II.
In 2004, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, at the direction of St Pope John Paul II, issued the Compendium of the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church (free at vatican.va). From this, Catholic organizations summarized the teachings into lists of principles which were then promoted by various dioceses.
However, there is no one standard or official list of these principles. For example, the lists can have 4,6,7, 8, or 10 principles. Some combine principles which other lists have separated out. Four principles are considered by some as non-negotiable: Human Dignity, Common Good, Solidarity, and Subsidiarity. Our list include these 4 but break them down into another 6 principles, 10 total. [Our source came from searching, “Catholic Social Teaching: Archdiocese of Southwark.”]
For more information on Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Social Justice, please consider:
Pope Francis: Laudato Si (2015) and Laudate Deum (2023), Fratelli Tutti (2020) and Evangelii Gaudium (2013), especially chapter 4;
Documents of Vatican II: Guadium et Spes & Dignitatis Humanae; Pope Paul VI: Populorum progresso.
also see: Wikipedia article on Catholic Social Teaching (2024).
The Ten Principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the Gospels
Catholic Social Justice is the Principals of Catholic Social Teaching…put into Action
Life and Human Dignity
Love God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Mark12:30-31
Community and the Common Good
I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. John 13:34-35
Rights and Responsibilities
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be satisfied. Matt 5:6.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you besides. Matt 6:33
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
Whatsoever you do to the least you do to me. Matt 25:40
Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy. Mt 5:7
Be compassionate [merciful]as your Father is compassionate [merciful]. Luke 6:36
Participation
Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. Matt 7:12
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
The worker deserves his payment. Luke 10:7
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27
Stewardship of God’s Creation
He [the Word] was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him and without him nothing came to be. John 1:3
Solidarity
That they may all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you that they may also be in us that the world may believe that you sent me. John 17:21
Role of Government (Subsidiarity)
It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men…whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Acts 6: 2-4
Promotion of Peace
Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Matt:5:9
Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.. Matt 5:44
Scriptures from New American Bible, Revised Edition HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE socialjustice@holycrossphl.org.