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
—-
Catholic social justice is…
Catholic Social Justice is Catholic Social Teaching…in Action!
The Catholic Church defines Catholic Social Justice as “actions which recognize the fundamental dignity and worth of every person from conception to death.”
Guided by Catholic Social Teaching, Catholic Social Justice is our 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 the Catholic Catechism #1928 for free at vatican.va.)
Catholic Social Justice has its roots found in books of the Old and New Testaments. These scriptures had been interpreted and developed by the early Church Fathers, popes, and councils (especially Vatican II). Our understanding of Catholic Social Justice was developed further by contemporary papal documents.
Catholic Social Justice is ultimately derived from the the words and actions of Jesus Christ who preached that the Kingdom of God is at hand. This was indeed good news to the poor and all who were suffering social injustices (Luke 4:18).
It is through this lens that we see how our activities remain Catholic and faithful to the mission of Jesus Christ. In contrast, secular social justice uses a lens not centered on Jesus Christ.
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 the mouthpiece for any political party.
Quotes:
[Jesus said] “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has 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.
“Love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you.” Matt 5:46-48
“Inequality is the root of social ills.” -Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel), #202
…Catholic SOcial Teaching
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) as we have it was developed since 1891 with the issuance of Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical, Rerum Novarum. The Pope wrote about the rights and duties of workers and employers, the importance of social justice and other issues in reponse to degrading social conditions caused by the industrial revolution during the mid 19th century. This social teaching was augmented and refined through other papal documents including those by Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV.
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. (This is available for free at the website at vatican.va.) From this numerous Catholic organizations summarized and explained the teachings, developing lists of principles (or themes) which then were promoted by various dioceses.
However there is no one standard or official list for these principles. For example, the lists can have 4, 6, 7, 8 or 10 principles (or themes). Some combine principles which other lists have separated out. Others consider Catholic Social Teaching to be built on four pillars which are non-negotiable. These are Human Dignity, the Common Good, Solidarity, and Subsidiarity (aka Role of Government).
We have decided on the list of seven themes from the website of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). (See website USCCB.org>Action>Topics>Catholic Social Teaching. Scroll down to Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching.) [Source is the USCCB, Secretariat of Justice and Peace 2025]. There are descriptions, handouts, parish bulletin inserts and on-line videos for each theme.
These themes are:
–Life and Dignity of the Human Person
-Call to Family, Community and Participation
-Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
-Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
-Solidarity
-Rights and Responsibilities
-Care of Creation
We have added the following themes which others have understood to be derived from the Compendium:
-Common Good
-Subsidiarity
-Promotion of Peace
…In Action
Since 2017, the Holy Cross Catholic 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 the promotion of the life and dignity of the human person.
We educate and advocate through legislative contacts, dialog, 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.
Our monthly meetings are open to all. Please join us and bring a friend!
FOR MORE INFORMATION on Catholic Social Justice and Catholic Social Teaching, please consider:
Pope Leo XIV: Magnifica Humanitatis [available for free at vatican.va website]
Pope Francis: Laudato Si (2015) Laudate Deum (2023), Fratelli Tutti (2020) and Evangelii Guadium (2013), especially chapter 4.
Pope Paul VI: Populorum progresso
Documents of Vatican II: Gaudium et Spes & Dignitatis Humanae
Catholic Social Teaching– Christian Life in Society (2024)by Brian Singer-Towns, Saint Mary’s Press [very comprehensive]
The Church’s Best Kept Secret- A Primer on Catholic Social Teaching (2023) by Mark Shea, New City Press [focuses on the “four pillars”]
US Conference of Catholic Bishops website at USCCB.org
Corporal Works of Mercy (Matt 25:31-46)
Spiritual Works of Mercy
The Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-12)
CST and Gospels
THE 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 of the Human Person
Love God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Mark12:30-31
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. John 13:34-35
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
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
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
Rights and Responsibilities
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be satisfied. Matt 5:6.
Seek fiirst the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you
besides. Matt 6:33
Care for God’s Creation (Stewardship)
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
Common Good
Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. Matt 7:12
Subsidiarity (aka Role of Government)
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 socialjustice@holycrossphl.org