Economic Life & Social Justice (part 2)

In the US bishops' 1996 document, A Catholic Framework for Economic Life, they identified ten important principles to help Catholics reflect on the values that should shape our participation in economic life. The first and the fourth principles are related:

• Principle 1. The economy exists for the person, not the person for the economy. 
• Principle 4. All people have a right to life and to secure the basic necessities of life (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, education, health care, safe environment, economic security.)

The first principle is rooted in our teaching that human life is of paramount importance; we should not subordinate persons to government, corporations, or some "invisible hand." People are not mere resources for production of goods and services; rather, the production of goods and services exist in order to (1) help human beings develop and meet basic necessities, and (2) provide an opportunity for dignified work.
       The fourth principle is related, in that it defines the rights to which all human beings are entitled, regardless of their economic status or their means. The list of basic goes beyond the bare minimum of food, clothing, and shelter and includes the items that point at what the bishops mean by human dignity: education, health care, safe environment, and economic security. So, while a lot of politicians debate issues of food, clothing, and shelter, our bishops teach us that we have to go way beyond that. 
       An exercise for this week: as you hear about budgets, financial market reforms, spending allocations, and similar stories coming out of the state capitol and Washington, DC this week, review them carefully in light of these two points. Then, consider calling your representatives and tell them how feel about one of these issues.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)