Christ the Cornerstone

Changes needed to transform society, achieve social justice

“Constant changes in society are needed to bring it everywhere in line with truth, justice, love and freedom. The guiding Spirit of God working through the Gospel message arouses all of us to build our society to this end” (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, “Gaudium et Spes,” #26).

Ten days ago, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council on Oct. 11, 1962. In full continuity with nearly 2,000 years of Church teaching and practice, this historic gathering set the agenda for our future. It called attention to the fundamental mission of the Church to transform human society in light of the Gospel.

During this time of preparation for national mid-term elections, our Church urges Catholics, and all people of good will, to form their consciences and to vote accordingly. We don’t tell people who to vote for (or against). We trust that mature persons will make responsible decisions based on the dictates of their informed conscience.

But so much “hype” and “spin” are in the air these days that it’s sometimes hard to find the truth, let alone allow our consciences to be formed by it. That’s why the Church has articulated an extensive body of social teaching on nearly all the social, economic and human rights issues facing people in every corner of the modern world.

Vatican II helped set the agenda for our reflection on critical human issues of freedom, justice and peace. The council affirmed that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has important things to say on matters of political, economic and moral concern. Vatican II and subsequent Church teachings also challenged each of us to be faithful citizens of our respective communities and to be fully engaged in promoting the general welfare of all (the common good).

When it comes to applying the social teaching of the Church to the issues and concerns of today, it’s helpful to keep in mind seven key themes:

—The right to life from conception to natural death is absolute and inviolable. As Pope Francis and his predecessors have repeatedly taught, the sanctity of human life is the foundation for all efforts to build a future of liberty and justice for all.

—Marriage between a man and a woman safeguards human dignity and sustains family life.

—Human decency requires that we provide everyone with food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing.

—Faithful citizens work for the good of all, but especially for those who are in greatest need, including the unborn, those dealing with disabilities or terminal illness, migrants and refugees; the poor and marginalized deserve preferential concern.

—Economic justice calls for decent work at fair, living wages, opportunities for legal status for immigrant workers, and the opportunity for all to participate in economic activity.

—Solidarity requires that we pursue justice, eliminate racism, end human trafficking, protect human rights, seek peace and avoid the use of force (including gun violence) except in self-defense, which should only be used as a necessary last resort.

—Responsible stewards of all God’s creation work to ensure a safe and bountiful environment for all God’s children—especially the most vulnerable—now and in the future.

According to Vatican II’s “Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World”: “The common good refers to the actual conditions of human life, those conditions which promote in every way the full development of human potential.” Ideologies, social theories and political agendas don’t accomplish the common good. Concrete actions based on fundamental principles of human dignity are required to achieve the common good. “And because each of us is a person with human dignity, there must be at hand to each of us all things necessary for living a life that is really human: physical security, rights to free choice in family life, education, employment, [and] rights to respect, to information, to act according to conscience, to privacy and to religious freedom” (“Gaudium et Spes,” #26).

We seek to build a society that ensures peace, justice and equal dignity for all.

Especially in today’s post-pandemic economic, social and political climate, our society urgently needs a renewed politics that focuses on moral principles, the defense of life, the needs of the weak, and the pursuit of the common good. This kind of political participation reflects the social teaching of our Church and the best traditions of our nation. Without it, our communities degenerate into factions that are always at odds with each other.

As you prepare to vote next month, ask yourself: Which candidates and which proposed initiatives on the ballot truly promote the common good? Then vote in accordance with your informed conscience. †