Social Justice & Peace Catholic Social Justice

Church Documents on Social Justice | Peace | Poverty, Hunger, and the Homeless | Environmental Justice | Organizations | Human Rights | Dorothy Day | Oscar Romero | Web Sites Reviews | Helen Prejean | Educating for Peace | Works of Mercy | Work

Life issues: Abortion | Euthanasia | Death Penalty

"The situation today points to an ever increasing urgency for a doctrinal formation of the lay faithful, not simply in a better under standing which is natural to faith's dynamism, but also in enabling them `to give a reason for their hoping' in view of the world and its grave and complex problems.... This is especially true for the lay faithful who have responsibilities in various fields of society and public life. Above all, it is indispensable that they have a more exact knowledge and this demands a more widespread and precise presentation of the Church's social doctrine, as repeatedly stressed by the Synod Fathers in their presentations." (Christifideles Laici, n. 60)

Respect for the human person entails respect for the rights that flow from his dignity as a creature. These rights are prior to society and must be recognized by it. They are the basis of the moral legitimacy of every authority: by flouting them, or refusing to recognize them in its positive legislation, a society undermines its own moral legitimacy.36 If it does not respect them, authority can rely only on force or violence to obtain obedience from its subjects. It is the Church's role to remind men of good will of these rights and to distinguish them from unwarranted or false claims. Catechism of the Catholic Church