“What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
The Church teaches that it takes two “feet” to walk the path of love: SOCIAL JUSTICE addresses the social, political, economic, & structural causes of poverty, while CHARITABLE WORKS respond to the immediate needs & specific situations of individuals.
Social Justice Ministry has its roots in Catholic Social Teaching, which can be distilled into seven themes. The foundation of Catholic Social Teaching is the inherent dignity of every person. This gift of life that God has given calls us to live as caretakers—caretakers of each other, of the earth we inhabit, of our gifts and talents so that we can respond to the responsibilities we have to work to build a world of justice and peace.
Social Justice Ministry includes:
- Becoming formed and educated in the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
- Becoming educated about current social justice issues
- Discovering the needs of our parishioners, neighborhood and wider community as well as the global community
- Discerning our role in reaching out to our brothers and sisters in Christ, both locally and globally
- Acting in the ways of charity and justice
To learn more about the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching, visit The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website.
For more information regarding Social Action, visit The Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland.