Catholic Social Teaching Chapter 7 Directed Reading Guide Answers

Reﬂections on Mission

Mission and Catholic Social Teaching

he fourth in the Catholic Charities USA

Reﬂections on Mission

series, this resource is designed to help you explore the intimate relationship between mission and Catholic social teaching which undergirds and serves as the guiding light for our ministry of service to people on the margins. is series is meant to be practical – to give information that will further your understanding of the relationship of mission and Catholic social principles (teaching) and to provide questions that will stimulate you to think about how you are a living witness of this mission by who you are and what you do at the agency.

Susan Engle, MSW Catholic Charities Kansas City, MO

Opening Prayer

Leader:

Let us recall that we are in the presence of God. A brief moment of silence

Reader 1:

us says the LORD: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; Clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. en your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your world shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. en you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the aﬄicted; en light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like mid-day. (Isaiah 58:7-10) A brief moment of silence

Reader 2:

Jesus said to his disciples: You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and tram- pled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:13-16) A brief moment of silence

Leader:

You will hear the readings a second time. Please attend to the words that resonate with you. During the silence at the conclusion of the readings you are invited to speak your word/words aloud. A brief moment of silence

Leader:

You are invited to voice aloud those words or phrases that touched you in some way. Moments of sharing

Leader:

We conclude our prayer with the song "We Are the Light of the World" by Jean Anthony Greif (

Gather Comprehensive Song Book

No. 353)

Mission

Leader:

You are being given a copy of our mission statement. Please take a few moments and answer these questions for yourself – write some notes on your paper for later reference.

Questions

• What are the mission and value statements of our organization? • What is the rationale for including certain words or values in these statements? Allow time for responding

Leader:

When thinking about mission we must ﬁrst consider identity. e mission of Catholic Charities is part of the larger mission of the Catholic Church. e foundation for the mission of our agency is found in the values expressed by Jesus whose example teaches us that He valued each person. Jesus expressed this value through compassion, love, respect, healing, service, and giving of life. Jesus had a preference for the poor and marginalized of his society. e Catholic Church continues to live these same values of Jesus in today's world. We will now explore how our mission is lived out through implementing Catholic social principles in our agency.

Catholic Social Teaching

Reader:

Catholic social teaching generally refers to seven key themes or principles that guide us in building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. ese principles are articulated in social encycli- cals (documents) written by popes and bishops over the last 120 years. ese teachings seek to translate faith into the social dimensions of our world, giving us a practical framework for the fulﬁllment of our social mission. First we will consider the core principle – life and dignity of the human per- son. en we will consider other principles of Catholic social teaching relevant to the mission of Catholic Charities.

Human Dignity

Leader:

Human dignity is the foundational principle of Catholic social teaching: We are created in the image of God and therefore human life is sacred. Every person is precious. is inherent dignity demands that people come ﬁrst and that each person has the means to a decent life becoming of a human being. All other principles seek to promote this dignity.

Reader:

At the center of all Catholic social teaching are the transcendence of God and the dignity of the human person. e human person is the clearest reﬂection of God's presence in the world; all of the Church's work in pursuit of both justice and peace is designed to protect and promote the dignity of every person. For each person not only reﬂects God, but is the expression of God's creative work and the meaning of Christ's redemptive ministry. (