How do you/we work for social justice?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill_7154
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Bill_7154

Guest
I’m assuming that we all have different opinions about what actually is social justice. I’m also assumng we all have different ideas and beliefs as to how best to go about achieving social justice. I would like to hear from the posters here what their ways of going about trying to achieve social justice are so that I may broaden my understanding of how I may best go about seeking and trying to achieve social justice.

The ways that I go about it are:

Through prayer. I pray for knowlege and understanding. I pray that God may be on my mind, on my lips, and in my heart as I go about my day. I pray that God and Jesus be with me always, and that I be mindful of their presence throughout my day, while awake and asleep, so that I may improve myself to be a better person more capable of assisting my family and all the people I come into contact with. I pray that I may be aware of the temptation to sin and for the strength to avoid sinning. I pray that I may do good works and recongize and apologize for mistakes and wrongs that I may do. I thank God and Jesus Christ for all of the help they give me.

I communicate my thoughts and ideas about different social policies that I believe would be helpful to further social justice in comparison to the status quo for the day in the hopes that both I, and people I communicate with may learn something that will help one or both of us to improve ourselves so that we can further social justice locally and/or globally.

I work in the human services field, assisting others along a path of personal recovery so that they may suffer less and learn how to better care for themselves and be more self-sufficient. I incorporate talking about God and Jesus Christ to my clients who are believers.

I donate money to my church.

I seek guidance and support from the few people I trust to be a better father, husband, son, uncle, and brother to my neighbors (broadly defined).

I am considering changing jobs so that I may do similar work but for a private charity, ideally a Catholic Charity, so that I will be in an enviornment that will help me grow spritually and also be able to discuss openly with co-workers and clients God, Jesus, and how my newfound faith has made a significant positive difference in my life.

Those are some of the main things that I do in my life to work for social justice. I’m curious what others do. Hopefully I can learn from, get ideas from others that may help me improve upon my status quo, as well as possibly create a positive discussion about good things people do to work for social justice. I’m also open to feedback on the things that I do, especially if one or more of the things I am doing go against the teachings of Jesus and the Catholic Church.

Thanks,
Bill
 
Hi Bill,

First, I’d like to mention what I consider strange in some of our Churches. People come in for Mass then get in their cars and leave - not even knowing who they are standing next to in Church. What I believe is missing is Catholic communities that get to know each other, and, as a group, encourage one another, help to carry one another’s burdens if necessary or possible, and to realize that when two or more are gathered in my name that I am there with them.

Yes, we can choose to be involved in work that we know other Catholics are doing, but we need strong Catholic communities with a strong commitment to live our faith daily, according to the different gifts the Holy Spirit has given. Some of us will already have enough family responsibilities to eliminate our doing more, at least for a time. Others who feel alone and isolated in an increasingly secularized world would be strengthened by reconnecting with their Catholic brothers and sisters in some way.

In the past, the United States was far more Christian friendly, today, the opposite is often the case. The good messages coming from the Pope and other Church leaders are being drowned out by a society, including some Catholics, that live mostly secular lives, with God being that guy you visit once a week.

We need to be friends, not strangers to each other. We need to realize that our minds are filled with too many wrong ideas and the voice of the Church and God are muted. Our children often learn more from their secular buddies than about what the Church teaches. A strong, moral (note, I realize we are not perfect) community that hears what the Church is telling us is true is desperately needed in these desperately immoral times.

Some suggested reading on a regular basis:

ncregister.com/

And some words from the Catechism about social justice:

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm

We need to build up the body of Christ on earth. The current media will not do that for us.

Peace,
Ed
 
edwest2 said:
Hi Bill,

First, I’d like to mention what I consider strange in some of our Churches. People come in for Mass then get in their cars and leave - not even knowing who they are standing next to in Church. What I believe is missing is Catholic communities that get to know each other, and, as a group, encourage one another, help to carry one another’s burdens if necessary or possible, and to realize that when two or more are gathered in my name that I am there with them.

Yes, we can choose to be involved in work that we know other Catholics are doing, but we need strong Catholic communities with a strong commitment to live our faith daily, according to the different gifts the Holy Spirit has given. Some of us will already have enough family responsibilities to eliminate our doing more, at least for a time. Others who feel alone and isolated in an increasingly secularized world would be strengthened by reconnecting with their Catholic brothers and sisters in some way.
Click to expand...
Ed,
I couldn’t agree with you more. And I’ve been to other churches where the entire populace of the church gathers together for a meal after their church service is over. Others where maybe 1/2 stay and it’s for snacks or something. So the people get to know each other, become friends with each other, often those friendships continue outside of the confines of the church service and gathering afterwards.

I seek to make friends with other Catholics. It was hard for me to converse with the poeple in the other churches I went to when they had these social gatherings because I was raised poorly and have anxiety about interacting with other people. But at least I could sit there and say Hi to some people, and if someone happened to be particularly talkative, well, I’m one heck of a good listener lol.

I’ve even set a goal for myself of ‘saying hi’ or something like that to someone after church service and find that a challenge. As you say, with everyone dispursing to their cars, maybe saying hello and chatting to poeple they happen to know from outside of the church on the way to their cars. I’m the new kid on the block and have a whole lot of personal and family problems that I struggle with. I feel pretty powerless with the task of bringing Catholics together. I’m here on a Catholic internet forum as a first step for me to connect with other Catholics. If you have any ways or suggestions of ways to have Catholics connect together I think that is great. I personally feel that, when compared to a couple of other churches I have been to, that connecting together is something the Catholic Church and it’s members would benefit from.

Is being a Catholic just about going to Church and hearing the word and receiving Communion, or is it about, or should it be about, being a presence in the community? One of strength and unity? I feel sad for people who feel as though they are doing their Catholic duty by going to Church once a week and then just living their lives. This is not what I want my future to be.
 
Today I reached out to a neighbor who was being really really crochety yesterday. I’m hoping that it gives him some space to walk down a different path. It’s not a big social justice project, but if it keeps him from treating someone else as he treated me the day before, then we’ve made the world a kinder and gentler place. (offering up to Our Lord putting up with the obnoxiousness for others was a good move too).
Maybe next week, he’ll do the same thing for me.
Because of my education, I am in a good position to connect people with resources that they may be unfamiliar with. I share information that can help people with some of the challenges they face in their lives.
Then there’s the baseline stuff-letting extra people in on the free way, sharing resources, prayer, working on my personal education and catechesis with anticipated spin-off benefits for others… there’s always something to work on.
I’m working on the small things with great love and have a long way to go.
May God bless you and Ed and all who are working to bring people closer to Our Lord. Amen.
 
jeannetherese said:
Today I reached out to a neighbor who was being really really crochety yesterday. I’m hoping that it gives him some space to walk down a different path.
I think what you did was a beautiful thing. Up until a few months ago I used to swear on a regular basis and was an angry person. It’s acts like yours that make the world a better place to live in. God Bless You.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Bill,

Take it a step at a time. Pray for guidance. I guess I could go on about a time period when Christian values were displayed in a lot of ways and respected, but I won’t. You could join a group that prays outside of abortion clinics. The tragedy that was caused by the Supreme Court is still with us. I met some Catholics that way.

On another subject, we need to respect human dignity by rejecting indecency. Most of the problems facing Catholics and non-Catholics is the misuse of human sexuality outside of marriage. Perhaps that is not a subject you’d like to explore further, but the use of artificial contraception and just living together without marriage, diminishes the institution of marriage.

At one time, most of us got married and made a promise for life. The truth about what it means to have a vocation to be married must be renewed along with all the commitments involved.

I hope I’ve provided a little food for thought.

Peace,
Ed
 
edwest2 said:
Bill,

Take it a step at a time. Pray for guidance. I guess I could go on about a time period when Christian values were displayed in a lot of ways and respected, but I won’t. You could join a group that prays outside of abortion clinics. The tragedy that was caused by the Supreme Court is still with us. I met some Catholics that way.

On another subject, we need to respect human dignity by rejecting indecency. Most of the problems facing Catholics and non-Catholics is the misuse of human sexuality outside of marriage. Perhaps that is not a subject you’d like to explore further, but the use of artificial contraception and just living together without marriage, diminishes the institution of marriage.

At one time, most of us got married and made a promise for life. The truth about what it means to have a vocation to be married must be renewed along with all the commitments involved.

I hope I’ve provided a little food for thought.

Peace,
Ed
Click to expand...
Hi Ed,
Thanks. Your post was helpful and I agree with the things you say. The suggestion of joining a group that prays outside of abortion clinics is a good one and a way to connect with Catholics I had not thought of. I have considered a prayer group, it’s the only idea I’ve had thus far as a way to connect with other Catholics. I also agree with what you say about the santity of marriage and agree that society and sexuality is a large reason why society is in the mess that it is in.

In addition to connecting with other Catholics I really need to focus on how to improve my income to better provide for my family. Given my shortcomings and flaws this is going to be quite a challenge for me. I have found Prayer to be extremely helpful in lessening the internal burdens that I have that get in the way of me functioning the way normal adults do. I’m hoping that by connecting with other Catholics in addition to the things that I am already doing it may provide me with additional strength to face the challenges I have in life. I’m not sure if that will help or not but I’m not sure that prayer alone (and attending Church, confession, etc) will be enough. I’m actively working to strengthen my family, as well as myself. I have my parents who are both Catholics for moral support. I also have my wife’s sisters as supportive people in my life. But I have a lot of shortcomings based on the way I was raised and not turning to God and Jesus in a full and committed way as a Catholic sooner in life was a mistake. I’ve lost time but have made the correction now.

I used to make extra money playing poker so my financial situation was much better. With my new outlook I think that it is wrong to take money from people at a poker table if they are there and intoxicated or have the gambling infliction. Poker is a game of skill (with a component of luck that is always overcome by skill in the long run) but question whether or not it is ethical for me to earn money this way since most all that loose at poker play for thrills and essentially are gambling addicts to one degree or another. I used to rationalize this in that they would loose their money to someone else anyway so it might as well be to me. At age 45, with my shortcomings, it is difficult for me to make positive changes in my routine. I have many shortcomings. Prayer is helpful but I question whether or not it will be enough. I want to be able to provide ‘social justice’ for my son through my own work but am sort of stuck.

Do you think connecting with other Catholics, to be around them, to make friends with them, will help give me strength to help me overcome some of my weaknesses over and above what prayer will do for me? That is my line of thinking but it is an unknown to me. I pray to know the best course of action, etc and am so greatful I have God and Jesus close to my heart and soul now as it makes a big difference. But there are many practical matters in my life requiring sorting out and I am not the type of person who thinks getting money from government is morally acceptable. Helping others is a means for me to feel good about myself and take my mind off of my own troubles. And I am good at it also which is an added bonus. Now with God and Christ in the equation it takes that work to a whole new dimention.

Again, do you think that if I seek out and connect with other Catholics, that by being aroun them, doing things that are working towards a common goal that is good in the eyes of the Lord, and possibly making friends with them so I can have them as role models for me it will assist me over and above prayer? Will it be worth the time and trouble as I seek to make the changes that I need to make?

Thanks again,
Bill
 
The number one tool for peace in the world is the Rosary. Our Lady of Fatima told the peasant children to pray the rosary daily. There is a national rosary rally going on across the United States to combat the secular agenda. This Rosary Rally brings together people in your Church community. If you are interested in more details, see americaneedsfatima.org/rosary-rally-central.html

Public prayer is what is called for to appease God. Choose a public place and get a group of your friends and family together. Ask permission to put out flyers in your church and all the churches in your town. See s3.amazonaws.com/PSRC-PDFs/2012/2012+Announcement.pdf

For the entire list of downloadable supplies, see
americaneedsfatima.org/PSRR-Articles/03-psrr-resourses-for-download.html

When you sign up as a rally captain, they send you a banner. Be sure to check and see if your city already has a rally at americaneedsfatima.org/Rosary-Rally-Central/find-a-rosary-rally-nearest-you.html

The rosary rally will take place Oct. 13th at noon. This is the anniversary of the miracle of the sun in Fatima.
 
I have family and friends who are involved in the Knights of Columbus and in the Society of St. Vincent De Paul. Both are wonderful Catholic organizations which serve the poor and marginalized. K of C supports vocations (which in turn will help catechize many to better live their faith) and is very active in supporting life issues. It’s insurance program has been used to help those who are poor to achieve greater financial security.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul offers assistance to those in need.
Either group will give you a ready made community of fellow Catholics devoted to social justice and serving the poor. As you spend time exploring their missions and services, you may find ideas that will be useful in your own life, or meet people who will have struggled with similar issues and questions and whose examples and experiences will resonate with you. I have included links to the two organizations below. May God bless you and all who seek to share Christ with the world. Amen.

kofc.org/en//index.html
svdpusa.org/
 
I most recently asked myself this same question, nice to see it here! I discovered what “real” social justice is…within an active Gospel life, and I attribute this to the life and activity of Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day…better known as the founders of the Catholic Worker Movement, began in the 1930’s. Talk about living the Gospel. Although, they will be seen as Socialists’ and radicals, sometimes even “Communist”…its worth it to take a look at what they taught! Scratch that…what they lived! I guarantee you will get lost in the wealth of information that can actually be applied to a genuine social justice for all…not some…but all.

Its back to the principles that our land, our wealth, does not belong to us. Our basis for social justice, as founded within the constitution is that all are born with inalienable rights bestowed by God the Creator…and until we get back to these basic principles, stop seeing things around the idea of “party” lines, and begin to see things along the lines of “Christian”…we will continue to spiral downward. They expounded upon a sort of “Christian Capitalism”.

A few quotes by the two founders of the Catholic Worker Movement, Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day:

“What we would like to do is change the world–make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended them to do. And, by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, the poor, of the destitute–the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor, in other words–we can, to a certain extent, change the world; we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world. We can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever widening circle will reach around the world. We repeat, there is nothing we can do but love, and, dear God, please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, to love our enemy as our friend.”
― Dorothy Day

"The Gospel takes away our right forever, to discriminate between the deserving and the undeserving poor.”
― Dorothy Day

“Modern society calls the beggar bum and panhandler and gives him the bum’s rush. But the Greeks used to say that people in need are the ambassadors of the gods”
― Peter Maurin

For your “answers” on how to live social justice…I recommend the writings of Peter Maurins “easy essays”…wealth of social “justice”. The focus is a working “community”!!!
 
edwest2 said:
To everyone. I hope the following article helps provide a good overview about our country, the times we live in and what the laity are called to do. Again, this is not addressed to anyone in particular.

archden.org/index.cfm/ID/278/iArticleID/45/ipageContentCategoryID/278

Peace,
Ed
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing this link. One section that seemed especially pertinent (and it was tough limiting myself to one) was this:
“Here’s fact Number Six, and it’s the central theme of everything I tried to say in my 2008 book Render Unto Caesar. We’re better citizens when we’re more faithful Catholics. The greatest gift we can give to our nation is the witness of our moral integrity. We need to be willing to suffer for what we know, as Catholic Christians, to be true about the purpose of human society and the sanctity of the human person. The more faithfully “Catholic” we are in our choices, actions and convictions, the more truly we will contribute to the moral and political life of our nation.”

The Archbishop offers a starting point that anyone may access and the rest of his advice and insight is so helpful. I’ll be sharing that link elsewhere!👍 Amen.
 
Define social justice? Abortion how did that end up as the topic? I personally despise abortion but believe that people have the choice to exercise free will, and in doing so can only be judged by God. Just because a system exists where for right or wrong people have the freedom to make such a decision doesn’t give any of us the credence to act as we see fit. Who are we to break the fundamental rules of our belief because we have judged another person to be a wrong doer. Social Justice hey? Like manufacturing and selling fire arms to kill our fellow men? Or to give away our equality and freedom to the few so that they may rule over us? To surrender free will and plead ignorance in a self deluded state where we believe that giving our souls to the whims of the elite is Gods will. All laws of man serve only the interests of those in control of the state and its monopoly on terror to rebuke the free will and God given equality of all free men born upon this earth. It is only Gods law and the sacrifice of Christ that matter. That law as Jesus preached was Love, when we truly only act with love as our motive, only then can we know any form of justice xx
 
jeannetherese said:
Thank you for sharing this link. One section that seemed especially pertinent (and it was tough limiting myself to one) was this:
“Here’s fact Number Six, and it’s the central theme of everything I tried to say in my 2008 book Render Unto Caesar. We’re better citizens when we’re more faithful Catholics. The greatest gift we can give to our nation is the witness of our moral integrity. We need to be willing to suffer for what we know, as Catholic Christians, to be true about the purpose of human society and the sanctity of the human person. The more faithfully “Catholic” we are in our choices, actions and convictions, the more truly we will contribute to the moral and political life of our nation.”

The Archbishop offers a starting point that anyone may access and the rest of his advice and insight is so helpful. I’ll be sharing that link elsewhere!👍 Amen.
Click to expand...
You’re welcome.

Ed
 
damianmark said:
Define social justice? Abortion how did that end up as the topic? I personally despise abortion but believe that people have the choice to exercise free will, and in doing so can only be judged by God. Just because a system exists where for right or wrong people have the freedom to make such a decision doesn’t give any of us the credence to act as we see fit. Who are we to break the fundamental rules of our belief because we have judged another person to be a wrong doer. Social Justice hey? Like manufacturing and selling fire arms to kill our fellow men? Or to give away our equality and freedom to the few so that they may rule over us? To surrender free will and plead ignorance in a self deluded state where we believe that giving our souls to the whims of the elite is Gods will. All laws of man serve only the interests of those in control of the state and its monopoly on terror to rebuke the free will and God given equality of all free men born upon this earth. It is only Gods law and the sacrifice of Christ that matter. That law as Jesus preached was Love, when we truly only act with love as our motive, only then can we know any form of justice xx
Click to expand...
A bit adversarial.

From the Farewell Address of George Washington - 1796

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice ? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

Peace,
Ed
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top