Compass: Bp Paprocki gives a lesson in Catholic social teaching

GREEN BAY — Bishop Thomas Paprocki chose to tackle a subject relevant to the upcoming election for his keynote address at the 2012 Red Mass Dinner, Sept. 20 at the Clarion Hotel. He presented the church's teaching regarding the work of the private sector and the role of government in managing the economy at the annual gathering sponsored by the St. Thomas More Society of the Diocese of Green Bay.
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In his talk, Bishop Paprocki, who was appointed the bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., in 2010, stressed that, when applying Catholic social teaching, it's important to distinguish between those aspects of the teaching that are binding principles and those that are prudential judgments.

"Principles are binding insofar as they must be held by the faithful for the sake of salvation," he explained. "Prudential judgments involve the reasoned application of these principles that allow for considerable latitude and discretion.

"Statements of popes and bishops on policy, legislation and other situational applications or principles provide guidance to the faithful, but they are not binding," he added. "The distinctions between binding principles and prudential judgments are not always clear and absolute. Different legal and policy proposals are often compatible with a particular binding principle, but it is not always so."

Bishop Paprocki used the $2 million cut to the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP), formerly food stamps, as an example of a policy that may be looked at as a binding principle of Catholic social teaching, but actually involves a prudential judgment.

Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, Calif., and Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development and the Committee on International Justice and Peace, told Congress that restoration of the funding is necessary in accordance with Catholic social teaching.

"They are simply making a prudential judgment that this program is a necessary, practical means for feeding the hungry," said Bishop Paprocki. "Reasonable minds can come to conclusions on more reasonable ways to feed the hungry."

continue at The Compass

Great article!  And yes, +Paprocki Rocks!