Pastoral Letter of the U.S. Bishops, September 1919

The Pastoral letter of the archbishops and bishops of the United States assembled in conference at the Catholic University of America, September, 1919, can be found in a scan of the print edition (1920) at the Internet Archive.

Program of Social Reconstruction of the U.S. Bishops (February 12, 1919)

The Program of Social Reconstruction adopted by the U.S. Bishops' National Catholic War Council on February 12, 1919 is available at the John A. Ryan Institute in the Center for Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas.

Chicago Archdiocesan staff will now receive 12 weeks of paid time off after the birth or adoption of a child

The Archdiocese of Chicago will begin offering 12 weeks of paid parental leave to its staff beginning July 1.

The new policy is open to fathers and mothers who just had children or adopted children. Staff who are benefits-eligible (those who work at least 26 hours a week) and who have worked at the archdiocese at least one month qualify for parental leave. Archdiocesan employees who have worked less than one year will receive one week paid parental leave for every month they worked.

Under the previous policy, female staff who gave birth or adopted used sick time and vacation time for pay during their parental leave. Employees who worked for at least three years usually had accumulated enough sick time to cover about six weeks of leave.

“We’ve had a policy that met the needs of most people,” said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. “For most people it worked, because they accrued sick time and used it. In other organizations they would have lost it. Here they keep it.”

There were some instances when it didn’t work for everyone, such as in the case of newer employees, she said, or someone who had to use their sick time for other health reasons.

When Archbishop Cupich came on board he wanted to ensure that the personnel policies were in line with church teaching.

“Obviously we do want to be a voice for pro-life, family friendly kinds of policies,” Bohlen said. “The idea was to make sure that we have something that can work for all staff.”

continue at CNW

The running joke is that the only employment one cannot support a large Catholic family is working for a Catholic non-profit.  Bravo to the Archdiocese and Archbishop Cupich!

Cream City: Five Benefits of Staying Local

On the whole, it would appear to be for the best that the great majority of human beings should go on living in the place in which they were born.
(T.S. Eliot, Notes towards the Definition of Culture)

Great post over at Cream City Catholic, go read it there

Unilateral American military action, kumbaya

Toward the end of this article at The Boston Globe Explaining the Vatican’s surprising pro-US line on Iraq, John Allen notes,

"One core reason the Vatican opposed the two Gulf Wars, as well as any expansion of the conflict in Syria, was fear that the fall of a police state in the Middle East would lead to the rise of a radical Islamic theocracy in which Christians and other minorities would find themselves in the firing line.

That’s no longer a theoretical anxiety. It’s the lived reality of the new caliphate proclaimed by the Islamic State, which means that the Vatican and other Christian leaders are no longer so worried about the aftermath of a conflict. They’re much more preoccupied by the here and now, and thus more inclined to back anyone who seems prepared to do something about it."

Or, as he concludes, there

"would seem to be a de facto recognition that there are times – however rare, and however lamentable – when 'give peace a chance' may work as a fervorino, but as foreign policy it doesn’t quite do the trick."

P.S. Wiktionary explains:

fervorino

Italian

Noun

fervorino m (plural fervorini)
1.exhortation
2.talking-to, telling-off

Picking up the jargon must be one of the perks of a Church-related assignment in Rome, like the restaurants.

Paul Ryan welcomes Pope's welfare debate

Rep. Paul Ryan said Sunday he doesn't expect the Pope to agree with him about the role of government in addressing social mobility.

But he does welcome Pope Francis' contribution to the U.S. debate on wealth and poverty.

Ryan, a Catholic, has for several years written the House Republican budget proposals, which he says will ensure the long-term viability of the social safety net. He doesn't, however, expect the Pope to endorse his specific policies.

"He's a Pope. Popes don't endorse budgets," Ryan said on ABC's "This Week."

Ryan's split assessment of the Pope comes as political figures adapt to Pope Francis' spot on the political spectrum.

Many Democrats see Francis as aligned with them on social and economic issues, especially in his criticism of "trickle-down economics" and his characterization of an "impersonal economy."

President Obama, for one, said in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper this week that he has "been really impressed so far" with the Pope's "regard for those who are less fortunate."

Ryan has discredited the pontiff's critique of capitalism by saying the Pope doesn't understand the concept. He stood by that on Sunday.

"I think they have crony capitalism in Argentina where you have real exploitation," Ryan said. "That is not the free market."But Ryan said he was "excited" that Francis was talking about social justice issues

continue at Ch3000

We should have Paul Ryan define terms here but capitalism by definition is the opposite of "free markets."  That's why countries like the United States enact laws to prevent monopolies.  Unregulated markets cannot be free any more that lawless societies can be just.  Capitalism in the West is a Protestant innovation.

I'm not taking a position on Ryan's budget, just saying that it's hard in passing to just say "capitalism good" or "capitalism bad."  In fact, I'm not sure how it could ever be considered moral to pass a deficit budget - that is, a budget which is spending the money of future peoples who have not even elected the officials in office. 

“A small number of very rich men have been able to lay upon the teeming masses of the laboring poor a yoke little better than that of slavery itself” (Rerum novarum, n. 3). [the document also condemns communism and socialism]

“Catholic social doctrine is not a surrogate for capitalism.” (Blessed John Paul II)

Yet consider this!
"It is not lawful to take the things of others to give to the poor. It is a sin worthy of punishment, not an act deserving a reward, to give away what belongs to others."
- Saint Francis of Assisi, Admonitions To The Brethren

via Catholicism and Capitalism the definition of the word capitalism is so undefined, that JPII had to clarify when making statements on the subject:

Again, he asks whether "capitalism should be the goal of the countries now making efforts to rebuild their economy and society?" John Paul's answer is:

The answer is obviously complex. If by capitalism is meant an economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production as well as free human creativity in the economic sector, then the answer is certainly in the affirmative even though it would perhaps be more appropriate to speak of a business economy, market economy, or simply free economy. But if by capitalism is meant a system in which freedom in the economic sector is not circumscribed within a strong juridical framework which places it at the service of human freedom in its totality and which sees it as a particular aspect of that freedom, the core of which is ethical and religious, then the reply is certainly negative.

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Henry Ford on the minimum wage

Good stuff from a friend

I'm in the midst of an email exchange with some people about minimum wage and justice. I brought up the issue of a 'living wage' as opposed to a minimum wage, which is discussed in this essay by Allan Carlson. It is a good essay, and I think many of the themes will resonate with you. Here is a glimpse of how even the old capitalists believed, at least to a certain extent, that justice must reign in an economy:

In the United States, Henry Ford startled observers in 1914 by doubling the wages paid to married workers, arguing that the worker "is not just an individual....He is a householder....The man does the work in the shop, but his wife does the work in the home. The shop must pay them both." The alternative, Ford emphasized, was "the hideous prospect of little children and their mothers being forced out to work."

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CNS: Cdl. Burke discusses the relationship between social justice concerns and the pro-life movement

Dorothy Day: Social Security "is a great defeat for Christianity"

As Dorothy Day said, "We believe that social security legislation, now balled as a great victory for the poor and for the worker, is a great defeat for Christianity. It is an acceptance of the Idea of force and compulsion. It is an acceptance of Cain’s statement, on the part of the employer. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

check out The Dorothy Day Few of Us Know at Crisis Magazine

HT Sophia

CatholicVote: Social Teaching and B16

From early on in the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, I was keyed in on how he would articulate Catholic Social Teaching. As Cardinal Ratzinger he had quite a bit to say about Liberation Theology. As many will remember, he was the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) when Blessed Pope John Paul II took on Liberation Theology in Latin America. Two documents came out of the CDF during the mid 80’s. The second of these, Libertatis conscientia, was most certainly penned by Ratzinger (in fact paragraph three of that document closely matches the opening of Caritas in veritate.)

Once Pope, the same man did not disappoint. He has been a champion for the social teaching in a way I could not have even fathomed. Indeed, he has stressed doing for the social teaching what he has done for Vatican II, namely making sure we interpret it in light of the tradition.

Let me just point out first what the good German pontiff has written. Half of Pope Benedict’s first encyclical, Deus caritas est, was on the social teaching. Themes of the social teaching are woven in and out his second encyclical, Spe salvi, with references to hope and liberation. And the entirety of his third encyclical, Caritas in veritate, was devoted to the social teaching.

His contribution to the social teaching with Caritas has already produced fruit. From the introduction of a term like “gratuitousness” and the “logic of gift” to inspiring documents like “Vocation of a Business Leader: A Reflection,” from the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace in collaboration with the John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought, Pope Benedict has made a difference in the development of the social teaching in a very short time.

continue at Catholic Vote 

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Official guidelines for forming a Catholic conscience in the Diocese of Madison

From Bishop Morlino:

It is the role of bishops and priests to teach principles of our faith, such that those who seek elected offices and those who are seeking to vote, if they are Catholics, are to form their consciences according to these principles about particular policy issues. The non-negotiable issues for the formation of a Catholic conscience in this election are as follows:

Sacredness of human life from conception to natural death -- Human life is sacred and we must do all that we can to preserve human life, especially when it is most vulnerable and defenseless: that means not only avoiding, but working actively against the promotion of abortion and euthanasia, two of the greatest threats to human life in our day. In addition, we must work against any promotion of “advances” that are actually destructive to human life, such as embryonic stem cell research and human cloning. No Catholic may, in good conscience, vote for “pro-choice” candidates, or [note bene] they must choose the candidate who would place greater restrictions on abortion.

Religious freedom and freedom of conscience -- Besides our right to life, the most basic right granted to humans is our ability to seek to achieve eternal life, to worship God, and to follow our consciences in all aspects of life. No Catholic may, in good conscience, vote for laws or candidates who would promote laws that would infringe upon our religious liberties and freedom of conscience.

Marriage -- Written in our very human nature, in the language of our bodies, by the Creator, is the truth that marriage means one husband, one wife, one lifetime, with openness to children. No Catholic may, in good conscience, vote for candidates who promote “same-sex marriage.”

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Conference on Social Justice and Distributism near Twin Cities

Presented by the Catholic Order of Foresters Central Agency
and the American Chesterton Society

Saturday, November 17, 2012
8:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Church of Sts. Peter and Paul
145 Railway Street East, Loretto, MN 55357

Schedule:
8:30 am | Registration and refreshments
9:30 am to 4:30 pm | Presentations
5:00 pm | Mass, Sts. Peter and Paul Church
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Reception and Dinner 

 

Presentations Include:

Gift and Greed: Why Benedict is Right and Mandeville is Wrong
John Medaille

Rebuilding Christendom and Fraternal Benefit Societies
Robert Hanten

History and Inspiration for the Catholic Order of Foresters
Robert Hanten

The Disaster of Co-Education
Arthur Hippler

Closing remarks by Dale Ahlquist,
President of the American Chesterton Society

details at Chesterton Society

HT ED

CatholicVote: Charity and Responsibility

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.
...
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! 

Paul Ryan: Measuring poverty

Could common sense come back into fashion?

Drudge has this up:

WSJ:

Vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan will take the stage on Wednesday evening at the Republican National Convention, bringing his message about the need to drastically shrink the size of the federal government and overhaul the social safety net to a prime-time audience.

The House Budget Committee chairman, who has delivered a much needed shot of energy to the campaign since being named as Mitt Romney's running mate earlier this month, is likely to spell out his vision of the role of government, drawing sharp contrast with that of the Obama administration.

Mr. Ryan is a superstar among conservative activists of the Republican party, but many Democrats were cheered by Mr. Romney's decision to add him to the ticket as they think they can make political gains on the back of Mr. Ryan's plan to radically reduce domestic spending programs.

Rebuilding Christendom conference in Virginia

The IHS Press Group cordially invites you to the first conference in the Rebuilding Christendom™ series. This packed, three-day event is an inaugural gathering of Catholics and others of good will in the United States consecrated exclusively to genuine Catholic Social Doctrine. Intended to be a fearless proclamation of “the politics of Jesus Christ,”  Rebuilding Christendom I will feature today’s leading independent scholars, veteran writers, and students of social Catholicism, addressing the history, theory, and practical application to contemporary society of Catholic political, economic, financial and social principles.

What are the genuine principles of civilization?
What is Catholic doctrine on politics, economics, and local, national, and international society?
How does this apply – and how can it be applied – today?
Get the unvarnished answers to these questions – and tools for translating the answers into practical action – on the weekend of the Feast of King St. Louis of France, 2012.

When:
August 24, 25, 26
Feast of St. Louis IX, King of France

Where:
Washington Dulles
Airport Marriott Hotel
45020 Aviation Drive
Dulles, VA
Discounted rooms available—$71.00
Call: 1-800-228-9290(Ref. Code: ISOISOA or Rebuilding Christendom)
Or book your room today through www.rebuildingchristendom.com!

[T]he Apostles would never have conquered the world, if they had not done the work of heroes and martyrs. It is necessary, therefore, to join prayer with action.
—St. Pius X, as Cardinal Patriarch of Venice, c1895

details at www.rebuildingchristendom.com

Looks really interesting!  

Michael Novak: Jesuits Rebuke Paul Ryan

Michael Novak hits a home run with this.

Left flank to base. Left flank to base. We have lost radio contact with the right flank. Please come in. We have lost contact with the right. Please come in. Give us your bearings. Over.”

In six succinct paragraphs, some leading Jesuits and other professors and staff members at Georgetown University upbraided Congressman Paul Ryan, one of the more serious Catholics in the Congress, for “misrepresenting Catholic social thought.” That is, they simply made no contact with his arguments, couldn’t understand his basic Catholic principles, and did not recognize that he was fighting on their side, only that he was advancing from the opposite flank.

The letter begins kindly enough: “Welcome to Georgetown. We appreciate your willingness to talk about how Catholic social teaching can help inform effective policy in dealing with the urgent challenges facing our country.” This is a refreshing break from those institutions that ban, hoot down, and refuse to listen to anyone who has a different starting point. Thomas Reese, S.J., the Jesuit author of the letter, is to be commended for this approach.

continue at National Review

How did a sitting WI GOP lose a county that Walker won?

 How did pro-abortion state senator John Lehman win his recall election?

That made him popular with union members in what has historically been a solid labor town. They mounted a major mobilization in Racine, where teachers, retired autoworkers and members of building trades unions worked their tails off on his behalf.

But in a closely divided county, which voted for Walker for governor, Lehman had something else.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/john_nichols/article_12cf0ff4-b054-11e1-bacc-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz1xWMW426h

Funny, how often those 400 nuns are happy to partner with Planned Parenthood and yet how many have ever supported pro-life efforts?

Nuns plan protests of Paul Ryan budget

NETWORK, a group founded by 47 Catholic sisters that speaks out on social justice issues in particular, will be hitting states like Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia in order to reveal "how federal budget cuts proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, (R-WI), and passed by the House of Representatives will hurt struggling families in these states," a release by the group reads.

In interviews after unveiling his budget, Ryan said that he applied his view of Catholic social teaching in his budget proposal, a statement that Sister Simone Campbell, the executive director of NETWORK, said co-opted sacred Catholic teachings.

"I think he was so direct in draping himself in the mantle of Catholic social teaching," Campbell said. "He took the words but he took none of the meaning in the forming of the budget."

CNN

You know, if we just federally funded more contraception and abortion for poor families we wouldn't have this problem......  Present an alternative sisters.  We're listening. 

Then again, we don't pray to Gaia with prayer labyrinths either.  Maybe we just don't get it.

Also details on NETWORK's website

ht Fishwrap

Can't Wisconsin Public Radio Find any Catholics?

Oh, how I wish I had known beforehand about the interview with Marquette theologian Dan Maguire on Wisconsin Public Radio early last week, taking Rep. Paul Ryan to task for allegedly violating Catholic teaching with his recent budget proposal.  As it was, I heard just the tail end of the program, which was enough to determine that Maguire's fundamental approach to this whole question has no connection whatsoever with authentic Catholic doctrine.

Now that I've listened to the whole thing--and looked into it further--it gets a lot worse.

Why Not Get an Actual Catholic to Speak on Catholic Issues?

The choice of Maguire for this particular show is truly bizarre.

continue at The Reluctant Traditionalist