Catholic social teaching can help change the status quo, which needs improvement, Father John Schwartzlose said during a presentation at St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley on March 18.
Father Schwartzlose, who serves as director of mission at Catholic Charities of Louisville, has been offering presentations on Catholic social teaching at parishes around the Archdiocese of Louisville during Lent. The presentation at St. Aloysius was the fifth and final one.
He began by sharing some bleak statistics on the poverty rate and the human trafficking situation in the Commonwealth. The way things are isn’t OK, he said.
Kentucky has the sixth highest poverty rate in the nation with close to 17 percent of the population living below the poverty level, he said. And people are being bought and sold in Kentucky. Five percent of the individuals caught in human trafficking are in the sex trade; all others are used in forced labor.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
As Catholics “We are called to the altar to be fed in word, sacrament, Body and Blood, but we are also sent forth” to lift up the needy, he said.
The church’s social teaching, based on sacred Scripture, papal letters and documents, is a “guide for putting the church to work to address those things that are out of bounds,” he said.
Catholic doctrine on social teaching started taking shape in 1891, when the church, under Pope Leo XIII, started examining the negative effects of the Industrial Revolution — such as the disregard for workers’ rights. Following that, various popes have written documents addressing the social issues of their time.
The seven themes of Catholic social teaching are:
- Life and dignity of the human person — Every person is made in the image and likeness of God.
- The call to family, community and participation — People have a right and a duty to participate in society through actions such as voting, for example.
- Rights and responsibilities — Every person has a fundamental right to life and to those things required for human decency. There are also duties and responsibilities to one another and to society.
- Option for the poor and vulnerable — We have a special obligation to help those who are poor and in need.
- The dignity of work and the rights of workers — Work is more than a way to make a living. It’s participation in God’s creation. The rights of workers must be respected.
- Solidarity — We are a human regardless of racial, ethnic, economic and ideological differences. Solidarity seeks the pursuit of justice and peace.
- Care for God’s creation — We show our respect for the creator by our stewardship.
Father Schwartzlose offered an overview of these themes and posed some questions for his 20 or so listeners, including “How are you called to participate?”
The answer is ultimately “between you and God,” he said, but added, members of the faithful are called to take something on during Lent.
Chuck Morrison, a member of St. Aloysius, said he thinks the answer is found in the dismissal at the end of every Mass.
That “says it all,” Morrison said. “We are to go out and see Jesus in everyone we meet. The end-game is to serve the Lord.”
Father Schwarzlose wrapped up the presentation by sharing information about Catholic Charities’ work and how those in attendance might get involved.To learn more about Catholic Charities, visit https://cclou.org/.
The situation at Dosker Manor is deplorable. The poorest of the poor and persons with mental and physical disabilities are house together with no social services or anyone to mentor them. I know someone living at Dosker Manor. She had no other choice. So very sad when reflecting on Catholic teaching about serving the poor.