Saturday, February 1, 2014
Matthew 16, 13-19 + CSDC and CV
(CV 24c) Today, as we take to heart the lessons of the current economic crisis,
which sees the State's public authorities directly involved in
correcting errors and malfunctions, it seems more realistic to re-evaluate
their role and their powers, which need to be prudently reviewed and
remodelled so as to enable them, perhaps through new forms of engagement, to
address the challenges of today's world. Once the role of public authorities
has been more clearly defined, one could foresee an increase in the new forms
of political participation, nationally and internationally, that have come
about through the activity of organizations operating in civil society; in this
way it is to be hoped that the citizens' interest and participation in the res
publica will become more deeply rooted.
CSDC 87b. The Church's concern for social matters
certainly did not begin with that document, for the Church has never failed to
show interest in society. Nonetheless, the
Encyclical Letter Rerum Novarum marks the beginning of a new path. Grafting
itself onto a tradition hundreds of years old, it signals a new beginning and a
singular development of the Church's teaching in the area of social
matters[142]. (Mt 16, 13-19) An integral and solidary humanism
Notes: [142] Cf. Catechism
of the Catholic Church, 2421.
[13] When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
[14] They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others
Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] He said to them, "But who do
you say that I am?" [16] Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the
Messiah, the Son of the living God." [17] Jesus said to him in reply,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but my heavenly Father. [18] And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld
shall not prevail against it. [19] I will give you the keys to the kingdom of
heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
CSDC 7. The Christian knows that in the social doctrine
of the Church can be found the principles for reflection, the criteria for
judgment and the directives for action which are the starting point for the
promotion of an integral and solidary humanism. Making this doctrine known
constitutes, therefore, a genuine pastoral priority, so that men and women will
be enlightened by it and will be thus enabled to interpret today's reality and
seek appropriate paths of action: “The teaching and spreading of her social
doctrine are part of the Church's evangelizing mission”[5]. It is in this
light that the publication of a document providing the fundamental elements of
the social doctrine of the Church, showing the relationship between this
doctrine and the new evangelization[6], appeared to be so useful.
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which has drawn up the present
document and is fully responsible for its content, prepared the text in a
broad-based consultation with its own Members and Consulters, with different
Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, with the Bishops' Conferences of various
countries, with individual Bishops and with experts on the issues addressed.
Notes: [5] John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 41: AAS
80 (1988), 571-572. [6] Cf. John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
Ecclesia in America, 54: AAS 91 (1999), 790.
[Initials and
Abbreviations.- CSDC: Pontifical Council for Justice And Peace, Compendium of the Social
Doctrine of the Church; - SDC: Social Doctrine of the Church; - CV: Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in truth)]
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