I. Economic Activity and Social Justice

• The economy exists for the person, not the person for the economy

• All economic life should be shaped by moral principles, economic choices and institutions must be judged by how they protect or undermine the life and dignity of the human person support the family, and serve the common good.
• A fundamental moral measure of any economy is how the poor and vulnerable are faring.
• All people have a right to life and to secure the basic necessities of life (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, education, health care, safe environment, economic security).
• All people have the right to economic initiative, to productive work, to just wages and benefits, to decent working conditions as well as to organize and join unions or other associations.
• All people, to the extent they are able, have a corresponding duty to work, a responsibility to provide for the needs of their families, and an obligation to contribute to the broader society.
• In economic life, free markets have both clear advantages and limits; government has essential responsibilities and limitations; voluntary groups have irreplaceable roles, but cannot substitute for the proper working of the market and the just policies of the state.
• Society has a moral obligation, including governmental action where necessary, to assure opportunity, meet basic human needs, and pursue justice in economic life.
• Workers, owners, managers, stockholders and consumers are moral agents in economic life, by our choices, initiative, creativity and investment, we enhance or diminish economic opportunity, community life, and social justice.
• The global economy has moral dimensions and human consequences. Decisions on investment, trade, aid and development should protect human life and promote human rights, especially for those most in need wherever they might live on this globe.

• The development of economic activity is meant to provide for the needs of human beings. It is not meant to be a means in itself. It is secondary to the laws of morality.
• Human Work – It is a duty, akin to that of Christ as a carpenter. Through work a person exercises and fulfils the potential nature/God gives us.
• Everyone should be able to draw from their work enough to provide for his life and that of his family
• A just wage is one that guarantees man the opportunity to provide a dignified livelihood for himself and his family.
• Recourse to strike is legitimate if and only if they are trying to get proportional benefits… it is illegitimate if it is accompanied by violence or if the objectives are not directly to working conditions or are contrary to the common good.
• Everyone has the right of economic initiative – that is to say that everyone should be able to make legitimate uses of his or her labor.
• Racism, Sexism, and other unjust discrimination violates this right.
• Responsibilities of Legitimate Governments – The State should make sure that each person is guaranteed the right of individual freedoms and property. In addition, the state should provide a stable currency and efficient public services.
• In short – this is to say that the state should provide for the security of those who work and produce can enjoy the fruits of their labors and feel encouraged to work efficiently and honestly.
• Yet, this is not to minimize the individuals responsibility to encourage these rights as well.
• Those responsible for business enterprises are responsible to society for the economic and ecological effect of their operations.
• Profits are necessary to make possible the investments that ensure growth and future business. YET, this is not to mean that profit should be the primary rule of business, in lieu of basic rights.

II. Justice and Solidarity among Nations

• There is a substantial gap in wealthy and poor nations.
• We must move away from perverse mechanisms (ex. Arms race, abusive financial restraints) towards a respect for basic human rights and economic development.
• Rich nations have a grave moral responsibility to help those who are unable to ensure the means of their development themselves.
• Direct Aid (where the US gives cash to a nation) is good for immediate need relief; but long term solutions to structural problems is needed: If you give me some fish I will eat tonight; if you teach me how to fish, I shall eat forever.
• Role of the Lay in the Church – THIS is what the lay ministry is called towards. Public service is a lay person’s call (i.e. it is not the role of the pastors of the church to intervene in political structuring and organization). So, the lay faithful should act on their initiatives to work on these problems (both in the body politic and in the workforce).

III. Love for the Poor

• THE BEATITUDES, the Gospel According to St. Matthew (Mat 5:1-12; part of the famed Sermon on the Mount – which we are in right now, in our liturgical circle.)
• Love for the poor is therefore incompatible with the love of money.
• The Works of Mercy:

1. Counsel the doubtful
2. Instruct the ignorant
3. Admonish the sinner
4. Comfort the sorrowful
5. Forgive injuries
6. Bear wrongs patiently
7. Pray for the living and dead