Andrei L.

Maghirang Dom Maximilian Mary, OSB

2015400032 Seminar 3
2D
To Bring Glad Tidings To The Poor (Luke 4:18)

The document is a call to return to Jesus Christ. It can be done by never again walking
away from the lord and to spend more quality time to him. The document also discussesd
different major themes of Catholic Social Teachings, like Community or Common good, Rights
and Duties, , role of government, Option for the poor, economic justice, Human Dignity.
In terms of Community/ Common Good, the document talks about the compulsion to
share when we have encountered Jesus. It moves us to share to the point that we break out
from our regular lives in order to share with others the joy.
It talks about rights and duties by showing that everyone has a right to basic material
necessities. It was shown in the document that “twenty-eight percent of our people are still
barely living from day” today. It elucidated further that “the poorest of our people are in the
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao”.
In the concept of rights and responsibilities we are reminded that every person has a
right to life, freedom, the necessities of life and many other things. In line with this, we also
have a responsibility to help sustain and promote the rights of others. Consequently, we are
obligated to change the economic system where many of our brothers and sisters are suffering.
The document also tackled the concept of subsidiarity. The government has an
obligation to promote human dignity and protect human rights. The document made mention
of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and how shameful it was. The PDAF is a
good example on how the government can influence the lives of many people. Consequently,
they are obligated to keep the welfare of the people in mind when creating laws.
These passages also talk about the preferential option for the poor by showing that “the
gap between the rich and the poor has not closed: the richest ten percent of our population
earning ten times more than the poorest ten percent”. The document states that poverty is still
scandalous. It calls us to be aware of the problem of poverty the country is suffering today. We
must not just blame the government and take it upon ourselves to find a solution and take
responsibility not just for our lives but for others as well.
We are also reminded of Economic justice. Pope Francis does not allow an economy of
exclusion. He implores us to avoid creating such an economy because this economy kills. It
pampers the wealthy but excludes all others, especially the poor.
The document also discussed Human Dignity by stating that “The dignity of the human
person and the pursuit of common good are which out to shape all economic policies.” The
concept of human dignity is that which tells that we area created from the image and likeness
of God and that all human lives are sacred. This must be the basis of creating an economic
system so that the system will be just and fair to all. In this method, it will be favorable not only
to the rich but also to the poor.
[1] Seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching. (2016). Usccb.org. Retrieved 25 October 2016, from
http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-
teaching.cfm
[2] Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching - Minnesota Catholic Conference. (2016). Minnesota Catholic Conference.
Retrieved 24 October 2016, from https://mncatholic.org/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching/
[3] GladTidings. (2016). Cbcpwebsite.com. Retrieved 24 October 2016, from
http://www.cbcpwebsite.com/2010s/2014/gladtidings.html