PERDIZO, MILJANE P.

BSA 3

Independent Learning Activities:

My gmail account: (annabelle.dua@spus.edu.ph) Deadline: On or before June 30, 2021

A. Make a summary of the Social Teaching Documents or encyclicals, ten (10) only, following the table
below.

English Title Pope Year Social Issue/s Latin Title

addressed
And principles
Ex. Condition Pope Leo XIII May 15, It refutes the Rerum
of labor 1891 theories of the Novarum
socialists and
defends the rights
of private
ownership. It
advises
employers and
workers to
organize into
both mixed and
separate
associations for
mutual help and
self-protection.
On the Pope Pius XI 1931 Dictatorship is Quadragesimo
Fortieth Year condemned as Anno
the dangers of
fascism and
communism are
exposed – such as
increasing child
and female
labour.
Mother and Pope John 1961 It states the need Mater et
Teacher XXIII for a balance Maistra
between
excessive
intervention of
the state against
the need for state
intervention to
curb injustices
 and assist
socialisation. It
also goes on to
advocate worker
participation and
ownership and
marks the
beginning of a
focus on
international
poverty rather
than its previous
concentration on
industrialised
countries.

Peace on Pope John 1963 First addressed to Pacem in Terris

Earth XXIII ‘all people of
goodwill’ and
underlines the
rights and
responsibilities of
individuals. This
document also
condemns the
arms race and
racism and
advocates
resources to be
shared in the
common
endeavour for
development.

The Joys and Vatican II by 1965  This document Gaudium et

Hopes Pope Paul VI underlined the Spes
need of the
church to be
completely
immersed in
human affairs and
for the church to
share the joys
and hopes of
people.

Human Vatican II 1965 Essentially a Dignitatis

Dignity declaration of Humanae
religious freedom
and the call for all
Christians to
respect religious
freedom, a
freedom which
must also be
permitted by
states. The church
must be allowed
to work freely,
but compulsion
or force must play
no part in a
person’s response
to God.

Charity in Pope 2009 Benedict’s Caritas in

Truth Benedict XVI message is Veritate
directed at a
variety of
concerns
including global
poverty, injustice
and the arms
race. This looks at
individuals and
organisations
through the lens
of charity and
truth. However,
the encyclical
often speaks to
individuals rather
than nations. The
individual
motivation for
charity and the
concern for
authentic human
development are
frequent
concerns. There
are also strong
environmental
concerns and the
concept of
 ‘intergenerational
justice’ is made.

The Gospel Pope John 1995 Powerful Evangelium

of Life Paul II underscoring of Vitae
the dignity and
value of life; John
Paul II condemns
the ‘culture of
death’ where
individual
freedom is placed
before the rights
of others to life
-hence the
condemnation of
the death
penalty, abortion
and euthanasia.
With very moving
words to women
who have
undergone
abortion; ‘do not
give in to
discouragement
and do not lose
hope’. This
presents positive
images of the
promotion of a
‘culture of life’
where human
freedom finds its
authentic
meaning and a
culture of the
family is the
‘sanctuary of life’.

Through Pope John 1981 Work is the Laborem

Work Paul II rights central issue of Exercens
this document; do
women and men
participate in
God’s creativity
and share in its
productivity or
 are they merely
cogs? This poses
the idea that
work should
increase human
dignity as the
economy is made
for labour and
work is the
subject of people.
New concepts of
solidarity and
‘indirect
employer’
emerge strongly
in this encyclical.

On the Pope Paul VI 1971 This is strictly an Octogesima

Eightieth ‘apostolic letter’ Adveniens
Year rather than an
encyclical.
Further reference
is made in this
letter to ‘The
Condition of
Labour’, and Paul
VI lists
approximately
fifteen key issues
presenting
problems. Paul VI
expresses that a
variety of
responses should
be offered as the
Christian solution.
He also states
that Christians
should be called
to action to
involve
themselves in
building a just
world by
analysing their
own realities and
devising
responses in light
 of the Gospel.

B.) Activity: Search for Life:

Explain each forming the following phrases in your own Insights.
1. Dignity of the Human Person
Support to women is a constant concern for Development and Peace in promoting human
dignity. Providing opportunities such as micro-financing and technical training for women in places
where their rights are not recognized allows women to become more autonomous, to have their skills
recognized and to participate fully in society. One such program is run through the Afghan Women’s
Resource Center, which helps women to become literate, teaches them about their rights, provides
them with skills training and helps them launch small businesses.

2. Right to Private Property and the Common Good

The common good as a foundational principle is closely intertwined with Human dignity and
leads to solidarity as described by John Paul II above. Because we are created as social beings, individual
rights need to be experienced within the context of promotion of the common good. "Contrary to the
cultural bias of our time, there is a long-standing, Christian conviction, rooted in biblical, patristic and
medieval thought that what one deserves can only be properly determined within a framework that
takes the common good and the needs of the poor into account. Pope John Paul II has updated the
traditional conviction in a way that addresses the realities of today's high-tech, knowledge based
economy." The common good is the "good that comes into existence in a community of solidarity
among active, equal agents."

3. Right to Equal Participation and Subsidiary

Pope Francis declared that individuals and groups have the right to go their own way. He stated,
“In full respect for that freedom, civil society is called to help each person and social organization to take
up its specific role and thus contribute to the common good”.
Subsidiarity, properly understood, both justifies and sets limits on the activities of the State. It is
by recognizing subsidiarity that the State is, itself, justified, as Pope Pius XI explained, and “will more
freely, powerfully, and effectively do all those things that belong to it alone because it alone can do
them”.

4. Solidarity and Preferential Option for the Poor

Understanding the Church's view of solidarity helps us transcends cultural, political, social, and
geographic differences to embrace the other as thyself. Every decision we make, from the initial clinical
encounter to the administrative policy- making, is an opportunity to practice the virtue of solidarity in
our call to holiness.

C. Activity: “Paint me a Portrait”: The Messiah in Society

Express your views on the messianic calling of Jesus. Draw/Paint a portrait of Jesus the Messiah, it
depends on your own creativity and available material resources.

D. Activity: “Dream a Political Life”

Discuss and answer the following questions: Present your answers to the questions below in the form of
a MURAL or large drawing/illustration. The Mural’s theme is “an active and responsible political
community”.

1. How can meaningful people’s political participation be illustrated, on the level of the family, of
the community and the country.

2. What are the measures or steps that can be taken to achieve this meaningful political
participation?

Allow everyone to be subject to the ruling authority. For there is no authority other than God's,
and those that do exist were founded by God. As a result, anybody who opposes the authorities opposes
what God has ordained, and those who oppose will face judgment. For rulers are not a threat to good
behavior, but to evil. Would you be unafraid of those in positions of authority? Then do what is right,
and you will earn his approval, since he is God's servant working for your benefit. But if you do
something bad, be wary, for he does not carry the sword in vain. For he is God's servant, an avenger
who exacts God's wrath on the wicked. As a result, one must be submissive not just to escape God's
anger, but also for the sake of conscience.

E. Make a Collage Making about your perception on the path of “PEACE”.

F. Do the following Activities:

1. Research the documents about Laudato Si, and make a summary of the teachings into 2 to 3 pages.

SUMMARY

Chapter One: What is happening to Our Common Home

Pope Francis identifies pressing modern ecological challenges: Pollution and Climate Change
(§§20- 26); The Issue of Water (§§27-31); The Loss of Biodiversity (§§32-42); Decline in the Quality of
Human Life and the Breakdown of Society (§§43- 47); and Global Inequality (§§48-52). Regarding climate
change, Pope Francis:

» Emphasizes that “the climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all” and
recognizes that “a number of scientific studies indicate that most global warming in recent decades is
due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides and
others) released mainly as a result of human activity” (§23)

» Recognizes “an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of
carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases can be drastically reduced, for example, substituting for
fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy” (§26).

» Recognizes that an “ecological debt” exists between countries of the Global North and South
“connected to commercial imbalances with effects on the environment, and the disproportionate use of
natural resources by certain countries over long periods of time” (§51).

» Criticizes the “weak international responses” to climate change that have been repeatedly
undermined by “economic interests [that] easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating
information so that their own plans will not be affected” (§54).

Chapter Two: The Gospel of Creation Pope Francis recounts the Christian beliefs that:

» God created everything with intrinsic goodness (§65, 69).

» Humans are uniquely created and called to exercise responsible stewardship over creation on
behalf of the loving Creator (§67-68).
» All creation is a mystery the diversity and unity of which both reflect and mediate the Creator
(§76-92).

» The right to private property is not “absolute or inviolable” but “subordinate[ed] … to the
universal destination of goods” (§93). » “[T]he destiny of all creation is bound up with the mystery of
Christ” (§99).

Chapter Three: The Human Roots of the Ecological Crisis Inspired by Christian faith, Pope Francis
addresses “the human roots of the ecological crisis”. Specifically, he:

» Criticizes the “technocratic paradigm” which “accepts every advance in technology with a view
to profit, without concern for its potentially negative impact on human beings” and wherein “finance
overwhelms the real economy” of human flourishing (§109).

» Affirms traditional Catholic teaching that “by itself the market cannot guarantee integral
human development and social inclusion” and must be regulated when it fails to protect and promote
the common good (Ibid.).

» Reiterates the interconnectedness of all creation and, as such, connects care for creation to
the protection of human life and dignity -- especially regarding abortion, the poor, those with disabilities
and testing on “living human embryos” (§117, 120, 137).
 Chapter Four: Internal Ecology Pope Francis presents and considers the concept of integral
ecology which:

» Asserts (and this appears throughout) that “it cannot be emphasized enough how everything
[in creation] is interconnected” (§138). This, he says, is true of all creation of which humanity is a part, as
well as the various aspects of human life: academics, economics, health, governance, culture and every
part of “daily life” (§139-155).

Chapter Five: Lines of Approach and Action A guiding principle of Chapter Five is the Catholic
Social Teaching principle of subsidiarity, which teaches that challenges should be addressed at the
lowest possible – but highest necessary – level of society needed to protect and promote the common
good. Pope Francis asserts that:

“Technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels—especially coal, but also oil and, to
a lesser degree, gas – needs to be progressively replaced without delay” (§165).

» “Until greater progress is made in developing widely accessible sources of renewable energy,
it is legitimate to choose the lesser of two evils or find short-term solutions” (Ibid).

» The move to affordable renewable energy should be expedited with, “subsidies which allow
developing countries access to technology transfer, technical assistance and financial resources,” and
asserts that “the costs of this would be comparatively low, given the risks of climate change” (§171).

» “Even if stringent [greenhouse gas reduction] measures are taken now, some countries with
scarce resources will require assistance in adapting to the effects already produced” (§170).

Chapter Six: Ecological Education and Spirituality

» Argues that “ecological education” – which should provide information and seek to form
habits – must occur everywhere in society: “at school, in families, in the media, in catechesis … political
institutions and various other social groups … [and all] Christian communities” (§§213- 214).
» Reminds Christians that Sacraments and the Sabbath are essential to right relationship with
creation (§233-237).
» Reflects on the relationships of the Trinity, Mary and Joseph to creation, and concludes with “a
prayer for our earth” and “a Christian prayer in union with creation” (§238-246).

2. Make your own video presentation on how you apply your understanding about the documents on
Laudato Si.