Module 1 and Module 2 key points for Study.

BSN 3 STEM and NON-STEM

THE CHURCH’S SOCIAL MISSION

Why does the Church have a social doctrine?

Human beings are profoundly social creatures. Both in heaven and on earth man is dependent on
community. Back in the Old Testament, God gave his people humane regulations and commandments
by which they could lead a life that is just and good. Human reason can distinguish unjust actions from
the just deeds that are necessary to build a just social order. In Jesus we see that justice is fulfilled only
in love. Our present-day notions of solidarity are inspired by Christian love of neighbor. (CSD 62 ff;
CCC 2419-2420, 2422-2423)

What are the purposes of Social Doctrine?

Social Doctrine has two purposes:

1. To set forth the requirement of just social action as they appear in the Gospel;
2. In the name of justice to denounce social, economic, or political actions and structures whenever
they contradict the Gospel message.

The Christian faith has a clear concept of the dignity of man, and from this concept it derives certain
principles, norms and value judgments that make a free and just social order possible. As clear as the
principles of social doctrine are, they still must be applied again and again to current social questions. In
applying her social doctrine, the Church becomes the advocate of all people who for very different
reasons cannot raise their voices and not infrequently are the ones most affected by unjust actions and
structures. (CSD 81, 82; CCC 2423)

Who, then, determines what the Social Doctrines of the Church are?

All members of the Church, according to their particular tasks and charisms, participate in the
development of social doctrine. The principles of social doctrine have been spelled out in important
Church documents. Social doctrine is an official “teaching” of the Church.

The Magisterium of the Church – meaning the Pope and the bishops in communion with him –
repeatedly instructs the Church and mankind about the requirements for just, peaceful, and social
communities.

How did the Church’s social doctrine come into being?

No one can listen to the Gospel without being challenged socially. The term “social doctrine”, however,
refers to those statements on social questions that the Church’s Magisterium has issued since the
Encyclical “Rerum Novarum” by Pope Leo XIII. With industrialization in the nineteenth century, an
entirely new “social question” emerged. Most people were no longer employed in agriculture but
worked in industry, instead.

There was no worker protection, no health insurance, no guaranteed vacation time, and very often, there
was child labor. Unions were formed to stand up for the workers’ interests; it was clear to Pope Leo XIII
that he had to respond with an extraordinary measure. In his Encyclical, he sketched the outline of a just
social order.

Since then, the popes have responded again and again to the “signs of the times” (aggiornamento) and
have addressed especially urgent social questions in the tradition of Rerum Novarum. The statements
accumulated in this way, over time, are called the Church’s Social Doctrine.

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Besides the documents of the Universal Church (statements of the Popes), regional statements, too, e.g.
Pastoral Letters of a Bishops’ Conference on social questions, can be part of the Church social doctrine.
(CSD 87, 88, 104; CCC 4395)

SOCIAL ENCYCLICALS

Social Encyclicals and Papal Letters Address the Issues of the Day. When the Pope publishes an
encyclical, it is a newsworthy event anticipated by both Catholics and many non-Catholics. Encyclicals
can be controversial – both within the Church and in the outside world – but they are almost always
relevant, thought-provoking and challenging.

At the top of the hierarchy of authoritative documents are apostolic constitutions and decrees issued by
popes, such as the Second Vatican Council documents. The Catechism of the Catholic Church was
presented by the apostolic constitution Fidei Depositum in 1992.

These documents, along with the Code of Canon Law (1983) have binding authority on the entire
Church. These are legislative documents, containing dogmatic or doctrinal elements. Papal teaching
documents, encyclicals, apostolic letters, apostolic exhortations, and “motu proprio” documents expound
or explain existing law.

Instructions, issued by Congregations, with the approval of the pope, likewise explain Council
documents or decrees. Examples are the Instructions on the implementation of the Council’s
Constitution on the Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium. There are other explanatory documents that
interpret regulations given in Canon Law or other official legislative documents of the Church. For
example, official responses to questions (dubia) of bishops addressed to the Holy See.

The official documents issued by a national conference of bishops, usually called “pastoral letters”, are
explanations of how Church teaching applies to or is to be put into effect within a given country. Such
documents must always be absolutely consistent with the teaching and law of the universal Church, and
ordinarily require official confirmation by the Holy See (recognitio) to be effective. This is the case with
all the liturgical documents and texts a national conference produces.

A diocesan bishop has considerable freedom to adopt or adapt such guidelines as policies for his own
diocese, however, which may give them an authority they do not otherwise possess. Papal addresses and
documents fall into certain recognized categories with levels of authority relative to each other. Below is
a description of the major types of Papal documents, with those of higher weight near the top of the list.

PAPAL BULL

A bull is a formal papal document authenticated with a bulla or seal. Originally, metal was used for the
seal, but today metal is used only for the most solemn bulls. Bulls typically begin with the issuing pope's
name and the phrase, "episcopus servus servorum Dei", and conclude with the date. The content may
cover any topic. Many important papal documents are issued as bulls. Bulls are generally cited using the
first words of their text.

APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION

Apostolic constitutions are the most solemn form of legal document issued by the pope in his own name.
Frequently issued as bulls, they deal primarily with serious doctrinal matters. Since 1911 they have also
been used for the establishment of dioceses and provinces. Many important documents have been
promulgated as constitutions, including The Code of Canon Law.

MOTU PROPRIO

Motu proprios are legislative, apostolic letters written and signed by the pope on his own initiative.
Originally used to settle the affairs of the Curia and administer the Papal States, they now handle
legislative matters which are significant but do not merit a constitution. Motu proprios are generally
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brief, and handle specific issues relevant to the Church in a specific time in history. In recent years they
have been one of the principal sources of new laws outside of the Code.

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

Encyclicals are papal letters of a pastoral nature, used in their current form since 1740. These letters
offer counsel and shed light on existing doctrine as part of the Holy Father's ordinary teaching authority.
They do not belong formally to the deposit of revelation, and their teachings are not definitive unless
specifically stated as such. Therefore, certain points of their teachings can often be changed.

APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION

Apostolic exhortations are papal reflections on a particular topic which are addressed to all of the clergy
and faithful. The form was first used by Pope Pius XII in 1939. Exhortations generally encourage a
particular virtue or mission, and are given on specific occasions. They do not contain dogmatic
definitions or policies, and they are not considered legislative documents.

Please do some research on the current issues surrounding our country today.