LEAP of Faith
“If you want peace, work for justice.” ~ Pope Paul VI
The Inclusive Justice Initiative (IJI) invites you to take a LEAP of faith with us … exploring Catholic Social Teaching on the Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers as we anticipate Labor Day.
Learn: Concerns about working conditions prompted Pope Leo XIII to write Rerum Novarum on May 15, 1891. This document is the first firm social teaching document from the Catholic Church. It is affirmed and renewed by papal encyclicals throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. (Pope Pius XI, Pope St John XXIII, Pope St John Paul II, and Pope Francis).
From the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) ”The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected — the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.” YouTube.com/watch?v=G2G8jGOva7Y
Explore: Work is our opportunity to honor our God given gifts, develop those talents to benefit ourselves and others, live out our values and provide for self, family and society. Catholic teaching promotes the dignity of work, the rights of workers and an inclusive economy that places people over profit and ensures that we all have what we need to thrive. At the same time, it is important to recognize the place for work in our overall life, in balance with our relationship with God and others.
Act: Do we think of our work and our spiritual life as separate? How can we bring our faith into our work through connection, compassion and recognizing the merit of each person we encounter? What role can we play in reshaping workplaces built upon justice and dignity? Consider goods and services we purchase. Does our purchase support a business that treats workers fairly, safely and in a non-exploitive manner?
Pray: Creator God, thank you for providing us with the gift to share our talents through work. We pray that all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever.
