Reviewer for Theology 141 under Fr. Pat Giordano Semester 1, SY 2011-2012 Ateneo de Manila University The product of several hours of OC typing and rearranging. Credit me if you happen to use this.

1. Th141 Final exam reviewer (Fr. Giordano)
Social Encyclical Topic Author Year
1. Rerum Novarum The Condition of Labor Leo XIII 1891
2. Quadragesimo Anno After Forty Years Pius XI 1931
3. Mater et Magistra Christianity and Social Progress John XXIII 1961
4. Pacem in Terris Peace on Earth John XXIII 1963
5. Gaudium et Spes Pastoral Constitution of the Second Vatican 1965
Church in the Modern World Council
6. Populorum Progressio On the Development of Peoples Paul VI 1967
7. Octogeisma Adveniens A Call to Action on the 80th Paul VI 1971
Anniversary of Rerum Novarum
8.Justitia in Munda Justice in the World Synod of Bishops 1971
9. Laborem Excercens On Human Work John Paul II 1981
10. Sollicitudo Re Socialis On Social Concern John Paul II 1987
11. Centesimus Annus On the Hundredth Anniversary of John Paul II 1991
Rerum Novarum
12. Caritas in Veritate Charity in Truth Benedict XVI 2009
RERUM NOVARUM
1. What are the evil effects of the Industrial Revolution that Rerum Novarum
responded to?
Shift from the land to the city caused:
o Social dislocation
o Lack of housing
o Unemployment
Shift from the home to the factory caused:
o Miserly wages
o Deplorable working conditions (particularly for children)
o Severe strain on families
Seeds of discontent were the cause for radical social movements
Additional notes:
o Philippines now is like Great Britain in 1911
2. What was the teaching of Leo XIII on private property?
Private property is a right to every person
Private property must used with reference to the need of the community
Man should use his possessions as ready to share when others are in need
Duty to give to the poor that which remains after needs have been met
Justice demands that the common good take precedence over individual
gain in determining economic policy, without infringing on human rights
Criteria of the moral law when pertaining to the economic system:
o Justice
o Equity in exchange
o Balance between various economic sectors
o Organization of the constituent economic units
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2. 3. What are the criticisms Rerum Novarum makes on liberal capitalism and
Marxist Socialism?
Liberal capitalism – should be rewarding individuals for their hard
work. However, the focus becomes the desire for profit and makes the
rich few really rich and makes them treat employees like slaves. This is
unjust. The problem with capitalism is that it releases the individual from
social and moral constraints. Utilitarianism is “if it works, use it”;
maximize pleasure, minimize pain. There must be changes, such as the
living wage, to make liberal capitalism more humane.
Marxist socialism – supposedly a remedy to the ills of liberal capitalism.
However, it creates more problems. Marxist socialism sacrifices human
rights and religious welfare while destroying the freedom of the
individual by removing the right to private property. It denies individuals
to potential independence. In socialism, the individual liberty is
subordinated to social wellbeing.
Money and labor are a means to human dignity and subsidiarity, but if
abused, they will have negative effects on society.
4. What did Leo XIII mean by “living wage” in Rerum Novarum?
Living wage – the worker’s just compensation that is not just enough to
meet basic necessities, but one that provides decent support for his family
as well.
To be given a living wage means not only to have a sufficient income to
meet one’s present needs but to be secured during instances of
unemployment, sickness and death.
If the mother and children have to work, then that is not a living wage.
A wage so low that it must be supplemented by the wage of the other
members of the family (wife and/or children) before it can provide
adequate food, clothing, and shelter together with essential spiritual and
cultural needs cannot be regarded as a living wage.
QUADRAGESIMO ANNO
5. What was the world situation at the time Quadragesimo Anno was written?
World War I shattered liberal confidence
Parliamentary democracy was helpless in the face of the rise of
communism in the Soviet Union, Nazism in Germany and Fascism in Italy
Worldwide depression / The Great Depression
6. Define the “corporatist” model of economic government proposed by Pius
XI in Quadragesimo Anno.
Corporatism – proposed as an answer to the evils of capitalism and social
Marxism. It is an economic system involving the division of the people.
Workers and employers would be organized into industrial and
professional corporations serving as organs of political representation
and controlling.
Structures of economic self-government (modeled on medieval guilds),
combined with vocational groups, bring workers and managers together
in joint organizations to determine the policy for the industry as whole,
with a council of industry representatives determining overall national
economic policy.
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3. Didn’t work because the world of 1931 was much more complex than
1250. Instead, a new term was proposed: “social justice”.
Avoid these two extremes:
o Individualism (worst extreme of Capitalism) – denying or
minimizing the social and public character of the right of
property
o Collectivism (worst extreme of Marxist Socialism) –
rejecting or minimizing the private and individual character
of the right of property
7. How did Pius XI define “social justice” in Quadragesimo Anno?
The common good of all should be upheld and one class cannot exclude
another from sharing in the benefits
Social justice must be present in work. Adequate needs should be given to
every workingman.
Social justice is promoting the common good in society while including
(not contradicting) the authentic good of each and every person, and that
the government should allow this.
MATER ET MAGISTRA
8. What were the two significant teachings of John XXIII in Mater et Magistra?
Socialization – as we enter more complex relationships, we realize the
importance of human solidarity.
State intervention to ensure that property will reach its social functions
and be used for the common good – the state has the duty to look out for
the weaker ones. John XXIII proposed taxation so everyone can be the
best that they can be.
9. Present four other themes present in Mater et Magistra.
Highlighted thesocial dimension of property and related to it the need
for a more effective distribution of goods in society
Broadened the criteria of thejust wage to take into account the
contribution of the individual, the economic state of the enterprise in
which individuals work, the requirements of each community, and the
common good
Warned against the dangers of neo-colonialism, which continued the
political dominance of the poor by the rich
Agriculture: just wage for farmers, health and crop insurance, price
management, agricultural technology
10. Present the 3 stages which should normally be followed in the reduction of
social principles into practice that John XXIII presented in Mater et
Magistra.
Observe – view the concrete situation in light of the principles
Judge – form a judgment in the principles learned
Act – what, in the circumstances, can be done to implement these
principles?
PACEM IN TERRIS
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4. 11. What was the world situation at the time of Pacem in Terris?
April 11, 1963, at the height of the tension between USA and USSR (Cold
War)
Blockade of Berlin / Berlin Wall in Germany
North Vietnam occupied by USSR and South Vietnam by USA
Cuban Missile Crisis – John XXIII called for disarmament and urged
developed nations not to take advantage of underdeveloped nations and
instead guide them
12. Present and explain the four major themes of John XXIII in Pacem in Terris?
Rights of each individual – traditional rights (ex. Right to religious
freedom) and rights that were not as easily accepted (ex. rights for
freedom and searching for the truth, freedom of assembly, right to
immigrate and emigrate, right to express one’s opinion, right to choose
freely one’s state of life). This is keeping in with dignity as human
persons.
Conscience over authority – authority is derived from God, but it affirms
that it must also derive its obligatory force from the moral order. If you
are a lawmaker, your laws must be in consonance with the moral law of
God. The state can oblige individuals in conscience only if its authority is
intrinsically related to the moral order (God).
Disarmament – Justice should demand disarmament. The arms race
deprives individuals and nations of the economic goods necessary for
social progress. It also causes individuals to live in constant fear of
nuclear war and hazards from nuclear testing. There is no such thing as a
just war.
Fostering the common good – let people be all they can be. The common
good is a principle of integration. Each political community also has the
common good, which transcends the individual’s common good, but
which cannot be divorced from the common good of the entire human
community.
GAUDIUM ET SPES (“Joys and Hopes”)
13. What does Gaudium et Spes mean by reading the “signs of the times”?
Reading the signs of modernity
Openness to the contemporary situation
The Church must help in the process of evaluating what the world has to
offer
14. Present and explain the five elements that are central to Gaudium et Spes.
Personalism
o The focus on the person is a major shift in emphasis
o Doctrine of individual rights that focuses on the person and
validates the claims of the person over and against society
o The person is the meaning and fulfillment of created reality
Social nature of the person
o Individuals are not solitary beings, even though they have
individual responsibility and freedom
o People cannot live or attain their full potential by
themselves
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5. o The interdependent characteristic of the modern age is
rooted in and finds fulfillment in the social nature of the
person
The Church and the world
o The Christian community is truly and internally linked with
humanity and history
o The moral norm for individuals: to harmonize with the
genuine good of the human race and allow persons as
individuals and members of society to pursue their total
vocation and to fulfill it
Justice
o Pursuit of justice by seeking more humane and just
conditions of life and directing institutions to guarantee
human dignity
o Search for peace by safeguarding personal rights and
guaranteeing respect for the person
Development
o Progress should be directed to the complete human
fulfillment of all citizens
o Wealthier nations must help less developed nations achieve
this goal
o Requires stimulation of economic growth and reform of
economic and social structures
POPULORUM PROGRESSIO
15. What new direction does Populorum Progressio present?
Historical situation: other countries saw their economic development
stall while others see theirs rise rapidly.
The new direction according the Paul VI, states that the social question
has become worldwide. Disturbed by the capitalist system accompanied
by industrial revolution. Profit is the key motive over labor. There is a
growing gap between the rich and the poor nations.
16. How does Populorum Progressio define integral human development?
Development of the human person not only in terms of economic wealth
but also in other aspects like knowledge, culture, the desire for
cooperation and peace, the recognition of supreme values and the destiny
of the person and the acceptance of faith which opens the individual to a
union with God.
Simply put: It’s not just having more. It’s BEING more
Development is not only economic:Authentic development Complete
development  Integral Human Development
Aspects of human development:
o Individual human development
o Transcendental Human Development
a. Promote the good of all humanity
b. Union with God
c. This is where the social dimension of property
comes in
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6. d. Those who have more ought to give those who don’t
e. Paul VI: There can be no progress towards
development of individuals without simultaneous
development of all humanity in the spirit of
solidarity
17. What is the threefold threat that Paul VI gives to the rich who fail to
respond to the needs of the poor in Populorum Progressio?
Judgment and Wrath of God
o The aim of all Christians is to be like Christ. The main
characteristic of Christ’s ministry was his treatment of the
poor and marginalized. Throughout his ministry, in various
parables like that of Lazarus and the rich man, the rich who
fails to give to the poor gets the wrath of God.
o As written in 1 John 3:17, “If someone who has the riches of
this world sees his brother in need and closes his heart to
him, how does the love of God abide in him?”
Wrath of the Poor
o One must avoid the risk of increasing the wealth of the rich
and the dominion of the strong while leaving the poor in
their misery. The continued greed of the rich will certainly
call upon them the wrath of the poor, with consequences no
one can foretell.
Continued Avarice Will Make the Rich Destroy Themselves
o The human person is only truly human in keeping with the
nature, which was given to human beings by the Creator.
Avarice and greed is the most evident form of
underdevelopment. Because of the rich’s failure to respond
to the needs of the poor, they are both dehumanized. The
rich need the poor in order to develop themselves.
OCTOGESIMA ADVENIENS
18. What did Paul VI say about the role of local churches in analyzing the
situation of their own countries in Octogesima Adveniens?
Since situations differ from country to country, no universal program can
be prescribed
Local churches should develop their own program of social justice
They must analyze the situation proper to their own country in the light
of the gospel
Draw principles of reflection, norms of judgment and directives for action
both from the gospel and the Church’s message
19. What change of focus did Paul VI present for involvement of Christians in
Octogesima Adveniens?
Need of the involvement of Christians to shift focus from economics to
politics
In the social and economic field, the ultimate decision rests with political
power
Action for justice is a personal responsibility of every Christian
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7. Effort to bear witness to the principles of justice in personal and
community life, through participation in the social and political processes
in each of our own countries
Need for a continuous and sustained commitment to promote a person-
based and community oriented cultural process
There is a need for us to direct it in order to not end up as its victims but
its protagonists.
20. What did Paul VI mean by a “call to action” in Octogesima Adveniens?
Christians must become involved in social reforms as part of their mission
as Christians
The urgency of the situation heightens the social responsibility of the
Christian
JUSTITIA IN MUNDA
21. What is the often-quoted statement of the Synod of Bishops in Justice in the
World?
"Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the
world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of
the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church's mission for the redemption
of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation."
Calling attention to the structural roots of injustice afflicting human
relations, the Bishops declare that action in the pursuit of justice and
participation in the transformation of the world are essential elements in
the Church's mission of preaching the Gospel.
Concern for justice must be a part of all phases of Christian life; it
provides a critical antidote to an exclusively otherworldly Christianity.
22. To proclaim justice, what must the Church be in Justice in the World?
The Church must stand with the poor and oppressed if it is to be
faithful to this gospel mandate, especially at a time when the
concentration of the world’s wealth and power are concentrated in the
hands of the few.
The Church has the duty to proclaim justice on the social, national and
international level, and to denounce instances on injustice because the
Church has received from Christ the mission of preaching the Gospel,
which contains a call to people to turn away from sin and to love the
Father, a call to universal kinship, and a consequent demand for justice in
the world.
The Church is not alone responsible for justice in the world. However, she
has the proper and specific responsibility which is identified with her
mission of giving witness before the world of the need for love and
justice contained in the Gospel message, a witness to be carried out in the
Church institutions themselves and in the lives of Christians.
And we, as members of Church have the same duty to promote the
common good and to act as agents of the gospel in the different aspects of
our lives, be it our family, professional, or social life.
LABOREM EXERCENS
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8. 23. How does John Paul II distinguish between “objective work” and
“subjective work” in Laborem Exercens?
Objective work – the agricultural means, industrial processes or
microprocessing by which humans subdue the earth. It is work in the
objective sense, simply the external aspects of work, and the actual job
one does, with its necessary tools or machines.
Subjective work – the human capacity to act in a planned and rational
way, capable of deciding about himself and with a tendency to self-
realization. Man is now the subject of work not the other way around.
The Catholic tradition affirms the priority of the subjective character of
work over its objective character. This affirmation follows from the
Catholic understanding that the spiritual aspect of the human person,
who is both flesh and spirit, distinguishes us as human, and that each
human person is so far a transcendent being superior to all material
things.
24. What is the distinction between “labor” and “capital”?
Labor – the primary efficient cause.
Capital – the instrumental cause; the whole collection of means of
production. Capital is both work and a collection of things, as it is based
on natural resources, money and technology. Because it is instrumental,
capital must always be subject to labor.
The conflict between labor and capital is not as a class struggle, as Marx
would have it, but the exploitation of a labor, which is a moral conflict.
The exploitation of labor is rampant even today, workers are treated as
means of production and most times are given the lowest wages possible.
Labor is the cause of production while capital is a means of production, it
is merely a tool or instrument; therefore, labor should always have
priority over capital and not the other way around.
The means of production cannot become a separate property called
capital, as opposed to labor. They cannot be used to exploit labor nor
should they be owned just for the sake of owning them. The only purpose
of capital is serve labor.
25. What are the four traditional rights of labor defined by John Paul II in
Laborem Exercens?
Suitable employment for all those capable of it
Just remuneration for the work done
Organization of the labor process to respect the requirements of the
person and his life
Right to form unions
26. What is the distinction between “direct” and “indirect” employer in
Laborem Exercens?
Direct employer – the specific individual with whom the worker enters
into a contract
Indirect employer – sets the context in which the worker contracts with
the direct employer. Includes all factors that influence wages and working
conditions, which the owner or corporation cannot control (i.e.
government policies, the policies of other industries, unions, and even
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9. foreign governments and corporations)
27. What are the four values that John Paul II says that labor brings?
People transform nature and personally fulfill themselves
Work is a basis for family life and the resources it needs
Persons affirm their membership in a nation and participate in attaining
the common good
Persons achieve a deeper realization of their personhood through a
deeper participation in community and the common good
28. What is the teaching of John Paul II on “opposition” in Laborem Exercens?
The worst thing is if workers are apathetic.Workers have the right to
enter into opposition, participate, and not be apathetic.
Struggle should be non-violent. The worst thing for a worker is to be
marginalized.
There must be participation in labor unions. Workers fight for justice.
SOLLICITUDO REI SOCIALIS
29. Who and what does John Paul II blame for the lack of any progress since
Populorum Progressio in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis?
Emphasized the widening gap between Northern and Southern
hemisphere
Two opposing blocks: liberal capitalism in the West and Marxist
capitalism in the East (both are combined with industrialization)
Both ideologies lack solidarity and preference for the poor
Tension at the end of WWII caused stagnation of developing countries
and exaggerated concerns for security and arms race
30. How does John Paul II define solidarity in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis?
Solidarity is not just a feeling. It is a firm and persevering determination
to commit oneself to the common good
It is an attitude of commitment to the good of one’s neighbor, coupled
with a readiness to sacrifice oneself in the service of the other.
The virtue of solidarity transforms the interpersonal relationships of
individuals with the people around them.
Transforms interpersonal relationships of individuals and nations and
brings about a radical change of society
31. What is the meaning of “social mortgage” in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis?
Private property’s social dimension is emphasized
Calls for private owners and those who are capable to realize the social
obligation to give and to share to the poor and the needy
Private property has an intrinsically social function based upon and
justified precisely by the principle of the universal destination of goods
32. Present John Paul II’s teaching on “structures of sin” in Sollicitudo Rei
Socialis.
Structures of sin are rooted in personal sin and concrete acts of
individuals which grow stronger and spread, and become the source of
other sins
Results of interrelated actions of people, rooted in desire for profit and
power
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10. Institutions that corrupt those in power and victimize the weak
The challenge for us to remove the structures of sin to bring about
solidarity
Solidarity requires sacrifices of our own interest for others
Economic systems that lack of solidarity and work against the common
good: Marxism and Capitalism
Root causes of structures of sin: the all-consuming desire for profit and
the thirst for power
CENTISIMUS ANNUS
33. What is the historical situation at the time Centisimus Annus was written?
100th anniversary of Rerum Novarum
Emergence of hyper-industrialism
Spirit of revolution based on class war and Marxist philosophy
After the collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe
Before the collapse of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union and the
conclusion of the Persian Gulf War
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The accelerated division of Western societies into rich and poor
Nations are now independent because of "decolonization" have seen
formal sovereignty returned, but they still did not have control over their
own economies.
The United Nations has not established alternatives to war as effective
means for the resolution of international conflicts.
1989 represents the end of a decade which saw many dictatorial and
oppressive regimes end in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and especially in
the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Many of these
governments violated human rights to private initiative, to ownership of
property, and to freedom in the economic sector.
34. What are the key themes from Rerum Novarum which are thematically
discussed in Centisimus Annus?
Restoration of peace between social classes
Right to private property
Just wages
Question of rights
Relation between the citizen and the state
Restoring or establishing harmony between various social groups
35. What is the teaching of Centisimus Annus on private property?
Church defends the right to private property
But this is not an absolute right and private property needs a social
function
Goods are common to the community
New form of property – knowhow, technology and skill
36. What is the teaching of Centisimus Annus on welfare state?
The welfare state produced many negative outcomes as a result of tasks
proper to the state. There was a reduced sense of social solidarity,
dominated by bureaucratic thinking that did not focus on ways to help
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11. people.
Conflict with the preferential love for the poor
There is a need for the principle of subsidiarity.
Sometimes, people no longer strive to be responsible. They depend on the
state to give them everything and become dehumanized.
The state should promote independence and responsibility.
The state should undertake only those tasks which are beyond the
capacity of individuals or private groups
Governmental agencies should not intervene unnecessarily, always
respecting the basic rights of the members of society
All societies of a superior order should adopt an attitude of help with
respect to lower-order societies, and never destroy or absorb them.
The state has its role in guaranteeing personal freedom, a stable currency,
and efficient public services
To provide a response that is not simply material and are this to address
“the deeper human need”, only met by the service of love. The poor not
seen as burden, but as people with potential as people seeking to share
the goods of the world.
37. What is the teaching of John Paul II on capitalism in Centisimus Annus?
Capitalism has good and bad aspects
It is survival of the fittest
Capitalism, as compared to socialism, enables individuals and nations
them to share in development from the opportunities created by the
market.
Although it is through market competitiveness that we attain economic
development, its efficiency only accounts for goods that can be bought
and sold.
The fulfilment of the basic human needs require outward market forces
demanded by justice and truth.
It opens up the nation to more than free work or market exchange, but
also of participation.
A business enterprise or community is not just an association of capital
goods, but is still primarily a society of persons.
Everyone is tasked to find a resolution to the fulfilment the basic human
needs.
The free market is the most efficient instrument for utilizing resources
and effectively responding to needs
Capitalism should be an economic system that recognizes the
fundamental and positive role of the business, the market, private
property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production, as
well as free human creativity in the economic sector.
An overexpression of consumerism is an offset of capitalism. It is a
culture of excess, consumption, and neglect that affects (1) the
recuperating processes of the earth, and (2) our regard for each other.
This creates further marginalization.
CARITAS IN VERITATE
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12. 38. What is the relationship between “charity” and “truth” in Caritas in
Veritate?
People today no longer believe in truth. Everything is relative.
Benedict XVI says that there is an objective truth
Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality and emotionalism
o Love becomes an empty shell and the word “love” is
misused and abused
o Truth frees charity from the constraints of an emotionalism
that deprives it of relational and social content and of a
fideism that deprives it of human and universal breathing
space.
Truth grounds our being in objective reality
Charity in truth is the principal driving force between the authentic
development of every person and of all humanity
Only in truth does charity shine forth; only in truth can charity be
authentically lived
Truth is the light that gives meaning and value to charity
Charity without truth is like a pool of good sentiments—helpful for social
cohesion, but of little relevance because there is no real place for God in
the world
Charity is grace; it islove received and given.
39. What is the relationship between “charity” and the “common good”?
To love someone is to desire that person’s good and to take effective steps
to secure it
Charity is to help others be all that they can be
The common good is the good of all of us
In an increasing globalized society, the common good cannot fail to
assume the dimensions of the whole human family (community of
peoples and nations)
To love someone is to desire that person’s good and to take effective steps
to secure it. Beside the good of the individual, there is a good that is linked
to living in society, the common good. It is the good of all of us, made up of
individuals, families and intermediate groups, which together constitute
society. In an increasingly globalized society, the common good and the
effort to obtain it cannot fail to assume the dimensions of the whole
family, that is to say, the community of peoples and nations in such a way
as to shape the earthly city in unity and peace, rendering it to some
degree an anticipation and pre-figuration of the undivided city of God.
40. What is Benedict XVI’s teaching on the moral dimension of the
environment?
People are the stewards of nature
Rights must be linked to the fulfillment of duties in order to bring about
an integral human development. One of these duties is our duty to protect
the environment. “The environment is God’s gift to man, and in our use of it,
we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations
and towards humanity as a whole.” Thus, we must dismiss the selfish
notion that views nature simply as “raw materials to be exploited at our
own pleasure.”
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13. Nature is a gift from God that enables us to draw from it principles
needed in order to cultivate it, and not destroy it.
However, at the same time, the Pope warns us that the environment
should not be seen as something more important than the human person.
Rather, it is through nature that we recognize God’s creative activity and
expressive love for all humanity. Its preservation therefore calls for us to
become responsible stewards over nature. This requires self-examination
of our current lifestyles as well as a shift in mentality which can lead to
the adoption of new lifestyles marked by solidarity and intergenerational
justice, wherein highly industrialized countries help developing countries
to deal with today’s environmental challenges.
In conclusion, the moral dimension of the environment arises from our
responsible use of freedom to protect and cultivate it so we can
accommodate the world’s population while still upholding the dignity of
God’s creation.
41. Show how Benedict XVI relates a pro-life mentality to environmental
concerns.
Do not promote abortion to save nature
The environment is not as important as the human
Humans are the stewards of nature. It is contrary to authentic
development to view nature as something more important than the
human person.
The subject of human development is closely related to the duties arising
from our relationship to the natural environment. It is God’s gift to us. In
our use of it, we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future
generations, and towards humanity as a whole.
It is necessary to reject the opposite position that aims at total technical
dominion over nature. When human ecology is respected within society,
environmental ecology also benefits. If there is a lack of respect for the
lack of right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation,
and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research,
the concept of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and
along with that of environmental ecology.
There must be a consistentethics of life – life must be protected at every
stage
42. How does Benedict XVI define “integral human development” in Caritas in
Veritate?
Benedict XVI first recalls Paul VI’s definition in Populorum Progressio
(1967)
Benedict XVI then extends the scope of it so that it also addresses the
critical issues faced by the world today (40+ years later)
Integral human development:
o Holistic development of human person in every
dimension to promote the good of every man and of the
whole man
o Know more, have more to be more
o As a vocation, calls us to do more, know more, and have
more, in order to be more
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14. o Includes socio-economic, political, and spiritual aspects of
development
o Benedict XVI extends scope of integral human development
so that it also coverssexual ethics, bio-ethics, cultural issues
and environmental issues
Development must include not just material growth but also spiritual
growth
Development requires attention to the spiritual life, a serious
consideration of the experiences of trust in God, spiritual fellowship in
Christ, reliance upon God’s providence and mercy, love and forgiveness,
self-denial, acceptance of others, justice and peace.
Important to development is the recognition of fraternity and that the
human race is one single family
A sense of solidarity will help bring about development in the
aforementioned dimensions by instilling:
o Openness to and protection of life
o Use of science and technology with moral reflection
o A more humanized economy and business sector
o Respect for culture, and the will to liberate from harmful
aspects of it
o Responsibility towards environment as stewards of
creation
43. What is the teaching of Benedict XVI on “globalization” in Caritas in
Veritate?
Globalization did not happen automatically. It is the result of human
decisions, and we have the power and responsibility to direct it.
Globalization is neither good nor bad. It is how we use it.Globalization is
what people make it. We can dehumanize people or bring about world
order.
Globalization is a process and ethical criterion which involves the unity
of the human family and its development towards what is good
New forms of colonialism – the presumed cultural superiority by
technologically advanced societies (ex. IMF’s harsh conditions on poor
countries)
Outsourcing of production to poor countries where labor is cheap – the
ever-increasing competition results in the downsize of social security
systems and danger to security of workers
Problem of hoarding of non-renewable energy sources by developed
countries
Problem of international tourism for sex
Patenting laws that disadvantage poor countries (i.e. hedge funds to
generate virtual money, which turns out to be mythical money)
Problems related to the environment – it is not just raw material to be
used, nor is it more important than the human person (pantheism)
Business activities should be inserted into a wider network of social
relationships
Corporations have the responsibility for the health and welfare of poor
countries where they outsource production and for their own employees
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15. o They must be concerned not only for shareholders, but for
stakeholders
Moving to a socialist system is not the solution (dangers of an excessively
controlling state)
There should be continuous sustained commitment to promote a person-
based culture
44. How does Benedict XVI present the “economy of communion” of Chiara
Lubich in the Focalare movement as a model for business?
A broad intermediate area has emerged between two types of enterprise.
There are traditional companies that subscribe to social aid agreements
in support of underdeveloped countries, charitable foundations, and
companies oriented towards social welfare.
One does not exclude profit, but considers it a means for achieving human
and social ends.
The Economy of Communion (EoC):
o Founded by Chiara Lubich in 1991
o The movement is active in promoting spiritual and social
renewal and the ideals of unity and universal brotherhood
in the market economy.
o Business owners choose freely to help human development,
aiming to create a community where no one is in need.
o Distinction between profit-based companies and non-profit
based companies is no longer adequate
o New type of enterprise: traditional companies that support
social aid ventures
o Profit is considered a means of achieving human and social
ends
o The market is more civilized but also more competitive
o Businesses using the EoC divide profits into three parts:
a. Helping the poor
Giving the poor opportunities to live a more
dignified life.
Improving the living standards of the
workers.
Forming a community that lives in the spirit
of constant communion and practices profit
sharing.
b. Formation of people to spread the culture of
giving
To spread the culture of giving and loving.
To build a society of solidarity.
Value formation activities.
c. Sustainability of the business
Re-investment in physical capital and in
new technology to ensure company growth.
Firm expansion to generate new jobs.
More economic opportunities.
o 2 types of poverty
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16. a. Caused by injustices done by people and by unjust
social structures
b. Voluntarily chosen
o EoC calls us all to live a life of poverty in order to live out
the culture of giving.
o Developing countries see the EoC as:
a. Valid contribution to alleviate poverty and decrease
unemployment
b. Ownership participation – workers get involved in
the development of the firm
o Developed countries see the EoC as:
a. Feasible and practical way of achieving social justice
through wealth redistribution
o How the EoC works:
a. Investors get their desired returns
b. Ensures business viability and availability of
resources
c. Assures the workers of their fair share
d. Promotes industrial peace and harmony
e. Higher worker morale
f. Minimizes wasted production efficiency
g. Improves the standard of living of the poor members
of the company
h. Helping not by doling out, but by producing wealth
o Communion - One person offers his surplus while the other
brings the need into the relationship
o Filipino ethical perspectives and the EoC:
a. Pagpapakatao (self)
Help the person achieve the fullness of
humanity
b. Pakikipagkapwa (neighbor)
Put self-fulfillment in reference to a
neighbor’s wellbeing
c. Pakikibayani (community or society)
Good of all humanity; socio-cultural
processes and systems cannot precede the
common good
d. Pakikinilalang (God)
Abounds in the Philippine context because
it affirms out being interconnected with all
beings to God and among one another
o Filipino businesses using the EoC:
a. Ancilla Enterprise Development Consulting, Inc.
b. Bangko Kabayan Inc. (BK)
c. Asia Pacific Circulation Exponents, Inc. (APCEI)
o The EoC provides:
a. The framework and the guidelines that a truly
humane entrepreneur should follow in making this
world a better place.
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17. b. A way of fulfilling the love, solidarity and union with
Christ while managing and expanding his or her
enterprise within the market economy
45. Explain what Benedict XVI means by “gratuitousness” in Caritas in Veritate?
Gratuitousness is present in our lives in many different forms but it often
goes unrecognized because of a purely consumerist and utilitarian view of
life
Gratuitousness – who is my neighbor?
Discovery of the human vocation – important in human development
Recognize the divine image to mature in a love for each other
Walter Kasper: “Fundamental form of faith – love of God and love of
neighbor”
What is gratuitousness? It is only when the other receives my gift that I
can give it. If I have given, I have only been able to give because they were
able to receive it. And because they received it, they affected my life.
Gratuitousness of based on the transcendental humanism:
o We are made for giftand it is in giving that we find
ourselves
o Reciprocal gratitude – it is two ways. We give and receive.
o Spirit of unselfish generosity where you give without
expecting a return
We should think of gratuitousness hence brotherhood as a symbol of the
human condition, thereby seeing the practice of giving as the fundamental
qualification for the state to function, with the common good as the goal.
Efficiency and justice alone cannot be enough to guarantee people’s
happiness; hence, there should be widespread practice of giving. We
should reflect God’s gratuitous love to one another and help one another
not for what we may gain in return, but because we can.
46. What is the teaching of Benedict XVI on the “moral dimension of the
economic life”?
Current state:
o Primary focus of economic life is income and profit.
o Governments move towards shielding economies from
moral obligations to increase efficacy.
o Workers are treated as commodities
o Profit becomes more important than human life or the
environment
o Inferior products are released into market to increase
profit.
o Contracts are used to abuse instead of to protect the deal.
o Commutative justice is lost.
Teachings:
o Moral dimension should serve as backbone of the economic
process.
o Benedict XVI pushes for justice and the focus on the
common good tempered with charity and love to serve as
the lifeblood of the economic system
o Justice is not enough. It is not enough to be merely “fair” or
to obey the bounds of the contract.People must go beyond
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18. justice and act out of Caritas, out of love for their fellow
man.
o Proprietors become responsible for all
stakeholders:Workers, suppliers, shareholders, customers
and everyone else involved in and affected by the business.
47. How does Benedict XVI present the moral dimensions of the market and
the ethical responsibilities of business in Caritas in Veritate?
According to Caritas in Veritate, business and developmental activities
need to be focused on social relationships and the common good as much
as they are on the economic benefits from such activies. As such, these
have to be reinserted into a wider network of social relationships where
the business managers don't just focus on the amount of money they
make for their stakeholders, but also how their decisions affect all the
other stakeholders.
Those who own and manage companies have a serious responsibility for
the health and welfare both of the workers in their own companies, and of
the workers in poor countries where production of their products has
been outsourced. They must also be responsible for the effects of their
products on their customers, for the good of the wider society, and for the
damage that may be done to the environment.
Other notes:
Encyclicals on Development: written under the concept of Transcendental Humanism
(we are always seeking God to know and love more). We need integral human
development that is holistic, economic, political and spiritual. In integral development,
we are always learning to have more and be more.
Two groups in the world that are dehumanized:
1. The poor
2. The rich
Relationship between questions on Caritas in Veritate and Catechism:
a. 38: 1-5
b. 39: 6
c. 40: 31
d. 41a: 27, 34, 44
e. 41b: 7-11. 15
f. 42: 25
g. 43: 29
h. 44: 17, 22, essay
i. 45: 20, 21, 23, 28
j. 46: 18, 19, 40
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