Catholic

Social Teaching

for youth

CATHOLIC SPROUTS
Catholic
Social
Teaching
for Catholic Youth
Written by Nancy Bandzuch
Edited by Megan Swaim
Art by Jen Olson

Catholic Sprouts
Nihil Obstat:
Dr. John Martens, Ph. D
Censor librorum

Imprimatur:
+Most Rev. Bernard Hebda
Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis
St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
January 1, 2023

The nihil obstat and imprimatur are offical declarations that a book or pamphlet
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Copyright 2023 Catholic Sprouts

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or
used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the
publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic
Edition, copyright: 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National
Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.

Written by Nancy Bandzuch

Illustrations by Jen Olson
Edited by Megan Swaim

Printed in China
ISBN: 978-1-7364097-4-9
Catholic Sprouts LLC
www.catholicsprouts.com
 Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the many people who contributed their skills, thoughts, prayers
and emotional support to this project.

Specifically we would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following

people:

Bill Bandzuch
John Sikorski, PhD
Josh Swaim, MA MS
Matthew Kuettel
Archbishop Bernard Hebda
Father Kyle Kowalczyk
Joe, Maria and Therese Librande
 Contents
Introduction 6

Note to Parents 15

Life and Dignity of the Human Person

Abortion 20
Death Penalty  28
Euthanasia 36
Suicide 44
Medical Ethics  52
Slavery & Human Trafficking  62
Pornographic Materials  70
Transgenderism 80

The Call to Family

Chastity 92
Sex Outside of Marriage  100
Openness to Life  108
Divorce 116
Homosexuality 126
(Same-Sex) Marriage  136

The Call to Community and Participation

Civic Duty  146
Political Activism  154

4
 Contents
Rights and Responsibilities
Criminal Justice  166
Immigration 174
Freedom of Religion  182

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

Healthcare 194
Care for Persons with Disabilities  204
Care for Our Elders  212
Substance Abuse  220
Care for Those Who Are Homeless  228

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

Dignity of Work  238
Worker Rights  246

Solidarity
War 256
Terrorism 264
Racism 272

Care for God’s Creation

Stewardship of the Land  282
Animals 290

Conclusion 298

5
 Welcome to

Catholic
Social
Teaching
for Youth
6
How do we know what is true?

After being handed over by the religious authorities, Jesus was sent to
Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Pilate was irritated with
the Jews. He found their religious laws ridiculous, their constant seeking
for a Messiah problematic, and their refusal to bend to Roman culture
frustrating. Now here was Jesus, a man some claimed to be the ‘King of the
Jews.’

“So you are a king?” Pilate asked. Jesus responded, “You say that I am a
king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to
the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate
nodded, but with a simple question, he rejected the Son of God. “What is
truth?” he asked (from John 18:37-38).

Although Pilate asked this over two thousand years ago, we still wonder
about this. What is truth? How can we know what is true?

With each new sensational issue - from questions about gender to medical
ethics and war - we are forced to wonder yet again what is true. Many
authorities in the world tell us that we need to ‘figure out what is true for
us,’ but how do you do that exactly? And what if you get it wrong?

In the midst of this confusion, the Catholic Church stands out from the
crowd. Instead of bending to popular opinion or leaving us to fend for
ourselves, the Church boldly proclaims that there is Truth, we can know
the Truth, and that Truth has a name: Jesus Christ.

The Church can proclaim the truth because she was commissioned by
Jesus Christ at the Ascension when Jesus sent His disciples out to the
whole world to teach and preach and baptize. And Jesus empowered
the Church for this work on Pentecost, when He sent the Holy Spirit to
guide the Church. Christ is the head of the Church, and the Church is His
Body, a living body, that continues His saving work. Through the Church,
Christ wants to bring all people to God through Sacred Scripture and the
sacraments.
7
To be clear, when we speak about the Church, we are referring to the
Roman Catholic Church. In the two thousand years since Jesus Christ’s
earthly life, Christians have been split and splintered into different
denominations, and yet the original church He founded upon Peter has
endured. From the time of Peter and the apostles, the pope and bishops
have led the Church through history up to this very day, and guided by the
Holy Spirit, the Church continues to teach with authority.

How does the Church discern

what is true?
Christ continues to guide the Church as she seeks answers to modern
moral questions with the help of the Holy Spirit. Through the use of
reason, prayerful discernment, and what God has revealed to man, the
Church is able to respond to moral questions. Specifically, the Church
relies on Natural Law, Divine Revelation found in the Old Testament, and
in Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the Law.

First, God gives us Natural Law. There are some things that all people - no
matter where or when or how they live - naturally agree on, things that
even young children seem to understand without being told. This includes
the knowledge that it is wrong to steal or kill. People also agree that we
have an obligation to care for our family members. Of course, there are
some people who break these natural laws, but the fact that we all agree
that it is wrong to steal or abandon a family member only proves the
existence of these natural laws.

But where does Natural Law come from? It comes from our Creator. God
made us in His image and likeness, with an intellect to know the truth and
a will to choose the good. Natural Law is the natural capacity - or ability -
we have to know what is good just by being human. We can say that God’s
law is written on our hearts because we were made to know and love God,
so we also are made to know and love what is true.

8
Second, the Church also uses the Old Law revealed to the Israelites -
especially the Ten Commandments - to discern truth.

Sin limits our ability to know and follow God’s truth. Throughout the Old
Testament, we see God’s children failing to love, so, in His mercy, God
gave them laws which would help them live in relationship with Him
and each other. God revealed these laws to Moses and others in the Old
Testament. This law built on Natural Law and affirmed all that is written
on our hearts, but in it, God revealed more of Who He is. Through the
Jewish Law, God revealed that He alone is God. As God proclaimed
through Moses, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

The natural desires of our hearts tell us we need to live for more than
ourselves, that there is more than what we can identify with our senses.
The Old Law revealed that we were made for union with God. The heart of
the Old Law is the Ten Commandments, which God gave to Moses after
delivering His people from slavery in Egypt. In the Ten Commandments,
God reveals what is good, so that we might choose what is good both in
relationship with God and with other people.

And finally, the Church is guided to the truth by the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, recorded in the Gospel. Jesus is the fullness of
God’s revelation to man. In Christ both Natural Law and Divine Law are
fulfilled.

Christ declared during His public ministry, “Do not think that I have come
to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill”
(Matthew 5:17). All that Jesus did and said while on earth affirmed both
Natural Law and Divine Law, but also revealed even deeper truth. Jesus’s
Incarnation, earthly ministry, His passion, death and resurrection reveal
how deeply God loves us and longs to be with us. Jesus showed us the way
to the Father, and demonstrated the length to which we are called to love
and serve the poor.

There is truth, and Jesus desires that we know the truth. He told His
disciples, “I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Christ gave the Church
the ability, through the Holy Spirit, to discern truth using reason, Natural
Law, the Old Law, and the Gospel, and then teach that truth with authority.
9
So, seek what is true. Ask questions and search for answers. This is the
work of all Christians. Remain confident in Jesus and the Church He
founded. As you work through these big moral questions, ask the Holy
Spirit to guide you to the truth, because every step closer to the truth is a
step closer to Christ.

What is Catholic Social

Teaching?
Rooted in the Natural Law and the teachings of Jesus Christ, the fulfill-
ment of the Revealed Law, Catholic Social Teaching reminds us of our
obligations to each other. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains,
“To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must
recognize Christ in the poorest, his brethren” (CCC 1397). Catholic Social
Teaching is an essential part of our faith that reminds us that following
Jesus Christ transforms every part of our lives, from our attitude toward
money, to the choices we make at the doctor’s office, to the way we build
our families.

It might seem odd that the Church would teach with authority on issues
other than those that are ‘religious.’ But, Pope Saint John Paul II explained
in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (On Social Concern), that through Jesus Christ,
the Church is an expert on humanity, and therefore, she is compelled to
speak truth in all human situations and institutions. To be clear, Catholic
Social Teaching is not political. It is neither ‘right’ nor ‘left,’ but instead,
it is in every way above politics since it is grounded in God’s truth. Pope
John Paul II went on to explain that Catholic Social Teaching’s “main aim
is to interpret these realities, determining their conformity with or diver-
gence from the lines of the Gospel teaching on man and his vocation, a
vocation which is at once earthly and transcendent; its aim is thus to guide
Christian behavior” (41). In short, the aim of Catholic Social Teaching is to
bring about the kingdom of God on earth, striving to make sure we all are
living the life God created us for.
10
Many of the issues in this book have been claimed by either the ‘right’ or
the ‘left’. Several issues here have been fought over brutally and therefore
come with emotional baggage. We appreciate this and we feel this too. But,
let us remember that we are not defined by our politics. We are, instead,
defined by God who claims us as sons and daughters. As you read through
this text, remember that we are Catholic first and that the person who most
informs our worldview should be Jesus Christ.

What is in this book?

Themes and Topics
A number of years ago, the United States Conference of Catholic Bish-
ops (USCCB), outlined seven themes in Catholic Social Teaching; these
themes, or principles, help us to build a just society and to live out our call
to holiness. These seven themes include:
1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person
2. The Call to Family, Community and Participation
3. Rights and Responsibilities
4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
6. Solidarity
7. Care for God’s Creation

This book is organized according to these themes, under which the bishops
have placed specific modern issues. As we investigate these issues in light
of our responsibilities to others we start by stating clearly what the Church
teaches. This truth is explained through references to the Catechism, Sa-
cred Scripture, and other documents from popes or the US Bishops.

Wrestling With These Topics in the Real World

Next, we wrestle with these topics in the real world. As you might know,
not everyone accepts what the Church teaches as Truth. When we step
out into the real world, we discover that all of these topics are covered in a
number of errors and lies - regarding the value of human life, your pur-

11
pose, and the role of the family. In this book we try to take on these lies
and errors directly, to wrestle with them, so you can see why they are false
and the harm they cause.

This, however, begs the question: Why are there so many lies and errors in
the real world on these important topics?

The answer to this question is Satan. Jesus explains it this way, “He [Sa-
tan] was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his
own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Satan is real, and he is a liar. Satan is active in our world, and he lies to us
every day. The topics addressed in this book speak to what it means to be
human, to be a part of a family and a community, to be a citizen of this
world. These are some of the most important parts of our lives. Therefore
it makes perfect sense that Satan would attack these issues with lies.

Satan is the liar, but when we believe his lies, we fall into error and sin.
When we believe Satan’s lie that an unborn child is not a life, we will act in
error and likely fail to offer a pregnant mother the help she needs. When
we believe Satan’s lie that our lives are more valuable than the life of a
homeless person, a drug addict, an elderly person, a disabled person or a
person of a different race, we are more likely to give in to the temptations
of selfishness and hatred. Therefore, in order to pursue holiness, we must
call out these lies and cast them away.

As you read through these sections, you will likely encounter lies that you
have heard before. Maybe you heard a friend or family member share
these lies, and it is clear they have fallen for this lie. This will be difficult,
but don’t despair. Jesus is the Truth, and He, in the end, will conquer all of
Satan’s lies. When this happens, use Jesus as your model and choose love.
Love what is true, but also love the person who, for the time being, has
fallen for Satan’s lies.

Pope Paul VI, in Gaudium et spes (Joy and Hope, the Pastoral Constitution
on the Church in the Modern World), put it this way, “Love itself impels
the disciples of Christ to speak the saving truth to all men. But it is neces-
sary to distinguish between error, which always merits repudiation, and
the person in error, who never loses the dignity of being a person even
12
when he is flawed by false or inadequate religious notions” (23). Therefore,
learn the truth and share the truth with others. When someone you love is
in error, it is our loving duty to share truth with them. However, whether
they come to accept the truth or not, they remain a beloved child of God,
worthy of our love and respect.

Finally, although the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, teaches the truth
on all these topics, there are other organizations, both religious and secular,
that are also seeking and working for the truth. Many of these organiza-
tions work for human, family and religious rights throughout this world in
a way that is in line with the work of the Church. We do God’s work when
we unite our efforts with these people, even though they may not be Cath-
olic. Remember, God can use all things for His glory. His plan is bigger
than we know. Therefore, learn to identify and cooperate with the truth
wherever it may be found.

The Truth
We confront the lies of the world through Jesus Christ. Following the
section on lies from the world, we look at the topic through a story taken
directly from the Gospel. Although He spoke about very few of these topics
directly, Jesus still has much to teach us. His words and His actions are
truth which allow us to confront the lies of this world as we navigate these
issues.

The truth is further demonstrated through the life of a saint. The teach-
ings of the Church aren’t just facts, these teachings are a way of living and
following Jesus. The saints offer us examples of Catholic Social Teaching in
action. Thanks to true friendship with Jesus, the saint we’ve chosen for each
topic lived in His truth and illustrates for us God’s desire for His people.

Called to Action
It’s not enough to just know the truth, or be inspired by the truth. We
have to live the truth. The last section for each topic is a call to action. It is
our greatest hope that learning about Catholic Social Teaching will be the
beginning of a deeper commitment to your baptismal call to holiness. Our
world has real problems, and people are suffering. You are called to be a
source of loving change in the world.

We beg you, also, not to get discouraged. Many of the issues addressed in
this book are big and evil. It can be hard to know how to respond or where
13
to start. Remember, however, that what you do to promote truth matters,
even the smallest, most ordinary acts.

St. Mother Teresa reminds us that God does not require us to succeed, but
He does ask that we remain faithful. Therefore, when you speak to some-
one about abortion and they aren’t convinced, don’t be discouraged or give
up on the truth. When your friend laughs at your efforts to serve the poor,
keep on loving. We see in Christ’s example that following the truth and
loving our neighbor is not easy, but it is always good.

Finally, never discount the important work you are called to do in your
own home, school, and community. Many of the issues discussed here will
require changes in civil law, but law is not where true change occurs. For
real change to happen, hearts must change. Hearts only change in real,
meaningful relationships, like the ones you have with your parents, sib-
lings, classmates, and friends. Be an example to those closest to you. Strive
to change one heart, and remain confident that God will take care of the
rest.

Each time you pick up this book, we beg you to approach God with hum-
ble confidence. Remain humble, believing that there is much you don’t
know or understand, but confident that God is good and that truth exists.
Trust in Him, His Church, and His specific and infinite love for you.
We also encourage you to pray before you read. Ask God to send you His
Holy Spirit so that His truth might not just penetrate your heart, but the
heart of the world. Beg Him also to show you how best to use this new
knowledge.

Truth is not a thing, He is a Person. Christ desires to answer all of your

questions. Come to Him, trust in Him, and learn.

14
 For Parents
PREVIEW ALL MATERIAL BEFORE SHARING IT WITH YOUR CHILD

Your children might not be ready for all of the content in this book. At the
time of writing this book, our oldest child is 11, and he, quite frankly, is
just not ready to learn about transgenderism, contraception, or a handful
of other topics we explore here. The time will come to cover these topics
with him, and we will use this book when the time comes, but we aren’t
there yet. However, there are other topics, like the death penalty, terror-
ism, divorce, and others that he is ready to learn about more completely.
Our plan is to keep this book in a place where a child won’t read it inde-
pendently and we’ll use it, section by section, to cover important topics as
they come up or when a child has reached a needed level of maturity.

I share our family situation simply because I beg you to be thoughtful

about when you present the content in this book to your child. You know
what is best for your child, and we hope that you are able to use the infor-
mation here at the right time and in the right way. Please read in advance
any section that you plan to share with your child, to make sure that all of
the content is fitting to share with them.

Ideas for Using this Book

We wrote this book because families were asking for it. Many Catholic par-
ents, like us, need help communicating Catholic Social Teaching to their
children. Here are three ways we suggest using this resource.

1. Parent Reference
Most adults (including me!) are still learning what the Church teaches
on specific modern topics. If this is you too, don’t be ashamed. Instead,
get reading! Read this book cover-to-cover and remain confident that no
matter what topic your kids stumble upon and want to discuss, you will
be ready to do so, armed with the truth of the Church. Remember, you are
the primary educator of your children’s faith, even if you send your kids
to a wonderful Catholic school. It is vitally important that you are able to
articulate and explain the truth. And remember, if your kids are too young
for these concepts at the moment, they won’t be too young for long!

15
2. Teach Issue by Issue
Despite our very best efforts, our kids have been exposed to a lot of con-
fusing things. Last summer they all saw a (very physical) gay couple at
the beach, and my quick pack-up-and-leave efforts only made them more
aware of what we were running away from. A while back, a commercial for
‘the pill’ came on while we were listening to a kid’s station on Pandora. We
also have a few family members that can be counted on to share an off-col-
or joke at every gathering. We can’t protect our children from everything.
They will see and hear things and have questions about them.

We live in a fallen world, and our kids will learn about all the mess, wheth-
er we like it or not. Because of this, I encourage you to keep this book on
the shelf and refer to it as these topics come up. When a beloved cousin
announces that they are homosexual, come home and read that chapter.
When a friend’s parents get divorced, read that chapter. When your child
has big questions about parts of the world that are at war, read that chapter.

It is our hope that having this resource on hand will make you confident
that, no matter what sadness your family is exposed to, you will remain
strong in God’s truth.

3. Cover-to-Cover Exploration for Young Teens

For older kids, roughly middle school and up, this resource could be con-
sumed cover-to-cover. Exploring one topic after another could be partic-
ularly powerful to do with a young teen, making sure to discuss as you go.
Kids this age are, perhaps, dealing with these issues more than we are. Give
them a strong foundation in the truth so that when they encounter lies in
the culture or even in their friendships, they know what is true.

However you end up using this book, please know that your kids need to
learn these truths from you. Through God’s good plan, parents are and will
always be the primary educators of their children. God knew what He was
doing when He gave you your kids. Therefore, learn the truth, share the
truth, and pray that the truth penetrates the hearts of your children.

You remain in our prayers,

Nancy and all of us at Catholic Sprouts

16
 “Anyone who
seeks truth
seeks God,
whether or not
he realizes it.”
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

17
 Theme 1

Life and
Dignity of
the Human
Person

18
Before we dive into Catholic Social Teaching, pause and do something
super simple: feel yourself breathing. Notice the air as it enters your nose,
fills your lungs, and travels back out through your nose. Take a slow, deep
breath, hold it for a second, and let it go.

Our breath is evidence of a miracle beyond comprehension: we are alive.

Somehow, oxygen enters our body, becomes the fuel we need for our
hearts to beat, our brains to think and our legs to move. Scripture tells us
that when God created the first human, God breathed into man, calling
him to life. His breath is our life.

Remembering the miracle of life is important because all of Catholic

Social Teaching is rooted in one immutable fact: human life is sacred.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “Being in the image of
God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not
just something, but someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-
possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with
other persons” (CCC 357). God gives this dignity to each human at the
moment of creation. This dignity is universal to all of humanity, regardless
of age, race, location or state in life.

The fact that all the living possess a special dignity is the foundation upon
which Catholic Social Teaching is built and demands that we recognize
and honor the dignity of the person before us, no matter who that person
might be.

Breath, and the life it indicates, is the most basic thing that unites all
of humanity. Therefore, it is our duty to respect the life given to us by
God and to create a world where all lives are honored. In this section we
will explore various ways that human life and dignity are threatened in
our modern world. These threats include abortion, the death penalty,
euthanasia, suicide, medical technologies that oppose God’s will, slavery,
pornography and transgenderism.

19
 Abortion

For it was you who formed my inward parts;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:13-14

20
 Abortion
Directly and intentionally ending the life of a child in the womb, at any
stage and for any reason, is always absolutely and completely wrong. From
the moment of conception, a new human exists, and ending that life is
murder. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way: “Since the
first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured
abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct
abortion is gravely contrary to the moral law” (CCC 2271).

The Church has always affirmed that an unborn child is a human being
created in the image and likeness of God and therefore of infinite worth;
but we also know through reason that this is true. We each started as an
embryo. Through observation of nature, we know that anything growing
is alive, whether that thing is a plant, a bug, or an embryo. Is an unborn
child growing? Yes. Therefore it is alive. We also know that any living thing
with human parents is indeed a human as well. Does an unborn child have
human parents? Yes. Therefore an unborn child is a living human being
worthy of the most basic right, the right to life.

Also, as medicine advances, what abortion looks like has changed. For
decades the only way to end the life of a baby was through a surgical
procedure. Now, however, early abortions can be achieved by taking a pill,
often taken at home. Regardless of the type of abortion, ending a child’s life
directly and intentionally is always wrong, no matter how early or small
that child might be because life begins at conception.

Laws legalizing abortion should be abolished, but making abortion illegal

is not enough. Most women who choose to end the life of their unborn
child do so because they feel they have no other options. Perhaps they are

“Direct abortion, that is to

say, abortion willed either as
an end or a means, is gravely
contrary to the moral law.”
CCC 2271

21
 Abortion
homeless, alone, or terrified. Welcoming a child will change a person’s life,
and sometimes those changes can be very hard. No matter who the woman
is, we have a responsibility to help her and her child. No woman should
become a mother alone. We are all called to love and support women and
their babies.

Wrestling with the Issue of

Abortion in the Real World
Abortion supporters see an unborn child as many things: a problem,
an unwanted burden, or even an obstacle, but they do not see him or
her as a person. They have fallen for Satan’s lie that says that an unborn
child is not a person and therefore has no rights, even the right to life.
Since the unborn child’s life is, in their opinion, non-existent, many
abortion supporters call for ‘women’s rights,’ namely that a woman can do
whatever she wants with her body, including deciding to end a pregnancy.
Sometimes they even try to make others feel guilty for believing that an
unborn baby is a human person with rights, saying that it’s a private matter
and no one’s business what choice a woman makes.

It all comes down to some very basic questions: Does an unborn child have
any value? Are they alive? Is killing them murder, or not?

To these questions, the Catholic Church responds boldly that yes, from
the very moment of conception, an unborn child is a human life just as
valuable as any other human life. We know this from science and human
reason, which go hand-in-hand with our faith. What is more, we have a
responsibility to look after the rights of the weakest and most vulnerable
among us, and who is more vulnerable than the unborn? Therefore, all
Catholics have a duty to not only affirm the lives of the unborn but also to
strive to protect them.

22
 Abortion

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Although Christ never spoke specifically about abortion, one part of
His life sheds some light on this conversation: Jesus Christ was once an
embryo. At one point, His body was being formed inside His mother’s
womb. And not just that, Jesus was an unplanned pregnancy, carried by an
unmarried, poor mother.

Jesus showed His love for humanity by becoming one of us. In the same
way, He demonstrated His deep love for the weakest among us, the unborn,
by once being unborn Himself. God could have come to earth in any way
He wanted. He could have come as a full-grown man. He also could have
been born to a wealthy couple in a castle. But instead, He was born in a
barn to poor, unimportant parents.

Through the Incarnation and Christ’s humble beginnings as a fetus, we

are reminded of all we share as humans. At one point, each and every one
of us was small and vulnerable. We all started out unborn. By becoming
a human, Jesus affirmed the dignity of all humanity. Likewise, when He
began His human existence as an embryo, He affirmed the life and dignity
of the unborn.

23
 Abortion

Witness to Truth
St. Gianna Beretta Molla was an Italian physician, wife, mother of four
children, and devout Catholic. When Gianna was carrying her fourth
child, she made the ultimate sacrifice and, through that, affirmed the truth
that the life of an unborn child is of ultimate value.

Gianna was born in 1922 and lived her whole life in Italy. As a young
woman, she studied medicine and planned to join her brother, a priest, in
the Brazilian missions, offering medical service to the poor women in the
area. However, due to Gianna’s poor health, she was unable to become a
missionary, and instead opened a pediatric medical practice near where
she had grown up. A few years later, Gianna met Pietro Molla, whom she
married in 1955.

Shortly after their marriage, the couple welcomed their first child. Then a
year later, Gianna had another baby, and two years after that, a third. While
their family grew, Gianna continued to practice medicine. Her life was
very full, and she understood well the sacrificial nature of love, especially
the loving sacrifice required of a parent. She wrote in her journal, “love
and sacrifice are closely linked, like the sun and the light. We cannot love
without suffering and we cannot suffer without love.” While expecting her
fourth child, Gianna would be asked to live out this sacrificial love in the
ultimate way.

When she was two months pregnant, Gianna began to experience sharp
pain in her abdomen. Soon a tumor was discovered on her uterus. Her
doctors advised her to abort her baby so they could operate on the tumor,
but Gianna refused. She knew that her life wasn’t any more valuable than
the life of her unborn child. And so, Gianna carried her child to term.
Moments before delivery, she spoke plainly to her doctors, saying, “If you
must choose between my life and the life of the child, do not hesitate.
Choose the child. I insist on it.” On April 21, 1962, Gianna gave birth to a
healthy baby girl. However, Gianna’s own health quickly declined and she
died one week later.

St. Gianna offers us an example of parental love. Babies are a gift, but they
also require parents to make many sacrifices. Whether a child is planned or
24
 Abortion

St. Gianna Beretta Molla

25
 Abortion
not, all children are precious gifts. Like Gianna, when we receive the gift of
a child, we are asked to sacrifice ourselves out of love because we recognize
that their life is just as important as our own.

Called to Action
Abortion, deliberately ending the life of an unborn child, is an evil that can
not be ignored. It is our duty to fight for and defend the weakest and most
vulnerable. No matter your age, you can be active in this fight. Here are
some simple ideas to get started:
1. Support Mothers in Need: Gather money and supplies that can be
donated to a crisis pregnancy center. Many such centers depend
on donations so they can support women who, despite challenging
situations, decide to welcome their babies.
2. Work to Change the Law: Write a letter, sign an online petition, join a
Pro-Life march, or become part of a Pro-Life group. Abortion remains
legal, accepted, and even promoted in many parts of this country. We
need to speak up and get to work if we hope to change that.
3. Be a Voice for Life: Large parts of society accept abortion without
question. Therefore, speak up and be a voice for life by starting a Pro-
Life group in your parish or school. With that group, work to change
laws and hearts on the topic of abortion.
4. Pray: There are many ways to offer prayers for the end of abortion.
• Spiritually Adopt an unborn baby by regularly reciting this prayer
written by Ven. Fulton Sheen: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you
very much. I beg you to spare the life of the unborn baby that I have
spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion.
• Gather friends and pray a Rosary outside a local abortion
clinic. This is a powerful way to lovingly offer support to those
considering abortion.
• Make it a daily intention. Each night, pray for an end to abortion
and for all women considering abortion.

26
 Abortion
Discuss
• How would you use what we’ve read today to help you explain the truth
to someone who asked you why abortion is wrong?
• What are some things you see your parish and community doing to
help support pregnant mothers, especially those who are vulnerable?
• What is one specific thing your family can do this week to support your
local pro-life ministries?

Notes

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must

die so that you may live as you wish.”
St. Mother Teresa
27
 Death
Penalty

‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43

28
 Death Penalty
The Church reminds us that true justice belongs to God alone. Even if we
have been wounded by the actions of another person, we never have the
right to inflict evil upon that person. This is true in our private lives, but it
is also true on the national level. The Church has always affirmed
this truth, even though her specific teaching on the death penalty has been
clarified in recent years.

For centuries the Catholic Church supported the use of the death penalty
in cases where the crime was grave and authorities felt the need to protect
citizens from the convicted criminal. However, in 2018, Pope Francis,
in response to the changes in modern society, clarified that the Catholic
Church no longer supported the use of the death penalty in any situation.
The Catechism now states, “the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel,
that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the
inviolability and dignity of the person and she works with determination
for its abolition worldwide” (CCC 2267).

So, why the change? Well, first, the world has changed. We now have
prisons that can safely house criminals for the rest of their lives. For
centuries, simply keeping a criminal alive but away from the population
they might harm wasn’t possible, therefore, the death penalty was
justifiable; but this is no longer the case.

The fundamental reason for this clarification, however, is rooted in the

dignity of the human person, a dignity that can never be changed, lost,
or removed. After a person commits a crime, even a terrible crime that
results in death, they remain a child of God. No sin, no matter how great,
can erase this innate dignity. Therefore, we should never underestimate the

“the Church teaches, in the light of

the Gospel, that “the death penalty is
inadmissible because it is an attack on the
inviolability and dignity of the person and she
works with determination for its abolition
worldwide.”
CCC 2267
29
 Death Penalty
value of anyone’s life. Offering a convicted criminal life in prison instead
of the death penalty allows them the opportunity for conversion and
reconciliation. We know that our God is a God of mercy, and even a life
lived behind bars can be lived to the glory of God.

As Catholics, we are opposed to the death penalty because where there

is hatred and violence, we are called to bring love. Abolishing the death
penalty does not deny that bad things happened and that innocent people
were hurt or killed. Crime needs to be punished, and victims need support.
However, another death cannot bring healing. Christ Himself is the
only one who can heal our wounds, and He will do so through His love.
Likewise, love and the possibility for forgiveness should be our guiding
principles as we decide the fate of convicted criminals. If we remain
grounded in love and forgiveness, we are able to leave justice to God and
spare the life of the convicted criminal.

Wrestling with the Issue of the

Death Penalty in the Real World
Since the very beginning of civilization, the death penalty has been a
part of criminal justice. Whether through hangings, firing squads or the
guillotine, legal authorities have seen fit to end the lives of particularly
dangerous criminals. The logic behind each execution was the same:
that the criminal had done something so terrible that the only fitting
punishment was death, that they deserve this. It was thought that taking
the life of the criminal was the only way to provide justice for the victims of
the crime, and that, in a way, their actions had earned them death.

This, however, is based on human wisdom, not the wisdom of God.

Remember, there is nothing that can take away the dignity of a person or
their right to life, even committing a terrible crime, because our dignity
comes from God, not man.

30
 Death Penalty

The Truth of Jesus Christ

In the eyes of our loving Father, no person is beyond His mercy. No person
has forfeited their right to life and love, no matter what.

During His final moments of life, Jesus continued to demonstrate the

limitlessness of His generous love. Dismas, whom the Gospels refer to
as the “Good Thief,” was crucified with Jesus. From his cross, Dismas
confessed his guilt and admitted that he deserved this punishment, and
yet as he died, he was able to look upon Christ with eyes of faith. Humbly,
Dismas said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”
And how did Jesus respond to this hardened criminal condemned to
death? With mercy. Forgiving all his sins, Jesus responded, “Truly I say to
you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:41-43).

Amazingly, Dismas is now celebrated as a saint. We have no idea of the

horrible things Dismas did throughout his life. We only know that he
deserved his punishment. And even so, Christ was eager to offer him
mercy when he asked with faith. Therefore, we should remain confident
that no soul is ever lost to Jesus, even those guilty of the darkest crimes.
There is always hope! And if God can forgive their sins, then surely we
have no right to withhold our mercy and end their lives.

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 Death Penalty

Witness to Truth
Servant of God Jacques Fesch is a man on the path to sainthood. He also
is a convicted criminal who was executed for his crimes. Like St. Dismas,
Jacques Fesch experienced a miraculous conversion after a life of crime.
After that conversion, he enjoyed God’s mercy, even while accepting the
punishment for his former life.

Jacques Fesch was born in France in 1930. Even as a child, he was a

troublemaker. Before long, he was expelled from school and living a life of
crime. His father worked to find him jobs, which he promptly lost due to
laziness. As the years passed, Jacques got married and fathered a child, but
he grew bored and abandoned his family. Depressed, he decided to rob a
local currency shop. The robbery went poorly, and while trying to escape,
Jacques shot and killed a police officer. Jacques was quickly arrested, tried,
and sentenced to death.

In prison, Jacques was placed in solitary confinement. In that bleak setting,

although Jacques had been rigidly anti-religion, God began to work on
his heart. Then, after reading a book about the Virgin Mary, Jacques
experienced a powerful conversion. He wrote in his journal, “The Spirit of
the Lord seized me by the throat. Within the space of a few hours I came
into possession of faith, with absolute certainty. I believed. Grace came
over me. A great joy flooded my soul, and above all a deep peace.” From
that moment forward, Jacques Fesch believed and dedicated the rest of his
life to God.

Jacques Fesch lived out the remainder of his life praying and doing
penance. His journal reveals that he not only had a deep prayer life, he also
experienced mystical visions of Christ. His deepest longing was to receive
the Eucharist. Spurred on by his faith, Jacques worked to heal wounds
within his family and with those he had hurt through his crimes. In the
end, Jacques fully accepted his death and told a priest that he offered his
death for his father’s conversion.

The life of Servant of God Jacques Fesch reminds us that no matter what
we are guilty of, God’s mercy is greater. He desires holiness for all of us and
He is willing to help each of us find true peace in Him, no matter what we
32
 Death Penalty

Servant of God Jacques Fesch

33
 Death Penalty
might be guilty of doing. His story also reminds us that no one is too far
gone for God. God is pursuing us all, even criminals on death row. Each
one of us is a beloved child of God, and He will go to great lengths to win
our souls back.

Called to Action
As a member of the Catholic Church, you are asked to join the fight to
abolish the death penalty. Here are a few ideas that will help you contribute
to this cause.
1. Pray for Those on Death Row: As of January 2022, there were 2,436
inmates on death row in the United States. That number represents
2,436 real people who, like you, were created in the image and likeness
of God. Dedicate yourself to prayer for them, that they will be able to
accept God’s mercy before their sentence is carried out.
2. Work to Change the Law and Popular Opinion: Many of your peers
accept the death penalty without question. Others assume the Church
supports the death penalty. Be brave and speak up for life. Inform
others of the clarification in Church teaching, and do what you can to
support those working to change the law.
3. Pray for Victims of Violent Crimes: Those sentenced to death have been
found guilty of a grave and, often, violent crime. As you fight for an end
to the death penalty, remember the victims of these crimes. Pray that
healing and forgiveness might flood the lives of the victims so that they
can experience true freedom through Jesus Christ.

“The new evangelization calls for followers of

Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who
will proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel
of life in every situation.”
Pope Saint John Paul II
34
 Death Penalty

Discuss
• The lie that we should return evil with evil can be very tempting. Have
you ever been tempted to retaliate against someone who has wronged
you? What did you do?
• Can you share a time when someone offered you mercy even when you
deserved a harsh punishment? What was that like?
• How can you use what we’ve read and your own experiences of mercy
to explain the Church’s teaching to someone who supports the death
penalty?

Notes

35
Euthanasia

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me;

yet, not my will but yours be done.”

Luke 22:42

36
 Euthanasia
Euthanasia, the killing of a person with the intention of minimizing their
suffering, is outright condemned as evil by the Catholic Church (CCC
2277). No matter what - regardless of illness or disability, or if the person
wants to die or not - it is never ever okay to intentionally end a human life.

Life in every form is a gift from God. Each human being, whether they are
an olympic athlete or bedridden, healthy or very ill, happy or depressed, is
made in the image and likeness of God. No illness, physical disability, or
psychological suffering can ever change that fact. Therefore, the life of each
person is sacred, and ending that life is a grave sin.

While suffering is a result of evil, God does not allow suffering to have the
last word. He gives special graces to those who suffer, helping them to grow
in virtue, and drawing them closer to Himself. Because of this, even a life
filled with suffering is not devoid of meaning and worth.

Allowing someone you love to end their life, or even helping them do so,
is not love; it is despair. We love a person who is suffering by walking with
them and willingly entering into that suffering with them. We love them
by caring for their needs, enduring pain with them, and offering our time
and energy without thought of repayment. The Church consistently teaches
that despair and death are not the answer to pain and suffering. Life and
love are, both of which come from God.

“Whatever its motives and

means, direct euthanasia
consists in putting an end to
the lives of handicapped, sick,
or dying persons. It is morally
unacceptable.”
CCC 2277

37
 Euthanasia
Wrestling with the Issue of
Euthanasia in the Real World
In this modern age, we have the ability to direct our own destiny in almost
every way. If we have the means to do so, we can pick where we live, what
we eat, who we hang out with, and what we spend our time doing. In
keeping with this, many doctors and their patients have fallen into error
and demanded the ‘right to die.’ When life is overcome with suffering and
pain, they argue that they should be able to end their lives in a way that
is painless and quick. After all, they say, what good is a person who is
chronically ill, disabled, or depressed? And why should they be forced to
continue to live if life has been reduced to seemingly pointless suffering?

Although the Church affirms many basic rights owed to all human
beings, the right to die is not one of them. Therefore, we should never do
something that will deliberately bring about death, even if a person wishes
to die. Why? Because our life is a gift. As Genesis describes it, God placed
His own breath within Adam, and that breath of God fills our lungs as well.
Because of this, God alone is the Lord of life and death. We did not call
ourselves into existence. Our Creator did that. Likewise, He will be the one
to call us home at the end of our lives.

It is important for our discussion to note that the Catholic Church does
distinguish between a deliberate action that ends a life and a choice that
allows a person to die naturally. For example, when a person is very ill,
their family might choose to stop using extraordinary measures to keep
that person alive, such as a ventilator. Thankfully, these are not decisions a
family has to make on their own; there are priests and trained laypersons
who walk with families as they make difficult decisions to help protect the
dignity of their loved one at the end of their life. For centuries, in fact, the
Church has taken an active role in assisting the faithful as they approach
death. Not only are we offered the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick,
many of the faithful serve the dying through hospice and palliative care
that strives to ease a person’s suffering while they live out the remainder
of their life. Medically prescribed painkillers are also perfectly acceptable
to use while dying and, with the help of a hospice nurse, they can give a
person comfort in those final days of life.

38
 Euthanasia
The Truth of Jesus Christ
Christ offered us a powerful example in His own death. Not only did
Christ surrender His will and accept a very painful death, He embraced
tremendous suffering and brought incredible dignity to any suffering that
we are asked to endure as well.

Jesus refused to shield Himself from any pain or suffering during His
earthly life, especially during His final days. Whipped, crushed under the
weight of the cross, abandoned by His closest friends, pierced with nails,
and, finally, stripped and hung to die slowly, Jesus embraced it all out of
love for you. Through His suffering, He transformed suffering and death
for all of us. A perfect death is not one that is pain-free or well-planned. A
perfect death is one accepted out of love and in total unity with God.

It was not God’s plan that we suffer, but because Jesus knows suffering so
well, He is often closest to us as we suffer. St. Mother Teresa said, “Pain and
suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering
are but the kiss of Jesus - a sign that you have come so close to Him that He
can kiss you.”

Remember, however, that it is okay to seek to alleviate pain through

prescribed medicine. During His public ministry, Jesus accepted physical

39
 Euthanasia
pain, but He also cured countless people, effectively removing pain from
their lives. As we see from these stories, Christ can change our hearts not
only through suffering but also through healing. He is the Great Physician,
and He wants to bring healing to our lives! What is important above all is
that we, as children of God, remain obedient to His will and operate within
the boundaries of His Law, never failing to value the life we have been
given.

Witness to Truth
St. Fina is an Italian saint from the 1200s, but unlike many other saints,
she is honored and remembered for the way she courageously and even
joyfully endured a long, painful illness with Christ always at her side.

Fina was born into a very poor family. Despite this, her childhood was
happy. When she was a teen, however, her father died, and soon after she
fell terribly ill. Once the illness subsided, Fina was left paralyzed from the
neck down; her body was tormented by constant, nearly unbearable pain.
Through it all, St. Fina accepted her suffering with joy. She knew that this
illness was God’s will for her life. For five years, she lay paralyzed on a
wooden plank praying day and night. Soon her skin was covered in sores.
Few people came to visit Fina, and, of the few who did, many found her
repulsive.

For years, Fina depended on her mother, who worked all day and returned
at night to care for her daughter. While her mother was out working, Fina
was left alone with only a rough crucifix on the wall to look at. Regardless,
Fina spent her days joyfully suffering with Jesus. Unfortunately, one day
her mother became ill and died, leaving Fina utterly alone.

Eventually Fina also died. Although her little village had barely noticed her
during her life, they soon fell in love with their little saint. Upon lifting her
body, villagers found flowers growing and blooming in the board beneath
her. Beginning at her funeral, miraculous healings were reported. To date,
thousands of miracles have been credited to St. Fina’s intercession.

40
 Euthanasia

St. Fina
41
 Euthanasia
St. Fina is a powerful example of how to suffer. She recognized that her
suffering was a gift she could give back to God, a path to holiness, and a
way to grow closer to Jesus. Therefore she never complained. St. Fina also
demonstrated how valuable even the weakest person’s life is. Fina couldn’t
even care for herself in the most basic way, and yet she never doubted that
God cherished her and that her life had meaning.

Called to Action
Euthanasia is both a political and a personal issue. We need to work to
create laws that forbid ending a life due to serious illness or injury, but we
also need to work hard to care for those who are impaired so they never see
themselves as a burden.
1. Spend Time with the Sick and Dying: You can only experience the power
of suffering if you expose yourself to it. And so, make yourself available
to the sick and dying. Volunteer at a nursing home. Visit a homebound
neighbor. Learn to be a servant willing to remind the sick and dying of
their own dignity through your loving care.
2. Pray for Those Who Work With the Dying: Those who work in hospice
and end-of-life care do important and holy work that is often taxing
and emotionally difficult. Pray for those called to this work and the
families they serve.
3. Suffer Well: When you are ill or injured, strive to suffer well with Christ.
Avoid complaints, and offer your small hurts to Jesus.

“The intrinsic value and personal dignity

of every human being does not change
depending on their circumstances.”
Pope St. John Paul II
42
 Euthanasia

Discuss
• What do you think was the most important or most helpful thing that
we read today
• Are you afraid of suffering in your own life? Why or why not?
• Can you think of anyone in our family or community who might feel
like they are a burden? How can we show them how much we value
them?

Notes

43
Suicide

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;

Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

Psalm 130:1-2

44
 Suicide
The Church’s stance on all life issues is consistent: all life is precious and
of infinite value. Deliberately ending any life, for any reason, is a grave sin.
The same is true for self-inflicted death or suicide. The Catechism says, “We
are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours
to dispose of ” (CCC 2280).

Clearly, suicide is a grave sin, but is it unforgivable? We might wonder, are

all those who have committed suicide banished from heaven forever? Are
they in hell? First of all, we can’t assume anything about the judgment of
any soul. Also, the Church in no way teaches that suicide equals hell. The
Catechism states, “We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons
who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can
provide the opportunity for salutary repentance” (CCC 2283). Because
God is so good and the source of love, there is always reason to hope.

In truth, we should never think we know how God judges a person after
death, whether they appeared to be exceedingly holy or not. Our God
dwells outside of time, He knows the secrets of our hearts better than we
do, and His mercy is endless. Why should we doubt that there is hope even
for those who have committed suicide?

Mental illness, which is often what propels a person towards suicide, is

also an important part of this conversation. As Catholics, we believe that
in order for an action to be a sin, the action must be fully understood and
freely chosen. Terrible depression and other mental illnesses can make it
unclear if a person did, in full and clear awareness, freely chose to end their
life, or not. Again, these are things known only to God. After a suicide has
occurred, the only thing we know for sure is that God is good and God is
love.

“We are stewards, not

owners, of the life God has
entrusted to us. It is not ours
to dispose of.”
CCC 2280

45
 Suicide

Wrestling with the Issue of

Suicide in the Real World
When suicide touches our familes or communities, it can shake us to the
core. We might be tempted to ask how a person could be so sad or hopeless
or desperate that they would end their own life? How could they throw it
all away like that? Even though we might know that God is good, it can be
difficult to apply this goodness to a person who has made such a desperate
choice. We might be tempted to believe that, through suicide, a person has
said “no” to God in such a profound way that they are lost to Him forever.

Suicide is a terrible choice, but we know that God will never turn His back
on us. We also know that our God is a limitless ocean of mercy. He is not
scandalized by our choices. He wishes only to heal us, and the deeper our
hurt, the more desperate our choices, the more He desires to heal us.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Once again, Jesus’s answer to this lie can be found on the cross. After
Jesus died but before He had been taken down from the cross, a Roman
Centurion thrust a lance into His side, striking His heart. Immediately,
the Gospels tell us, blood and water flowed out (John 19:34). Nineteen
hundred years later, Jesus Christ appeared to St. Faustina and explained
this powerful moment. Out of His crucified heart flowed two sacraments:
the water of baptism and the blood of Christ present in the Eucharist.
In the visions to St. Faustina, Christ explained that the blood and water
represented His Divine Mercy and that absolutely no one is outside of His
mercy.

46
 Suicide

Speaking about this, St. Faustina wrote, “All grace flows from mercy, and
the last hour abounds with mercy for us. Let no one doubt the goodness of
God; even if a person’s sins were as dark as night, God’s mercy is stronger
than our misery.” Christ told Faustina, the final moments or even seconds
before our death are flooded with God’s loving mercy. Even though a
person might have ended their own life, there was still time for God to act
and offer His mercy. God is our loving Father. He sees the hidden pain of
our hearts and He has a deep love for those who suffer physically, mentally
and emotionally. Our weakness and brokenness attract His mercy.

Therefore, we can never doubt the power of God’s mercy which flows from
His crucified heart.

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 Suicide

Witness to Truth
St. John Vianney was a humble parish priest in Ars, France. He spent
most of his life serving just one parish community, but he served them
remarkably well, and God worked wonders through him. St. John Vianney
had many spiritual gifts, but the one that has been the most documented
was his ability to “read souls” in the confessional. As a person confessed
their sins, Fr. Vianney was often able to miraculously know the details
of this person’s life or even see what would happen to that person in the
future. For this reason, people flocked to Ars and would stand in line for
hours, waiting for Fr. Vianney to hear their confession.

One day, a woman made the journey to speak to Fr. Vianney. She was
distraught. Her husband had just committed suicide by jumping from a
bridge, and she felt certain that, because of this, he was condemned to
hell for all eternity. She stood for hours in line, but still unable to reach Fr.
Vianney, she decided to leave.

At that moment, Fr. Vianney stepped out of the confessional, found the
woman in the crowd, and declared, “He is saved!” The woman shook her
head. No, that was impossible, she thought, he had taken his own life. But Fr.
Vianney continued, “I tell you he is saved. He is in Purgatory, and you must
pray for him. Between the parapet of the bridge and the water he had time
to make an act of contrition.”

The mystical vision God granted St. John Vianney offers us all a powerful
insight into the merciful love of God. God is ready to forgive and welcome
us home at any moment. God is always there, most profoundly in the final
seconds before death. Between the bridge and the water, He is there.

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 Suicide

St. John Vianney

49
 Suicide
Called to Action
Suicide prevention comes down to loving yourself and loving others. We
do this by taking good care of the lives we have been given. Work in these
simple ways to make sure those around you feel loved and to ensure that
you remain healthy.
1. Love Others: Do your siblings, cousins, and friends know how great
they are and how much you love them? Leave the joking and teasing
behind and make sure you are loving the people in your life well. Give
genuine compliments, make time for important conversations when
the people in your life are struggling, wrap your arms around those you
love, and never forget how powerful a simple smile can be for someone
who is feeling low. If someone you know seems to be really struggling,
make sure you bring it up right away with a trusted adult.
2. Love Yourself: If you are struggling with dark feelings and a desire to
hurt yourself, please tell someone. Your life is of immeasurable worth.
Do not allow shame or fear to leave you trapped in these feelings.
Remember, God’s love and mercy are attracted to us when we are weak
and broken. He is here with you now, and He desires to use the people
in your life to show you His great love for you.
3. Pray For the Dead: The dead, no matter how they died, are in need of
your prayers. So many souls are in purgatory, and they depend on our
dedicated prayers for them. Many souls in purgatory don’t have a loved
one on earth praying for them. For this reason, it is a powerful practice
to pray for all souls in purgatory.

“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”

St. Thomas More

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 Suicide
Discuss
• What is something we read today that especially stood out to you?
Why?
• Has your family or community been impacted by the tragedy of sui-
cide? Where did you see or feel Jesus coming close to you in such a
painful time?
• How can our family commit to pray for those who are struggling, those
who have lost loved ones to suicide, or for those who died by suicide?

Notes

51
 Medical
Ethics

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand,

that he may lift you up in due time.

1 Peter 5:6

52
 Medical Ethics
The Catholic Church celebrates advancements in medicine because we
know that faith and science work together in pursuit of the truth and
in service to the human person. But sometimes medical treatments and
technologies actually violate the dignity of the human person, so the
Church encourages us to be thoughtful and prayerful before we use any
new medical technology. For the most part, what modern healthcare offers
is good, but a few things fall outside of what is morally acceptable.

To help guide us, the Conference of Catholic Bishops offers us four points
to consider as we evaluate a new medical technology. First, technology
must not use one person as an object to benefit another. Second, the
technology must say “yes!” to life, and never end or damage the life of
anyone at any stage. Third, the technology must say “yes!” to marriage
and family, meaning that the technology, if reproductive, makes the bond
between husband, wife, and children stronger, not weaker, and it does not
take over an important action or function that should be done exclusively
by the members of a family. And finally, our use of technology must respect
the will of God. (Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care
Services: Sixth Edition)

To understand what all this means, let’s use the Church’s criteria to look
at some modern medical technologies, and evaluate if they are morally
permissible.

First, consider the problem of In Vitro Fertilization. In Vitro Fertilization

(IVF) is a complicated medical procedure that fertilizes an egg in a
laboratory and then places the fertilized egg inside a woman’s womb. IVF
has become a common treatment for couples experiencing infertility.

“I praise you, for I am fearfully

and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.”
Psalm 139

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IVF is often successful and produces a human life, but the use of IVF to
conceive is unethical for Catholics because IVF says “no!” to marriage.
According to God’s plan, children are created through the marital act. With
IVF, the Catechism explains, “The act which brings the child into existence
is no longer an act by which two persons give themselves to one another,
but one that “entrusts the life and identity of the embryo into the power of
doctors and biologists and establishes the domination of technology over
the origin and destiny of the human person” (CCC 2377). In other words,
God created marriage as the means for conceiving children, and that is
where children need to be created. IVF also says “no!” to life because, even
though it could result in a successful pregnancy, it almost always involves
the destruction of extra human embryos created in the lab, which we know
are persons made in the image and likeness of God.

Other means of treating infertility, however, such as hormone therapy or

surgeries to repair reproductive organs, are perfectly acceptable because
they still allow for conception to occur during the marital act and do not
involve the destruction of human life.

Consider next an ethical issue at the end of life, where a person is brain
dead and in multi-system organ failure, but their body is kept functioning
through the use of machines - like a ventilator, feeding tubes, and constant
intensive medical care - even apart from a reasonable expectation of
recovery. Medical technology can keep this person alive in this state for an
indefinite amount of time, but this would be unethical because it does not
respect the dignity of the person. As with all things, we must yield to God’s
will, including calling a person home to Himself at the end of life.

“Life and physical health are

precious gifts entrusted to us by God.
We must take reasonable care of
them, taking into account the needs
of others and the common good.”
CCC 2288

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Finally, let’s consider vaccines. You’ve probably heard conversations about
vaccines and whether or not Catholics can be vaccinated. While the science
and ethics of vaccine production is more complicated than we can fully
cover here, it’s important to get a basic understanding of the ways vaccines
are made and how the Church determines whether or not it is morally
acceptable for Catholics to receive them.

Some vaccines have been developed and produced using cell lines (a set of
cells that have been reproduced and grown in a laboratory from a single
cell) from a baby that was aborted over forty years ago. To develop these
cell lines, scientists took cells from that baby and reproduced them in a lab.
Some vaccines were created directly from these cell lines, and others used
those cell lines for testing. And some vaccines have no connection at all to
these cell lines at all.

For those vaccines that do have some connection to these cell lines, the
Church helps us make some important moral distinctions. First, vaccines
that are not created from these cell lines are okay to receive. Second, the
Church reminds us that it is never okay to commit or contribute to an
abortion, or do anything that shows approval for abortion, because it
violates the life of an unborn child. However, in the case of vaccines that
are created from these cell lines, since the abortion occurred in the past, a
person receiving a vaccine isn’t able to influence or contribute to something
that already happened. So receiving a vaccine doesn’t make you morally
responsible for the original evil. Finally, the Church reminds us that
receiving vaccines can be a moral duty because it promotes the common
good by protecting yourself and those who are weak or vulnerable to
disease. This is why the Church also says that if a Catholic does not believe
they can receive a vaccine in good conscience, they must be free to choose
that, but still do their best in other ways to stop the spread of disease and
protect the vulnerable.

For the most part, the Church rejoices in medical advancements. It is

good that diseases can be treated and lives saved. However, we are called
to be mindful and prayerful as we encounter a new medical procedure or
treatment. Ask yourself, does this benefit all people? Does it promote life
and marriage? Above all, does this technology honor God’s will or does it
try to impose our own will?

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 Medical Ethics
Wrestling with the Issues of
Medical Ethics in the Real World
Many people don’t share the Church’s concern for the sacredness of life or
God’s will. Instead, some believe that if the medical technology exists, they
should have the right to use it. They might think, ‘If I can create a baby in a
lab to overcome infertility, then why wouldn’t I?’ or ‘If I can use a little pill
to avoid the inconvenience of pregnancy, then that’s what I’m going to do!’
In these situations, a person says to God, my will be done, not Yours.

Behind this attitude is pride, the vice that tells God, ‘I don’t need you. I
can take care of this on my own.’ Very often, suffering and illness are an
invitation to lean on God, but in our modern world, instead of turning to
God, people can turn to doctors and technology. Then, if they can afford it,
a person can do whatever it takes to make sure their own will is done. We
are incredibly blessed to live in an age of such advancement in medicine
and to have access to medical treatments that serve the good of the person,
but not everything that science can do is in line with God’s will

Ultimately, the sin of pride - which prompts people to pursue their own
will instead of God’s - leads to emptiness and unhappiness. It is only when
we accept God’s plan for us, submit to His will, and refuse to take matters
into our own hands that we can find true peace.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Jesus demonstrated the power of submission to God’s will most profoundly
during the Crucifixion.

Taking His closest disciples with him, Jesus went to the Garden of
Gethsemane. There, knowing everything that would happen to Him the
following day, Jesus was overcome with sorrow and distress. Walking off by
Himself to pray, Christ begged the Father three times, “My Father, if it is
not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!”
(Matthew 26:42).
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 Medical Ethics

Jesus, fully man, was terrified as He looked to the events of the coming
day. He felt everything that we would have felt in that situation. In the
garden, Christ knew His friends would abandon Him. He knew the agony
He would endure, tied to the pillar and scourged. He knew how His own
people, the Jews, would call for His crucifixion and spit upon Him as He
carried His cross. And He knew the pain His mother would experience. He
knew all these things so intensely that He sweated blood.

And yet, even though He was terrified, He said yes to it all because it was
God’s will. Likewise, when hardship and suffering enter your life, cling to
Jesus, trusting that He knows what is best. Perhaps good medicine and
doctors working within God’s law will offer you a remedy to your pain, but
perhaps not. Regardless, Jesus will remain faithful. He will not abandon
you in pain or joy. Look to the example of Christ in the garden and
prayerfully accept God’s holy will. It is rarely easy - it wasn’t for Christ - but
God’s plan is always better and more beautiful than ours.

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Witness to Truth
St. Giuseppe Moscati was a brilliant Italian doctor, but instead of working
at some prestigious hospital, he dedicated his entire career to serving
the poor at a hospital for those with incurable diseases. His love for the
sick and suffering began when he was just a boy. When Guiseppe’s older
brother, Alberto, was a young man serving in the military, he was thrown
from his horse and suffered terrible brain damage. Guiseppe and his family
cared for Alberto when he returned home, but even as a child, it bothered
Giuseppe that he couldn’t take away his brother’s constant pain. With
nothing else to offer his brother, Giuseppe encouraged his brother to pray
with him. Soon Giuseppe realized that prayer and a deepening faith in
Jesus did offer Alberto comfort.

Giuseppe carried this discovery with him throughout his years of work as
a doctor. Often, he not only prescribed medicine to his patients, but also
prayer and the sacraments. Giuseppe Moscati also believed that one of
the best ways we can comfort those who are suffering is to simply be with
them. St. Giuseppe was known to stay late in the hospital ward and place
his hand upon a dying person, or tenderly hold their hand, praying and
remaining with them as they took their final breaths. When no medicine
could offer comfort, Giuseppe offered himself and his time to those who
were suffering.

Giuseppe began every day with Holy Mass and private prayer. He loved
medicine and strove to learn the latest procedures and treatments, but he
never lost sight of God’s will or the fact that Jesus is the Good Physician.
True healing and peace can only come through Him. The example of St.
Giuseppe Moscati shows us that we cannot separate medicine and faith.
God is the source of all healing.

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St. Giuseppe Moscati

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 Medical Ethics
Called to Action
One of the most important things you can do to live within the Church’s
teaching on issues of medical ethics is to educate yourself. However,
be cautious as you decide what you will read and who you will seek
answers from. We encourage you to seek a greater understanding of these
important topics from reputable sources that have been endorsed directly
by the Church:
1. Learn about the Theology of the Body: Learn about God’s plan for
marriage, the wonder of our bodies and the true value of the human
person.
2. Ask Your Doctor Good Questions: The next time you are in for a
checkup, challenge yourself to build a relationship with your caregiver
and ask about anything that you don’t understand. It is your duty to
make sure that you are making medical choices for yourself that are
ethical, so start attempting to understand the care you are receiving
now.
3. Learn about End-of-Life Care: Learn about how we can ensure the end
of life is a beautiful and holy time.

“Don’t get upset with your imperfections. Surrender to the

Power of God’s Love, which is greater than our weakness.”

St. Francis de Sales

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Discuss
• What are some ways you can think of where medicine and faith go
hand in hand?
• Even if we’re not in the medical field, sometimes we are also tempted to
do something that is wrong to get what we want. Can you share a time
when that happened to you?
• This topic can be especially difficult when someone in our family or
community has made wrong ethical choices. If that’s true of our family,
how can we offer this person our love while still holding tightly to the
truth?

Notes

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 Slavery
& Human
Trafficking

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand

firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened
again by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1

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Catholic teaching points to the seventh commandment, Thou Shalt Not
Steal, in its condemnation of slavery. Slavery steals, through force, a human
life and reduces it to nothing more than property. The Catechism further
explains, “It is a sin against the dignity of persons and their fundamental
rights to reduce them by violence to their productive value or to a source of
profit.” (CCC 2414)

The type of slavery most of us are familiar with is racial slavery, where one
race enslaves another race because they wrongly believe that members
of the that race are less valuable. For hundreds of years, white Europeans
traveled to Africa and enslaved the people who lived there, boarding them
on boats and bringing them to toil in North and South America. At the
time, American agriculture, specifically the cotton industry, was built on
the back of slave labor. Slavery continued in the American South until 1865
when, amid the Civil War, congress ratified the Thirteenth Amendment
which ended slavery. Catholic popes had condemned slavery and
threatened slave owners and traders with excommunication over 400 years
before this, beginning in 1435.

The Thirteenth Amendment might have ended racial slavery in the

American South, but other types of slavery continue to flourish today.
Human trafficking is a hidden type of slavery where an innocent person is
exploited and forced into slavery through force, fraud, or coercion. People
being trafficked can be forced to work as domestic servants in private
homes for little or no pay. In other situations, trafficked people labor in
factories under inhumane conditions. Most common of all, however, are
people trafficked and enslaved for the pleasure of others.

“It is a sin against the dignity of

persons and their fundamental
rights to reduce them by violence
to their productive value or to a
source of profit.”
CCC 2414

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Each situation of human trafficking is unique, but what remains constant
is that an innocent person is being controlled and treated as property. The
trafficked person is denied their freedom, and although it may not “look”
like slavery, it is. This type of slavery, along with all types of slavery, is an
affront to the dignity of the human person and unquestionably wrong.

Wrestling with the Lie

that Perpetuates Human
Trafficking in Our World
Humans are often tempted to see the strong as more valuable than the
weak. Taken a step further, some believe Satan’s lie that the strong have
the right to use the weak, completely disregarding that person’s rights and
dignity. This lie can perpetuate slavery and human trafficking, but it is also
a lie that each of us wrestles within our own relationships.

Perhaps even you have been tempted to force a younger sibling to do your
chores because you are stronger and bigger than they are. Maybe you have
witnessed classmates cutting in line or demanding special treatment from
others they think are weaker. This also happens in a larger sense in our
world when those who are rich and powerful exploit the poor.

These situations might feel far from the terrible sin of human trafficking,
but all of these evils grow out of the same lie. When we believe Satan’s lie,
we can do any number of terrible things to control and use other people.
To be clear, there is never a situation where we are allowed to use another
person for our own gain. Instead, we are called to reject Satan’s lie and
affirm the dignity of all people so that all people can be authentically free.

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The Truth of Jesus Christ

At the Last Supper, Jesus rejected the lie that the strong may prey upon
the weak, rather, He modeled service and called us to do the same. Rising
from the table, He wrapped a towel around His waist, and, bending before
each of His disciples, He washed their feet. To understand how radical
this is, you need to know that at the time of Christ only the lowest, most
unimportant servant would be asked to wash the filthy feet of his master.
This is why Peter refused at first to let Jesus wash his feet: He is God, the
Almighty! He shouldn’t have been crawling around on the floor washing
their disgusting feet. But that is exactly what Jesus did.

Returning to the table, Jesus explained why He had washed their feet.
Acknowledging that He was their Master, He said simply, “I have given you
a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John
13:15). Christ ordered His followers to go out into the world and wash the
feet of others.

In other words, to be His follower we must lower ourselves and take the
place of the weakest, most unimportant person. This is how Christ loved,
and it is how we are called to love as well. Therefore, the idea that one
person can be the master or owner of another person is a lie. We were
created to serve and love.

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Witness to Truth
Venerable Pierre Toussaint was born a slave on a sugar plantation in Haiti
in 1766. From a young age, his masters used him as a house slave and
allowed him to learn to read and write. He also received instruction in the
Catholic Faith and was devoted to the Faith.

When the slaves of Haiti rebelled in 1787, Pierre’s master and his family
fled to America, settling in New York City. There, Pierre trained as a
hairdresser. Very quickly, Pierre demonstrated a talent for doing hair, and
within a few years he was the most sought-after hair stylist in the city.

As his popularity grew, Pierre began to make a good income, but he was
still a slave. At the same time, the family that enslaved him faced ruin.
Returning to Haiti, his master died, and their plantation was burned to the
ground. Shortly thereafter, all the family’s business interests in the United
States fell apart, and this once wealthy family was left penniless. Pierre
could have purchased his freedom and left the family, but he chose to
remain and use his own income to support the family.

Throughout his remarkable life, Pierre Toussaint rejected the idea that one
human being could own another. He once said, “I have never felt I am a
slave to any man or woman, but I am a servant to the Almighty God who
made us all.” Despite his circumstances, Pierre Toussaint knew who he was
and how much he was loved by Christ Jesus.

Although Venerable Pierre Toussaint’s condemnation of slavery was not

loud or showy, it was grounded in the truth of Christ. No human being
can own another, and even when we face hatred and suffering, we can still
choose to respond with love and generosity.

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Venerable Pierre Toussaint

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Called to Action
Modern slavery, known as human trafficking, is hidden, but there is still
much we can do to fight against this evil.
1. Protect Yourself: The most common gateway to human trafficking is
social media. Traffickers are notorious liars and commonly use social
media to trap innocent people, especially the young. Never speak to
anyone online that you don’t know in real life. Never agree to meet
up with anyone you have met online. Make sure your social media
accounts are “private” and monitored closely by an adult who loves you.
2. Pray for the Victims of Human Trafficking: The victims of human
trafficking are often imprisoned by threats of violence or webs of
shame. Pray for them, that the Lord might not only comfort them but
rescue them!
3. Pray for Those Fighting Against Human Trafficking: Around the world,
a network of over 2,000 religious sisters have dedicated their lives to
helping victims of human trafficking. Support their good work with
your prayers and financial contributions.

“We must speak to them with our hands by giving,

before we try to speak to them with our lips.”

St. Peter Claver

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Discuss
• Slavery and human trafficking are a difficult and heavy topic. Is there
something that you heard today that you want to talk more about to-
gether?
• Have you ever witnessed someone being bullied, hurt, or manipulated
by someone stronger or more powerful? What did you do?
• Let’s talk about some habits - personal safety, use of phones and social
media, or others - that we can create as a family to help keep us safe.

Notes

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Pornographic
Materials

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

Matthew 5:8

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The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican features some of the most breathtaking
paintings ever created by human hands. The legendary artist Michelangelo
toiled for years in this chapel, painting various scenes across the walls and
ceiling from the Old Testament, the life of Jesus, and the lives of the saints.
Since the time it was finished in the 1500s, the Sistine Chapel has been
hailed as fine art, and to this day, thousands of tourists pass through the
chapel each year just to look up and gaze open-mouthed at the spectacular
paintings.

However, as you would notice on a trip to the Sistine Chapel, most of the
subjects Michelangelo painted are totally naked. You might even find some
of the images a little shocking. Knowing how important it is to cover the
sacred parts of our bodies, you might wonder if this is really art, or if it is
something else.

It is important to define what is art, and what is not. Where art, such as in
the Sistine Chapel, can depict the beauty of the unclothed human body and
inspire us to marvel at the wonderful God who created us, pornography
takes that beauty, as well as the intimate act of marital love, and transforms
it into entertainment that distorts true love and allows a person’s lustful
desires to consume them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us
that pornography injures the dignity of everyone involved, treats persons
as objects, and is a grave sin (CCC 2354).

Creating or consuming pornography in any form is a grave offense to the

dignity of the human person for three reasons. First, pornography per-
verts the sexual act. Sexual intimacy is something sacred and intended for

“The human body shares in the dignity

of “the image of God”: it is a human body
precisely because it is animated by a
spiritual soul, and it is the whole human
person that is intended to become, in the
body of Christ, a temple of the Spirit.”
CCC 364

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marriage. God is the author of marriage and of the marital union, or sex.
Pornography, however, displays sexual activity that has nothing to do with
the marital union or the creation of children. It removes sexual intimacy
from its rightful place and purpose and, because of that, perverts it.

Second, pornography kills authentic love by trapping a person in fantasy.

The material depicted in pornographic movies or novels deliberately leaves
behind what is real and replaces it with erotic lies. Those who regularly
consume pornography can become detached from reality and destroy their
relationships because pornography causes one to turn inward and seek
only their own pleasure. In the end, that person is left isolated from others.
Because of the way pornography stimulates the brain, a person can easily
become addicted to pornography, an addiction that effectively enslaves
them and makes them crave more and more harmful material.

Finally, pornography is a great evil because of the injury inflicted on the

actors who appear in pornographic material. The pornography industry is
filled with physical abuse, drug consumption, and mental illness. But even
beyond this, the actors become no more than objects of base desire. Por-
nography strips a person of their full dignity as a human being, a daughter
or son of the Most High God. Instead, they are simply a means to an end.

Pornography, which includes erotic pictures, novels, or films, is the great

evil of our time, one that attacks marriage, isolates people from one anoth-
er, enslaves them to addiction, and reduces human beings to no more than
objects for pleasure. We should never consume any form of pornography,
and when we are accidentally exposed to it, we should immediately close
our eyes, leave the situation, and tell an adult who loves us.

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Wrestling with the Issue of
Pornography in the Real World
Recent studies have revealed that a startling 57% of teens actively search
out porn each month. Other research shows that the average age of first
exposure to pornography is now as young as 11. Along with this, the
mental health community has discovered that pornography addiction is
a real and pervasive problem. In fact, some studies have found that up to
10% of the American adult population admits to having what they define
as an “addiction to porn.”

And it’s no wonder that so many people struggle with pornography

exposure and addiction. It is estimated that up to 12% of all websites on the
internet are devoted to pornography. Pornography is a lucrative business.
In the United States, the porn industry pulls in nearly $3 billion each year.
This revenue is fueled by addiction that creeps into all parts of a person’s
life. In a recent study, up to 20% of men and 13% of women confessed to
looking at porn while at work.

These statistics are startling, and yet, so many people don’t think
pornography is really that big of a deal. Many think that since pornography
is usually consumed alone and because it “doesn’t hurt anyone else,” it’s a
private matter that we shouldn’t worry about. Others look at the startling
statistics and assume these numbers only prove that everyone is looking at
porn, and that it’s normal. So why worry about it?

The truth is that mental health professionals are just beginning to

understand how deeply we are affected by pornography use and exposure.
But even so, as Christians, we are called to a higher standard. What we
do alone, in the privacy of our rooms, or even in the privacy of our own
minds, does matter. Even the isolated, casual use of pornography is a grave
sin that will impact our souls.

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The Truth of Jesus Christ
In His Sermon on the Mount, Christ proclaimed, “You have heard that it
was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone
who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her
in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28). What does this mean? Lust is the opposite
of love. Love chooses the good of another; lust is a disordered way of
looking at another person, using them for your own pleasure. This is why
lustful thoughts are wrong, even if you don’t act on them physically.

Christ’s message about adultery is for all people. Sin is not just something
that we do with our bodies, sin can also include our thoughts. We need to
keep both our minds and our bodies chaste.

The human mind is a powerful thing. We can remember something for

a long time, especially when that thing is vivid and pleasing. Therefore,
we need to guard what we look at and the media we consume. Casually
consuming pornography, or even movies meant for an adult audience,
can plant images in our minds that will pop up again and again, making
it difficult not to entertain those images and thoughts and fall into sinful
fantasy. The same is true with erotic passages from books. Once those
scenes enter our minds, they can stick around and lead us to sin for a long,
long time.

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Christ continued His teaching on adultery saying, “If your right eye causes
you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of
your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if
your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better
for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into
hell” (Matthew 5:29-30). Jesus instructed us to remove the things from our
lives that lead us to sin.

Life without a smartphone may be inconvenient, but if your smartphone

leads you to pornography, get rid of it. Likewise, friends are a wonderful
blessing, but if one friend is constantly exposing you to porn or pressuring
you to consume it, end the friendship! This is what it means to “avoid the
near occasion of sin,” which is a phrase we say each time we recite the Act
of Contrition. The near occasion of sin is a situation where we are likely to
sin or be tempted to sin. And we should avoid those situations because we
want to avoid sin. Truly, your salvation is worth so much more than your
smartphone or social media or even a friendship. Cut these things out of
your life so you can avoid this terrible sin and addiction.

Finally, if you have been exposed to pornography, or even if you have fallen
into the sin of consuming pornography, please know that Christ does
not reject you. Whenever He met a sinner, whether that person was a tax
collector or prostitute, He always looked at that person with compassion
and offered them a new beginning. Christ desires only to love you. Christ
sees who you really are, and He is not afraid to confront this sin with you.

If He was sitting beside you Christ would say, “I am so sorry you saw that,
or read that. What you saw or read was a terrible lie. You were made for
so much more.” And, as He said to so many of the suffering whom He
encountered during His public ministry, He would then ask you, “Do you
want to be healed?” If you desire healing, He will walk this long, hard
journey toward healing with you, but you need to want it! True healing and
freedom is possible, but only through Jesus Christ.

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Witness to Truth
St. Jude was the brother of James the Lesser and a cousin of Jesus. As
His cousin, Jude likely grew up with Jesus and knew Him quite well, and
when His public ministry began, Christ called Jude to be one of the twelve
Apostles. Jude was present for the Last Supper, he witnessed Christ after
the Resurrection, and he was present at Pentecost. After Christ ascended
to heaven, Jude worked hard to spread the Faith. He traveled throughout
Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Libya. In the end, he
died a martyr for the Faith in Armenia.

St. Jude is often depicted holding an image of Christ’s face, known as the
Image of Edessa. According to pious legend, a local king during the time of
Christ, King Abgar of Edessa, was suffering from leprosy. Hearing of Christ
and believing that Christ could heal him, King Abgar sent a letter to Jesus,
begging Him to come to his castle. Jesus declined the invitation, but He
was impressed by the king’s faith. Taking a clean cloth, Christ pressed His
face into it, and on the cloth appeared a miraculous image of His face. Jesus
asked Jude to carry the image to the king. Upon seeing the image, the king
was healed, and his entire court converted.

The Image of Edessa is commonly recognized as the first icon, an image of

Christ that is venerated and used as a means of meditation. Icons, statues,
beautiful stained glass windows, and paintings remind us of the power
of images. Pictures help form our imagination and can pull us closer
to Christ Himself. Christ, being fully human, understood the power of
images and employed this power to heal a foreign king and convert people.
Today, our churches are full of images that help us understand the Faith
and pray. Unholy images, however, can have the opposite effect. Erotic or
pornographic images can cloud our mind, keep Christ out, and lead us
deeply into sin.

Christ chose St. Jude to carry His image to King Abgar, and for many
suffering with pornography addictions, Christ once again chooses St.
Jude to help. After his death, veneration of St. Jude dwindled because
early Christians wrongly feared that by praying to St. Jude they would
accidentally be praying to Judas, the betrayer of Christ, because their
names were so similar. Therefore, St. Jude became known as the patron
saint of “Impossible Cases,” since a Christian would only pray to him if
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St. Jude
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they were truly desperate. Again and again, however, St. Jude has proved
worthy of this title. As an intercessor, he takes on the most desperate cases
and brings them to the throne of God. In our modern times, the dark sin
of pornography and the addiction it often leads to has been brought to St.
Jude, and he is ready to help. He is not afraid to take on this cause, and St.
Jude begs us to look upon the Image of Edessa, the image of Christ, and be
reminded that Christ will not abandon us to our sin and addiction.

Called to Action
Pornography consumption today is nothing short of an epidemic.
Countless marriages have been ruined through porn use, and every day
young children are exposed to material that robs them of their innocence.
We are all called to fight this evil. Here are some simple things you can do
to protect yourself and those you love from pornography.
1. Look Away: If an image pops up, or a scene in a book suddenly turns erotic,
train yourself to immediately look away. Shut the screen or put down the
book immediately. Although you might feel curious, continuing to read or
watch is not worth it. Look away!
2. Don’t Keep It a Secret: When you encounter an image, scene, or book that
makes you feel funny, maybe slightly ashamed or aroused, don’t dismiss it or
laugh it away. Chances are, you have seen or read something evil. Bring this
to your parent’s attention so they can help you understand it and, potentially,
better protect other family members. Trust that your parents will not be angry
with you. They love you and they will help you understand what is true.
3. Get Rid of It: As Christ said, if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it
off! Although we aren’t called to remove body parts, we are called to get rid
of things that lead us to sin. Is your phone too much of a temptation? Get rid
of it, or leave it with your parents each night before you go to bed. Is there
a specific time, place, or circumstance where you often fall into sin? For
example, if boredom leads to temptation, add a volunteer or athletic activity
to your schedule. Is the book series you are reading leading you to fantasy?
Get rid of them, and instead, read something that can pull you closer to the
heart of Jesus.
4. Fill Your Home with Holy and Beautiful Images: Place beautiful religious art
around your home and watch a series like The Chosen so that you and your
family might be surrounded by the powerful image of Christ.

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 Pornographic Materials

Discuss
• What do you think was the most important thing we read together in
this section?
• Remembering that there is nothing we cannot face together and noth-
ing that God won’t forgive, have you ever encountered pornography? Is
it something that you are struggling with?
• What are some habits that our family can develop to protect our eyes
and hearts from pornography?

Notes

“Those whose hearts are pure are the

temples of the Holy Spirit.”

St. Lucy
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Transgenderism

“But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not
be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Luke 12:7

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 Transgenderism
Transgenderism is a complex issue that has recently become prominent
in the culture. The Catholic Church is still in the process of forming its
pastoral response to this issue, but Church teaching on the dignity of
the human person helps us see the truth in a world very confused about
gender and identity.

First of all, transgenderism is a big term used for people suffering from a
variety of gender identity issues. Sadly, some people experience gender
dysphoria, a condition of mental and emotional discomfort, confusion,
and distress resulting in feelings of a ‘mismatch’ of gender and sex. For
example, a man might feel that he is really a woman and was born in the
wrong body. As he wrestles with these feelings, he might choose to dress
like a woman or even, in the extreme, undergo a sex-reassingment surgery.
While sex-reassignemnt surgeries can attempt to change a person’s bodily
appearance it cannot, however, change a peson’s sex, since our sex is
written into our very DNA.

Transgenderism is also used to describe people who feel they are neither
male nor female. Yes, they have the body of either a man or a woman, but
they don’t feel they are either. Secular sources confuse the issue further by
often offering more than two genders to choose from. In fact, Facebook
offers over fifty possible ‘genders’ when new users set up an account. There
are also people who feel that their gender is ‘fluid’ and changes over time.

The driving force behind transgender awareness is a social movement

that is becoming more and more political. The effects of the transgender
movement can be seen at almost every level of society. Mainstream
culture celebrates people who have undergone sex changes. Some schools

“So God created humankind

in his image, in the image of
God he created them; male and
female he created them.”
Genesis 1:27

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 Transgenderism
are pushing transgender advocacy through children’s books and new
educational principles. Hospitals and doctors are regularly pressured to
offer ‘trans-affirming healthcare.’ Even gender specific restrooms are places
of controversy. Finally, using the wrong pronouns for a person can be seen
as an act of violence. Transgenderism has become a hugely significant
moral issue of our time, and it is important that we remain grounded in
truth as we attempt to understand this issue and the people it affects.

As Christians, we must begin this conversation with love. Although it

is unclear what causes gender confusion, the Church affirms that the
pain and trauma suffered by people with gender confusion is real, and as
Christians, our first duty is to love and care for those who suffer. Once
again, all people are children of God, worthy of love and respect.

Part of being a loving person, however, demands that we speak the truth,
and to discover the truth, we must go all the way back to the beginning. At
the moment of creation, we hear these powerful words, “So God created
humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and
female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

Throughout the centuries, humans have debated the link between body
and soul. An early group of Christian heretics called the Gnostics claimed
that only the mind and spirit were good, while the body and all material
objects were bad. Philosophers centuries later argued that our bodies are
simply machines in which our spirits dwell. Both of these ideas are wrong,
and yet these principles have, in part, given birth to the transgender
movement.

Transgenderism is based on the idea that my sex (the DNA written into
every one of my cells and informs my body whether it is male or female)
and my gender (the way I feel and define myself) are disconnected. In
other words, there is no connection between the body and the soul.

However, the Church has rejected this lie. Not only are the body and soul
connected, our body and our soul are inseparable. Our body informs our
soul, and our soul informs our body. The Church also affirms that each
person is made by God with loving attention to detail.

We must still, however, keep in mind that people really do suffer with

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 Transgenderism
gender confusion. So how can we help them? The world is determined
to help persons with gender confusion with hormone drugs and sex-
reassignment surgeries. Both of these attempts to help, however, change or
damage the body, which is a precious gift from God. These attempts to help
treat the person as if the body and the soul are separate. Instead of working
to change the body, we must instead attempt to heal a person’s mind and
help it to experience its true unity with the body. Healing through spiritual
direction, therapy, and loving support is slower than a surgery, but in the
end, it is the only way to honor the way that both our bodies and our souls
were created.

Wrestling with the Issue of

Transgenderism in the Real World
The surge of transgender discussion has ushered in a new age of “self-
awareness.” Even at a young age, children are beginning to wonder if they
can trust the shape of their bodies. While self-awareness is good, doing it
without the One who created us, or relying only on our feelings to guide
us, can be dangerous.

It is not uncommon for children to experience gender confusion to some

degree. The arbitrary gender roles we see in the world might make us
question our identity, whether it’s a boy who enjoys baking or a girl who
excels at sports. Please know that the way the world defines gender is very
incomplete. We are so much more than our favorite color or preferred
activity.

The Church speaks of gender as genius. Women have a particular genius

we identify as the feminine genius, and men have a masculine genius.
This genius unfolds in uniquely beautiful ways for each and every person
and is so much deeper than the choices we make concerning clothing or
entertainment and is not defined by stereotypes or arbitrary gender roles.

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 Transgenderism
Men and women complement each other in the deepest way through their
geniuses and together reveal a more complete picture of the heart of God.

The way our feminine or masculine genius unfolds is part of life’s great
adventure. Many of our talents and desires will develop over time through
our vocation. Our society, however, places a heavy focus on self-discovery,
telling young people that only you can discover who you are, and that this
discovery is something you should do all on your own.

This lie - that discovering one’s gender identity is a personal journey -

however, often keeps us silent as others struggle. Instead of sharing the
truth that our bodies should inform our souls and that femininity and
masculinity aren’t as narrowly defined as society tells us, we support a
person in their confusion and, in a way, allow them to fall deeper into that
confusion. Although we should all actively seek a better understanding of
who we are, Christ begs us to look to Him for our identity.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

While traveling through Jericho, crowds swarmed Jesus. Wishing to get
a better view of Christ as He passed, a man named Zacchaeus climbed a
sycamore tree. Now, Zacchaeus was a man with a reputation in Jericho,
and the Jewish community was quick to define him. Zacchaeus was the
chief tax collector. He was also fabulously rich, unusually short, and, most
importantly, a notorious sinner.

Regardless of how his community saw him, Zacchaeus longed to see Jesus.
Perched on a branch, he watched Jesus approach, and to his amazement,
Christ looked up and spoke to him, saying, “‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come
down; for I must stay at your house today’ (Luke 19:5). Thrilled, Zacchaeus

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 Transgenderism
leapt down and welcomed Christ into his home. But the people of Jericho
were upset. The famous Jewish preacher had gone to eat in the house of a
sinner!

In the presence of Jesus, the Son of God, something remarkable happened

to Zacchaeus. He came to understand who he really was. Zacchaeus
repented of his past sins and pledged to give half his possessions to the
poor and repay anyone he had cheated. Happy that Zacchaeus had claimed
his true identity, Christ responded, “Today salvation has come to this
house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to
seek out and to save the lost (Luke 19:9-10).

The story of Zacchaeus is a powerful reminder that we can only discover

who we really are through a relationship with Christ Jesus. The people
of Jericho thought Zacchaeus was one thing. Zacchaeus thought he was
something else. But Christ broke down all those lies and showed Zacchaeus
that he belonged to God and that salvation was for Him too. Likewise,
we must find ourselves in Christ first. The opinions of others and the
multitude of emotions that we feel can confuse things. In order to fully
understand who we are, we need to go to Jesus.

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 Transgenderism
Witness to Truth
Born to poor French farmers in the 1400s, Joan of Arc was singled out by
God to lead the French army to victory and restore the French king to his
throne. For years, war had raged between France and England. Charles
VII, the heir to the French throne, remained only the crown prince, since
England occupied the French capital. Things were getting desperate in
France, and many begged God to intervene, which He did through Joan.

From a young age, Joan had mystical experiences and heard voices. Slowly,
she realized that these voices were the voices of St. Michael the Archangel,
St. Margaret of Antioch, and St. Catherine of Alexandria. Each of these
great saints prepared Joan for God’s work. Eventually, Joan realized that
God was calling her to confront the king and take charge of his army. And
so, unafraid and confident in God, Joan left home to do just that.

Before reaching the king, Joan did something radical. She cut her hair
in the style of a boy and exchanged her feminine clothes for those of a
man. During the 1400s, a woman appearing as a man would have been
scandalous. She was a shocking sight, and yet, Joan never pretended to
be a man. She was a woman, through and through, dressed and acting
according to God’s will for her. Since she would be taking charge of the
army, it was only fitting that she dress for the job.

Eventually, Joan was given an audience with Charles VII, and after she
revealed powerful details that only God could have known, Charles placed
his entire army under Joan’s command and sent them to Orleans. Charles
decided in Orleans that if Joan won a decisive victory, it would prove that
she really was sent from God.

Leading the troops into battle, Joan wore gleaming white armor and held
a flag with symbols for Jesus and Mary. Under Joan’s command, France
was victorious and the English were beaten back. Joan went on to lead the
French to many other victories, but when the war had turned in France’s
favor, she was betrayed by her own countrymen. Joan was captured and
sold to the English as a prisoner.

In England, her captors were desperate to find some reason to condemn

her. She was a dangerous military leader, but beyond that, the way she
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 Transgenderism

St. Joan of Arc

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 Transgenderism
spoke with authority and dressed like a man made them uncomfortable.
Eventually, Joan was tried as a witch and found guilty. Condemned to
death, Joan was burned at the stake. Her final word was simply, “Jesus.”

The incredible story of St. Joan of Arc should remind us all that we are
so much more than the way we dress or style our hair. Also, the opinions
of others don’t change our identity. Our true self can only be known and
lived-out through a relationship with Jesus. God, who created us body and
soul, has a bold purpose for us. Just like St. Joan of Arc, we are called to
prayerfully discern God’s will for us and follow where He leads.

Called to Action
Transgender issues are a big part of the world we live in. There is no way to
avoid being part of the conversation. Here are some simple ways that you
can speak the truth and live out that truth in love.
1. Seek Authentic Self-Discovery: Discovering who we are and what we
were created for is an important part of growing up, but make sure that
God is at your side as you do this work. Trust that Christ knows you
better than you know yourself. Meet Him in prayer each day and ask
Him to reveal yourself to you.
2. Always Love the Person: As we debate topics like transgenderism, it can
be tempting to forget that real people are affected by gender confusion
in serious ways. The pain for them is real. Remain grounded in the
truth that our bodies do reveal who we are, but don’t ever forget to love
and care for those who are suffering.
3. Respect Your Body: It can be tempting to want to change our bodies for
various reasons, but God created your body out of love. Your body is a
gift! Therefore, treat it with respect. Strive to not only remain physically
healthy, but look at your body in a healthy way. You are a daughter or
son of God and you are beautiful!

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 Transgenderism
Discuss
• Transgenderism can be a confusing and difficult topic, and there was a
lot of information that we covered today. Is there something from our
reading that you want to talk about more?
• We can discover who we really are - as a son or daughter of God - in
Jesus. Let’s brainstorm a quick list of the God-given gifts that make you
uniquely you.
• If there is someone in our family or community who experiences gen-
der confusion, how can we love them with the love of Jesus? If not, then
how can our family be a witness to the truth in a confused culture?

Notes

“Christ made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace

and virtue. I belong to Him whom the angels serve. “

St. Agnes of Rome

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 Theme 2

The Call to
Family

90
As we explore the next theme of Catholic Social Teaching, the Call to
Family, it is key that you get in touch with the awesome institution of
family. To do this, find a large mirror and stand in front of it. Look
carefully at yourself, the details of your eyes, mouth, hair, and nose.
Explore all the tiny details that make you unique.

You are an unrepeatable creation, but you are also a remarkable blending
of your mother and father, their families, and generations of ancestors.
Perhaps you have hair like your mother, eyes like your father, and
your nose is somewhere in the middle. Or maybe you inherited your
grandfather’s wit and your uncle’s temper. Our features are a constant
reminder that God allowed two people, our parents, to be our co-creators.
We came into existence through the choices of our parents.

The relationship of a man and woman is the starting point of a family.

Marriage is an institution created by God to unite a man and a woman, to
raise children and form those children in the Faith. No family is perfect,
but it is God’s perfect plan that each person grows and develops in the
loving community of a family. Just as a family is a community of love, so is
God. God is Trinity, one God with three distinct Persons: the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. God, the perfect community of love, pours Himself out in
love. Therefore, we too are called to pour ourselves out in love within our
families.

Throughout Salvation History, God made covenants with people, even

whole tribes of people, to bring them into His family. Through His life,
Christ reaffirms the importance of family by belonging to one. As we read
in the Catechism, “Christ chose to be born and grow up in the bosom of
the holy family of Joseph and Mary. The Church is nothing other than
“the family of God.” From the beginning, the core of the Church was often
constituted by those who had become believers “together with all [their]
household” (CCC 1655).

Marriage and family, however, are under attack in our society. The basic
principles of love and family have become confused, so in this section we
will seek truth as we discuss chastity, sex outside of marriage, openness to
life, divorce, same-sex-marriage, and homosexuality.

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Chastity

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

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 Chastity
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “All Christ’s faithful are called
to lead a chaste life in keeping with their particular states of life” (CCC
2348). And so, if chastity is the calling for each Christian, we must strive to
understand exactly what chastity is.

Chastity is a way of life that honors God’s plan for our sexuality and the
sexuality of others. Although there are several “rules” that help us live a chaste
life, the virtue of chastity is primarily about living in accordance with the way
we were created to live. We can see a perfect example of this created purpose
in Adam and Eve before the Fall.

Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve lived in loving harmony.
Each time they interacted, they were able to see the other person as who
they authentically were, filled with dignity and worthy of love. Therefore,
unclouded by sin, Adam was able to give himself fully to Eve in an appropriate
way, and lovingly receive all of her, without any selfishness or fear.

But sin changed all of that. Sin not only damaged man’s relationship with God,
it warped the relationships we have with other people. The perfect harmony
that Adam and Eve had with each other in the garden was lost. Instead,
humans now have secret motives, impure thoughts, and a desire to use people.

Thankfully, God refuses to abandon us to sin. Instead, He offers a remedy

for the temptations of lust, use, and sexual sin. That remedy is the virtue of
chastity. A chaste person rejects the temptation to be ruled by sexual passions
through the practice of self-mastery. A chaste person guards their eyes from
consuming tempting images, and they strive to see each person as good,
worthy of respect and love, and made in the image and likeness of God.

Chastity is a virtue practiced by Christians in every vocation: single, married

and religious life. There are various rules that help Christians to live a chaste
life within their particular vocation. These rules, however, do not diminish our

“Chastity means the successful

integration of sexuality within the
person and thus the inner unity of
man in his bodily and spiritual being.”
CCC 2337
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 Chastity
freedom. Quite the opposite actually. We can only experience true freedom
and joy when we embrace the virtue of chastity. Chastity frees us from
being slaves to our desires and temptation and allows us to build authentic
relationships that are based in love.

Wrestling with the Issue of

Chastity in the Real World
Chastity is deeply misunderstood in our society, which sees chastity as little
more than abstinence (not engaging in the sexual act). Some think that
as long as you aren’t having sex, you are being chaste! But that’s not true.
Chastity demands living totally in accord with God’s plan for our body. Things
like lusting for another person in your heart or making sexually charged
comments are all sins against chastity.

Many also wrongly assume that only single people are asked to be chaste.
Chastity, however, is a virtue that each and every Christian is called to
practice. As we strive for chastity, we must first acknowledge the wonderful
way each human being is made. We are all both body and soul, and we give
and receive love through both our bodies and our souls. In fact, giving and
receiving love is the very thing we were created to do!

In order to live in integrity according to the virtue of chastity, we need to

discover the best way to love each person we encounter. Chastity allows us to
honestly and lovingly participate in all of our relationships. For example, we
love our parents in a different way than we love our friends. Also, a priest loves
his parishioners in a different way than a husband and a wife love each other.
Each of these relationships is good and holy, but different. Chastity is the
virtue that allows us to use our bodies and souls to love others appropriately in
each and every situation.

Love is the key to chastity, no matter what vocation you are called to. True love
is not just a feeling, it is a choice. When we love another person, we seek what
is good for them. Outside of marriage, chastity does mean refusing to engage
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 Chastity
in any sexual activity because we know that sex outside of marriage is a lie.
We abstain from sex with a boyfriend or girlfriend because we love them and
know that marriage is the only place sex is appropriate. A single chaste person
refuses to engage in sex outside of marriage because of their love for their
future spouse, even though they might not have met them yet.

Again, chastity is for everyone, not just those who are single. A priest or
religious person vows to be celibate for the rest of their life, offering their
entire self to Jesus and the Church, including their sexuality. And married
couples practice chastity by giving themselves exclusively to their spouse,
sharing their whole self with their spouse and being open to life.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

In chapters five, six and seven of Matthew’s Gospel, commonly referred to as
the Sermon on the Mount, Christ explained exactly what it means to be His
disciple. Central to this explanation are the eight Beatitudes. Christ gave us the
Beatitudes to show us how to be happy. They are all important, but let’s focus
for a moment on this one: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God.”

The larger virtue of chastity is synonymous with being pure of heart, and
Christ explained that when we are pure of heart, we will be happy, or blessed,
because we will be able to see God.

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 Chastity
As He did several times in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught that sin
comes from within, and we need to closely monitor our motives and thoughts.
All the temptations against chastity are really rooted in selfishness. Lust
prompts us to look at another person and see them as an object, something
that can be used for our own gratification and then thrown away. A pure heart,
however, is a heart modeled after God. A pure heart looks at another person
and sees them as a unique and complete human being, worthy of love and
respect.

Purity of heart leads to blessedness, or happiness, because we are able to

see everything correctly. Free from selfish desires, we see others as God
created them. Attempting to love others with a lustful heart is like trying to
see through dirty glasses. It is only when our heart is pure, our minds free
from lust, and our bodies are treated as a sacred gift, that we are able to love
ourselves, love others, and love God properly.

Witness to Truth
Pope Saint John Paul II is an exceptional model of any number of virtues. He
lived under the Nazi and then Soviet regimes in Poland, and through it all,
he persevered and followed the Lord’s call to be a priest, then a bishop and
cardinal. Throughout his life he remained very close to our Blessed Mother,
showed love and respect for everyone he met, and fought for freedom through
peaceful means. After he was elected pope he sought unity between Christians
and was a remarkable example of forgiveness after an assassin attempted to
take his life.

Through it all, however, John Paul II was on a mission to teach all people
about love and self-gift. As a young priest, he spent time with young married
couples, camping with them and teaching them about genuine love through
chastity. Later he would write Love and Responsibility, working to let people of
all ages and vocations know that their primary vocation is love.

He explained in Love and Responsibility, “A person’s rightful due is to be

treated as an object of love, not as an object for use.” Living a chaste life
depends on our ability to see the whole person, both in and outside of
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 Chastity

Pope St. John Paul II

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 Chastity
marriage, and never reduce a person to the things they can do for us.

John Paul II also looked to Jesus as the ultimate example of how we should
love other people. Jesus willingly suffered and died on the cross out of love
for us. Therefore, if we are going to genuinely and completely love others, we
need to realize that, “Love between man and woman cannot be built without
sacrifices and self-denial.” This loving sacrifice begins before marriage, when
single people deny themselves certain pleasures out of love for their future
spouse. Loving sacrifice continues throughout the Sacrament of Marriage
as each spouse continues to choose to overlook their own desires and think
instead about the needs of their beloved.

Pope Saint John Paul II reminds us that although there are plenty of “rules”
to help us remain chaste, a life according to these rules will ultimately lead
to our freedom. After all, we were made for love, and we are only as free as
our capacity to love. If we are trapped in selfishness, lust and use, then we
are limited in our ability to love others. Confronting and removing those
temptations and committing to live in purity will make us free to love and be
loved in return.

Called to Action
Chastity is a virtue we need to practice our entire life. Each day we can make
choices that lead us closer to the pure heart Christ desires for us. Here are
some ideas to help you do this.
1. See Your Body As a Sacred Gift: God created us body and soul, therefore
your body is a gift. If you are called to marriage, one day you will share
that gift with another person, but until then, make sure you properly
respect your body by making healthy choices, wearing appropriate
clothing, and using your body for good.
2. Evaluate Your Friendships: Fundamental to chastity is seeing others as
more than just objects. This applies to both romantic and non-romantic
relationships. Therefore, evaluate your friendships. Are you friends with
someone just because they do something for you? Or, are you friends with
them because you genuinely love them?
3. Guard Your Thoughts: The battle for purity is fought largely in the mind.
Giving your mind over to lust - like dwelling on impure thoughts or
images you’ve seen in the past - is a sin against purity. Remember this, and
when an impure thought comes into your mind, train yourself to reject it
and turn to Jesus in prayer.
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 Chastity

Discuss
• What are some ways that you have seen love and marriage get twisted
or confused in our community or society?
• How do you use your body right now to show affection, love, and ser-
vice to the people you love?
• It is likely that someday you will have the opportunity to explain the
virtue of chastity to a friend or family member. What is something you
would tell them about how chastity helps us to be truly free?

Notes

“When you decide firmly to lead a clean life, chastity will

not be a burden on you: it will be a crown of triumph.”

St. Josemaria Escriva

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Sex Outside of
Marriage

“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is

united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

Genesis 2:24

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 Sex Outside of Marriage
The Catechism explains that sex outside of marriage “is gravely contrary to
the dignity of persons and of human sexuality which is naturally ordered
to the good of spouses and the generation and education of children”
(CCC 2353). In other words, when sex takes place outside of marriage and
without openness to the natural possibility of children, it works against the
dignity of the human person. To understand this more fully, we must not
just understand why sex outside of marriage is bad, but more importantly,
why sex inside of marriage is so good.

Before we start this conversation we need to agree on something: sex is

not dirty or shameful. Sex is private and intimate, but when it occurs in
marriage it is good and beautiful. God is the author of all good things,
including both sex and marriage. The Church tells us, “Since God created
him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute
and unfailing love with which God loves man” (CCC 1604.) In other
words, married love helps us to understand the intensity with which God
loves us!

Through His perfect design, God allows humans to participate in the

creation of life. Even angels don’t have that gift, but we do! Sex is an
intimate and special way that spouses express their love for each other.
Because sex expresses love in a physical way, each time a couple engages
in the marital act, they are renewing their wedding vows. Marriage is a
sacrament that unites two people for life, so the love expressed through
sex is permanent, and can result in a new person, a child, which becomes a
sign to the world of his or her parent’s love for each other.

“Sexuality, in which man’s belonging

to the bodily and biological world is
expressed, becomes personal and truly
human when it is integrated into the
relationship of one person to another, in
the complete and lifelong mutual gift of
a man and a woman.”
CCC 2337
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 Sex Outside of Marriage
That is what God intended for sex and marriage. Sex has the power to bond
two people together forever and to create a baby. However, if sex is used
casually, it becomes a lie that has the power to rip people apart and leave
deep wounds.

Wrestling with the Issue of Sex Outside

of Marriage in the Real World
Mainstream culture claims that sex outside of marriage is neither right nor
wrong, it’s just whatever you decide is best for you. From what we see and
hear on TV and social media, we might think that lots of people are having
sex outside marriage without any consequences. It can be easy to believe
that sex is no more than a personal preference, or that it isn’t a big deal. In
reality, the stakes around casual sex are actually quite high.

Whenever and however sex occurs outside of marriage, it is wrong. There

are real consequences to engaging in casual sex, including unexpected
pregnancies, STDs, and emotional trauma; but even beyond that, sex
outside of marriage is wrong because it is a lie.

We can lie with our bodies just as we lie with our words. When a person
engages in sex with another person they are saying with their body, “I give
myself totally to you forever.” This is what married people commit to each
time they engage in sex. Sex outside of marriage communicates the same
thing, but outside of marriage this message, of course, is a lie. Because of
this lie, every single time sex occurs outside of marriage it leaves wounds.

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The Truth of Jesus Christ

Jesus experienced how powerful lies can be, especially lies told with our
bodies. The night before He died, Jesus took His closest followers to a
garden and asked them to pray. All through the night they prayed, and
Jesus suffered greatly knowing what He would endure the following day.
Shortly before dawn, a group of soldiers sent by the high priest entered
the garden carrying torches, clubs and swords. They had been led there by
Judas, one of Jesus’s friends.

Entering the garden, Judas walked right up to Christ, addressed Him

as Teacher, and kissed Him. A kiss, the universal sign of love, trust, and
closeness, that is how Judas chose to betray the Messiah.

Jesus seemed almost confused in Matthew’s Gospel when this happened.

After the kiss, He turned to Judas and said simply, “Friend, why have
you come?” (Matthew 26:50). But before Judas could answer, the soldiers
grabbed Jesus and bound Him.

Judas took an act of love and turned it into something evil and destructive.
A kiss when passed between friends or spouses helps love and trust to
grow. But a kiss used to betray destroys love and trust. This lie wounded
both Jesus and Judas. Upon leaving the garden, Judas was filled with self-
loathing and regret, and Judas soon took his own life.

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Christ challenges us to not only root out dishonesty in our language but
also in our actions. And, the only possible way to truly mean what your
body says in the act of sexual intercourse is to be in a committed and
sacramental marriage. In any other circumstance, sex is a lie.

Witness to Truth
St. Augustine of Hippo is one of the most important saints in the history of
the Catholic Church. Although he lived over a millennium and a half ago,
he remains one of the most influential Christian theologians; but for the
first half of his life, he was neither Christian nor chaste.

Born in Northern Africa in 354, Augustine was raised by a Christian

mother and pagan father. His family was wealthy and part of the Roman
ruling class, and from a young age he rejected Christianity and embraced
a pagan lifestyle. Gifted with a brilliant mind, Augustine excelled in school
and traveled throughout the Roman Empire, first as a student and then a
teacher.

As a young man, Augustine was surrounded by pagan ideals, including

many lies about sex, often hearing older boys brag about their sexual
activities. At the time, he was a pagan so he saw no reason not to have as
many sexual partners as he desired with no thought to marriage. For fifteen
years before his conversion, Augustine lived with a woman he was not
married to and even fathered a child with her.

Through this all, however, God was working on St. Augustine’s heart.
Searching for truth, Augustine began to explore Christian theology and
was captivated by the preaching of St. Ambrose. But even after Augustine
was convinced that Christianity was the truth, he failed to convert, fearing
that he’d never be able to stop sinning. Augustine later described himself
as a “slave to lust.” But God is bigger than even deep sexual sin. In time,
God heard the prayers of St. Monica, Augustine’s mother. Augustine left
his sinful life behind and converted to the Christian Faith. He was baptized
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St. Augustine of Hippo

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 Sex Outside of Marriage
along with his son, and after his son tragically died, Augustine became a
priest and then a bishop.

Reflecting back on his own sins, St. Augustine realized that humans can
only be free if we live in Christ’s grace. In other words, true freedom is
not being able to do whatever we want whenever we want. True freedom
is being able to choose to do what is right, no matter the struggle or
consequence. We can only make this sometimes-difficult choice through
Christ’s strength, found in His grace which we have access to through the
sacraments.

Called to Action
There are several things you can do right now as you strive to grow in the
virtue of chastity.
1. Commit to Waiting Until Marriage: Although marriage might be a long
way off, commit to saving sexual activity for marriage. Prayerfully share
this promise with God and ask Him to give you the fortitude required
to arrive at your wedding day chaste and without a single regret.
2. Declare Your Intentions At the Beginning of a Relationship: When you
begin dating, be clear that your plan is to wait until you are married
to engage in sex. Make it clear from the beginning so there is no
confusion or unwanted pressure. Also, remember that dating is good
as long as the intention is to explore the possibility of marriage. If you
aren’t ready for marriage then perhaps you should wait to start dating.
3. Pray for Your Future Spouse: If you feel that God will one day call you
to the vocation of marriage, start praying for your future spouse right
now! They are experiencing the same confusing messages in the world
and facing the same temptations. Even though you don’t know them
yet, God knows who they are, and your prayers can be a great help to
them.
4. Trust in God’s Mercy: If you do fail to live a chaste life in any way,
remain confident in God’s willingness to forgive you and His ability to
restore you. No matter how sexual sin might creep into your life, God is
always there. Trust that He is not ashamed of you, no matter what. God
desires only to offer you His mercy and a new beginning.

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Discuss
• What did you think was the most important thing we read in this sec-
tion? Why did it stand out to you?
• What are some ways that we can lie with our bodies? How does it
wound both people (the one lying and the one being lied to)?
• The virtue of chastity is an important gift that helps us to keep sex sa-
cred. What are some ways our family can grow in this virtue together?

Notes

“More souls go to hell because of sins of the

flesh than for any other reason.”
Our Lady of Fatima
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 Openness
to Life

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it

be with me according to your word.”

Luke 1:38

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 Openness to Life
The birth of a child is a wonder. A new human being, unique and
unrepeatable, has entered the world. Completely helpless, that child reminds
us of the awesome power of God, our own total dependence on Him, and
the life-creating love that brought us all into existence.

The Catechism echoes this sense of awe. “A child does not come from outside
as something added on to the mutual love of the spouses, but springs from
the very heart of that mutual giving, as its fruit and fulfillment” (CCC 2366).
Therefore, a child is love. Children were created out of love and they enter
the world as a lasting sign of that love.

The sad truth, however, is that in our society children are not always
welcome, both inside and outside of marriage. Contraceptive technology,
such as hormonal birth control and condoms, make it possible for a couple
to engage in sex without the worry of creating a child. Contraception is the
use of any physical or chemical means to prevent a new life from happening
as a result of sexual union. When these technologies were introduced a few
decades ago, many welcomed them as a “cure” to unwanted pregnancies,
but from the beginning, the Church condemned anything that separates sex
and pregnancy. The Catechism explains, “it is necessary that each and every
marriage act remain ordered per se to the procreation of human life” (CCC
2366). But why? Why can’t sex just be about...sex?

God, the author of sex, created it to be the ultimate way that a husband and
a wife can demonstrate their love for each other. Sex requires a total gift of
self. In the marital act, the spouses give themselves entirely to the other. They
offer their bodies, souls, minds, past, future and present. All of it. However,
when a contraceptive is used, a total gift of self isn’t possible. In those
situations, one spouse instead says to the other, “I want all of you...just not
your fertility. I also don’t want any future consequences because of this act.”

“it is necessary that each

and every marriage act
remain ordered per se to the
procreation of human life.”
CCC 2366

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Remember that a marriage is actually made up of three people: husband,
wife, and God. The love of God is what holds the couple together. Through
the use of contraception, a couple is pushing God out of the relationship.
Contraception tells God that we aren’t interested in His gifts or His plans.

Wrestling with the Issue of

Contraception in the Real World
The widespread use of contraception has caused so many to believe that sex
and procreation are separate, that sex is not about babies. Instead, sex has
become about lots of other things like pleasure or emotional connection.
Now, pleasure and emotional connection have always been a part of God’s
plan for sex. However, it is simply impossible to remove one element of what
sex is and expect it to remain whole. It would be similar to removing one leg
of a chair and expecting it to still function as a chair. Without that fourth leg,
a chair is no longer a chair! Likewise, through the use of contraception, sex
becomes something other than what God intended.

But then why do so many see it as such a ‘good thing’ that sex is no longer
about babies? Quite simply, because babies change everything. Yes, babies
bring buckets of joy, but they also bring buckets of work. A couple without
a baby has more freedom to live self-focused lives than a couple with a
baby. Once a child enters a relationship, adults are forced to sacrifice sleep,
entertainment, career plans, and so much more. The baby must come first.

But here again we see the goodness of God’s plan. Where humanity can
easily become selfish and self-indulgent, the gift of children forces parents to
sacrifice, to think of others first, and, as a result, grow in holiness.

Since the advent of contraception, other consequences have followed: men

and women are more tempted to use each other as objects, there has been
an increase in divorce, and many think they have a right to have children
exactly when we want them. These problems are all rooted in selfishness and
the desire to use others for our own pleasure.
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The Truth of Jesus Christ

Although Christ never spoke directly about contraception, His very life
offers us a powerful lesson about all that can happen when we are open to
life.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was presented with a most unusual situation. In
the midst of her ordinary life, an angel appeared to her and declared that
she was favored by God. Not only that, but the angel told her that she would
conceive a son through the Holy Spirit, and that this child would be the Holy
One of God. Sounds crazy? It probably sounded crazy to her too! And yet,
all of this was presented to Mary as a choice. Would she accept this role in
the salvation of the world? Would she welcome this child?

Despite all the complications ahead, Mary simply responded, “Here am I, the
servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:37).
She said yes! Yes to whatever God’s plan might be! Yes to whatever way God
wanted to use her! Yes!

And that yes changed the world. Christ came, dwelt in a family, and after His
public ministry, He died and rose again, opening the gates of heaven to all
humanity. But notice how small it started, with a simple girl in Nazareth and
a very small but important word: yes.

The story of the Annunciation

reminds us all to remain open to
life. God knows that accepting
children is not always easy. Our
time and money and patience are
limited, and yet, when He asks,
we need to be like Mary and
say “yes!” At the moment of the
Annunciation, Mary didn’t know
the whole plan or even what part
she would play, but she trusted
God and she knew that anything
from God was an incredible gift.

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Witness to Truth
Saints Louis and Zelie Martin are perhaps best known as the parents of St.
Thérèse. The Church, however, has declared them saints in their own right,
and their holy marriage offers a powerful lived example of being open to
life.

From a young age, both Louis and Zelie desired to enter religious life.
However, both were rejected, Louis because he failed to learn Latin, and
Zelie because of her poor health. Still deeply devoted to Jesus and open to
His plan for their lives, they met, fell in love, and married three months
later. Accepting the call to marriage, Louis and Zelie knew that God was
asking them to raise children for His glory, so the Martins set out to
welcome as many children as possible into their family.

Although the Martins lived a comfortable life supported by Zelie’s

successful lace business, their lives together were not free from suffering. In
all, Zelie gave birth to nine children, but four of those children died when
they were still quite young. Three of their children lived less than a year,
and their daughter, Helen, died when she was six years old. Regardless,
Zelie and Louis refused to despair. Trusting in God’s plan, they knew that
each child they’d lost would be waiting for them in heaven. Even though
they suffered, they knew that God’s plan was perfect.

Suffering continued when Zelie died of breast cancer at age 45. At the time
Thérèse, the youngest, was just four years old. Following Zelie’s death,
Louis moved the family to Lisieux, and shortly thereafter, his daughters
began to leave one by one for the convent. This too was painful for Louis,
but he refused to doubt God’s plan for his family. Louis wrote, “It is a great,
great honor for me that the Good Lord desires to take all my children. If
I had anything else better I would not hesitate to offer it to him.” Louis
Martin knew that his children were the greatest gift he had been given, and
he willingly offered them back to God.

Saints Louis and Zelie Martin are powerful examples of remaining open to
life and saying yes to the gifts God sends, even as we suffer. Neither of them
had the life they thought they would, but they remained open to God and
saw everything He sent as a precious gift.
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Sts. Zelie and Louis Martin

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 Openness to Life
Called to Action
We all must work to promote openness to life. Here are some simple ideas
you can start doing today.
1. EducateYourself: Although the Church condemns artificial types
of birth control, there are natural ways to space children which the
Church endorses. Even though it might be years before you become
a parent, it’s important to start understanding how God made our
bodies. He designed us to be capable of giving ourselves as a gift to
another person and to creating life. Get good information on how your
body works because it will help you appreciate your own goodness and
the goodness of the creator. This knowledge will also help you keep
your body healthy and functioning according to God’s design.
2. Offer to Help Overwhelmed Parents: Children are a blessing, but
they are also a lot of work! Parents with young children can become
overwhelmed. Offer to help them by babysitting, bringing a meal, or
running errands. Do what you can to affirm them in their choice to be
open to life.
3. Say NO to Contraception: It is always wrong to use contraception to
prevent conception. Sometimes doctors prescribe contraception,
specifically hormonal birth control, to treat other medical issues. This
is technically morally acceptable (not sinful), but it is not the most
healthy or helpful choice because these treatments come with serious
risks and negative side effects. They also often mask the true causes
of the underlying symptoms. This is why it’s important to have frank
conversations with your medical provider and ask for better treatments
that cooperate with or restore your body’s natural function.
4. Help Others Understand Church Teaching: Many Catholics either
don’t know about the Church’s stance on contraception, or if they
do, they don’t understand the reasoning behind it. If you can find an
opportunity to share the truth in a way that is loving and kind, please
speak up. Help others understand why it is so important to remain
open to life.

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 Openness to Life
Discuss
• What did you think about what we read today? What is one thing that
you’ll remember?
• Have you ever heard someone make negative comments about Cath-
olics and birth-control or about large families? How did it make you
feel? How would you respond to them now?
• Sometimes the world sees fertility as a burden, but our fertility is really
a gift from God, and it’s important that we honor that gift by taking
good care of ourselves. What do you want to know or understand bet-
ter about your body or fertility?

Notes

“In the newborn child is realized the

common good of the family”
Pope St. John Paul II
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 Divorce

“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one

separate.”

Mark 10:9

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 Divorce
Catholic teaching on divorce is based on one important fact: marriage is
forever.

While speaking about marriage, Christ quoted the book of Genesis, saying,
“‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined
to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’” (Matthew 19:5). The union
that occurs in marriage is so deep and changing that, as the Catechism
explains, “marriage cannot be dissolved by any human power or for any
reason other than death” (CCC 2382). This is why the Church does not
allow a married couple to divorce. Although a Catholic married couple
may receive a legal divorce from the country they live in, and no longer be
seen in the world as a married couple, they remain married in the eyes of
the Church and the eyes of God. They are not free to remarry other people
because, in fact, they are still married to each other.

The Church defends the permanent nature of marriage because married

love is meant to reflect the way God loves the world. And how does God
love the world? In a way that is free, total, faithful, and fruitful. No matter
how we might sin or stray from God, He is there, forever faithful and
loving.

Another reason marriage is permanent is children. A natural result of

the marital act is pregnancy. Children become a lasting sign to the world
of their parents’ love, and raising children takes a lifetime. The family
is a sacred institution created by God to form children in love. Divorce,
however, breaks this. The Catechism explains that children are “traumatized
by the separation of their parents and often torn between them” (CCC
2385).

It is important to remember, however, that marriage can be hard. Although

married couples love each other, both husband and wife are sinners and life

“Marriage cannot be dissolved

by any human power or for any
reason other than death.”
CCC 2382

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 Divorce
together can be difficult. Also, in some cases, real problems like addictions,
abuse, and infidelity can wound a marriage. The Church is compassionate
to married people who suffer. There are times when a married couple
does need to separate, for the safety of the children or one of the spouses.
However, the marriage remains, and each spouse is called to remain
faithful to it.

Perhaps you’ve heard about annulments and even heard annulments

described as ‘Catholic divorce.’ To be clear, a divorce is different than an
annulment. An annulment is when a Catholic tribunal declares, after
a deep look into the matter, that a sacramental marriage thought to be
valid and real is actually not. Remember that sacramental marriage must
unite two people who are free to marry, capable of giving their consent to
marry, have the intention to marry for life, and intend the good of each
other. If any of these requirements were missing when the couple entered
into marriage, then that marriage is not valid. The marriage never actually
happened. While not the same as divorce, the process of an annulment
does take place after a civil divorce. Both processes - civil divorce and
annulment - are painful for individuals and for families.

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 Divorce
Wrestling with the Issue of
Divorce in the Real World
There is a lie fueling the growing number of divorces around the world,
and it is so toxic that the Catechism calls it “a plague on society” (CCC
2385). Satan’s lie is simple but alluring because it changes the very nature
of love. It says that love is a feeling, and when that feeling disappears the
relationship is over.

God, in His goodness, allows us to feel a terrific variety of feelings. Many

are good and take us to the heights of happiness, others are the opposite.
Often, a loving relationship that leads to marriage starts out with these
wonderful feelings, and that is good! God wants us to be happy and He
desires that we find joy in marriage.

However, years into a marriage, when the stress from raising kids,
navigating a career, and paying bills has mounted, those feelings can
change. We might not feel these happy feelings quite as often and a person
we once admired can start to get on our nerves. These problems, however,
do not mean that the love is gone or that the relationship is over. The world
is wrong when it claims that love is only a feeling. Love is a choice, one
that married people make permanent on their wedding day and are called
to renew and continue living each day of their lives together. Through the
Sacrament of Marriage, God has taken two people and made them one.
This can not be undone, no matter what feelings we might be experiencing.
Happiness as a feeling can be fleeting, but the sacrificial love and lived
faithfulness between a married couple can produce something so much
better than a feeling of happiness; it can produce a deep and abiding joy.

Also, just like Holy Eucharist or Baptism, marriage is a sacrament; and

sacraments are superhighways for grace. Through the sacraments, God’s
gift of Himself, otherwise known as grace, floods our lives. Grace is present
not just on a couple’s wedding day but each day of their married life that
they are open to love and living out God’s holy plan for marriage. No
marriage is without conflict or difficulty, but God’s grace makes it possible
to grow in holiness through the Sacrament of Marriage.

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 Divorce

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Throughout His public ministry, Jesus boldly condemned sin, but always
welcomed sinners with love. We see a beautiful example of this in the story
of the Samaritan woman at the well.

Passing through Samaria, Jesus sent His followers into a village to find food
while He rested outside the village near a well. John’s Gospel tells us it was
noon, the hottest part of the day, a time when everyone was inside resting,
everyone except for one woman. This woman came to the well every day
at this miserable time in order to avoid the other village women and their
comments. Why? Because they know the type of woman she is.

Breaking Jewish customs, Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman and asked
her to draw some water for Him. Jesus offered her living water, water that
would quench her thirst forever, but before giving it to her, He asked her to
go and return with her husband. The Samaritan woman responded that she
had no husband. Jesus said, “‘You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’;
for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your
husband. What you have said is true!” (John 4:17-18).

The Samaritan woman had betrayed, over and over again, God’s plan for
marriage. Jumping from one unhappy relationship to another, she made
a total mess of her life. Jesus did not deny this, but He also did not reject
her because of it. Instead, He welcomed her and He loved her. Likely, the
Samaritan woman felt that anyone who got close to her would eventually
grow tired of her and send her away, but Christ, in showing her real love,
allowed her to feel known and to know Him. He knew her sin, and yet He
continued to speak to her and even revealed to her the truth of who He
was.

When the woman began to speak of the Messiah, Jesus declared, “I am he,
the one who is speaking to you” (John 4:26). Many times, Jesus refused
to reveal who He was to Jewish officials and leaders, but He willingly told
her, a sinner. He repaid her vulnerability with His own vulnerability. This
vulnerability, or openness, is love.

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 Divorce

The encounter with Christ at the well transformed the woman and the
entire village. Leaving her water jug behind, the woman ran into the village
yelling, “He told me everything I have ever done” (John 4:39). Why is this
the testimony she chose to share about Christ? Because Christ, the savior
of the world, demonstrated His love for her by knowing her and all she had
done and not rejecting her. The love Christ had for the woman at the well is
the same love He has for you. It is permanent and without limit. And this is
the type of love that married couples are asked to strive for as well.

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 Divorce
Witness to Truth
St. Helen, born in the 200s in the Roman Empire, was raised by Pagan parents
who ran a small inn. Her childhood was humble, but this all changed one
afternoon when Roman officers passed by. One of them saw Helen and fell in
love with her. He married her on the spot and carried her off to Rome.

At her husband’s side, Helen enjoyed all the privileges of Roman high society.
She soon gave birth to a son, Constantine, and her husband continued to grow
in influence in the Roman Empire. Then, in 294, after over twenty years of
marriage, Helen’s husband suddenly divorced her. Her husband, soon to be
crowned emperor, could not allow the daughter of an innkeeper to sit at his
side as empress. After sending Helen into exile without a penny to support
herself, he remarried a younger woman from a powerful family.

After her divorce, Helen suffered greatly. All her friends from society
abandoned her, and she was forced to look for help elsewhere. Eventually she
found friendship in an unlikely place: among the Christians of Rome. At this
time, Christianity was strictly forbidden, and Christians were regularly jailed
and executed. But through the loving charity of Christians, Helen not only
found comfort and protection, she also met Jesus Christ and converted.

After ten years of poverty and exile, her ex-husband died and her son,
Constantine, was crowned emperor. Throughout her exile, Constantine had
remained devoted to his mother and he immediately brought her back to
Rome, crowning her as empress. But Helen’s years of exile had changed her.
She was a Christian now, and she shared her faith with her son. Soon after,
Constantine found himself on the losing end of a battle. Remembering the
faith of his mother, he dismissed the Roman gods and instead prayed to
Jesus Christ for protection. Suddenly, a voice boomed from heaven, a cross
appeared in the sky, and Constantine led his army to a miraculous victory
under that sign.

Afterward, Constantine freed all Christian prisoners and struck down laws
forbidding Christianity. He also allowed his mother to actively support the
Christian Church. Helen used royal funds to feed the poor and destitute. She
traveled to the Holy Land at the age of 80 and discovered countless religious
artifacts, including the true cross, the pillar upon which Jesus was scourged,
and the nails used to crucify Him. Before she died, she also oversaw the
construction of dozens of churches.

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 Divorce

St. Helen
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 Divorce
The life of St. Helen is a powerful example of faithfulness. She remained
faithful to her husband and her vows even after he divorced her. She also
remained faithful to the Christian faith, even after she was brought back into
the comfort of Roman high society. Her faith inspired the eventual faith of her
son. Through Constantine, Rome became a bastion of faith and the center of
the Christian Church.

Called to Action
Although you might not be married, there are several things you can do to
fight against the negative impact of divorce.
1. If Your Parents Are Divorced, Know This: Divorce affects not only married
people but, perhaps even more so, the children of those marriages. If
your parents are divorced please know that you remain a beloved child
of God and your family is still a domestic church, a holy institution.
Navigating your own relationships, especially as you prepare for your
own marriage or entrance into religious life, might be challenging after
watching your parents’ marriage end, so make sure that you get the
support you need to be emotionally and spiritually healthy.
2. Support Married People: Marriage can be difficult, so married people
may need support as they work to heal wounds in their marriage. Simply
offering to babysit so a married couple can have an evening to talk and
reconnect can be such a gift to them.
3. Pray for All Couples Who Struggle: Real pain and hurt can enter a
marriage. During these times, couples may need counseling, spiritual
direction, or therapy, but above all else, prayer. If you know a couple
that is going through something very hard, the best gift you can offer is
prayer. Ask God to work on their hearts and restore their marriage.
4. Pray for Your Future Vocation: God has a special plan for each of
us. Some of us will be called to the vocation of marriage, others the
priesthood or religious life, and others the single life. Your vocation
is how God is asking you to love Him. A married person loves God
through their spouse and children. As you wait for God to reveal your
vocation to you, grow as a disciple of Jesus; pray for your vocation or
future spouse, and practice loving your family.
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 Divorce

Discuss
• What did you think was the most important thing we read today? What
would you share with someone who has been hurt by divorce?
• How does God give us the ultimate example of love and faithfulness?
Can you think of any specific examples of that love in your own life?
• Is there someone in our family or community who has been hurt by
divorce? How can our family love them well?

Notes

“Do not forget that true love sets no conditions. It

does not calculate or complain, but simply loves.”

Pope St. John Paul II

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Homosexuality

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and

divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the
creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”

Romans 1:20

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 Homosexuality
Before we begin to discuss Church teaching on homosexuality, we must
make one important distinction: same-sex attraction and same-sex acts
are two very separate things. The Church acknowledges that a person,
through no conscious choice, can experience same-sex attraction, meaning
a man might feel sexually attracted to other men, or a woman to other
women. The Church is clear that this attraction is not a sin, because it
is not something a person chooses to experience. However, engaging in
same-sex acts based on that attraction is a grave sin. Therefore, from the
very beginning we must separate two things in our minds: the person and
the act.

The Catholic Church loves and welcomes all people, especially people who
are suffering. The Catechism states plainly, “They [people with homosexual
inclinations] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.
Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided”
(CCC 2358). The Church goes on to acknowledge that same-sex attraction
can be a major trial, and we should lovingly support those with same-sex
attraction.

The Church, however, does teach that, without question, the homosexual
act is “intrinsically disordered”(CCC 2357). To explain this teaching, the
Church not only cites Old and New Testament Scripture passages, but it
also reminds us that this truth is based in Natural Law.

Natural Law reveals truth by investigating the nature of things. As we

explore Natural Law we wonder simply, what is this thing’s purpose?
Through this study we discover that all things were created for a specific
purpose, and if we use that thing in a way contrary to its purpose, it

“[Homosexual acts] are contrary to

the natural law. They close the sexual
act to the gift of life. They do not
proceed from a genuine affective and
sexual complementarity. Under no
circumstances can they be approved.
CCC 2357
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 Homosexuality
becomes either dysfunctional or dangerous.

If you look at the male and female bodies, our genitals don’t make any
sense on their own. They seem incomplete, and this is how God intended
them to be. Our bodies make sense together; we see the purpose of the
design of our bodies in sexual union. It is written in our very bodies that it
takes a man and a woman to produce a child, and although pleasure might
be part of sex, it is not the only part. A sexual act between two people of
the same sex remains gravely dis-ordered because it is not ordered to the
natural good (purpose) of the person and their body.

Finally, Church teaching on homosexuality is perfectly in line with all

her teachings on sex and marriage. Any sexual act outside of marriage,
including premarital sex, is gravely disordered (not ordered to the good of
the person) because sex was created for marriage alone. Therefore, those
with same-sex attraction are asked to strive for chastity, just like every
person is called to live, because chastity helps us to love authentically.
Chastity is a virtue that acknowledges attractions but, through the grace of
God, responds with self-mastery. Many Catholics struggle with unhealthy
attractions, and the Church advises us all to pray, to live in God’s grace, and
strive to rule our passions and resist letting them lead us to sin.

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 Homosexuality
Wrestling with the Issue of
Homosexuality in the Real World
There are many catchy and colorful slogans used to justify and even
celebrate homosexuality. Perhaps the most convincing of these is the
simple phrase, ‘Love is Love.’ Wrapped up in these three words are all
sorts of lies that have paved the way for mass confusion on the topic of
homosexuality.

The first lie tangled up in the phrase ‘Love is Love,’ is this: all love is the
same. Often the equal sign is used to promote same-sex relationships,
meaning that this love equals any other sort of love, but this is untrue. The
truth is that we are called to love all people, but each relationship calls for
love in a different way. The way we love a friend is different from the way
we love a parent. Likewise, the way a married couple loves each other is
different from any other type of love. Saying that love is love, and therefore
that all love is equal, is a lie that diminishes the powerful and sacred love
reserved for the Sacrament of Marriage.

The second lie woven into this phrase is this: any sexual act is love. Most
of us in our gut can feel that this is a lie. Sex does not equal love. We are
able to think of countless ways that the sexual act is used not as authentic
love, but instead as something that hurts, deceives, or even controls other
people. We know as Catholics that the sexual act is intended to be an
expression of love, but only in a committed marital relationship where sex
is part of a total gift of self to another person.

And finally, the third lie here is that we are defined by our sexual desires.
Labels such as ‘gay’ and ‘straight’ are common vocabulary in our world, and
we are asked define ourselves through these terms. But the Church begs us
to see that we are so much more than our sexual desires and attractions.
Even if we feel a certain way or are attracted to a certain person, our innate
identity remains: an identity grounded in the truth of Jesus Christ and
confirmed in our rebirth as sons and daughters of the Most High God at
our baptism. You are so much more than who you are attracted to.

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The Truth of Jesus Christ

Homosexuality was not an area of moral confusion for ancient Jews.
However, Jesus did offer powerful lessons on our identity as sons
and daughters of God that speak directly to the modern debate on
homosexuality.

Perhaps Jesus’s most well-known parable is that of the Prodigal Son. In this
story, Jesus described a rich man with two sons. The younger son, wild and
rebellious, demanded that his father give him his inheritance. Respecting
his son’s wishes, the father sold half his property and gave his son the
money that he would have received upon the father’s death. The younger
son took the money, left home, and promptly squandered it on a life of
sin. Then a famine hit the land. The younger son’s friends abandoned him,
and he was forced to take a humiliating job feeding pigs. Suddenly, the
younger son realized that his father’s servants had more than he did, and if
he humbled himself and returned to his father, he might be able to live as a
servant there and not die of starvation.

Watching for his son’s return, the father rushed out to greet him. So filled
with joy, the father did not lecture. Instead he embraced him, ordered a
robe to be put on his shoulders and a ring on his finger, and called for the
fattened calf to be slaughtered for a feast, “for this son of mine was dead
and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” (Luke 15:24).

The story of the Prodigal Son is important for all Christians. All of us
struggle with some sort of disordered passion. Whether we have an
unhealthy attraction to food, alcohol, money, or people of the same sex,
Jesus communicates His desire that we know two things.

First, you are and you remain a beloved child of God, no matter what. Even
if you take all of God’s blessings and walk away from Him and fall deep
into sin, just like the Prodigal Son, you will remain a child of God. As the
Prodigal Son returned to his father, he humbly said, “Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your
son” (Luke 15:21). But his father dismissed this. Yes, his son sinned, but he
was still his son. Likewise, no matter what sin might ensnare you, God will

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always be on the watch for your return, eager to welcome you back.

Second, Christ desires you to know that He is aware of your sin, and He
hates the sins that have taken you away from Him, but He will never hate
you. Notice what the father did not say to his son when he returned. He did
not say, ‘It’s okay that you lived a life of sin, don’t worry about it!’ Instead,
once his son had admitted his guilt, he welcomed him to start a new life in
his love. The same is true for us. When we live a life of sin we, just like the
Prodigal Son, are far from our Father’s love. As long as we remain attached
to that sin, we can not be welcomed back into our Father’s house. But, once
we acknowledge our guilt and return to Him, He will always welcome us
back.

The Prodigal Son demonstrates what it really means to ‘hate the sin, but
love the sinner.’ As Christians, we are called to authentically love all people,
no matter what sort of trials they might face. We do not participate in their
sin or overlook their sin, but we do continue to love the person.

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 Homosexuality

Witness to Truth
Sts. Felicity and Perpetua were Christian martyrs from the early 200s. The
women lived in Northern Africa which, at the time, was a Roman Province.
Perpetua was a wealthy, well-educated married woman, and Felicity was a
slave. Despite the difference in rank, Felicity and Perpetua were close friends.
Both women were married. Perpetua had an infant she was still nursing, and
Felicity was expecting a child.

Even though Christians were being hunted down and executed in the
Roman Empire, both women were catechumens, meaning they were learning
the Faith and preparing for baptism. However, their faith was discovered,
and both women were arrested. Since she was from a wealthy, influential
family, Perpetua’s father attempted to convince her to recant her faith and
thus save her life, but Perpetua refused. Instead, she and Felicity and the
others they had been arrested with, requested baptism.

In prison and awaiting their execution, the friendship between Felicity and
Perpetua grew. Perpetua had been allowed to keep her infant with her since
the child was still nursing, and Felicity prepared to give birth. The women
passed the days praying, singing, and sharing their souls with each other.
Aware of the suffering they would endure, the women took solace in each
other and in the mystical visions Perpetua received.

Felicity and Perpetua were condemned to public execution, performed as

entertainment to celebrate Emperor Septimius Severus’s birthday. As the
date of execution approached, Felicity feared that she would not be allowed
to die alongside her friend since laws forbid the execution of a pregnant
woman. Through God’s mercy, however, she delivered a healthy child -
whom she placed in the care of a fellow Christian woman - the day before
the execution.

On the day of the games, Felicity and Perpetua walked bravely, hand in
hand, to their death, trusting in their friendship and in Jesus Christ. They
were scourged before a crowd. Then a wild cow was allowed to gouge them.
Wounded, the women clung to each other and exchanged a kiss of peace
before gladiators came with swords to end their lives.

The story of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity is not only a powerful testament to the

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Sts. Felicity and Perpetua

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truth of the Gospel, but also to the power of friendship. Both women had
been called to the Sacrament of Marriage, and yet in their hour of distress,
God gave them to each other in Christian friendship. Although the intimacy
of marriage is exclusively for one man and one woman, we are still called to
form important and life-giving bonds with people of the same sex. Perpetua
and Felicity loved each other, and it was that love that comforted them at the
end. As Christians, we were made to love, and there are lots of ways that we
can genuinely love the people in our lives.

Called to Action
Same-sex attraction can be a heavy cross. It is likely that someday a person
you love will confront these feelings and desires. Here are some suggestions
for dealing with this situation as a Christian.
1. Always Love The Person: No matter what, if there is someone in your
life struggling with same sex-atrraction or even actively living a
homosexual lifestyle, remember that they are still a daughter or son or
God. Love them. The only way we can help those we love understand
the truth is if we are in relationship with them.
2. Refuse to Define Yourself or Others By Sexual Attraction: We are so
much more than our sexual orientation. Reject words like ‘gay’ or
‘straight’ as you define yourself and others. We are created in the image
and likeness of God. We are complex and beautiful.
3. Protect Yourself from the World’s Messaging: Movies, television,
commercials, and social media regularly show images of homosexual
couples in an attempt to normalize romantic homosexual relationships,
which we know are wrong. But these images can be emotional and
convincing. Therefore, protect yourself from manipulation and refuse
to watch shows or movies that portray homosexuality in this way.

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 Homosexuality
Discuss
• What did you think was important from our reading today? Why do
you think that is so important to know?
• All of us struggle with disordered love for something. What is one way
that you are tempted to use things or people in a disordered way?
• Sometimes people who experience same-sex attraction are told lies that
may make them feel as though God doesn’t love them or that they ar-
en’t welcome in the Church. How can we show members of our family
or community who experience same-sex attraction how deeply God
loves them?

Notes

“Speak to them of the great mercy of God…

Sometimes people are helped by your telling of
your own lamentable past.”

St. Francis Xavier

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(Same-Sex)
Marriage

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let

the marriage bed be undefiled.”

Hebrews 13:4

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 (Same-Sex) Marriage
According to the Catholic Church, marriage is and always shall be a
relationship exclusively for one man and one woman. The Catechism
explains, “The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman form with
each other an intimate communion of life and love, has been founded and
endowed with its own special laws by the Creator” (CCC1660). Marriage is
the foundation of the family, which is a sacred community created by God
to raise children in love. The only acceptable way for a child to be created is
through the loving union of one man and one woman, the child’s parents.
Therefore, marriage can never be extended to same-sex couples.

The Church is often criticized and accused of discriminating against

homosexual couples, but this criticism is based on a fundamental
misunderstanding about marriage. For centuries and across cultures,
marriage has been, by definition, a relationship of one man and one woman
focused on creating and raising children. Then, in 2001, same-sex marriage
was legalized for the very first time in the Netherlands. Since that time, many
other nations have followed suit, but it is important to remember that civil
law does not change what is true. Any law legalizing same-sex marriage is
not only wrong, it supports a definition of marriage that is simply untrue.

One reason why marriage is treated so differently - not just by the Church,
but by society as well - is because marriage is a relationship that impacts the
very core of society. How? Children are created as a result of marriage. This
is why same-sex unions can simply never be a true marriage: a same-sex
couple can never be united in a way that would create children. According to
God’s design, only a man and a woman can come together to create a baby. It
is written in our very bodies that each family must begin with one man and
one woman, and no amount of legislation can ever change that.

“The marriage covenant, by which

a man and a woman form with
each other an intimate communion
of life and love, has been founded
and endowed with its own special
laws by the Creator.”
CCC1660
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 (Same-Sex) Marriage
Please note that the Church’s teaching on same-sex marriage does not stop
someone from loving anyone that they choose. It is just impossible to ever
call a relationship between two people of the same sex a marriage.

Wrestling with the Issue of (Same-

Sex) Marriage in the Real World
There is so much confusion in our society about what love and marriage
really are. Instead of understanding marriage as a relationship designed to
create children and build a family, in our modern world, marriage is reduced
to nothing more than a relationship based on good feelings that benefit those
involved. But both marriage and love are so much more!

First, if love is the foundation of the marital relationship, then what is love?
Is love simply good feelings? Well, no. Any couple married for a long time
will admit that, although they love each other, they don’t always feel good
feelings or happiness when they are together. The Church teaches that love is
a choice where we willingly choose the good of the other, even if their good
means I must deny myself something. Second, marriage is not something
human beings dreamed up. Marriage was created by God, and God’s plan for
marriage requires one man, one woman, and the openness to children.

Since the beginning of time, this has been the clear and accepted definition
of marriage. Although laws might attempt to rewrite this definition, they can
never change what marriage actually is. Supporters of same-sex marriage
might claim that the Church discriminates against homosexual couples, but
this is not true. The Catholic Church instead works to protect the sanctity
of marriage and God’s plan for marriage. Calling the relationship of a
homosexual couple a marriage is a lie, and allowing someone to live a lie is
not love.

Marriage is not only a sacred institution created by God at the foundation

of the world, it is also the most important building block of society. All
civilizations need strong marriages that produce healthy children so that
they can survive into the next generation. This is God’s truth lived out in the
world. Redefining marriage undermines this reality and weakens the world
we live in.
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 (Same-Sex) Marriage

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Christ never directly addressed same-sex marriage because there was no need.
However, in the second chapter of John’s Gospel, Christ not only celebrates
authentic marriage, He blesses it.

We are told that Jesus, His mother, and His disciples were all invited to a
wedding feast in Cana. Far from seeing this as a waste of time, Jesus traveled
to Cana with His friends to attend. As was the custom for Jewish weddings,
Jesus would have danced and drank wine all through the night as He and
others celebrated the newly married couple and their future.

Midway through the celebration, the wine ran out, something that would
have been terribly embarrassing for the family of the bridegroom. Mary was
concerned and told Jesus. Jesus directed the servants to fill six stone jars with
water, and miraculously the water was transformed into exquisite wine.

Perhaps you know this story, but there are some important points to notice.
First, John’s Gospel account concludes the story with this note, “Jesus did
this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his
disciples believed in him” (2:11). This was Jesus’s first miracle, and where did
He do it? At a wedding. He chose to perform His first miracle in honor of a
newly married couple. Also, the miracle He worked was creating more wine so
that He and others might truly celebrate the couple’s union.

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 (Same-Sex) Marriage
Next, notice who asked Jesus to perform this miracle: His mother. Jesus
not only blesses marriage, His own earthly life was blessed, protected, and
nurtured by a marriage. Mary and Joseph were joined together in marriage,
and through that marriage, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, protected from King
Herod’s rage, and brought up in a faithful Jewish home. Jesus experienced the
grace of marriage throughout His life, and the bond of respect and love that
He has with His mother is a testimony to this.

Witness to Truth
Sts. Anne and Joachim are honored as the parents of the Blessed Virgin
Mary and the grandparents of Christ Jesus. Their relationship and
faithfulness to God’s plan offer us many powerful lessons about the true
nature of marriage and married love.

The Bible doesn’t speak about Anne and Joachim, but since the time of
the early Church, they have been honored as saints. Tradition tells us that,
like Abraham and Sarah from the Old Testament, Anne and Joachim were
unable to conceive a child. Advanced in years, they turned to the Lord in
faithfulness and begged Him for a child. Together they fasted and prayed,
remaining faithful to their love for each other and for the Lord. Then,
against all odds, Anne, who was quite old, conceived and gave birth to a
girl, whom they named Mary.

Anne and Joachim praised God for the gift of their daughter, and they
willingly offered her back to Him. Pious tradition describes Mary’s room in
their family home as a sanctuary, where her parents taught her to pray and
encouraged her to give herself totally to God.

Although we might not have many stories about the lives of Anne and
Joachim, we are able to know them through their descendants. Through
Mary’s strong character, her willingness to obey God, her devotion to
prayer, her concern for her relatives, her humility, and her fortitude during
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 (Same-Sex) Marriage

Sts. Joachim and Anne

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 (Same-Sex) Marriage
times of suffering, we get a picture of her remarkable parents. They too
must have had these virtues and demonstrated them for their daughter.

The example of Anne and Joachim reminds us of the importance and the
power of God’s plan for families. Their marriage - including in times when
they experienced infertility - was good and holy. And God used their love
and faithfulness to bring Mary and Jesus into the world.

Called to Action
During these times of mass-confusion over what marriage is, we are all
called to testify to the truth in big and small ways. Here are a few ideas.
1. Debate Well: Catholics often discuss same-sex marriage in a way that
confuses the issue. When you enter a discussion on this topic, remain
focused on the true definition of marriage. This issue is not about
homosexuality or inclusion. This debate is about honoring what God
created through the Sacrament of Marriage and defending this holy
institution.
2. Pray for Those Who are Confused: God and His truth will triumph, but
our prayers will play an important role in this battle for truth. Pray for
the hearts of those working to legalize same-sex marriage in the world.
Pray that God might speak His truth to them and reveal His beautiful
plan for marriage in a way they will be able to receive.
3. Prepare for Your Own Holy Marriage and Pray for Good Marriages: The
best thing we can do to show the world God’s intentions for marriage is
through good marriages. Pray for good marriages and for the married
couples you know to be a light of God’s truth. And if you are called to
marriage, strive to live your vocation to the fullest.

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 (Same-Sex) Marriage

Discuss
• We are surrounded by mixed-up messages about love in our culture
- like ‘love is love’ - that can make it hard for someone to understand
why marriage is just between a man and a woman. What did we read
today that can help you explain this truth?
• Beyond our immediate family, who do you think is a good example to
you of a holy marriage? What do you see or notice in them?
• If we have someone in our family or community who struggles with
this truth or is currently rejecting it, how can we pray for them and be a
witness of God’s love?

Notes

“It takes three to make love, not two:

you, your spouse, and God.”
Ven. Fulton Sheen
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 Theme 2 continued
The Call to
Community
and
Participation

144
Brainstorm a list of all the communities you are part of. Just for fun, let’s
see if you can name at least ten different communities. To get started, add
your school, parish, and neighborhood to the list. Next, are you part of any
clubs, sports teams, or academic organizations? Add them. Then, add your
city, state, and country. Finally, think about any online communities or
groups you are part of and add them to the list too.

How many did you come up with?

Now, pick the two most important communities you listed and imagine
how those communities would change if you and your family were not
part of them. Maybe the community wouldn’t totally fall apart, but would
certain jobs go undone? Would people miss you? Would the community
be able to function as well as it does now?

The point of this little exercise is to help you realize that you are an
important part of your communities. All human beings are social, and as
such, we are called to be part of communities; we all play a vital part. Our
family is our first community, but as we grow we will become part of other
communities.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “‘Participation’ is the

voluntary and generous engagement of a person in social interchange. It
is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in
promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of
the human person” (CCC 1913). In other words, it is not okay to simply
sit on the sidelines and allow others to do the work, fight for change, and
defend the vulnerable. This is your duty as well. In fact, you will only be
living up to your dignity as a human being when you participate in your
communities, and it is likely only through your participation that all
people will be able to enjoy a good and holy life. In this section, we will
explore a Catholic’s civic duty as well as our call to be politically active.

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 Civic Duty

“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing

authorities. For there is no authority except from
God, and those which exist are established by God.”

Romans 13:1

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 Civic Duty
Created in the image and likeness of God, each human being is made
for relationships with others. We were created for community. The first
community we belong to is the family. It is within the family that we learn
to love, forgive, and grow in holiness. Family, however, is not our only
community. Our neighborhood is a community. Our parish and school are
communities. Our town, our state, and even our country all form important
communities of people as well. In each of these communities, we are called to
participate and perform certain duties. It is the participation of the members
that keeps a community strong. Pope Francis wrote in Joy of the Gospel that,
“responsible citizenship is a virtue.”

Why is it important to be responsible members of these various communities,

or, in other words, perform our civic duty? The way a society is organized in
terms of economics, politics, laws, and policy directly impacts human dignity
and the ability of individuals to grow in holiness. We have a duty not only
to ourselves but to others to ensure that our communities allow us all to live
freely and follow God’s will.

We perform our civic duty in a number of ways. As Americans, we do this by

paying our taxes, obeying the laws, and voting. Although we might not want
to pay our taxes or obey the speed limit, we acknowledge that performing
these duties creates a better and safer community for all.

Civic duty is also important for our smaller communities. We serve our parish
community by volunteering, welcoming new members, and participating in
the sacrifice of the Mass. Our parish needs our active participation and our
unique gifts and talents in order to thrive and fulfill its mission

We have a duty to participate in community on all levels - from our country

all the way down to our neighborhood - in a way that is informed, committed
and constructive. We must understand the problems facing our communities,
protect the good of all, not just our own self-interests, and remain committed
to our communities, even when things get difficult or boring. Strong
communities depend on the participation of each member.

“It is the duty of citizens to contribute along with

the civil authorities to the good of society in a
spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom.”
CCC 2239
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 Civic Duty
Wrestling with the Issue of
Civic Duty in the Real World
People of faith often struggle to understand how their faith and their civic
duty relate to each other. Some might think that faith is something just for
Sundays and that community participation is something I do the rest of the
week. Some might say that because our country was founded on the principle
of separation of Church and State we should keep our Christian Faith separate
from our civic duty. But this is not what separation of Church and State
means, and doing anything without Christ is impossible for Christians!

Following Christ is something we do every moment of our lives. Giving our

lives to Christ forever changes us and demands that each decision we make
is made with the heart of Jesus Christ. And this is not isolated to ‘churchy’
things. No matter what environment we find ourselves in, we are called to act
as followers of Christ, devoted to the truth.

Remember, being a follower of Jesus requires so much more than attending

Mass on Sunday. When we only practice our faith one hour a week, the other
167 hours of that week are likely going to be misused. The Gospel should
touch every part of our lives! God gave us life to do His work and live as
we were created to live, whether we are at church or not. As members of
communities, each word, thought and action we take, should be directed
by our belief in Jesus. Within our communities - no matter what type of
community it might be - we are called to avoid sin, take care of our neighbors,
give to the poor, and share the Gospel.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

At the time of Christ, the nation of Israel had been conquered by Rome, and
the Jews lived under Roman law. Rome inflicted harsh punishments on the Jews
in order to keep order. They also forced Jews to pay taxes that were often steep;
the punishments for not paying were severe, and the Jews resented paying these
taxes.

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 Civic Duty
In an effort to trap Jesus, a couple of Pharisees approached Jesus to ask about
taxes. No matter how Jesus answered, His response could be used against Him.
Knowing they were testing Him, Jesus asked to see a Roman coin. Looking at it,
Christ asked, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” The Pharisees responded
that it was the Roman emperor. To this Jesus replied, “Give to the emperor
the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark
12:16-17).

This powerful answer not only silenced the Pharisees, it also can help us
understand our own civic duties. All our communities are imperfect. This is
especially true for our government, and the political system the Jews of Jesus’s
time lived in was far worse still. The Jews had no say in anything, and they
were ruled by corrupt and selfish leaders who had never even visited their
remote province. On the other hand, our leaders are elected by the people they
represent. Bad laws and policies are still passed, but just as Jesus commanded
the ancient Jews to respect the Roman government and pay taxes, we too are
commanded to do the same.

The second part of Christ’s answer is even more important than the first.
Respect your government, pay your taxes, and work for positive changes
where you can, but always remain faithful to God and give to Him what is His.
Hearing this from Christ we must ask, but what is God’s? The answer is simple.
Everything. Your thoughts, your future, the breath in your lungs, everything.
All that you have and all that you are is a gift from God. Participate in your
community, but belong to Christ. The emperor did not own the Jews, and your
government does not own you. The government might have claims to your
money and time, but you belong to Christ.

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 Civic Duty

Witness to Truth
Servant of God Julius Nyerere was born in 1922. He was the son of a tribal
chief in a remote part of Tanzania in Africa, which at the time was a colony
of the British empire. Julius’s family practiced the indigenous pagan religion
which allowed his father, a powerful chief, to have 22 wives.

As the son of the chief, Julius was allowed to leave his small village and receive
an education. At school, Julius excelled. He quickly learned English and
Swahili and skipped grades. At the age of 14, he encountered the Catholic
Faith for the first time. Captivated, Julius studied the Faith and went on several
pilgrimages guided by a local religious order. At 20, shortly after his father
died, he was baptized.

After finishing his own education, Julius focused on helping others. He

worked to assist native Tanzanians get an education, gave free English
lessons, taught in a religious-run school, and committed to attending daily
Mass. Throughout this time, however, Julius longed to help his country earn
independence.

Julius became active in politics, and eventually, he was elected prime minister.
In this role, he negotiated independence from the British Empire, which was
achieved through peaceful means in 1961.

However, independence was just the beginning. All throughout the African
continent during this period, newly formed countries were engulfed in
corruption and violence. Julius Nyerere became the first president of Tanzania,
and he was determined that his country would be different. Although there
were many challenges, his government successfully united the people of
Tanzania through a common language, KiSwahili. This unity is remarkable
because, at the time, Tanzania was made up of over 120 tribes, many of which
had their own language.

During his term as president, Julius Nyerere remained humble and

approachable. He lived modestly and continued to attend Mass daily no matter
where he was. After his term ended, he peacefully left office and returned to
the small village where he was born.

The life of Servant of God Julius Nyerere is remarkable, especially when we

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Servant of God Julius Nyerere

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compare him to other leaders of newly formed African nations. Instead of
controlling the people through violence or growing rich through corruption,
Julius remained grounded in his desire to make his native land a better place
for all Tanzanians.

Called to Action
Although you might be too young to vote or pay taxes, there are still
important things you can do to live out your civic duty.
1. Pay Attention to Your Communities: You are part of many communities,
including your school, parish, and neighborhood. Start paying
attention to these communities and look for ways that you can make
them better for everyone.
2. Volunteer at Your Praish: Your parish is one of the most important
communities you belong to. So get involved! There are lots of
opportunities to help out at a parish, doing anything from yard work to
teaching Religous Education.
3. Improve Your Neighborhood: Look for ways to improve the community
you live in, especially by getting to know your neighbors. Something as
small as picking up garbage or saying hello to people as they walk by
can really improve a neighborhood.

“It is better to be the child of God

than king of the whole world.”
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
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 Civic Duty

Discuss
• Who are some people in our community who regularly serve others?
• What are some things or duties that we owe to other people? What do
we owe to God?
• What are some of our gifts and talents that God is inviting us to use for
the good of others?

Notes

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Political
Activism

“Speak out, judge righteously,

defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Proverbs 31:9

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 Political Activism
When we decided to follow Jesus, we also decided to live differently.
Not only did we accept a list of religious practices and beliefs, more
importantly, we embraced God’s love. With God’s love inside us, we are
called to strive to build a better world that all people can enjoy.

In Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis wrote that, “authentic faith always
involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this
earth somehow better than we found it.” It is not enough to simply grumble
about problems. We must get to work! The Church reminds us that it is the
very love of Christ that compels us to fight for a better world, something
we do, in part, through political activism.

From the very beginning, the Church has known that wherever the weakest
are being treated poorly, we are called to speak up and work for change.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us to strive for the common
good. “In the name of the common good, public authorities are bound
to respect the fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person”
(CCC 1907). So what is the common good? The common good is the right
conditions or circumstances that allow people to thrive as individuals and
as a group.

In many societies, the weakest and most vulnerable are not allowed to
enjoy the most basic right: the right to life. The unborn, the elderly, and the
disabled are regularly hurt - not helped - by the society they live in. This is
unacceptable, and the Church reminds us that it is our duty to speak up for
those who might not be able to speak up for themselves.

“...voice their just criticisms

of that which seems harmful
to the dignity of persons
and to the good of the
community.”
CCCC 2238

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There are many areas where Catholics need to be politically active.
Whether we are fighting against corruption in government, striving to
protect the rights of the most vulnerable, or working to promote the truth,
Christians have one powerful gift that saves us from discouragement and
allows us to keep fighting. That gift is hope.

We live in an imperfect world, and yet we hope in God, and this hope
allows us to believe that God is here and He is working. Positive change
might seem impossible, but God is bigger than anything, and He can use
all things for His glory. God’s love knows no bounds. After all, He is the
same God who sent His own Son to suffer and die and save us from our
sins. He is the same God who parted the sea and allowed His people to
walk through on dry land. Nothing is beyond His doing. If we are faithful
and fight for His truth, we should hope with confidence that He can bring
about good, even here and now.

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 Political Activism

Wrestling with the Issue of Political

Activism in the Real World
It can be difficult to understand how our faith and politics connect, in
part because there is a lot of political division in our modern world. You
might have heard that being Catholic means you must belong to a certain
political party, but as Catholics, we know that our Faith is neither liberal
nor conservative, as those terms are defined by modern politics not by
Christ.

The Catholic Faith transcends politics. As faithful Catholics, we discern

our political activism by first striving to know Jesus Christ and understand
Catholic teaching. It is only after we have been formed in our Catholic
Faith that we can prayerfully decide who to vote for and which causes to
support and promote.

Another area of confusion for Catholics is how politically active we should

be. You might hear some say that since our government is imperfect and
even supports certain types of immorality, Catholics should have nothing
to do with it, that Catholics should never work for or with the government,
at least not until it is made perfect. But this is simply untrue.

Throughout the history of the Church, Catholics have worked with

imperfect governments to bring about the Kingdom of God. The very first
Catholic churches and cathedrals were built by the Roman government,
using Roman funds. Throughout the centuries, Catholic popes have
appealed for peace in the midst of political wars between countries. French
and Spanish missionaries worked with their respective governments
as they explored and settled the New World, spreading the Faith and
baptizing millions of people. Even today, Catholic schools, hospitals, and
charities work within government regulations and even use government
funds to care for and educate those they serve.

And our government needs us. If all Catholics simply withdrew from the
political sphere, the truth revealed through our Faith would be completely
unrepresented, and the positive changes we desire would not come to be.

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The Truth of Jesus Christ
During the time of Jesus, many Jewish leaders were Pharisees. Devoted
to a strict practice of the Old Testament Law, the Pharisees avoided all
impurity and could, as Jesus pointed out, care more about external things,
like ceremonial washing, than internal conversion. Jesus was often in
conflict with Pharisees. Many Pharisees were quick to note any time, in
their opinion, Jesus broke Old Testament Law. This made many Pharisees
unable to recognize the Messiah in their midst. For example, when Jesus
healed on the Sabbath, restoring sight or mending a crippled hand, several
Pharisees dismissed the miracle and focused instead on Jesus breaking
laws regarding the Sabbath. Jesus’s critique of Pharisees reached a climax
in Matthew, chapter 23, when He called these men hypocrites, blind guides
and white washed tombs. Finally, in the end, many Pharisees played a role
in condemning Christ and handing Him over to be crucified.

Jesus came to change all hearts, even the hearts of Pharisees. In fact, in His
relationship with Nicodemus - a Pharisee, teacher and respected leader of
the Jewish people- Christ shows us how personal relationships need to be
the foundation of political activism if we wish to change hearts and achieve
real and lasting change.

Tradition tells us that Nicodemus was a Pharisee, highly educated, wealthy,

and respected in the Sanhedrin. After seeing Jesus perform miracles,
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. Nicodemus, unlike other Pharisees,
could see that Jesus was from God, for, as he said, “no one can do these
signs that you do apart from the presence of God” (John 3:2). Jesus
welcomed Nicodemus and spoke with Nicodemus of many “heavenly
things”. Jesus even shared with him the statement that, perhaps, best
conveys the mystery of God’s love for us: “For God so loved the world that
he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish
but many have eternal life” (John 3:16).

After this meeting, we see Nicodemus two other times in John’s Gospel.
When the Sanhedrin discussed Jesus, Nicodemus defended Him. Then,
after the Crucifixion, Nicodemus helped take Jesus’s body down from the
cross. These actions suggest that Nicodemus became a follower of Jesus.

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Nicodemus was part of Jewish leadership during the time of Jesus. Just as
there are problems with our leaders today, there were problems at the time
of Christ. Jesus pointed out these problems, but He also wanted to show
them the truth.

Likewise, we are called to seek out conversations with our leaders.

Conversations can change hearts, and changing the hearts of our leaders
can change the world. We can enter into these conversations by writing
letters to elected officials, stopping to chat with community leaders
we see in the grocery store, or making an appointment to speak to the
school principal. Be like Jesus, and never underestimate the power of a
conversation.

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Witness to Truth
St. Catherine of Siena was born in Italy in 1347, shortly before a terrible
plague (the Black Death) swept across Europe. Catherine was the 23rd
child of a prominent family, and from a young age she demonstrated a
deep devotion to the Faith. At the age of seven, she received her first vision
of Christ, and from that moment forward, she vowed to remain pure and
for Christ alone.

At the age of 13, Catherine decided to join a lay order of Dominicans, and
at 20, she had a mystical vision of Christ where she became His bride and
He gave her an invisible wedding ring, which she wore for the rest of her
life.

For the first part of her life, Catherine lived a quiet and withdrawn life
of prayer in her parents’ house. Eventually, however, she discerned that
Christ was calling her out into the world. Obediently, Catherine set out to
serve those suffering from the Black Death. Many of those afflicted were
abandoned by their families. Catherine bravely served them, and through
her example of faith and courage, she became well-known for her holiness
and gathered a group of followers.

Catherine’s reputation soon spread outside Siena. At the time, both the
Church and the region were in chaos. Due to fighting between the city-
states of Italy, the pope had left Rome 50 years earlier and was living like
a king in Avignon, France. Catherine felt compelled to intervene, so she
traveled to France to speak to him. Pope Gregory XI welcomed Catherine
and listened to her. He also desired to return to Rome, but he lacked the
courage to do so. Inspired by the brave, bold words of Catherine, he finally
agreed to go.

But bringing the pope back to Rome was just the beginning. Just one year
after the pope returned to Rome, he died, and a difficult man was elected
to replace him. The successor, Pope Urban VI, was harsh, unyielding,
and quick to start fights. Catherine wrote to him often, advising him
to curb his temper, but he didn’t listen, and he soon lost the confidence
of the cardinals, who denied he was the real pope and tried to elect
another. Soon, three different men were claiming to be pope. Even though
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St. Catherine of Sienna

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 Political Activism
Catherine’s health was failing, she continued to insert herself into the
politics of the day, working tirelessly through letters and travel, to bring
peace to Italy and to the Church.

St. Catherine of Siena was both a mystic and a political force of her time.
Her example proves that people of faith are called to be part of politics. Our
imperfect world needs us. Like Catherine, we are called to work tirelessly
for the truth.

Called to Action
The more Catholics who are involved in politics, the better! Even though
you might be too young to vote, it is never too early to become politically
informed and involved. Here are some ideas.
1. Educate Yourself on Important Issues: The American bishops ask
Catholics to be well-formed on issues of life, including abortion,
euthanasia, immigration and the treatment of the vulnerable. It is
important to have a foundation in what the Church teaches before you
start researching how these issues are being debated in politics. Absorb
the wisdom of the Church so that when you discuss politics, you have
truth on your side.
2. Learn the System: The formation of laws and policies can be complex.
Spend time getting to know the political system so you understand how
best you can be a vehicle for change.
3. Get to Know the People Who Represent You: Certain people have been
elected to represent you on the national, state, and local levels. Get
to know these people. Are they representing the truth well, or should
they be replaced? Also, you have the right to reach out to your elected
officials directly. Write your representative a letter on an important
issue that needs their attention.

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Discuss
• What’s something that you learned in today’s reading that you didn’t
know or hadn’t thought about before?
• What are some issues that are really important to you? Why?
• How does our Catholic Faith help us take action on those issue?

Notes

“Social Justice cannot be attained by voilence.

Violence kills what it intends to create.”
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
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 Theme 3
Rights and
Responsibilities

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Pick one thing about yourself that is unique. Maybe you are adopted, you
live in a super small town, you enjoy a strange hobby, you have an unlikely
favorite color, you play an instrument, or you have an uncommon name.
Got your unique thing in mind? Good; tell someone near you what it is.

Now, imagine that there was a law stating that people with your unique
trait suddenly have no rights. You can no longer expect the police to
protect you, schools to educate you, or the law to be on your side. Clearly,
a law like that would be outrageous. Just because you play the french horn
is no reason why you should be treated as less-than! Unfortunately, many
people in this world do not enjoy all the rights they should because they
are in jail, they are immigrants, or they are practicing a unique religion.

The Church teaches that because of our innate dignity as human persons,
we are each entitled to certain basic rights. And this applies to all humans.
“Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational
souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the
sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude:
all therefore enjoy an equal dignity” (CCC 1934). These rights include
the right to life and the right to all things required for a human to thrive,
including faith, family, food, shelter, health care and safety. However, we
can not be solely concerned with our own rights and freedoms. We must
exercise our rights responsibly and protect the rights of others as well.

As Catholics, we are called to strive for a world where the rights of all
people are protected, no matter what unique trait they might possess or
unique situation they might be in. The US Bishops outline a few areas
where Catholics are called to take special care to protect the rights of
others, including criminal justice, immigration, and freedom of religion.

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Justice

Be kind and compassionate to one another,

forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

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 Criminal Justice
The issue of criminal justice sits at the intersection of rights and
responsibilities. A crime violates the rights of the victim, and that cannot be
tolerated. We have a responsibility to the victim to restore their rights and
protect the rights of future victims from the offender. However, if we believe
that, as the Church teaches, all people have basic rights, then we must work to
protect not only the rights of the victim, but the rights of the offender as well.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that legal authorities can
and often should punish offenders of crime. “Legitimate public authority
has the right and duty to inflict punishment proportionate to the gravity
of the offense” (CCC 2266). However, it is important that we exercise that
responsibility by holding offenders accountable without violating their basic
rights.

Catholics seek to confront crime without vengeance and to defend life without
taking life. Therefore, Catholics must always seek to comfort the victim and
reform the offender. We comfort the victims of crimes by acknowledging the
evil that has happened to them, assisting them as they rebuild their lives and
communities, and protecting them from future harm.

Seeking to reform the offender is also our duty. To this end, we must make
sure that prisons are places not just of punishment, but of rehabilitation, where
individuals leave healthier, not sicker. Abuse in prison should not be tolerated
in any form, and offenders should have the opportunity to acquire skills that
will make them successful when they rejoin society. Also, we should all work
toward authentic crime prevention where known predictors of crime exist,
including poverty, family dysfunction, and drug addiction. Through love and
personal relationships, authentic change can occur.

“Legitimate public
authority has the right and
duty to inflict punishment
proportionate to the gravity
of the offense.”
CCC 2266

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 Criminal Justice

Wrestling with the Issue of

Criminal Justice in the Real World
In our legal system, justice is symbolized by a blindfolded woman holding
up scales. Why this symbol? Well, in the secular world, true justice, it is
thought, is unbiased, blind, and completely fair. Justice tells us that for
each crime there is an appropriate punishment. There are no extenuating
circumstances.

However, as followers of Christ, we are called to something even deeper

than blind justice: mercy. When we pair mercy with justice, we are acting
like God who, although we deserve death as punishment for our sins, is
always willing to offer us His mercy and forgive our offenses.

Mercy is compassion or pity for the person who has done wrong. This is
how God feels toward us when we sin against Him. Applied to criminal
justice, mercy requires wisdom and courage so that we can properly
discern situations where pursuing blind justice would create additional
harm. Mercy, however, does not excuse the wrong that has occurred, nor
does it lessen our obligation to the victim of the crime. Mercy simply
requires that we see each crime and each offender as unique, and in each
situation we seek what is best for the specific people involved.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

During His passion and death, Christ experienced every kind of human
suffering. Most painful of all perhaps was the betrayal and abandonment
by His friends. While Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin, Peter remained
outside the court, warming himself by a fire. Peter had sworn to Christ,
just hours before, that he would bravely face death with Him, but when
strangers gathered around the fire began to accuse him of being a follower
of Christ, Peter violently denied it. After his final denial, a cock crowed and
Peter was reminded of Christ’s prediction of his unfaithfulness. Peter had
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 Criminal Justice
sinned against Christ during His hour of most need, and he wept bitterly
over his own failure.

After the Resurrection, Peter must have been nervous to face Christ, and
yet when he saw Christ standing on the shore, he leapt from the boat and
swam to greet Him. Then, after breakfast, Christ spoke to Peter, and in
their conversation we see an example of true mercy.

Peter had sinned against Jesus, and this needed to be addressed, but
addressed with love. Christ asked Peter, “Do you love me?” Three times
He asked Peter this, because the night of the Passion, Peter had denied his
love for Christ three times. Being asked again and again was painful for
Peter. John explains in his Gospel, ”Peter felt hurt because he said to him
the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know
everything; you know that I love you’” (John 21:17).

In Peter’s story, we see that mercy does not ignore the wrong. Instead,
mercy acknowledges the wrong and responds with love. Love often
requires that we hold a person accountable for what they have done, but
in so doing, seek their reform. Instead of punishing Peter by inflicting
the same pain He had experienced, Christ called Peter to love and to get
to work serving the Church. If we genuinely seek to improve our world,
we must add mercy into the criminal justice system, so that all people are
treated with love and given the opportunity for redemption.

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 Criminal Justice
Witness to Truth
St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order, was born in 1491 in
Northern Spain. Although Ignatius would find his way to God eventually,
the first thirty years of his life were consumed with selfish desires.
Regardless, God pursued Ignatius, and through merciful justice, God made
St. Ignatius a powerful saint who changed the world.

The youngest of 13 children in a noble Spanish family, Ignatius lived a

life of privilege. At 16, he left home to join the Spanish court where he
developed a taste for the material world. He fell in love with gambling,
dueling, womanizing, drinking, and fine clothing. His only goal in life
was to be famous. During these years, Ignatius was constantly in trouble,
but due to his family’s position, he was never punished. Consumed with
pride, Ignatius was quick to challenge others to duels. He caused public
disturbances and often seriously injured his opponents.

Eventually Ignatius left court to seek glory on the battlefield. Strong and
exceedingly brave, Ignatius was made an officer and led his men to several
victories. But then in 1521, while fighting the French, a cannonball struck
his leg injuring him seriously.

After his soldiers carried him back to his family castle, Ignatius underwent
a series of painful procedures where doctors re-broke his leg as they
attempted to help it heal correctly. Throughout this time Ignatius was
completely bedbound. Bored, he begged his family to bring him something
exciting to read. He hoped for stories of romance and battle, but instead
they brought him books about Jesus and the lives of the saints. Eventually,
Ignatius picked up the books and began to read, and in the process, he
found God.

Through these books, Ignatius discovered what true adventure and honor
were: to serve God. After a year in bed, Ignatius was finally well enough to
leave. He traveled to a nearby Marian shrine where he prayed all night. In
the morning, he left behind his sword and set out to live only for Christ.

God had been merciful with Ignatius, but Ignatius still had to face the
repercussions of the sinful life he had lived for 30 years. After leaving the
shrine, Ignatius lived in a cave for several years, fasting and repenting.
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St. Ignatius of Loyola

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 Criminal Justice
Eventually, he discerned a call to the priesthood, but he had neglected his
education. As a result, Ignatius, now nearly 40 years old, was forced to take
a beginner Latin course with children. He was nearly 50 before founding
the Jesuit Order. Sometimes it takes a long time to fully understand where
God is leading us and how we are to accept His mercy, but God is always
good and He is always faithful. Just as Ignatius discovered while he was
waiting for his leg to heal, we know that no matter what our past might be,
God has big plans for us.

Called to Action
Most of us have little to no interaction with convicted criminals. There are
small things, however, that we can do to care for not only the victims of
crime, but the offenders of crime as well.
1. Pray for Victims of Crimes: Prayer is the most powerful gift you can give
someone. Ask God to comfort those who have been touched by crime,
and if you know someone who is a victim, pray for them specifically.
2. Pray for Offenders: God offers mercy to all of us! Pray that those
currently serving time in prison will be able to find healing and peace
and rejoin society as healthy and whole.
3. Give to Help the Poor and Marginalized: Poverty and inequality are both
linked to an increase in crime. Give what you can to charities working
to provide food, housing, and education to the poor and marginalized
in your community.

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 Criminal Justice

Discuss
• What did you think was the most important or helpful thing that we
read today? Why did that stand out to you?
• When you feel like someone has wronged you, how do you usually
respond? Does today’s reading make you want to change how you
respond?
• Have you ever done something and received a punishment that helped
you to do better next time? What was it?

Notes

“In confession there is mercy. Believe it firmly, do

not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the
mercy of God.”
St. Isidore of Seville
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Immigration

“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Matthew 25:35

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 Immigration
Throughout both the Old and New Testament, we find stories of people forced
to leave their homeland and journey as strangers into foreign places. Abraham
traveled for many years before entering the land God had promised him. After
leaving Egypt, the entire Israelite nation wandered as nomads in the desert
for 40 years. Even Christ, as an infant, was forced to flee the land of the Jews
and travel to Egypt to escape King Herod. Therefore, as God’s people we are
commanded to welcome and care for the stranger. Speaking specifically to the
modern political issue of immigration, the Catechism of the Catholic Church
states, “The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able,
to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood
which he cannot find in his country of origin” (CCC 2241). Therefore, the
more wealth and resources a nation possesses, the greater duty it has to
welcome vulnerable immigrants.

Immigration, however, is a complex issue, and the Church recognizes this.

To help guide Catholics as they create immigration policies, Welcoming the
Stranger Among Us, a pastoral statement from the US Bishops, lays out three
guiding principles on the topic of immigration.

First, the bishops remind us that all people have the right to migrate to
sustain their lives and the lives of their families. Many of today’s immigrants
come from nations engulfed in war or with poverty. All people in all parts of
the world are God’s children, and it is not God’s will that only some of His
children live safe, healthy lives, while others suffer in poverty and fear. Also,
once a person has come to a new country, the Church asks us to remember
that the native does not have superior rights over the immigrant.

The second and third principles laid out by the bishops, however, acknowledge
how complex immigration is. The pastoral statement explains that a country

“The more prosperous nations are

obliged, to the extent they are able,
to welcome the foreigner in search
of the security and the means of
livelihood which he cannot find in
his country of origin.”
CCC 2241

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 Immigration
has the right to regulate its borders and to control immigration, but a country
must regulate its borders with justice and mercy. In other words, although all
people have a right to move to a new country, that new country has the right
to discern whether to receive those immigrants or not.

In an ideal world, there would be no need for immigration control. All

countries would simply welcome everyone. But we do not live in an ideal
world. A huge influx of immigrants can negatively impact a country, especially
one with limited resources to begin with. Therefore, governments are asked to
balance the needs of the people living within their borders and those seeking
to enter. There are different reasons a person may choose to leave one country
for another - for work, for family, for safety, or for freedom. Public policy and
immigration laws have to take all of these things into account. They cannot
look only to the self-interests of the country alone, they must consider the
needs and rights of all people, especially the most vulnerable.

Wrestling with the Issue of

Immigration in the Real World
The Church acknowledges that immigration policies must consider both
the needs of the immigrant and the needs of those already living in a certain
country. In our modern world, however, with huge numbers of people leaving
their countries of origin and seeking refuge elsewhere, Satan has tempted
many of us with selfishness and the idea that someone else’s misfortune
shouldn’t impact our comfort

The United States is a country of immigrants. Nearly all of us are here

because our ancestors immigrated here. All those different cultural influences
have made us a great nation. However, we can’t deny that welcoming large
numbers of immigrants does tax social services. Often arriving with very little,
immigrants require housing, education and food. This expense has left many
American taxpayers bitter and questioning why we have to accept immigrants
at all.

As Catholics, though, we know that we have a duty to defend our rights but

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 Immigration
also a responsibility to defend the rights of others. We are especially called
to look after the most vulnerable. Immigrants, especially those who are
undocumented, are incredibly vulnerable to abuse. Immigrants are regularly
taken advantage of or completely overlooked. Often they are confused by the
American immigration system and fall through the cracks, or because they
fear deportation, they don’t report abuse at work or in their relationships.

Christ reminds us that when we stand before Him in judgment, we will be

judged on how well we treated our fellow man, most especially those who
were vulnerable, poor, and frightened. Ignoring the needs of immigrants
is unchristian. While the Church supports controlling immigration, these
controls should never grow out of selfishness. It is intolerable to ignore the
needs of a person for the sake of our own comfort.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

In Luke’s Gospel, upon hearing from Christ that he must love his neighbor in
order to inherit eternal life, a lawyer asked who exactly his neighbor was. In
response, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan.

In this parable, a man is attacked by robbers and left for dead along the side
of a road. Passing by, a priest and then a Levite ignored the man and moved
to the opposite side. Then a Samaritan saw the man, and out of pity stopped,
tended to his wounds, laid him on his own animal, and carried the man to an

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 Immigration
inn. There he paid the innkeeper to continue to care for the man, promising
to return in a few days. At the conclusion of the story Christ asks, “Which of
these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands
of the robbers?” and the lawyer responds, “The one who showed him mercy”
(Luke 10:36-37).

To fully understand this story, you must know that Samaritans were once
descendants of a tribe of Israel. Over the centuries, however, conquering kings
had ruled over them and pagans had intermarried with them. Their faith had
gotten mixed up with other religions and it was very different from the faith of
the Jews. Because of this, the Jews and Samaritans hated each other. The Jews
saw Samaritans as sinful and corrupt. They refused to speak to them or eat
the same food as them. Remember also that the Jewish priests and the Levites
were elite Jews, and seen as very holy men.

Knowing this background, the parable becomes even more shocking. The
priest and the Levite ignore the needs of the injured man. But then the
Samaritan, a man from a different place with a different culture and religion,
looked at the man dying on the side of the road and felt pity. In the dying man,
he saw a fellow human being in need of help, and he responded.

Jesus concludes this parable with a simple command: “Go and do likewise.”
We are a neighbor to each other when we show mercy, regardless of whether
the person is a stranger or not. We are called to see the needs of another
person and respond.

Witness to Truth
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was the first United States citizen to be canonized
a saint. She was also an Italian immigrant who spent her life serving other
immigrants.

Born in 1850, Frances Cabrini was a frail child who dreamed of one day
becoming a missionary to China. However, when she was old enough to join
a religious community, she was rejected due to her poor health. Prayerful and
determined, Frances founded her own community a few years later called the
Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, and she began to make plans to sail for
China. However, responding obediently to the command of the Holy Father,
her order was sent to the United States instead.
178
 Immigration

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

179
 Immigration
Italian immigrants were flooding into New York City, where, at the time, the
government didn’t supply education, healthcare, or housing. As a result, many
of the Italian immigrants were suffering and in great need. Arriving with six
other sisters, Mother Cabrini saw the needs of the immigrants and quickly got
to work.

In New York, the missionaries faced tremendous odds. In fact, it was so

bad that the Archbishop of New York advised them to return home, but
Mother Cabrini refused. A master of fundraising and administration, Mother
Cabrini founded an orphanage shortly after arriving, and then a school, and
soon a hospital. In all, Mother Cabrini and her sisters founded 67 different
institutions to help the poor all across the United States and into Central and
South America.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini worked tirelessly to serve those most in need. As
an immigrant herself, she knew how hard it is to establish a new life in a new
land, and she was determined to serve those striving to do just that.

Called to Action
We are called to welcome not only immigrants, but all strangers in our
midst. Here are some simple and safe ways that you can start seeing and
meeting the needs of the strangers in your community.
1. Welcome Newcomers: Whether in your parish, neighborhood, or
school, be brave when you notice someone new. Coming to a new place
is hard, so go out of your way to welcome them and help them find
their way.
2. Offer Hospitality: With your parent’s permission, think of ways that you
can open up your home to those who are new or struggling. Simply
sharing a meal with another family in need is a powerful way to care
for them and extend Christ’s love to them.
3. Pray for Peace and Justice Around the World: Ideally, no one would need
to leave their homeland. Pray for peace in countries torn apart by war.
Pray and work also for economic justice for countries with limited
resources, so that all people will be happy, healthy, and safe right where
they are.

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 Immigration

Discuss
• What is something the Good Samaritan and Mother Cabrini had in
common?
• Have you ever been the “new kid” in a school or group? Who helped
you?
• Is there someone in our life who immigrated to our country? Is there a
way that we can reach out to them and make them feel welcome?

Notes

“Teach us to give and not count the cost.”

St. Ignatius de Loyola
181
Freedom of
Religion

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only

do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the
flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Galatians 5:13

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 Freedom of Religion
The Catholic Church defends all people’s freedom of religion. The
Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “The right to the exercise
of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable
requirement of the dignity of the human person” (CCC 1738). In other
words, because we are created in the image of God and possess an innate
dignity, each and every person should be free to seek and follow God in the
way their conscience leads them.

During the Second Vatican Council, Dignitatis humanae (Of the Dignity
of the Human Person), a declaration that specifically addresses freedom of
religion, was approved. This document explains that it is the duty of each
human person to seek the truth of God, and no law or policy should stand
in the way of that. Freedom of religion is a fundamental requirement of any
nation dedicated to respecting the dignity of the human person.

Dignitatis humanae explains that people must be free both from and for
religion. Most of us understand freedom from religion, meaning that we
must be free from any government or institution that forces us to conform
to a certain religion. For example, it would be immoral for our government
to pass a law requiring that all babies be baptized or each person attend
Mass on Sunday. But equally important, we must also be free for religion,
meaning that we are free to seek out the true Faith and live out the
principles of that faith in all aspects of our life.

It is not enough that people are free to select their own religion. People
must also have the space and freedom to live out those religious
convictions both publicly and privately. This is true for individuals and
institutions. For example, schools, hospitals, and charities founded under

“The right to the exercise of

freedom, especially in moral
and religious matters, is an
inalienable requirement of the
dignity of the human person.”
CCC 1738
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 Freedom of Religion
a certain set of beliefs should be able to operate in accordance with their
Faith without the interference of the State or society.

Our modern world has seen many attempts to limit the freedom of
religion in this regard. Catholic hospitals are regularly pressured to offer
procedures and treatments that are not in line with Catholic Teaching,
and individual medical professionals are encouraged or forced to violate
their conscience. Catholic schools are, in some situations, forced to include
immoral curriculums. Finally, a variety of Catholic charities have been kept
from doing their good work because they are dedicated to following the
teachings of the Church, not popular opinion.

The Church concludes its statement on freedom of religion with a call for
balance. As the Catechism explains, “This right must be recognized and
protected by civil authority within the limits of the common good and
public order” (CCC 1738). In other words, if the religious practices of
one group threaten the lives or wellbeing of another group of people, they
cannot be allowed. We all must be free to seek God where He can be found.

184
 Freedom of Religion
Wrestling with the Issue of Religious
Freedom in the Real World
Hearing that the Catholic Church fully supports freedom of religion and
the right of all people to seek and follow God as they see fit, might lead to a
dangerous confusion. You might wrongly assume that the Church believes
all faiths are equally good and true. But this is simply not true.

Supporting the freedom of religion asks us to respect all people and their
freedom to choose their belief system. It does not, however, ask us to
forget that there is one, true Faith, found in the Catholic Church. Catholics
support the freedom of religion because we know that God loves each and
every person and He has a unique and beautiful plan for winning each
heart. We were created with a longing for God in our hearts, and each
person must be free to follow that longing and find God. We know, though,
that a person will only enter the fullness of God’s truth as part of the
Catholic Church.

In recent years, the idea that one faith is true and others aren’t has come to
seem insensitive and conceited. Our culture likes to think it is above such
harsh judgements, saying to each person, ‘that can be true for you, but this
is true for me.’ The problem here, however, is that there can’t be multiple
truths.

As Catholics we know that there is truth, and that Truth, which existed
before time, became Man and died for our sins. Christ explained that He is
“The Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). Religious freedom ensures
that all people are free to seek the truth and ultimately find truth in Christ
Jesus, fully present in the Catholic Church. In a world where each person
enjoys the freedom of religion, it is our duty to speak the name of Jesus and
live a life that will demonstrate that we live in the truth.

185
 Freedom of Religion

The Truth of Jesus Christ

During the time of Christ, the Jews lived side by side with people who
held radically different religious beliefs. Worst of all for the Jews, perhaps,
were the Canaanites. The Canaanites practiced a pagan religion which
worshiped many false gods. They were the descendents of the people who
had lived in the Promised Land before the Jews arrived, and for centuries, a
bitter hatred existed between these two groups.

Throughout His public ministry, Christ made it very clear that He had
come to convert the lost tribe of Israel. (It is only after He ascended back
into heaven that He sent His followers out to convert the whole world.)
And yet, one day while Christ and His followers were traveling through the
Canaanite district of Tyre and Sidon, something remarkable happened.

A Canaanite woman approached Jesus, shouting about her daughter and

the demon that was possessing her. She praised Jesus as the ‘Son of David’
and begged Him to help her daughter. At first, Jesus hesitated. His mission
was to the Jews, and she was not a Jew. However, the woman had one thing
that surpasses all religious affiliation: faith in Him.

At the time, Canaanites were often symbolized by a dog. Alluding to this,

Christ said to her, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to
the dogs.” With faith, the woman responded, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs
eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” (Matthew 15:26-27).
Because she believed in the Truth, that Jesus is the Son of God, she was
happy to receive any of His blessings, even if they were the “scraps.”

Impressed with her faith, Christ responded, “Woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish” (Matthew 21:28), and at that moment
her daughter was healed.

The story of the Canaanite woman shows us why religious freedom is so

important. Each person, no matter what religion they might practice, is a
son or daughter of God, and God desires to win their heart and introduce
them to the Truth, His Son Jesus Christ. God’s plan for each of us is special
and unique, but in order to encounter Christ, we must seek Him.

186
 Freedom of Religion
The Canaanite woman, moved by faith, risked a lot when she entered the
house and approached Jesus. She risked mistreatment from the Jews as
well as the scorn of her own people. And yet she came and was able to
encounter the tender heart of our savior.

187
 Freedom of Religion

Witness to Truth
St. José Sánchez del Río, born in 1913, lived during a violent and dangerous
time in Mexican history. After a civil war, a new government came to
power which was determined to eliminate the Catholic Church in Mexico.
Soon Catholic schools, convents, and churches around the country were
closed. The government forbade people from practicing their faith, and
they began to hunt down and kill Catholic priests.

At the time José, or Joselito as his family called him, was just a boy. His
older brothers left home to join the Cristero movement, an organized band
of fighters that battled the Mexican government in the name of religious
freedom. Joselito begged his mother to let him join too, but she said he was
too young. Determined to fight and give his life for Christ, José begged the
general of the Cristero army, and eventually he was allowed to join as a flag
bearer.

José was very brave as he and the other Cristeros faced government forces.
During one skirmish, José’s general’s horse was killed, and the general was
trapped by the enemy. Without hesitation José raced forward and offered
the general his own horse. José dismounted, but soon he was surrounded
by the enemy. Though he attempted to defend himself, eventually he was
captured and taken prisoner.

José spent months as the government’s prisoner. Throughout this time, his
captors tried everything to get him to renounce his faith. They tortured
him. They offered him freedom and safety, but each time José boldly
refused. Once his captors forced José to watch the brutal execution of his
friend, but José was not shaken. Instead, he encouraged his friend to face
death bravely, knowing that he would soon be in heaven with Christ.

As the date for his own execution approached, José remained determined
and faithful to Christ. Soldiers cut the bottom of José’s feet and forced
him to walk to the cemetery where he would be executed. All along the
way they begged him, “Just say ‘Christ is dead!’ and you will live!” But
José refused. Instead, just before he died, he shouted, “Long live Christ the
King! Long live Holy Mary of Guadelupe!”

188
 Freedom of Religion

José Sánchez del Río

189
 Freedom of Religion
St. José Sánchez del Río knew that nothing was more important than
worshiping Christ and receiving Him in the sacraments. He died defending
this right, and his tremendous legacy is a powerful example for all of us.
We should never take our freedom of religion for granted, and we should
be willing, just like José, to defend that right with our lives.

Called to Action
It is the duty of every Catholic to defend the freedom of religion. We can
do this in simple, everyday ways, but also in bigger ways that will affect
policy and law.
1. Practice Your Faith Boldly: You have the right to receive the sacraments
and practice the Faith in your home. Are you taking advantage of this?
Do you value the Faith as much as St. José Sánchez del Río did?
2. Encourage Everyone to Seek God: It is a wonderful thing to have friends
from a variety of faiths. Strive to protect your own faith, but also
encourage each of your friends to authentically seek God, and believe
with all of your heart that Christ has a special plan to win the heart of
each person.
3. Support Catholic Organizations Under Attack: Many Catholic schools,
hospitals, and charities are under attack from the government or the
secular world because they refuse to compromise the teachings of the
Church. Support these institutions through words, deeds, and financial
contributions as they work to fight for our freedom of religion.

190
 Freedom of Religion

Discuss
• What did you think was impressive about the life and death of St. José
Sánchez del Río?
• What is something that makes it hard for you to practice your Catholic
faith? How can you work to overcome that?
• Have you ever heard someone say something negative about Catholics?
Or has someone said something to you directly? How did you respond?

Notes

“To convert somebody go and take them

by the hand and guide them.”
St. Thomas Aquinas
191
 Theme 4

Care for the

Poor and
Vulnerable

192
Before we dive into the next theme of Catholic Social Teaching, have a
parent help you find a picture of yourself as a tiny baby, a picture ideally
taken one of the first days of your life. Look at that picture and ask your
parents to tell you about the day you were born.

As you listen to the story of your birth, reflect on how helpless you were
during your first days and years of life. Make a mental list of all the things
you were unable to do for yourself. It’s a long list!

To ensure your safety and health, your parents lost tons of sleep,
bought special supplies just for you, and changed their entire lifestyle to
accommodate your needs. In other words, your parents responded to your
utter helplessness and vulnerability with love, and it was only through that
love that you survived and grew into who you are today.

A parent’s love for their child is the perfect example of how we all are
called to love and serve those who are poor and vulnerable. Catholic Social
Teaching’s emphasis on care for the poor and vulnerable is rooted in each
person’s right to life and an acknowledgement of the dignity of that person.
This dignity is true of each person, no matter how poor or vulnerable, old
or young, powerful or weak, they might be.

However, too often the needs and rights of those who are most vulnerable
are overlooked or even outright denied. As Catholics we have a duty to not
only care for our own needs, but also the needs and rights of those who are
most vulnerable. Just as your parents saw your needs as an infant, we are
called to see the needs of the poor, disabled, suffering, and ignored, and to
respond to those needs with love.

Pope Saint John Paul II wrote about a “preferential option for the poor”
which asks us to think about the poor and vulnerable first (Centesimus
Annus). With each decision we make, including where we spend our
money, time, and skills, we should ask, how will this impact the poorest,
the weakest and most vulnerable? In this section, we will explore how
we are called to care for the poor and vulnerable, especially as it pertains
to healthcare, persons with disabilities, the elderly, those suffering with
chemical addictions, and the homeless.

193
Healthcare

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of

the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from
God? You are not your own, for you were bought
with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

194
 Healthcare
Catholic Teaching tells us that healthcare is a basic human right. This
teaching has been proclaimed by the Church again and again and grows
out of the foundational principle of all Catholic Social Teaching, that each
human person is made in the image and likeness of God and therefore has
certain basic rights. Decent healthcare is not a privilege but is a right that
protects the life of each person.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that our bodies are precious
gifts that we must work to protect and nourish. Part of this includes getting
proper healthcare. In situations where a person does not have access to
healthcare, “Concern for the health of its citizens requires that society
help in the attainment of living-conditions that allow them to grow and
reach maturity: food and clothing, housing, health care, basic education,
employment, and social assistance” (CCC 2288). The US Bishops have
historically called for healthcare reform. They point to the fact that millions
of Americans don’t have proper healthcare, many of whom are children.

From the beginning, the Catholic Church has been concerned with the
care for the sick, especially those who are poor. The early Church charged
deacons with the care of the sick and poor, which they did largely by
distributing alms collected from the community. As plagues swept across

“Concern for the health of its

citizens requires that society
help in the attainment of living-
conditions that allow them
to grow and reach maturity:
food and clothing, housing,
health care, basic education,
employment, and social
assistance.”
CCC 2288

195
 Healthcare
Europe, few were willing to serve the dying, but Catholics like St. Catherine
of Siena, St. Roch and St. Aloysius Gonzaga all bravely stepped forward,
despite the risk to their own health. St. Elizabeth of Hungary left her castle
every day to serve at a hospital and even carried sick children back to
her own bed in the palace to care for them. St. Martin de Porres walked
through locked doors to serve the sick when an epidemic struck Peru, and,
in modern times, St. Giuseppe Moscati devoted his life to serving the poor,
often covering the expense himself and praying at their bedside.

Today, there are over 600 Catholic hospitals in the United States, along
with 1,400 Catholic long-term care facilities. Many Catholics are called to
healthcare professions and to directly care for the medical needs of others,
but all Catholics are called to ensure that everyone has access to lifesaving
healthcare.

196
 Healthcare
Wrestling with the Issue of
Healthcare in the Real World
Most people in the United States pay for their own health insurance or
they share the cost of insurance with their employer, but this doesn’t mean
that health insurance is cheap. Ask any adult and they will tell you that
healthcare is expensive and might be one of the biggest expenses their
family faces each month. Without health insurance, however, a simple
doctor’s visit or prescription drug refill can drain a bank account. Also,
without health insurance, involved medical procedures become impossible
to afford. Although healthcare is expensive for everyone, many who are
poor are unable to afford health insurance and therefore don’t have access
to proper healthcare.

In many countries, including the United States, providing healthcare for

the poor falls to taxpayers, most of whom are already paying for their own
healthcare. Because of this, many people struggle to understand why their
hard-earned dollars should go to support the uninsured as well. One might
wrongly believe that they aren’t actually responsible for anyone’s needs but
their own, or even that the poor don’t deserve the same access to care.

Although it might not feel ‘fair’ to be asked to share the financial burden
of healthcare for those who cannot afford it, the Church reminds us that
there are many ‘unfair’ things in life. It is ‘unfair’ that one person gets sick
while another is healthy. Also, wealth and opportunities are not distributed
between people in an equal way. There are many parts of life that fall
outside of the rules of fairness.

As Christians, however, we are invited to see each person as our brother

or sister, an individual made in the image and likeness of God, and we are
asked to practice charity, to share with those who have less. Healthcare is
a basic human right, and we have an obligation to help make sure that all
people have access to it.

197
 Healthcare

The Truth of Jesus Christ

During His public ministry, the sick and the lame flocked to Jesus,
desperately hoping that He would cure them. The crowds following Jesus
grew so large at times that it was impossible to get close to Jesus. The
Gospels tell of a time when a group of men carried their paralyzed friend
to Jesus as He was preaching. However, the crowd was so big that they were
unable to get close to Jesus, so they climbed onto the roof, removed some
tiles, and lowered the paralyzed man down to Jesus.

Luke’s Gospel tells us that Christ was impressed by the faith of these men,
and He said to the paralyzed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you”
(Luke 5:20). Hearing this, the Pharisees began to talk among themselves,
asking “Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but
God alone?” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus responded, “Which is easier,
to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? But so
that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive
sins”—he said to the one who was paralyzed—“I say to you, stand up and
take your bed and go to your home.” Immediately he stood up before them,
took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God”
(Luke 5:23-25).

The story of the paralyzed man demonstrates that Jesus is God because He
shares God’s ability to forgive sins, and it shows, once again, the necessity
of faith. But there are also a few lessons here that can be directly applied to
our understanding of healthcare.

Notice the team effort it required to bring the paralyzed man to Christ.
Unable to get there on his own, it is likely that four or more of his friends
picked up his bed and carried him to Jesus. Finding the crowd, those men
and maybe others too, hoisted the paralyzed man and his bed up onto the
roof, pulled off tiles, and rigged up ropes to lower him to the ground. And
Christ was moved by the faith of all involved, not just the paralyzed man.
Likewise, we are called to care not just for our own health but also the
health of others, especially those unable to care for themselves.

198
 Healthcare
Next, notice that Christ didn’t heal the man’s physical wounds first.
Instead, he started with his spiritual wounds by forgiving his sins. Christ
is the Great Physician. He desires that we are well, but He knows that
physical wounds aren’t the only wounds we bear. This is why, from the very
beginning, Catholics have been so active in healthcare. Christ desires to be
part of all the ways we are healed, body and soul.

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 Healthcare

Witness to Truth
St. Damien of Molokai was a humble priest from Belgium who devoted
his life to caring for people suffering from leprosy on a remote Hawaiian
island. Through his powerful example, we are reminded that healthcare is
a basic human right, and in order to truly care for those who are suffering,
we must first recognize their dignity as a son or daughter of God.

Ordained to the priesthood two days after arriving as a missionary in

Hawaii, Fr. Damien immediately got to work serving the local people. He
built churches, taught the Faith, and brought the sacraments to the faithful.
Soon, however, he heard about a desperate group of people living on the
remote island of Molokai. Surrounded by the ocean on three sides and a
cliff on the fourth, people suffering from leprosy were abandoned there.

At the time, leprosy was a terribly contagious disease for which there was
no cure. Those afflicted with the illness suffered horrific disfigurement
as the disease attacked skin, eyes, and limbs. Eventually, those with the
disease would become immobile and die. Fear of the disease spreading was
so great that lepers were abandoned to Molokai where supplies were very
limited, and with no civil or religious authority present, the weaker people
were victimized by the more powerful. Before Fr. Damien arrived, life in
Molokai was described as hell on earth.

Fr. Damien asked for permission to go and serve the lepers. Permission
was granted under one condition, he would never be able to leave Molokai.
Without hesitation, Fr. Damien accepted the terms and joined the leper
colony.

Before arriving on Molokai, Fr. Damien had been advised to keep his
distance from the lepers for fear that he too would contract leprosy. But
Fr. Damien knew that true service demands closeness. Therefore, while
serving the lepers, Fr. Damien regularly brought them the sacraments,
cleaned their rooms, and even washed their wounds. One of the first things
he did after arriving on the island was build coffins and bury the dead,
knowing that we all are worthy of a dignified death.

In all his work, Fr. Damien invited the other lepers on Molokai to join him,
and under the leadership of Fr. Damien, Molokai was transformed. The
200
 Healthcare

St. Damien of Molokai

201
 Healthcare
residents still suffered from a terrible disease, but they had been reminded
of their dignity in Christ, and that changed Molokai into a place where
Christian love was practiced.

In the end, Fr. Damien contracted leprosy. The disease attacked his face,
and soon he was as disfigured as the people he served. But Fr. Damien was
resigned to God’s will and dedicated himself to serving his community.
After his death, those he served offered him the same love and dignity,
prayerfully burying his body there on the island.

Called to Action
Access to healthcare is a basic human right. Here are some simple ideas for
you as you work to ensure that all people have access to this basic right.
1. Care for the Ill in Your Life: Whether it is helping a sibling suffering
from a stomach bug or caring for a chronically ill member of your
extended family, it is good and holy to take time out of your life to care
for the needs of others. Sit with them as they suffer and do what you
can to comfort them.
2. Stop Thinking ‘Us’ and ‘Them’: The healthcare debate is littered with lots
of ‘us’ (meaning taxpayers who also pay for their own healthcare) and
‘them’ (meaning the uninsured who use tax funds to get healthcare).
But these categories are toxic. Remember that the Church sees the
dignity and inherent worth of all people. Drop the categories and
remember instead that all people have a right to good healthcare.
3. Take Good Care of Your Body: Your body is a gift and you need to treat
it well. Therefore, take good care of your body by eating healthy foods,
getting enough sleep, and moving your body as you are able. Also, seek
help when you’re not feeling your best physically, but also emotionally
or mentally.

202
 Healthcare
Discuss
• What did you think was important or helpful in the reading today?
Why?
• Have you ever depended on someone to take care of your needs? How
did it feel to not be able to take care of yourself?
• Have you ever helped a friend or family member like the friends of the
paralyzed man helped him?

Notes

“Love the poor tenderly, regarding them as your

masters and yourselves as their servants.”
St. John of God
203
 Care for
Persons with
Disabilities

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my

power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast
all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of
Christ may rest upon me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

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 Care for Persons with Disabilities
The Church is consistent in her teaching on the treatment of those with
disabilities: all human persons are made in the image and likeness of God
and therefore are endowed with a sacred dignity. A disability - whether
physical, developmental, or psychological - does not compromise or
remove that dignity.

Beyond this, the Catechism reminds us that, “The duty of making oneself
a neighbor to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent
when it involves the disadvantaged” (CCC 1932). As Christians we are
asked to serve persons with disabilities with preference.

This can sometimes be a challenge because it may be difficult for persons

with disabilities to access what is easily accessible for those without a
disability. However, we must eagerly work to accommodate all people. For
example, persons who are deaf or have vision loss may need additional
methods of communication. Persons in wheelchairs need easily-accessible
ramps or elevators. And those with developmental or intellectual
disabilities might require accommodations to facilitate success in learning.

Pope Francis reminds us that we need to consider how persons with

disabilities are treated within our faith communities and in respect to
the sacraments. As he explained in an address on the International Day
of Persons with Disabilities, “Creating a fully accessible parish requires
not only the removal of architectural barriers, but above all, helping
parishioners to develop attitudes and acts of solidarity and service toward
persons with disabilities and their families. Also, I strongly reaffirm the
right of persons with disabilities to receive the sacraments, like all other
members of the church.”

“The duty of making oneself

a neighbor to others and
actively serving them becomes
even more urgent when it
involves the disadvantaged...”
CCC 1932
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 Care for Persons with Disabilities
Therefore, it is paramount that we welcome persons with disabilities in
our parishes, look for and make necessary accommodations, and make
sure they have full access to the sacraments. After all, Christ was eager
to welcome all people - the young and the old, the sick and the lame. It is
necessary that His Church exercises the same openness and love.

Wrestling with the Issue of Care for

Those with Disabilities in the Real World
Sometimes we might feel a little unsettled when we encounter a person
with a disability. It might be because it’s a new experience and you’re
not sure what to say or how to interact with them. Perhaps you feel
uncomfortable when someone acts or looks differently than you. Maybe
you’re not sure how to play with someone who uses a wheelchair, or how
to interact with a classmate with a developmental disability. It is normal
to notice these differences, but we have to resist the temptation to believe
the lie that says a person with a disability is so different from you that you
could never understand or love them, or that they are worth less than those
without a disability.

We can reject that temptation by reminding ourselves of what exactly it

means to be human. As Catholics we know that ALL humans are made
in the image and likeness of God; that is what it is to be human. Is being
able to walk and jump and run the measure of whether we are human? Is it
being able to see and hear? What about being able to comprehend math or
to work a job?

The truth is that none of those things make us human. The only thing
required for a person to be fundamentally the same as me is that God
created them out of love. We don’t know why a person with a disability
has been given unique challenges, but we do know that God’s plan is
perfect and that He is a loving Father to all. As Christians, we are called
to love all people, which compels us to welcome and accompany persons
with disabilities and to work to make sure they have access to everything
necessary.
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The Truth of Jesus Christ

While in Jerusalem for the festival, Jesus visited the pool of Beth-zatha,
where many who were sick or lame lay, hoping for a miracle. Used as a
temple for a pagan god, some believed that when the water in the pool
began to bubble (which was caused by a spring which filled the pool from
beneath) miraculous healings could occur.

Beside the pool Jesus found a man who had been ill and suffering for 38
years. Moved with pity for the man’s long suffering, Jesus tenderly asked,
“Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6). Lost in his own suffering and
pain, the man responded, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when
the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps
down ahead of me” (John 5:7). In this the man shares the true source of
his suffering. Through all those long years, no one cared for him or even
noticed him. They simply pushed him aside. Taking all his pain away
Jesus commanded the man to “Stand up, take your mat and walk,” and
immediately the man who has suffered for 38 years was healed (John 5:8).

In the story of the man at the pool of Beth-zatha, we see the important
role we all play in the care of others. The man sitting beside the pool was
sick and disabled, but even more painfully, he was ignored and alone. He
needed the help of others, which for years he did not receive. This reminds
us of our call as Catholics to notice and respond to the needs of others and
to make sure that everyone has access to what they need.

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Witness to Truth
St. Margaret of Castello lived during the 1300s in Italy. Her parents
belonged to the noble class and they longed for a son. They were horrified
when, at her birth, they learned that Margret was not only a girl, but also
blind, hunchbacked, and a dwarf.

Ashamed of Margaret, her parents kept her locked away in a remote part
of the castle and told everyone that their child had died at birth. When she
was six, Margaret was accidentally discovered by a guest at the castle, and
her parents decided to lock her in a room attached to their family chapel.

For ten years Margaret remained in that room while meager amounts
of food and clothing were passed to her through a window in the wall.
Throughout this time, however, Margaret’s faith flourished. Connected to
the chapel, Margaret spent her days with Christ in the Eucharist. She was
able to participate in Holy Mass and receive the sacraments. Also, the priest
who served at the chapel recognized Margaret’s profound faith and took it
upon himself to tutor her.

When Margaret was 16, her parents heard of a shrine in Castello where
miracles were occurring. Desperate to fix their daughter, they freed
Margaret from her room and made a pilgrimage to Castello. While there,
they ordered Margaret to pray for a miracle, but after two days and no
miracle, they callously abandoned her and returned home, never to see her
again.

Blind, lame, homeless, and without a penny, Margaret was forced to sleep
on the streets of Castello and beg for help. The kind people of Castello took
pity on her and eventually she was taken in by a Dominican convent where
she became a Third Order Dominican. Margaret never forgot the kindness
she had experienced in Castello, and she devoted her life to serving others.
She opened a tiny school where she taught catechism, visited prisoners,
and fed the poor, but above all else, she prayed.

Although St. Margaret of Castello was born with very difficult disabilities,
she knew she was a beloved daughter of God. Even when her parents
rejected her, she remained beloved in the eyes of her Creator, and through
Margaret many hearts were won for Christ.
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St. Margaret of Castello

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Called to Action
We are called to seek out persons with disabilities and love them in a
special way that affirms their dignity in God. Here are some ideas to do just
that.
1. Introduce Yourself: Instead of letting discomfort get in the way, be
brave and go introduce yourself. Learn their name and something
about them, and share something of yourself as well.
2. Pay Attention to Their Needs: Persons with disabilities may need
assistance. Watch for these needs and be eager to help so that they
have access to everything that you enjoy. If you notice an area of your
neighborhood, parish, or school that could be improved so it’s more
accessible to persons with disabilities, speak up and share your ideas.
3. Treat Them Normally: Even though it might not seem so obvious on
the outside, we have so much in common with all people. Make sure to
treat persons with disabilities the same as you treat anyone else. Share
stories, hold their hand, and laugh. Even if the person you are with isn’t
able to respond, your ordinary kindness is a beautiful gift.

“He is rich enough who is poor

with Christ.”
St. Jerome
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Discuss
• What did you think about the Gospel story today? Do you know a per-
son who is ignored like the man beside the pool?
• Is this an area you struggle with, or is it one of your strengths?
• How can you (and our family) do better to make sure that our home
and our communities are places where persons with disabilities are
welcomed and loved?

Notes

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Elders

Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

forsake me not when my strength is spent.

Psalm 71:9

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Another vulnerable group that is often overlooked or disrespected are older
persons. The treatment of aging adults is a growing problem because, with
improvements in healthcare, more people are living longer. Generations ago,
it was remarkable if a person lived into their 80s, but today, it is common to
reach 90 or even 100. Therefore, we have more seniors than ever before.

Like other vulnerable populations, the elderly often require special care, and
some might see the care of older persons as a burden. Consistently upholding
the truth of human dignity, however, the Church rejects the idea that the
elderly are a burden. Instead, the Church teaches that the elderly play an
indispensable role in society, and without the active participation of older
adults, our world, our Church, and our families would suffer.

One of the older person’s greatest gifts is their memory. Through their long
life they have seen and experienced much. Those experiences are valuable as
we attempt to make decisions that shape the future. The shared memory of
our seniors can protect us from making mistakes made in the past. The elderly
person also, due to their often slower-paced, less-hectic life, reminds the world
of what is really important. When we spend time with an older relative, we get
to slow down and make time for conversation. Finally, caring for the elderly
reminds us that we need each other and that we were created to serve. Just as
we needed our parents’ constant care when we were children, one day they
might need us in the same way. Love often demands service, especially within
a family.

As Catholics, we recognize that each person, no matter their age, is a gift from
God and possesses a sacred dignity. Caring for the elderly is just as important
as caring for any person in need. Also, our elders are an important part of our
families, parishes, community, and human family. In their pastoral message,
Blessings of Age, the US Bishops state, “We ask you to see these older persons

“We ask you to see these older persons

as God’s gift to you and to the entire
faith community. Talk with them,
learn from them, and draw inspiration
from them. They can show you a whole
new perspective on growing older.”
US Bishops
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as God’s gift to you and to the entire faith community. Talk with them, learn
from them, and draw inspiration from them. They can show you a whole new
perspective on growing older.”

Wrestling with the Issue of Care

for the Edlerly in the Real World
Visiting an aging relative or a nursing home can be intimidating. Seeing
firsthand the effects of aging on our bodies and minds is unsettling, and it
might be easy to believe that getting older is bad and that the elderly are
a burden. But underneath that mentality is the fear of being dependent
on others. And that fear, and the belief that getting older is bad, makes us
vulnerable to Satan’s lie that physician assisted suicide or euthanasia are
acceptable.

Logically, we know that each day we are getting a little bit older and one day
we will be elderly. It is important however that we see this as a good thing
which, through Christ, we will be able to navigate with grace.

Before you were born, God had a plan for you. That plan includes our
vocation, but it is also God’s plan that we continue to mature. Getting older,
and one day maybe being very old, are all stages of the journey by which
Christ will lead you to the Father’s House. Aging might be difficult as our
bodies and minds change, but it is also joyful because with each passing day
we are getting closer to heaven.

Pope Saint John Paul II is a shining example of how to embrace old age. When
he was elected pope in 1978, at age 58, he was extremely active and fit. He
regularly jogged in the Vatican gardens, weight trained, swam, and hiked.
However, nearly 30 years later, after multiple assassination attempts and cancer
scares, he was physically a very different man. Then in 2001, he was diagnosed
with Parkinson’s Disease, a condition that made it difficult for the pope to
speak, hear, and walk. News media often focused on the pope’s physical
decline and dismissed the powerful work he continued to do as pope.

Regardless of his physical condition and the views of the world, Pope Saint
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John Paul II lived out his papal assignment with zeal to the very end. As the
years passed, he was able to do less and less, but he remained the leader of our
Church and the spiritual father of each Catholic. At the end of his life, Pope
John Paul II required nearly constant care. In the days leading to his death,
many people around the world held prayer vigils, spiritually journeying with
him to the end of his earthly life.

Old age is an important stage in our journey toward heaven. It is vital that we
help today’s elderly see their age as a blessing, while upholding their dignity
and protecting their rights and privileges to pursue holiness.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Moments before dying on the cross, Jesus gave the Church a tremendous gift:
His mother. As John’s Gospel tells us, Mary was at the foot of the cross with
one of Jesus’s disciples, John. “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple
whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is
your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that
hour the disciple took her into his own home” (John 19:25-27).

Following the Crucifixion, Mary lived with John for many years. Mary was
present with the disciples at the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and

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she became a mother to all Christ’s followers. She also served as a source of
memories and stories about Jesus’s early life.

Tradition tells us that years after Christ returned to heaven, St. Paul and his
companion St. Luke, who would eventually write one of the Gospels, went to
visit Mary. Luke, a talented artist, painted a portrait of Mary that still exists
today, and he and Paul listened as Mary spoke about the events before Christ’s
birth. It is because of this special time Luke and Paul spent with Mary that
we have the stories of the Annunciation and Visitation, found only in Luke’s
Gospel.

Mary’s age and wisdom were a gift to the early Church and continue to be a
gift for all Christians today. Caring for Mary and other older Christians in
the community might have been a burden for John, but the elders were an
indispensable part of that community from which the Faith has sprouted.
Mary also gave the Church a great gift when her earthly life was over.
Assumed into heaven, body and soul, Mary now waits for us with her Son in
paradise.

Witness to Truth
St. Jeanne Jugan, the founder of the Little Sisters of the Poor, devoted her life
to caring for the elderly. She imitated Christ’s humility, serving people at the
end of life who had no one else to care for them.

Jeanne Jugan was born in a small French port city in 1792. When she was
four, her father was lost at sea, and her mother, now on her own, struggled to
provide for her four children. At the time, the French Revolution raged across
France, and the Catholic Church was under attack. As a result, Jeanne learned
the Faith in secret, but despite this, she grew very close to Jesus and discerned
a call to give her life only to Him.

As a young woman, Jeanne worked various jobs, including those of a

shepherdess, a maid, and a nurse. When she was nearly 40, however, she
discovered her true calling when she encountered an older woman named
Anne Chauvin. Anne was not only elderly, she was also blind, partially
paralyzed, homeless, and alone. Jeanne carried Anne back to her humble
apartment and laid her in her own bed. Jeanne cared for Anne for the
remainder of her life, sacrificing much for the older woman’s comfort and care.
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St. Jeanne Jugan

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In the following years, Jeanne took in two more older persons in need of care.
Then, finding more people to help, she rented an additional room for them.
Eventually, she rented a convent and filled it with forty older persons, all
with no one else to care for them. She supported this work by begging on the
streets.

Soon Jeanne’s work attracted other women who desired to serve the elderly,
and Jeanne founded a new order, the Little Sisters of the Poor. She took the
name Sister Mary of the Cross and directed her sisters to dedicate themselves
to humbly serving the elderly. Throughout her lifetime, the Little Sisters of the
Poor grew and expanded to several countries. At the time of her death, 2,400
women had joined the order and dedicated their lives to serving the elderly.

Like all of us, St. Jeanne Jugan was called to the vocation of love. Encountering
an older woman with disabilities, Jeanne was moved with the love of Christ
to care for her. Through the example of St. Jeanne Jugan, we see how we too
should respond to the needs of the elderly, especially those who are suffering
and alone. It is our duty and our honor to care for older persons as they
journey through the final stage of their earthly life.

Called to Action
There are many older persons in our communities, including in our families.
Here are some simple ways to better value and care for older persons in your
life.
1. Respect Them: Respecting your elders is important. Allow those who are
older to have the best seat, the best food, and the best of everything. Their
hard work and sacrifices, very likely, made your life possible. Thank them
for all they have done, and show them respect and kindness.
2. Gather Their Stories: The older members of your families offer a historical
record of what happened before you existed. Don’t let these stories
disappear! Take time to sit with your grandparents or older relatives and
record their stories.
3. Walk With Them To Death: As the older members in your family approach
death, remain close to them. Visit them, care for their needs, and pray
with them. Help them to make the final preparations to meet our
Heavenly Father.

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Discuss
• What stood out to you today in our reading, maybe something you
hadn’t thought of before?
• Have you ever thought about what it will be like to get older? What are
some challenges you might face as you age?
• Who are some older adults in our family and community? How do we
honor and care for them? Or, how can we do a better job of showing
them how much we value them?

Notes

“The elderly are a treasure for our society”

Pope Francis
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Substance
Abuse

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary

the devil prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour.”

1Peter 5:8

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Catholic teaching on the use and production of dangerous and illegal drugs
is clear. “The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and
life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense.
Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices”
(CCC 2291). Since many illegal drugs have powerful effects that change a
person in dangerous ways, negatively affect a person’s health, and regularly
result in addiction or even death, consuming even a small amount is wrong.
Therefore, there is no place in the Christian life for using or selling illegal and
highly addictive drugs.

Legal substances also exist that can harm our lives and souls if we consume
too much of them. These include alcohol, nicotine, and even sometimes
food. Through the virtue of temperance, we as Christians are called to make
sure that we aren’t ruled by our desires for certain things because sometimes,
when consumed to excess, our desires for things like alcohol or even food can
overpower us and lead to addiction.

The Church commands us to moderate our consumption of alcohol, to use

medications only as prescribed, and to avoid dangerous drugs, but how are
we called to treat those who are already suffering from substance abuse or
addiction? Based, once again, in the teaching that all people have the right to
live a life of dignity, we are asked to welcome persons suffering from addiction
with love. Even if sin and bad choices have led to a person’s addiction, we are
not called to condemn, but instead to extend a healing touch to those enslaved
by addiction.

The US Bishops identify persons with drug addictions and their families as
another group of vulnerable people for whom we should be concerned. In
their pastoral message on substance abuse, New Slavery, New Freedom, they
remind us that, “The lives and dignity of so many in our family of faith are
being undermined or threatened by the abuse of alcohol or drugs,” and that we
are called to respond to their needs.

Persons suffering with addictions need our help because addiction to a

“The lives and dignity of so many in our family

of faith are being undermined or threatened
by the abuse of alcohol or drugs...”
US Bishops
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chemical substance can result in real changes in the brain. These changes
create powerful cravings for the substance, so strong that the addict becomes a
slave to them, which can lead a responsible person to do dangerous and even
criminal things to acquire more of the drug. The Church in no way excuses
sins committed by persons addicted to drugs, but we do recognize that they
need a special type of healing and care as they recover and throw off the
chains of addiction. The path to recovery is often long and painful. Ultimately,
however, a recovered addict learns that true freedom can only be found
through the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.

Wrestling with the Issue of

Substance Abuse in the Real World
Many people, both inside and outside the Church, struggle to feel compassion
for persons with drug addictions. Unlike those suffering from illness or injury,
persons with substance addiction, in a way, chose this suffering. One small
choice after another led them to addiction. So why should we go out of our
way to help them when there are other hurting people in the world?

There are many reasons why we need to care for those suffering from
substance addiction. The first is that, all too often, substance abuse and
addiction don’t just affect the individual. Alcoholism and drug addiction
profoundly affect a spouse, children, siblings, coworkers, neighbors, and
the larger community. Helping a person escape addiction through love and
support will lead to healing in many lives.

Also, many are more vulnerable to substance abuse and addiction because of
factors outside their control, such as abuse or mental illness. Sometimes those
factors play a significant role in how free a person really is and whether they
did knowingly take steps toward addiction.

Above all else, remember that we are all sinners. We never have the right to
turn our backs on a fellow person. Christ offers mercy to all, so why should we
do anything less? Also, nothing, including addiction, can ever cancel a person’s
dignity, take away their rights, or end our responsibility to them.

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Finally, the US Bishops remind us that the Church benefits from the
experiences of all its members, even those who have battled addiction. They
explain, “what former addicts learn about the power and freedom of God’s
grace can enrich the faith of all.” Sin enslaves all of us, and we regularly find
ourselves doing sinful things that we don’t want to do. These sins might not be
as dramatic as drug use, but they are sins nonetheless. Finding true freedom in
Christ is something all Christians need to seriously pursue.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

The ninth chapter of John’s Gospel is dedicated to the story of a man born
blind. At the time of Christ, Jews thought that physical ailments, like
blindness, were the result of sin and that the aliment was in some sense God’s
punishment for that sin. Seeing the man born blind, Jesus’s disciples asked
Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
But Jesus dismissed this question and said instead, “Neither this man nor his
parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in
him” (John 9:2-4).

Turning to the blind man, Jesus spat on the ground and made mud. Then He
spread the mud on the man’s eyes and told him to go and wash. After washing,
the man’s sight was miraculously restored. Many of the man’s neighbors, who
knew he had been born blind, took him to the Pharisees, who were disturbed
to know that Jesus was working miracles on the Sabbath.

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As we consider God’s truth as it applies to drug addiction, we must return to
the beginning of the story and the question of the disciples. Whose sin led
to this situation? All too often we ask the same question when we confront
someone with an addiction. Instead of reaching out to the person in love, we
waste time asking, ‘How did you get yourself into this mess?’

Jesus reminds us that exploring another person’s sins and assigning blame
doesn’t help anyone. Jesus is the one who sees the whole picture, the whole
person, while we can only see a part. Therefore, we are not called to judge.
Instead, like Christ, we should see a person’s suffering as an opportunity to
experience God’s love and mercy. Where there is pain and suffering, God is
there, and very often God desires to work through us. We are called to be His
hands and feet as He works to welcome and heal persons with addictions.

Witness to Truth
St. Mark Ji Tianxiang, a heroic example of faith, lived in China just over 100
years ago. We honor him today as a martyr for the Faith even though he lived
the last 30 years of his life hopelessly addicted to drugs, an addiction that he
was never able to escape.

Born in 1834, Mark Ji was raised by Christian parents and was devoted to
Jesus. Mark Ji trained as a physician and performed countless acts of charity,
refusing to charge his poor patients for the care they received. He was also a
dedicated husband and father. At age 30, however, Mark Ji developed a painful
stomach ailment. To treat the pain, he began taking opium, which was a
common medical treatment at the time. Opium, however, is terribly addictive,
and even after his stomach healed, Mark Ji could not stop taking opium.

For 30 years Mark Ji prayed that he might be set free from this addiction,
without any relief. Regardless, Mark Ji refused to abandon his faith. He
made frequent confessions, acknowledging his ongoing drug addition. At
the time in China, persons addicted to drugs were scorned and seen as weak
sinners unworthy of forgiveness. Because of this, Mark Ji’s priest refused him
absolution and would not allow him to receive the Eucharist for 30 years.

Mark Ji loved Jesus and desired nothing more than to join Jesus in heaven,
where he would at last be free from his addiction. And so, he began to pray for
the honor of martyrdom. At the time, anti-foreigner sentiments were growing
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St. Mark Ji Tianxiang

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 Substance Abuse
in China. Christianity was seen as a foreign influence, and Christians were
being executed in great numbers.

As part of this persecution, Mark Ji, along with his son, daughter-in-law,
and six grandchildren, were arrested. They were put on trial and pressured
to renounce their faith, but they refused. The whole family was sentenced to
death, but before he died, Mark Ji received his greatest desire when his priest
brought him Holy Communion. The morning of the executions, Mark Ji
begged to die last so that none of his family members would have to die alone.
As the executions took place, he prayed and comforted his family members
while singing the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St. Mark Ji Tianxiang spent nearly half his life addicted to opium. He
desperately wanted to be free from this addiction, but he never was. Even as
an addict, he lived as a son of God, dedicated to Holy Mass and passionately
faithful. The story of St. Mark Ji Tianxiang reminds us that God’s love for
us is bigger than sin and bigger even than addiction. He meets us in our
weaknesses, and therefore, we should accept others in their weaknesses as
well.

Called to Action
Here are a few simple ideas that will allow you to more readily respond with
love when you encounter a person who struggles with drug addiction.
1. Love, Don’t Judge: When you meet someone suffering with any kind of
addiction, big or small, make sure that you don’t waste time assigning
blame or sorting through the person’s sins. It is your job to love the person
and help them find freedom. Take the problem seriously, and try to find
the best help for the suffering addict.
2. Pray for Those with Addictions: Many people suffer secretly with
addictions, ashamed of their problem and afraid to ask for help. Offer your
prayers for them, that they might find the courage to seek help and find
freedom through Jesus Christ.
3. Protect Yourself From Addiction: We can develop attachments to all
sorts of things, including food, video games, and social media. We avoid
addiction by controlling how much we consume. Make sure you are living
a measured life, and if you feel yourself falling into addiction, tell someone
and put measures in place to protect yourself.
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Discuss
• Did something challenge you in today’s reading? What was important
to you?
• Is there anything in your life that you have an unhealthy attachment to?
How can we help each other to have a more balanced life?
• Do we know anyone in our family or community who struggles with
addiction? How can we show them our love and care?

Notes

“Charity is certainly greater than any rule.

Moreover, all rules must lead to charity.”
St. Vincent de Paul
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Those Who Are
Homeless

“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled,
the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because
they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the
resurrection of the just.”

Luke 14:13-14

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The US Bishops describe the current housing crisis, which results in the
homelessness of between 2 and 3 million people in the United States, as
a “national disgrace” that “undermines the life and dignity of so many of
our sisters and brothers who lack a decent place to live” (Homelessness and
Housing: A Human Tragedy, A Moral Challenge). Speaking at an international
conference on homelessness, Pope Saint John Paul II explained why providing
housing for all is so important: “A house is much more than a roof over one’s
head. It is a place where a person creates and lives out his or her life.”

Poverty that results in homelessness destroys lives, damages families, hurts

communities, and weakens our entire nation and world. Therefore, as
Catholics, we are compelled to look to the needs of others and make sure that
each person has a safe, stable place to live. Housing is a basic right, and we
have a responsibility to make sure all people have adequate housing.

Our Church, starting with Christ Himself, has always looked to the needs of
the poor. The Catholic Church outlines seven corporal works of mercy, which
are specific ways we look after the physical needs of others. The seven corporal
works of mercy are feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering
the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting prisoners, burying the dead, and giving
alms to the poor. Each corporal work of mercy allows us to act as Christ and
offer God’s love. Beyond that, performing a corporal work of mercy, like
housing the homeless, allows God to meet the basic rights of each person
through us.

Finally, the Church asks us to continually work for the common good. To
understand the common good, it helps to imagine a sports team. Each
member of that team wants to have the best possible game by scoring or
defending in an exemplary way. But even beyond that, each member’s greatest
desire is to win the game, and to win as a team, each player must shine, not
just a few. Likewise, in the larger world, if our parishes, communities, cities,
and countries are going to thrive, each member must thrive as well. Although
we will likely never be able to ensure that every human being has full access to
everything required for a good life, this is still our goal.

“A house is much more than a roof over

one’s head. It is a place where a person
creates and lives out his or her life.”
Letter to Pontifical Commission Justitia et Pax
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Wrestling with the Issue of
Homelessness in the Real World
If you drive through almost any large city, you will witness homelessness.
Whether it’s tent cities, people sleeping under bridges, or lines outside of
homeless shelters, we witness the signs of homelessness in nearly every
community. When we encounter a person who is homeless, however, we
can be tempted to judge and to dismiss the needs of someone and not
respond with love. Satan might tempt us to believe that this person is lazy or
irresponsible and that they don’t deserve my help.

The truth is that people experience homelessness for a variety of reasons. Each
person’s story is unique. Very often these stories include a lack of affordable
housing, domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse, unemployment,
and lack of social services. But regardless, as Christians, we are not called to
evaluate a person’s life before we offer help. We are called to love first.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, “God blesses those who
come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them”
(CCC 2443). Notice, there are no exceptions to this rule. No one’s previous
choices disqualify them from help.

Very often, working to provide housing for those who are homeless requires
us to give financially, sometimes giving so much that it becomes a personal
sacrifice. St. John Chrysostom taught that “Not to enable the poor to share in
our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess
are not ours, but theirs” (CCC 2446). Everything we own is a gift from God,
and it is our duty to share these gifts with others.

Finally, our greatest duty is to bring Christ to each and every person, so
their hearts and lives can be transformed by the love of Christ. However, the
Catholic Church has long understood that before we can look to the spiritual
needs of a person, we need to deal with their physical needs. It is only after a
person has enough to eat, a safe place to live, and adequate access to medicine
and work that we can tend to their souls. Therefore, sheltering the homeless is
a primary part of evangelization.

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 Care for Those Who Are Homeless
The Truth of Jesus Christ
In Matthew’s Gospel, Christ spoke of the final judgment: At that time, the Son
of Man will sit on His throne with all the nations gathered before Him. He will
sort the people, placing some on His right and others on His left. Speaking
to those on the right He will say, “‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I
was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something
to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me
clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited
me’” (Matthew 25:34-36).

Confused, those on the right will ask when they offered Him drink or shelter,
clothing or care. And Christ will respond, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it
to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’
(25:40). Next, the Son of Man will turn to those on His left. Sending them to
the punishment of eternal fire, the Son of Man explains that when they saw
Him in need, hungry, thirsty, homeless or sick, they ignored Him. Responding
to their complaint that they never saw Him in need, Christ responds, “Truly I
tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it
to me’” (25:45).

One day each of us will stand before Christ in final judgment; Jesus told us in
the Gospel that caring for the poor in our midst is not just something we can
choose to do if we feel like it. Our eternal salvation depends on whether we are
willing to share what we have with the poor.

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 Care for Those Who Are Homeless
Even beyond this, Christ revealed something beautiful about the poor. When
we are in the midst of those who are poor, homeless, vulnerable, and suffering,
we are actually in the presence of Christ. It can be easy to ignore the poor or
look down on them, but when we do this, we are ignoring and looking down
on Christ. However, when we choose to love and serve the poor, we are loving
and serving Christ.

Witness to Truth
Even after her death, St. Mother Teresa continues to inspire the world to
serve the poor, especially those who are homeless and destitute. Through her
example we can see that each person is worthy of love and dignity.

When she was a little girl, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu (Mother Teresa’s baptismal
name) learned from her mother to summarize the entire Gospel in just five
words. Assigning each word to a finger, she said slowly, “You. Did. It. To. Me.”
These words come directly from the 25th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel as
Christ describes final judgment. Mother Teresa spent the rest of her life living
out this “Five Finger Gospel,” fully aware that she encountered Christ in each
person and that offering that person love was offering love to Christ.

Desiring to give her life to Christ as a religious missionary, Anjezë left

her home in Albania and traveled to Ireland where she joined the Sisters
of Loretto and took the name Teresa. In Ireland, she learned English and
professed her vows before she was sent to India as a missionary. For twenty
years, she taught at a school for girls with her community in Calcutta. Then,
in 1946, while traveling across India by train, Sr. Teresa received a “call within
a call.” She would later describe it, saying, “I was to leave the convent and help
the poor while living among them.”

In 1948, she left her convent, began to wear a simple white sari with a blue
border, and received basic medical training. The first years were very difficult.
Sr. Teresa had no permanent home, and she was forced to beg to support
herself and the poor she was serving. She wrote in her journal that these years
of hardship allowed her to understand the way many of the poor suffered.
“While looking for a home, I walked and walked till my arms and legs ached.
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St. Mother Teresa

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 Care for Those Who Are Homeless
I thought how much they [the homeless] must ache in body and soul, looking
for a home, food and health.”

In the coming years, Mother Teresa would be joined by many other women
desiring to serve the poor. Eventually, she received Vatican approval to start a
new order, the Missionaries of Charity, and together with her community, she
built houses and hospitals across India and in several other countries.

Through it all, Mother Teresa clung to the “Five Finger Gospel.” Finding a
person in the street, abandoned and dying, she would carry that person home
and personally wash their wounds. Through this humble service, Mother
Teresa offered them not just life, but also dignity. Mother Teresa understood
that we honor a person’s dignity through small acts of charity.

Mother Teresa and her sisters began each day in Eucharistic Adoration. After
spending this time in the presence of Christ, they were able to go out into the
world and find Christ in each person. The example of Mother Teresa inspires
us to train our own eyes, so that we too are able to spot Jesus both in the
Eucharist and the people we encounter.

Called to Action
1. Make Blessing Bags: Put together small bags that you can hand out to
homeless people that you encounter. Fill the bags with things like warm
socks, gloves, simple snacks, or hygiene items.
2. Spend Time at a Soup Kitchen: Many homeless and poor visit local soup
kitchens. Find time to volunteer and serve there, or better yet, go to
a soup kitchen and sit down to eat and talk with the homeless people
there.
3. Tithe: Even though your income might be limited to birthday money
or an allowance, you are still asked to set aside 10% for the poor. Get
into the habit of placing your own money into the collection basket at
Mass each week. Remember that this money is not just meant for you
and your enjoyment, it can do real good in the world, providing basic
things for those in need.

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Discuss
• What do you imagine would be the most difficult part of not having a
home?
• How do you react when you encounter someone who is homeless?
What do you usually do?
• What is something our family can do to show love and help to the
people in our community who experience homelessness?

Notes

“Be kindhearted to the poor, the unfortunate

and the afflicted. Give them as much help and
consolation as you can.”

St. Louis King of France

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 Theme 5

Dignity of
Work and
Rights of
Workers

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Think of a chore you do regularly around the house. Maybe it’s cleaning up
after a meal, making your bed, taking out the trash or mowing the lawn.
Now, talk about what it looks like to do that chore well...and what it would
look like to do that chore poorly.

Although you might not love doing chores, and you likely aren’t paid for
them, it is important that you pitch in and work at home. Why? Because
you were created for work, and working is one of your rights. That’s right!
Not only is it important that you contribute to your home through your
work, you aren’t actually living up to your calling as a human unless you
work!

Our Church teaches that all humans have a right to dignified, honest,
and safe work for which we are justly compensated. “Everyone should be
able to draw from work the means of providing for his life and that of his
family, and of serving the human community” (CCC 2428). Work is key
to the Christian life because, through our work, we are able to participate
in God’s creation. Our work allows us to become caretakers and even co-
creators in God’s creation.

Each person, regardless of their age or status, is called to work. That work
helps form us into the person God created us to be and is one way we live
out our human dignity. This is true of the work an adult does as part of
their job and the work you do around the house as well as your school
work. It is our duty to not only do our work well, but to also strive to
protect the rights of all workers so that all can enjoy productive work, a
just wage, and a safe work environment.

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Dignity of
Work

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the

Lord and not for men”

Colossians 3:23

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 Dignity of Work
Work is the duty of each human person. While Adam and Eve still lived
in paradise, God commanded them to work. The Catechism explains, “In
the beginning God entrusted the earth and its resources to the common
stewardship of mankind to take care of them, master them by labor, and enjoy
their fruits” (CCC 2402). God’s great work was creating the world we enjoy. In
turn, we are called to participate in creation through the work of our hands.

Our Faith also helps us see that work is about more than earning money. Work
is where personal growth happens. Through our work we have an opportunity
to develop our God-given talents, explore new ideas, live out our values, and
build relationships with other people. Work is also an opportunity to find and
connect with God. Many jobs ask us to serve others, and through that service
we are able to serve not only the person before us, but Christ as well.

All work, as long as it is moral, is meaningful. Whether your work asks you
to build computer software, tend livestock, or scrub toilets, it has meaning.
Pope Saint John Paul II explained, “Man must work out of regard for others,
especially his own family, but also for the society he belongs to, the country
of which he is a child, and the whole human family of which he is a member,
since he is the heir to the work of generations and at the same time a sharer
in building the future of those who will come after him in the succession of
history” (Laborem Exercens). In other words, work links us to our families, our
communities, to the past and the future.

We not only have a duty to work, but we also can be made holy through our
work. Work, the Catechism explains, can be redemptive. “By enduring the
hardship of work in union with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the one
crucified on Calvary, man collaborates in a certain fashion with the Son of
God in his redemptive work. He shows himself to be a disciple of Christ by
carrying the cross, daily, in the work he is called to accomplish” (CCC 2427).

“In the beginning God entrusted

the earth and its resources to the
common stewardship of mankind
to take care of them, master them
by labor, and enjoy their fruits.”
CCC 2402
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 Dignity of Work
All work involves some level of toil and suffering, but the suffering we endure
as we work can make us holy and bless the world when we unite ourselves
with Christ as we work.

Finally, we are only able to correctly understand the commandment to rest on

Sundays if we are living out our call to work the rest of the week. Just like God,
who worked to create the world for six days and rested on the seventh, we too
need to order our lives and set time aside for God and others. God does not
desire that we work ourselves sick or that work becomes the focus of our lives.
Yes, work is an important part of being human, but we are not defined by that
work. We are defined by our creator.

Wrestling with the Issue of the

Dignity of Work in the Real World
Watching adults trudge to and from their jobs can give you a warped view
of work. Where is the dignity in working a job you hate? You might start to
believe that work is something terrible we endure so we can get money. Pop
culture glorifies lottery winners because, with their winnings, they will never
have to work again. But wrapped up in all this is a lie that comes from Satan:
that work is bad or something I only do to get paid.

First, it’s important to understand that your calling to work is not the same
as an adult’s obligation to hold down a job and bring home a paycheck. Even
children, though they are too young for a conventional job, share God’s calling
to work.

As an adult you will most likely be expected to get a job that enables you to
support yourself and your family. Who knows what that job will be, but we
can assume that at least some parts of that job will be unpleasant or even
grueling. A farmer might not love heading out in a blizzard to feed cattle.
A truck driver might get frustrated sitting in a long line of traffic on the
interstate due to road work. A computer software engineer might dread the
weekly staff meeting. (And a parent, who isn’t paid for all they do to raise their
children, may tire of changing diapers and washing dishes.) All these things
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 Dignity of Work
are hard, but each difficult experience we take on through our work can make
us a stronger and better version of ourselves.

God’s plan for your life is not limited to whether you will become a priest or
parent. God desires to form each part of you, and much of that formation will
occur through work. A person who has embraced their own dignity works
with Christ at their side. That work may be fulfilling and employ their talents,
or maybe not. Regardless, the work is blessed because when we work, we
contribute to our family and society and we bring glory to God through our
efforts.

Finally, always remember that each task we are asked to do is an opportunity

to love. Mother Teresa understood this. When reporters asked her to describe
her greatest achievement, she would regularly respond, “I am an expert
at cleaning toilets,” and she was perfectly serious. Mother Teresa lived out
her vocation to serve and love, and she understood that scrubbing a toilet
is important work because it shows love to a fellow person. No work was
beneath her because absolutely no person was unworthy of love.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Jesus attracted crowds of followers in nearly every village He visited. There
was one place, however, where people were not impressed. That place was
Nazareth, His hometown.

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 Dignity of Work
While in Nazareth with His disciples, Jesus went to the synagogue on the
Sabbath. Standing before the people gathered for prayer, He began to teach,
and many were astounded. Quickly, however, they remembered that this was
Jesus, the boy from their village whom they had watched grow up. How could
He be something special? After all, they wondered, “Is not this the carpenter,
the son of Mary?” (Mark 6:3).

This single statement is helpful as we investigate Christ’s own example of work.

Tradition tells us that Jesus didn’t begin His public ministry until His thirties.
He spent nearly thirty years in Nazareth, growing up and learning carpentry
from Joseph before working as a carpenter Himself. The word Mark used in
his Gospel to describe Jesus’s profession could also have been translated as
“laborer” or “handyman,” or someone who worked hard and was clever with
fixing things. Regardless, Jesus spent most of His time on this earth working.

All those years Christ spent working in Nazareth, He was fully God and
fully human. In this, Christ gives us the perfect model of what it means to
be human. Just like us, He was called to work, and He embraced this calling.
In Jesus, the carpenter from Nazareth, we see the perfect example of what
St. Josemaría Escrivá urged others to understand about work, “That work
- humble, monotonous, small - is prayer expressed in action.” It is a shame
that the people who knew Jesus through His work as a carpenter could not
also come to know Him as the Son of God. Pray that you might be different.
You might come to know Jesus through your work and through your time in
worship.

Witness to Truth
St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus Christ, is a
wonderful example of the holiness of work. Through his work as a humble
carpenter, St. Joseph was able to provide for the Holy Family, teach His son
a valuable trade, and grow ever closer to God.

We know very little about the life of St. Joseph, but we do know that he was
a man of prayer and hard work. Learning that Mary was pregnant, Joseph
decided to shield her from shame and divorce her privately. However,
after an angel appeared to him in a dream, he immediately obeyed and

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 Dignity of Work

St. Joseph
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 Dignity of Work
welcomed Mary and Jesus into his home. The Gospels tell us that, more
than once, Joseph was able to hear God’s command and he quickly obeyed.

Scripture is also clear that Joseph supported his family through his work
as a carpenter, but although he worked hard, the family remained poor.
Presenting Jesus in the temple according to the Jewish tradition, Mary and
Joseph offer only two turtle doves, the offering of a poor person unable to
afford an unblemished lamb.

Back in Nazareth, Joseph would have been the one primarily responsible
for Jesus’s education. He would have taught Him the Jewish faith and also
his trade. Most of Jesus’s education very likely took place as His father
worked. Standing at Joseph’s side, Jesus would have learned carpentry by
watching. Gradually, He likely began to participate in His father’s work. In
this way, Joseph is a powerful example to all workers. As he worked, Christ
was right there, conversing with him and sharing in the moment. Although
Christ might not be physically present with us as we work, we are still
called to keep Him close and prayerfully discuss all that we do with Him.

Called to Action
All people, even children, are called to work with dignity. Here are some
simple ideas that can help you work better.
1. Do Your Work Well: When you are given a chore, do that chore well.
Whether your work is washing dishes, raking leaves, folding laundry,
or caring for a sibling, take pride in what you do and allow your work
to bring glory to God.
2. Rest on Sundays: Made in God’s image, we are made to not only work
but to rest. Give Sundays completely to God by resting from work.
3. Pray for Those Who Support You Through Their Work: Many people
work hard to give you a safe and comfortable life (your parents, of
course, but also your teachers, coaches, doctors, and many others).
Acknowledge their hard work and support their efforts in prayer.

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 Dignity of Work

Discuss
• Can you share about a time when you did a great job or created some-
thing that you felt really proud of?
• Do you know someone who has lost their job or had a hard time find-
ing good work? Is there a way that our family could offer some help or
encouragement to them?
• Do you ever think about what kind of work you might want to do when
you’re an adult? What do you think you’d enjoy and that would use
some of your strengths and talents?

Notes

“Whenever you begin any good work you should first

of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord
to bring it to perfection.”

St. Benedict of Nursia

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 Worker
Rights

“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor,
doing honest work with his own hands, so that he
may have something to share with anyone in need.”

Ephesians 4:28

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 Worker Rights
Since work is the duty of each person, all workers are entitled to basic rights.
The Catechism outlines five rights of workers that cannot be violated. These
include the right to productive work, the right to decent and fair wages, the
right to organize into worker unions, the right to safe working conditions, and
the right to private property. The Church also defends workers’ right to strike
if necessary (CCC 2431-2435). The basic idea behind each of these rights is
that no work should ever violate a person’s dignity.

Since work brings dignity and even holiness to a person’s life, it makes sense
that each person deserves access to productive work. Catholic Social Teaching
reminds us that we need to care for the poor and vulnerable, but providing
for them goes beyond handouts. Good, honest work is a tremendous gift we
should strive to give each person.

The Catechism explains, “Unemployment almost always wounds its victim’s

dignity and threatens the equilibrium of his life. Besides the harm done to him
personally, it entails many risks for his family” (CCC 2436). Although work
is often hard, a person feels productive and valued after an honest day’s work.
Without work, feelings of worthlessness can consume us. Therefore, simply
providing an unemployed person with money is not enough.

Each worker also has a right to earn a decent wage, one that can support their
own needs and the needs of their family. Our world wrongly looks down
on some work. We not only view the work as beneath us, but we support a
society that pays workers very little for these tasks. Because of this, workers in
these jobs suffer two violations of their dignity. Their work is disrespected by
society and their efforts are rewarded with a wage so low they are barely able
to survive.

Workers must also be provided with a safe work environment. Unfortunately,

some workers are forced to endure terrible conditions. Many sweatshops
around the world force workers to toil for hours with no breaks and little
access to fresh air or water. It is intolerable that a person should be asked
to risk their health or wellbeing in exchange for employment. The Church
also supports workers organizing into unions and striking when all other
forms of negotiations fail. Workers are encouraged to come together, form
communities, and work for the good of others. Also, workers often remind
businesses to focus on people and not just profit.

Finally, the Church’s teaching on worker rights calls the world to value all
work and all workers. All jobs, even dirty, monotonous, or difficult jobs, must
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 Worker Rights
be done in order for our society to function. Each worker plays a part in
building our world. Therefore, we need to better value and protect the work of
the vulnerable and overlooked.

Wrestling with the Issue of

Worker Rights in the Real World
Most of us don’t spend much time worrying about worker rights. Many adults
you know likely have good jobs, which they perform in a safe environment
and for which they are paid a fair wage. But around the world, and even within
our own country, this is not everyone’s reality. Many people don’t have access
to work, or if they do, they are forced to endanger their health and even lives
as they work. Others toil all day long and are paid less than they need to live.
Still others are kept from organizing to improve their situation. We know these
things happen. We might even purchase products that are made by people
working without basic rights, and yet we hesitate to do anything to help. Why?
Because our lives are comfortable. That comfort tempts us to believe that
the rights of workers around the world don’t impact us and that we are not
responsible for workers we don’t know and can’t see.

It can be difficult to motivate ourselves to fight for worker rights, especially

when our own situation is good. But we are asked to look beyond our own
needs and recognize ways that we participate in or benefit from injustice.
While it’s true that most of us aren’t directly exploiting workers, most of us
do contribute to the problem indirectly by consuming more than we need or
buying inexpensive items made by workers who are paid very little. Catholic
Social Teaching reminds us of our responsibility to fight for and even provide
for the needs of others, especially when their struggles are the result of
injustice.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

In the 20th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, we read the parable of the Laborers
in the Vineyard. Jesus began by saying, “For the kingdom of heaven is like
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 Worker Rights
a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his
vineyard” (Matthew 20:1). In this parable, we should pay keen attention to the
ways this landowner is like God.

The landowner went out at dawn and hired laborers for his vineyard. Then,
he went out again at nine in the morning, noon, and three and five in the
afternoon. Each time, he found more workers and sent them to work in his
vineyard. At the end of the day, the landowner gathered all those whom he
had hired and began to pay them. He started with those who had come at five
in the evening and worked only a few hours. Surprisingly, he paid these people
the full day’s wage. As he continued to pay the workers, those who had begun
work at dawn thought, surely, they would be paid more. After all, they had
worked much longer than the others. However, when the landowner got to
them, he offered them the same wage as everyone else.

After receiving their pay, those who came to the vineyard first began to
grumble. Hearing their complaints, the landowner spoke kindly to them,
‘“Friend,” he said, “I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for
the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this
last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what
belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?”’ (Matthew 20:13-
15).

It is easy to get hung up on issues of fairness in the battle for worker rights.

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 Worker Rights
Perhaps a person didn’t invest in a college education, they served time in
prison, or they have a history of chemical abuse. We might be tempted to
conclude that it makes sense that they don’t have access to work, or the work
they do have doesn’t pay very much. But Christ begs us to reject these worldly
measures and, as we work to ensure rights for all workers, to ponder the words
of the landowner: Are you envious because I am generous? God desires to be
generous to all people, and we should not stand in the way of that generosity.
Instead, we should strive to be like our Father, the owner of the vineyard, and
practice generosity.

Wittness to Truth
Servant of God Dorothy Day devoted her life to the struggle for worker
rights. Born into a non-practicing Christian family, as a child she became
interested in the Bible and, on her own accord, began attending services at
a local Episcopalian church where she was baptized and confirmed. During
those early years, Dorothy also experienced true poverty. At seventeen,
Dorothy dropped out of college to pursue a career as a journalist, focusing
her writing on women’s rights, worker’s rights, and the rights of the poor.
However, during this time, Dorothy was deeply unhappy and battled
depression. Falling away from the faith of her childhood, Dorothy became
a dedicated atheist, a heavy drinker, and involved in shallow love-affairs.

Through this darkness, Dorothy dedicated herself to the work of gaining

rights for others. Involved in many protests, Dorothy was arrested several
times and spent time in jail. She also willingly embraced poverty so
that she could better serve the poor. Soon Dorothy began to experience
a strange longing to join the Catholic Church. Then, while living in a
common-law marriage, Dorothy became pregnant. She was shocked, and
she saw the pregnancy as a miracle. She assumed she’d never be a mother
because of a previous injury. While pregnant, she pledged to give her child
a religious upbringing. The man she was in a relationship with, however,
wasn’t interested in fatherhood or religion, and he left Dorothy to raise the
child alone.

Shortly after her daughter was born, Dorothy converted to the Catholic
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 Worker Rights

Servant of God Dorothy Day

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 Worker Rights
Faith. Sadly, her conversion was a lonely one. Many of her activist friends
were dedicated atheists, and many of her new Catholic friends weren’t
concerned with fighting for worker rights. In prayer, Dorothy begged God
to send her a coworker who shared her faith and her dedication to the
poor. Shortly after this, Peter Maurin, a French Catholic activist, knocked
on her door. The two founded the Catholic Worker, a newspaper designed
to put Catholic Social Teaching in ordinary terms and, in so doing,
transform society, especially the culture of work. Unlike other newspapers,
the Catholic Worker not only informed readers but also asked them to
make a personal response.

Soon readership of the Catholic Worker exploded. More than just a

newspaper, the Catholic Worker became a movement. Catholic Worker
Houses sprang up around the country, which focused on hospitality and
non-violence, worker’s rights and solidarity with the poor. Even through
times of war and declines in readership, Dorothy Day remained an
important part of the movement and a powerful reminder to all Catholics
that we must put our beliefs into action and work on behalf of the poor.

Called to Action
There are many ways that you can fight for worker rights without joining a
protest. Here are some simple ideas.
1. Notice Workers: Open your eyes to all the workers that make your life
possible. Pay attention at the grocery store, fast food restaurants, on
the highway, and at school. Each time you take a bite of food or enjoy a
clean restroom, think about all the people that worked hard to give you
this convenience.
2. Investigate Your Purchases: Since we live in a global economy, much
of what we purchase is manufactured on the other side of the world.
When making big purchases, encourage your parents to research the
company they are buying from to ensure that you aren’t supporting a
company with unjust labor practices.
3. Educate Yourself: Spend some time learning about workers around the
world, especially those who are treated poorly. Understanding their
situation will help you join the fight on their behalf.

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 Worker Rights

Discuss
• What’s something you learned in this section that you didn’t know
before?
• What’s a job or type of work that you think the world doesn’t respect?
How can our family do something different and show those workers
our respect and appreciation?
• When it comes to our purchases, how do you think our family is doing?
What products or brands should we research to find out if they treat
their workers justly?

Notes

“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work

as though everything depended on you.”

St. Augustine of Hippo

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 Theme 6

Solidarity

254
What do you say when you greet someone in person or on the phone? Do
you say Hi? Hello? How’s it going?

In Christ’s time, Jews greeted each other by saying, “Shalôm,” or peace.

This greeting wished several things for the other: prosperity, well-being in
body and mind, a resolution of conflict in families and communities, joy,
safety, and success. All good things, but imagine that you are going through
something really tough. A friend greets you saying “Shalôm,” but how do
you actually leave behind suffering and experience peace?

In our world that is torn by conflict, war, and fear, this is the ultimate
question. How do we find peace? The answer might seem unlikely. The
truth is that peace is not something we find out in the world. Instead, peace
is achieved first inside us. From there peace can spread. The peace you feel
deep inside, a quiet stillness found in prayer and relationship with God,
will become peace and harmony in your relationships.

On the other hand, if you don’t like who you are, or if you are struggling
with guilt or shame, those internal conflicts will contaminate your
relationships. The conflict inside of you will cause you to lash out, pick
fights, blame others, turn away from those who love you, harbor grudges,
and create conflict around you. The war inside of you will become a war
with others.

The sixth theme of Catholic Social Teaching, solidarity, reminds us that we

are all part of one human family, and peace needs to reign in this family.
Regardless of where a person is born, what they look like, what language
they speak, what customs they keep, or which religion they practice, they
are our brother or sister. There will be problems in this human family,
times when we don’t get along or just plain don’t like each other. However,
we are required to seek peace by striving for peace in our own lives, and
sharing that peace with others.

God made it clear with Cain in the first human family: we are indeed our
brother’s keeper, and their wellbeing is our responsibility. We have a duty
to seek truth and peace in our own hearts and truly wish peace to all that
we meet. In this section, we will explore the Church’s teaching on war,
terrorism, and racism in light of Solidarity.

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“I have said these things to you, that in me you may

have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.
But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

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The Catholic Church commands all people and nations to work to avoid war
and establish peace (CCC 2308). War, both in its ancient form but now even
more so with modern weapons, is a terrible phenomenon that destroys lives,
communities, and cultures. Pope Pius XII implored the world on the eve of
WWII, “Nothing is to be lost with peace. Everything can be lost with war.”

Our Church, however, acknowledges that sometimes war is permissible.

The Catechism explains, “as long as the danger of war persists and there
is no international authority with the necessary competence and power,
governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace
efforts have failed” (CCC 2308). To this end, the Church offers what is known
as the Just War Doctrine, four criteria that must be met in order for a war to
be declared just. These four criteria are:
“- the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of
nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
- all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be
impractical or ineffective;
- there must be serious prospects of success;
- the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to
be eliminated” (CCC 2309).

As you can see, based on these four principles, very few modern conflicts
could be called ‘just wars.’ All too often, every possible means is not used to
reach peace before war is declared. Also, with modern weapons capable of
mass destruction, regularly the resulting war causes much more death and
destruction than the original inciting event.

Finally, the Church reminds us that even within a just war, nations are called
to obey moral law. The Catechism explains, “The mere fact that war has
regrettably broken out does not mean that everything becomes licit between
the warring parties” (CCC 2312). This command to avoid sin during war

“The mere fact that war has

regrettably broken out does not
mean that everything becomes
licit between the warring parties.”
CCC 2312
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is for nations as well as individuals. Nations must treat civilians, wounded
soldiers, and prisoners with respect. They must also strive to take as little life
as possible. Individuals are charged to use their conscience when carrying
out orders and not just obey without thought because, “one is morally bound
to resist orders that command genocide,” and other immoral actions (CCC
2313).

Wrestling with the Issue of War

in the Real World
It is easy, living comfortably in the United States far from armed conflict, to
have some strange ideas about war. The closest we get to war is often through
a video game. Because of this, we can be tricked into believing that war is just
a game.

This, however, could not be further from the truth. Pope Saint John Paul
II, a man who lived through the aftermath of World War I and the terrible
destruction of World War II, knew the reality of war intimately. Repeatedly,
he called for peace. In a homily on the Feast of Pentecost, he said, “Today, the
scale and horror of modern warfare makes it totally unacceptable as a means
of settling differences between nations. War should belong to the tragic past,
to history; it should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future.” All of
Catholic Social Teaching begs us to value human life - all human life. In war,
innocent lives are lost and the structures that provide basic rights for people
are destroyed. Therefore, war should be the very last consideration for any
nation.

We are called, however, to not only strive for peace between countries, but also
in our own communities. As many have pointed out, peace starts at home.
Within our families, we come to understand how to deal with people we might
not get along with all the time. Reflect for a moment if you ever try to achieve
peace through violence? For example, have you pushed or shouted at a sibling
in an attempt to stop them from doing something naughty? The truth is that,
even if we are on the right side, violence should always be used as our last
resort. This is true for countries and for individuals.

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Instead, we are called to build peace. But peace is not always easily created.
The Catechism explains, “Peace cannot be attained on earth without
safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect
for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity.
Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity” (CCC 2304).

In that same homily, Pope Saint John Paul II also said, “Peace is not just the
absence of war. Like a cathedral, peace must be constructed patiently and with
unshakable faith.” As we endeavor to create peace, we are striving to create a
world where there are no winners or losers, only brothers and sisters working
to create a world where all can live and thrive.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Jesus wasn’t the Messiah that many of the Jews were looking for. Many Jews
expected the Messiah to be similar to King David, a warrior king capable
of defeating the earthly powers that oppressed them. They assumed that
when the Messiah appeared, he would round up an army and attack Rome.
Because of this, many of the Jews were confused and even disappointed
in Jesus. And, as He approached His Passion and death, even His closest
followers failed to understand Him.

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What Christ tried to teach His followers, and what He begs us to remember
now, is that the real enemy is not another person or another nation. The
real enemy is Satan. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when the guards from
the high priest arrived to arrest Him, Jesus rebuked Peter for taking out his
sword and cutting off the ear of the high priest’s slave, saying, “Put your
sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has
given me?” (John 18:11). Jesus is indeed going into battle, but His mission
is to destroy death, not a small army sent by the high priest.

Christ challenges us to reject the idea that any human being is our enemy.
Sin and evil are the enemy. The things that cause earthly war - hatred,
violence, greed - all come from the evil one. We should be waging war on
sin that has crept into our lives. In this battle, the most powerful weapons
are not guns or bombs. They are the Rosary, fasting, and the sacraments.

Witness to Truth
As pious legend tells it, while Pope Leo XIII was celebrating Mass in 1884, he
had a powerful vision. Cardinals who were present described the pope’s face
as pale and fearful while the vision lasted. He later confided in his personal
secretary that the vision had shown demonic spirits gathering and ready to
converge on Rome, which he knew symbolized an attack on the Catholic
Church. Following the vision, the pope composed the St. Michael Prayer
and requested that all Catholics begin reciting this prayer at the conclusion
of Mass. This prayer begs St. Michael to defend us and the Church from the
attacks of the evil one.

Long before Pope Leo XIII’s vision, St. Michael had been hailed as a powerful
intercessor against evil. One of three archangels, St. Michael is often depicted
in art as a warrior, plunging his lance into the heart of a dragon. Tradition tells
us that St. Michael led the army of angels that cast Satan and the rebellious
angels into Hell. The Book of Revelation also tells us that at the end of time, St.
Michael will wield the sword of justice to separate the righteous from the evil
(Rev 12:7).
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St. Michael the Archangel

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St. Michael reminds the Church that we are at war with evil and sin. This war
has been raging since the beginning of time, and we need a skilled warrior on
our side. Therefore, we need to regularly call on St. Michael to intercede for
us. According to Church teaching, St. Michael has four duties. He continues to
battle Satan and the fallen angels, he works to defend souls against temptation
(especially at the moment of death), he protects the people of God, and he
leads souls to Christ for judgment.

We can and should ask St. Michael to help us fight sin and temptation, to help
conquer hatred and evil, and to help us work for peace.

Called to Action
As a Catholic, you are called to be aware of the physical wars of this world as
well as the spiritual wars waged every day for your soul. Here are some simple
ideas so that you might remain diligent in this fight.
1. Recite the St. Michael Prayer: Ask St. Michael to guard you against
temptation every single day. It is particularly powerful to begin or end
your day with this prayer:
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection
against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we
humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power
of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the
world seeking the ruin of souls.
2. Pray for World Leaders: Striving for peace is complicated in today’s
political climate. Pray for world leaders that they might seek peace and do
all they can to avoid war.
3. Support Peace-Keeping Missions Around the World: Many of our military
personnel are stationed around the world in an effort to create and keep
peace. Pray for their safety and the effectiveness of their work. Many
non-military organizations, including several supported by the Catholic
Church, also work to create peace. Support these efforts in any way you
can, whether that be financially or through prayer.
4. Strive for Peace in Your Home: Address the little wars in your home. Unite
as a family and create a home where there is no hitting or shouting.
Instead, let peace reign.

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Discuss
• Did you know that the Church has specific guidelines to help us? What
did you think of those, which one most stood out to you?
• How do you think our family is doing in our call to be peacemakers
rather than fighting with others? Can you think of ways we could do
better?
• Do we know anyone who serves in the military? How can we support
or encourage them and show them our appreciation?

Notes

“The world would have peace if only men of politics

would follow the Gospels.”

St. Vincent de Paul

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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called

sons of God.”

Matthew 5:9

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The Church clearly declares that terrorism - the use of violence, especially
against non-military people, for political or personal gain - is morally wrong.
“Terrorism threatens, wounds, and kills indiscriminately; it is gravely against
justice and charity” (CCC 2297). Acts of terrorism seek to change the world or
enact revenge through fear. Fueled largely by hate and anger, terrorism destroys
lives, cripples communities, and eliminates safety and security, which are
fundamental to a healthy human existence.

On September 11, 2001, the United States experienced the worst acts of
terrorism in our nation’s history when two hijacked passenger planes crashed
into the World Trade Center Towers, a third crashed into the Pentagon, and a
fourth was brought down in a Pennsylvania field. The attacks resulted in nearly
3,000 deaths and 6,000 injuries. The acts of terrorism committed that day shook
the entire country; many Catholics were left wondering how we are called to
respond to terrorism.

In an effort to comfort and teach the American Church, the US Bishops issued
“A Pastoral Message: Living With Faith and Hope After September 11” in which
they sought to help Americans confront terrorism and pursue justice and peace
in the aftermath.

First, the bishops reminded us that terrorism is not new. From car bombings
in Ireland, to Kamikaze pilots in Japan, and assassinations of political leaders
around the world, terrorism has often been used as a tool for control. All too
often, a smaller, oppressed group feels that the only way they can affect change is
through acts of violence that terrorize.

Speaking to a struggling nation, the bishops advised, “A successful campaign

against terrorism will require a combination of resolve to do what is necessary
to see it through, restraint to ensure that we act justly, and a long term focus
on broader issues of justice and peace.” In other words, there is no quick fix
when dealing with terrorism. We must address the violence that has occurred,
while also restraining ourselves from acting out in anger. We must also look
for causes of this violence. Is the offending group being mistreated? Asking this
question does not mean that we excuse the acts of violence, it simply allows us

Terrorism threatens, wounds, and

kills indiscriminately; it is gravely
against justice and charity.”
CCC 2297
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to hopefully avoid future acts of terrorism.

The bishops also advised that, “care must be taken to avoid assigning collective
guilt.” Just because members of a certain group or culture committed acts of
terrorism, we do not have the right to condemn all people from that group,
especially if that group is made up of vulnerable people. The bishops also stated
that, “True peacemaking can be a matter of policy only if it is first a matter of
the heart. Without both courage and charity, justice cannot exist. In the absence
of repentance and forgiveness, no peace can endure.” Even after acts of horrific
terrorism have occurred, we are called to move forward in hope, faithfully
believing that God is here, and He can use all things for His glory.

Wrestling with the Issue of

Terrorism in the Real World
Large-scale acts of terrorism grow out of a lie that many of us hold in our hearts:
when someone hurts us we have the right to hurt them in return.

Most small children have fully bought into this lie, and they struggle to
understand why they get in trouble for hitting someone who has hit them.
When a sibling breaks a promise to us, we are determined to break a promise
to them. When a friend says something rude to us, we are eager to find a rude
comment of our own.

This desire for revenge is the rotten seed that sprouts into acts of terrorism.
Almost no acts of terrorism are completely unprovoked. Often a nation ignores
or represses the rights of a small group of people, and after time, that group
of people organize and, out of desperation, commit an act of terrorism. Does
the oppression justify the act of terrorism? Absolutely not, but it does help us
identify ways to eliminate terrorism in the future.

To prevent terrorism, leaders must seek out the groups that feel overlooked or
repressed. Listening to a group’s grievances and seeking ways to promote their
rights can go a long way.

Also, we need to investigate our own anger and desire for revenge. Although
anger can help us identify evil that must be confronted, anger can also lead us to

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sin. The Catechism says, “Deliberate hatred is contrary to charity. Hatred of the
neighbor is a sin when one deliberately wishes him evil” (CCC 2303). Instead of
hatred, when we have been wronged, Christ calls us to love our enemies. And
this isn’t an empty command. Christ went before us and showed us how extreme
this command is. Even while He hung on the cross, He rejected anger. Instead,
He begged God to forgive the sins of those who were taking His life.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

As Christians we are called to live a new life in Christ. No longer are we allowed
to live simply by the rules of the world. Instead, we are called to live radically.
While preaching, Christ did not sugarcoat this radical calling. Just as this
teaching shook the people who heard it over 2,000 years ago, it should shake us
too.

As Christ explained, due to the hardness of people’s hearts, Old Testament law
left room for anger and revenge, but the New Law, established through Jesus
Christ, calls us to more. As part of the Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But
I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right
cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat,
give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the
second mile.” (Matthew 3:38-41).

In other words, let go of ideas of fairness and stop obsessing about getting
what is owed to you. Instead, in each situation, find the opportunity for love. If
someone strikes on the right cheek, which would have been a sign of disrespect

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in Jesus’s day, turn your left cheek to them, and demand dignity for yourself and
for them. If someone takes your coat, see their need and offer also your cloak.

In each of these situations you will become a radical example of love, and love
has the power to transform the world. Where hate, anger, vengeance, and
terrorism seek to destroy and control, love - especially radical love that is offered
in response to hate - heals and brings people together.

When we love in this radical way, we allow the world to see Christ because
this is the way in which He loved. When others hit or rejected Him, He offered
forgiveness. When a crown of thorns was placed on His head and a cross on His
shoulders, He embraced suffering willingly out of love for us. And, when we
continue to turn our backs on Him and deny Him with our sin, He is still always
near, eager to welcome us back with His endless mercy.

Witness to Truth
Bl. Stanley Rother was an Oklahoma farm boy who answered the call to the
priesthood and, as a missionary priest, lost his life in a terrible act of terrorism.
Through the life and example of Fr. Rother, we see the power of love even in the
face of extreme hatred.

Stanley Rother grew up in rural Oklahoma. He spent his youth working in fields
and with livestock. His family was devout, and while working on the farm, he
discerned a call to the priesthood. Despite this, Stanley Rother wasn’t ordained
to the priesthood until he was nearly 30 years old. His vocation was delayed by
his struggle to learn Latin. However, through the grace of God, he was ordained,
and he volunteered to serve as a missionary priest in Guatemala.

In Guatemala, Fr. Rother thrived. Although he had struggled to learn Latin, he

now easily learned Spanish and Tz’utujil, the native language spoken by most
of his parishioners. Fr. Rother served the people of Guatemala for 13 years. As
their pastor, Fr. Rother not only brought the people the sacraments, he also
labored in the fields with his people, experimenting with new crops and farming
methods, many of which he had learned as a boy. Through Fr. Rother’s work,
many were brought into the faith. It is estimated that he baptized up to 1,000
people each year.

At the time, however, Guatemala was experiencing a terrible civil war. Since
the Catholic Church in Guatemala refused to abandon the poor, but instead
continued to catechize and serve them, many who were associated with the
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Blessed Stanley Rother

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Church became targets for assassination. In 1980, the war reached Fr. Rother’s
parish. Government troops camped on the parish farm, and Fr. Rother
witnessed the assassination of many of his parishioners, including the parish
deacon. Soon Fr. Rother’s own name was placed on a death list, and his bishop
back in Oklahoma asked him to leave Guatemala and return home.

Out of obedience, Fr. Rother came home, but he struggled with this decision. As
he explained in a letter, “The shepherd can not run at the first sign of danger.”
After receiving permission from his bishop, Fr. Rother returned to Guatemala,
determined to be with his people for Easter. However, Fr. Rother faced real
danger in Guatemala, and on July 28, 1981, three masked men broke into Fr.
Rother’s home, fought with him, and executed him. After his death, Fr. Stanley
Rother’s body was brought back to be buried in Oklahoma, but his parishioners
asked that his heart remain with them in Guatemala. It is now buried beneath
the altar of the church he built.

The life and death of Bl. Stanley Rother is a powerful example of returning
hatred with love. In the face of danger and death, Fr. Rother refused to stop
loving and serving his people. Although an act of terrorism claimed his life, his
example inspires many to love radically, even in the face of hatred.

Called to Action
Although we might not be able to prevent terrorism on a national scale, we
can all work to let go of anger in our own hearts and, through that, change the
world. Here are some simple ideas to get started.
1. Love When It’s Hard: Of all the people in your life, who is hardest to love?
Who can make you angrier than anyone else? Strive to let go of some of
that anger and, instead, do one small act of love for that person.
2. Offer Forgiveness: Forgiving others is hard but so important. When we
refuse to forgive we often end up trapped in anger. Is there a person you
need to work to forgive? Pray that you can offer that forgiveness and find
freedom.
3. Respond to News of Terrorism with Prayer: Unfortunately, terrorist acts
will continue to occur in our world. When you hear about an act of
terror, respond with prayer. Praying the Rosary, or even a decade of the
Rosary, is one of the most powerful things you can do for those affected by
terrorism.

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Discuss
• Have you ever hurt someone when you were upset? Or did someone
hurt you in response to something you did? What was that like?
• Is there a hurt that you’re holding on to that is hard to forgive?
• Can you think of any groups of people in the world who have been
victims of injustice? How can we pray for them?

Notes

“Let us go forward in peace, our eyes upon heaven,

the only one goal of our labors.”

St. Therese of Lisieux

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‘For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall

love your neighbor as yourself.”’

Galatians 5:14

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The Catholic Church is clear that all people, regardless of their race, culture,
language, history, or creed, possess the same remarkable dignity. “Created
in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all
men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of
Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore
enjoy an equal dignity” (CCC 1934). All people are equal because we come
from the same source: God. We all possess reason and free will, and we all
were saved by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Catholics reject the great evil of racism and support all efforts to ensure that
all people enjoy equal rights. While is it true that slavery in the American
South was abolished and great strides have been made through the Civil
Rights movement, racism is not dead. We still fight the sin of racism today,
in hearts and also in our institutions. Racism is found in groups that exclude,
in stereotypes, jokes, slurs, or insults; but racism is also linked to economic
injustice, unjust hiring and lending practices, and unequal access to education
and resources, all of which contribute to continuing cycles of generational
poverty and deprivation.

There is no room for racism in the family of God. It is the responsibility

of each member of God’s family to continue to do the important work of
listening to people’s stories and addressing racism in our homes, schools,
neighborhoods, and world.

The Church acknowledges that legislation can never fully eliminate racism.
Instead, racism will only disappear when all people are able to see each
other as neighbor. The Catechism explains, “Respect for the human person
proceeds by way of respect for the principle that “everyone should look upon
his neighbor (without any exception) as ‘another self,’ above all bearing in
mind his life and the means necessary for living it with dignity” (CCC 1931).

“Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ,

all are called to participate in the same
divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an
equal dignity.”
CCC 1934

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This work begins with each of us. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops
challenged the Church in their recent pastoral letter, Open Wide Our Hearts,
to dig deep into our hearts and pull out any traces of racism or prejudice.
They explain, ”When we begin to separate people in our thoughts for unjust
reasons, when we start to see some people as ‘them’ and others as ‘us,’ we fail
to love. Yet love is at the heart of the Christian life.”

Wrestling with the Issue of

Racism in the Real World
Despite the Church’s clear teaching on the dignity of each person, racism still
exists not only in the world but even, at times, within the Church. Satan can
tempt us to treat people of other races differently by telling us a lie: that if you
look different from me, you must be fundamentally different from me.

To dismantle this lie, we need to go back to what it means, fundamentally, to

be human. All human beings were created in the image and likeness of God.
We are composed of body and soul. Our bodies and our souls are linked. In
fact, we come to understand our souls through our bodies, and our bodies
through our souls, each beautifully created with loving attention to detail
by our Creator. As a result, we are each a unique creation. Just as no two
people look exactly alike, no two people share identical personalities. We are
shaped, inside and out, by the unique love God has for us.

When you see a person of a different race, it is okay to notice that their body
is different from yours. Please don’t pretend that you don’t notice the color of
their skin or their unique facial features. Just as you are unique and beautiful,
so are they. When we notice differences in other people’s appearances, those
differences should remind us of the great God Who created all people.

Of all the things God created, human beings are the most spectacular. Nothing
else was made in God’s image. Just as a stunning sunset can thrill our hearts
with wonder, so should seeing the great diversity of God’s children. Through
humanity, God’s wonderful creativity is best displayed. Yes, others might
look different than us, but fundamentally we are the same, created out of the
unique love God has for each of us.
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The Truth of Jesus Christ

Throughout His public ministry, Jesus taught and healed almost exclusively
the “lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:14). However, after the Resurrection,
just before ascending to heaven, He gave His disciples this command, “Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Filled with the
Holy Spirit after Pentecost, the disciples did just as Christ commanded. They
went out into the whole world and brought the Good News of Jesus Christ to
all people.

The number of places where the early disciples traveled is staggering. Peter
founded the Church in Rome. Andrew, his brother, preached throughout
Greece. Jude went to Assyria, James and Simon the Zealot preached in Egypt.
Bartholomew and Thomas ventured into India, while Matthew went as far as
Ethiopia. Not bad for a ragtag bunch of guys from Galilee.

Jesus’s command to go and preach to all nations is known as the ‘Great

Commission’ and if anything shattered the lie of racism, it is this command.
Jesus makes it clear that He has come to save all people. No one is excluded.
The early disciples took this so seriously that they endangered, and often lost,
their lives bringing the faith to people of every race.

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Through the example of Christ and the early disciples’ response to the great
commission, we are reminded that the greatest gift we can share with any
person is faith in Jesus Christ, and we shouldn’t refuse anyone this great gift.

Witness to Truth
Venerable Augustus Tolton was the first Black priest in the United States.
Answering his call to the priesthood, however, was a struggle plagued by
racism. The example of Fr. Tolton reminds us about God’s care for each of His
children and the ever-present command to return evil with love.

Venerable Augustus Tolton was born a slave. Shortly after Augustus’s father
died in the American Civil War, the man who owned Augustus and his family
decided to sell them. Augustus’s mother was valued at $50 and Tolton, age
9, at $25. However, the night before the auction, Augustus’s mother escaped
with her two sons. The journey was dangerous, and they were nearly caught
by Confederate slave catchers. In the end, the family made it to Illinois, a free
state.

Even after the Civil War was over, however, life was difficult for Augustus and
his family. They were poor, and education was not available to Black children.
Regardless, Augustus’s mother worked hard to support her sons, and she made
sure that they continued to practice their Catholic Faith.

At the Catholic church in Quincy, Illinois, Augustus met Fr. Peter. Fr. Peter
recognized in Augustus a deep faith and amazing intellect. He privately
tutored Augustus and encouraged him to teach the Faith to others. Augustus
began to realize a calling to the priesthood, and so, with the help of Fr. Peter,
he applied to seminary. In the end, Augustus applied to every seminary in the
United States, and every seminary denied him entrance because he was Black.
Finally, Augustus applied to a seminary in Rome and was accepted.

Once he was ordained, Fr. Tolton was sent back to his hometown to serve
the growing population of Black Catholics. However, no one had ever seen
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Venerable Augustus Tolton

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a Black priest before. Many white Catholics had a hard time accepting
that he was indeed a priest. However, Fr. Tolton was a gifted preacher, and
people started to flock to his Masses. But this success only caused more
problems for Fr. Tolton. White priests were jealous of his success, and Black
protestant ministers were bitter that he was converting their congregations to
Catholicism.

Eventually, the bishop sent Fr. Tolton, or ‘Good Father Gus’ as he was known,
to start a new parish for Black Catholics in Chicago. Although constantly
battling racism, Fr. Tolton won many souls for Christ with his reverence in
Holy Mass, his inspiring homilies, his beautiful singing voice, and his skills
with an accordion.

Vulnerable Augustus Tolton lived a life of heroic virtue, serving the Church
as a priest. God created Fr. Tolton; He made him with brown skin, and He
adopted him as a son in baptism. God also called him to be a priest. Fr.
Tolton’s ministry was so powerful not in spite of the fact that he was Black, but
because he was Black. He demonstrated that God created us all in His image
and that the Church needs all her children engaged in doing God’s work.

Called to Action
We all must commit to the work of eliminating racism. Here are some
small things you can do to wipe out this evil in your community.
1. Learn About Saints of Different Races: Spend time getting to know the
stories of saints from around the world. Learn about their unique paths
to holiness which were often shaped by their race and culture.
2. Call Out Racist Content: If you hear a racist joke or comment, or see
something questionable on TV, call out racism when you see it. We
should never tolerate any sort of content that injures a group of people.
3. Build Relationships: When you encounter someone new from a
different culture or race, be a friend and build a relationship. Share
about yourself and take time to get to know them. It is only through
relationships that our hearts can really learn that all people, no matter
what we look like, are God’s children, created in His image.

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 Racism

Discuss
• What do you think you’ll most remember from our reading today? Was
there something that really struck you?
• Have you ever experienced or witnessed racist words or actions? Tell
me about it and how you responded.
• Eliminating racism requires everyone’s participation. How do you
think our family can help?

Notes

“Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not
know Him. What a great grace it is to know God!”

St. Josephinr Bakhita

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 Theme 7

Care for
God’s
Creation

280
The entire world was created as a gift for humanity: plants, animals,
mountains, rivers, deserts, and forests. God created the world so that we
not only experience beauty and wonder, but also so that we have the raw
materials we need to survive. Animals and plants keep us fed, and trees
and minerals allow us to make tools and build shelters. No matter how
advanced our technology becomes, everything we create begins with
something God created.

Pope Francis proclaimed in Laudato Si, “The Human Family has received
from the Creator a common gift: Nature.” We show respect for this gift
and our Creator by valuing and taking care of creation. Creation must
be preserved and protected for future generations and enjoyed by all of
the present generation. Too often, the wealthy benefit the most from the
created world, while the poor are most directly affected by pollution and
limited resources.

Before we begin this section, however, it might help to remember how

incredible creation is. Take a moment to step outside and feel the fresh air
on your face, or go outside tonight to gaze up into the heavens, taking in
the multitude of stars. You can also flip through a resource book and pause
to wonder at the vast variety of animals, plants, and insects. All of this was
loved into being as a gift for you. The God of the universe not only loved
you into being, but He made this world and all that is in it as a gift.

In this section we will explore how we are called to care for animals and
what it means to be stewards of the land.

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Stewardship
of the Land

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let
the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult,
and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the
forest sing for joy.”

Psalm 96:11-12

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 Stewardship of the Land
God is a loving Father who lavishly bestows gifts on His children. One of
the most profound gifts that we enjoy every day is the created world. Not
only are our hearts stirred by the beauty of a sunset or the grandeur of a
mountain range, but from the earth comes the raw materials that we need
to build houses, create tools, and develop new technologies. The world
is also springing forth with an abundance of life. Plants keep us fed and
healthy or allow us to produce new medicines. Animals provide us with
companionship, labor, and food. Each part of creation is a gift for us to
enjoy.

Beyond meeting our material needs, the created world offers us a glimpse
of God and offers us opportunities for joy. Pope Saint John Paul II
described this as the aesthetic value of creation in his address at the 1990
World Day of Peace. “Our very contact with nature has a deep restorative
power; contemplation of its magnificence imparts peace and serenity. The
Bible speaks again and again of the goodness and beauty of creation, which
is called to glorify God.” More than any other book in the Bible, the Psalms
celebrate God through the created world: “the heavens declare the glory
of God!” (Psalm 19:1). It is often through nature that we connect with our
Creator and experience His love for us.

The whole world was created for us, but from the beginning of time, God
has commanded humanity to respect and care for the world we live in.
In Genesis, God said to Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill
the earth and subdue it; and have dominion...over every living thing that
moves over the earth” (1:28). God commanded Adam and Eve to till the
earth and keep it. Through this work, humans are allowed to be coworkers
with God.

The Church reminds us that the world was created for all people and for
all generations. Therefore, we have a responsibility to be good stewards,
to protect and preserve the earth so that it can be used and enjoyed by
future generations, not just our own generation. Also, the resources we find
within the world are for all people to enjoy, not just the elite.

“The heavens declare

the glory of God!”
Psalm 19:1

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 Stewardship of the Land

Wrestling with the Issue of Care

for Creation in the Real World
It might seem odd to you that Catholics should care so much about the
environment, or that Pope Francis would devote so much time and energy
to talking about care for the earth. It might also seem strange that care for
the environment is included in Catholic Social Teaching, when every other
principle is more obviously related to the human person.

The Church reminds us, however, that everything is connected. Our

concern for the environment is really a concern for people. Not only do
we need to work to preserve our world for future generations, we need to
make sure that all people are able to enjoy the resources our world provides
and are protected from harm due to the mistreatment of creation.

Regularly, negative environmental changes affect the poorest of the poor

first and most profoundly. The poor in underdeveloped countries are often
unable to filter their water and suffer the most from water pollution. Also,
around the world, many who are poor earn their livelihood directly from
the earth. Therefore, things like invasive species or climate changes that
negatively impact crops are not just annoyances, but pose a real threat to
their lives.

While it’s inconvenient to make small changes to reduce your consumption

of resources or cut down on waste, these efforts matter for real people. God
made us stewards of creation. He asks us to look to the needs of all who
share this world. The earth is our common home. We care for each other
when we care for the earth.

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 Stewardship of the Land

The Truth of Jesus Christ

While encouraging His followers to let go of worry and trust in God’s
goodness, Jesus spoke about the lilies of the field. Wild flowers neither work
or worry, and yet they are clothed in such beauty. Jesus explained that,
“Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these [lilies]. But if
God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is
thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”
(Matthew 6:29-30).

This teaching is not just a powerful command to trust God, but it is

also a reminder of why God created such an amazing world for us. God
demonstrates His love for us in the details of creation. There is no reason
why a lily needs to be so beautiful, it is beautiful simply because God desired
it to be that way.

God left His divine fingerprints on all of creation. These fingerprints allow
us to understand God. When you walk through a field, stroll down a beach,
trudge through snow, or hike up a mountain, open your eyes to all that
is around you. What does God desire you to know about Him through a
cactus, a crashing wave, or a rocky cliff? Pope Francis wrote in Laudato Si,
“The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection
for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God.” Just
as a lily can teach us about trusting God, so each piece of creation offers us
lessons about our God. We have a duty to protect the earth so all people
might find God in the details of creation.

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 Stewardship of the Land
Witness to Truth
St. Isidore was a humble farmer in Madrid, Spain, born in the year 1070 to a
poor but devout family. As soon as Isidore was old enough to hold a hoe, he
was sent to work in the fields of a wealthy landowner. Isidore worked in the
fields for the rest of his life, earning just enough to feed himself and his wife.
Sadly, Isidore and his wife had only one son who died as a child.

But Isidore wasn’t just a laborer, he was a man of prayer. Above all else, he
treasured his time with Jesus. Isidore prayed every morning before he started
to work. If he could, he went to the church, but often he simply knelt next to
the field and prayed there.

Isidore’s dedication to prayer annoyed his fellow laborers, and they assumed
Isidore was just lazy. So one morning, a few farmhands snuck up on Isidore
as he knelt at the side of the field in prayer. They planned to run and tell
the landowner, but then they noticed something incredible. Isidore’s plow
was moving in the field! Astounded, they walked closer. Squinting in the
morning light, the farmhands saw an angel of a man, glowing radiantly
behind Isidore’s plow which was pulled by two white oxen. Terrified, the
farm hands ran away, and they never bothered Isidore about taking time to
pray again.

Isidore was known not only for the way he tended the land, but also for
his care for animals. Legends tell of Isidore saving his donkey from a wolf
through prayer and even generously feeding pigeons on a cold winter day.

St. Isidore also worked hard to serve Jesus present in others. Often, poor,
hungry people would follow Isidore home from the field. Despite their own
poverty, Isidore and Maria were generous with their guests, serving them the
majority of their meager supper. As a reward for their generosity, God was
known to miraculously refill their pot of soup.

St. Isidore was a poor, simple man, and yet he had radical faith. Each day he
found God and praised Him through his labor in the created world. Through
his hard work, stewardship of the land, commitment to the Faith, and care
for all God’s creation, St. Isidore offers a powerful example of how we are
called to love and respect the created world.

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 Stewardship of the Land

St. Isidore the Farmer

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 Stewardship of the Land

Called to Action
We are all called to be good stewards of our world. Each day there are
many small things that we can do to care for the earth and, in that, care for
other people.
1. Get Outside: Are you truly enjoying the created world as much as you
can...or are you spending most of your time inside in front of a screen?
To be motivated to protect the environment, it is essential that you get
outside and enjoy creation. Go for a walk, visit a park, or just lay on
your lawn and gaze at the created world.
2. Cut Down on Waste: Pay attention to how much waste your family
creates. Is there a way you could create less garbage? Explore the
possibilities, because when we throw something away, it doesn’t just
disappear. Garbage, sent to landfills, will stick around for generations
to come.
3. Help With the Cleanup: When you see the created world not looking its
best, don’t just look away. Instead, pitch in to clean it up! Pick up litter
when you see it. Also, if you are able, give financially to organizations
that are striving to serve the poorest of the poor by addressing
environmental challenges such as polluted water or natural disasters
caused by climate change.

“Respect for life and for the dignity of the human

person also extends to the rest of creation which is
called to join man in praising God.”

Pope St. John Paul II

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 Stewardship of the Land

Discuss
• What is one aspect of creation that is totally amazing to you?
• What can our family do to be better stewards of the earth?
• Is there something we can do to better care for the outdoor spaces in
our community?

Notes

289
 Animals

“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all

that he has made.”

Psalm 145:9

290
 Animals
Created by the loving hand of God, all animals have their own special dignity
that must be respected. However, animals are not as important as people, and
their rights should never be placed before the rights of a person.

The Catechism explains, “Animals are God’s creatures. He surrounds them

with his providential care. By their mere existence they bless him and give him
glory” (CCC 2416). God delights in all creation, including animals; and by
being exactly what they were created to be, each animal gives glory to God. A
frog glorifies God by jumping, eating flies, and being green. An eagle glorifies
God by flying, building a nest, and laying eggs. And your pet dog gives glory
to God by wagging its tail, barking, and playing fetch.

All of humanity is called to treat animals with kindness and to allow them,
as much as possible, to be the animal God created them to be. However, the
Catechism explains that, unlike humanity, animals were not created in the
image and likeness of God. Therefore, an animal could never be equal to a
human. Instead, animals were created “for the common good of past, present,
and future humanity” (CCC 2415). It is morally just to use an animal for food
or clothing. It is also acceptable to domesticate animals, whether to serve
as pets or livestock. And the Catechism tells us that humanity can even use
animals for medical or scientific testing if, “it remains within reasonable limits
and contributes to caring for or saving human lives” (CCC 2417).

In other words, it is perfectly acceptable to take the life of an animal if taking

that life allows humans to live. Cattle, chickens, pigs, and turkeys can be raised
and butchered for food. A skunk or racoon can be killed if it has a dangerous
disease that threatens people. Rats and other lab animals can be used to test
drugs in an effort to create safe medicines that will save human lives.

But, although we can use animals to meet our needs - even if this use ends
their lives - the Church reminds us that “it is contrary to human dignity
to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly” (CCC 2418). Even in the final
moments of an animal’s life, care must be taken to affirm the God-given
dignity of that animal.

“Animals are God’s creatures. He

surrounds them with his providential
care. By their mere existence they bless
him and give him glory.”
CCC 2416
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 Animals
Wrestling with the Issue of the
Treatments of Animals in the Real World
Although it is good to love and protect animals, some modern organizations
promote a lie that can undermine the treatment of human beings because it
claims that an animal’s life is worth as much or more than a human life.

Animals are an important part of creation with their own dignity, but Church
teaching is very clear that a human is worth infinitely more than an animal.
The Church explains that it is morally wrong to place an animal above a
human. Our time, talent and treasure should go to human beings first. “It is
likewise unworthy to spend money on them [animals] that should as a priority
go to the relief of human misery” (CCC 2418). Therefore, it is wrong to spend
lavishly on toys and food for your dog while ignoring the cry of the poor.

The Church asks us to properly order our thoughts on animals. Yes, it is wrong
to make animals suffer, to force them to fight for our entertainment, or to
allow them to live without clean air and fresh water. Treating animals in that
way also impacts us; acting cruel or vicious to any creature disposes us to treat
human beings poorly too, since violence can dull our conscience. However,
if we are ever presented with a choice to spend our time and money helping
an animal or helping a human, we should always choose the human. Animals
were placed on this earth to bring God glory, to serve our needs, and bring
us joy. Humans, on the other hand, were created in the image of God, and we
have a responsibility to care for them first.

The Truth of Jesus Christ

Animals were a part of Jesus’s daily life. It is likely His family owned and raised
animals to help with their work, to eat, and use for clothing. When Jesus
entered Jerusalem, an event we celebrate on Palm Sunday, we find a powerful
example of an animal, full of dignity and used in a proper way.

Preparing to enter the Holy City, Jesus sent two of His disciples ahead,

292
 Animals
instructing them where to find a donkey and her colt. Taking these animals,
the disciples returned to Jesus and threw their cloaks over the backs of the
animals. Then Jesus mounted the donkey and rode her into Jerusalem. Upon
seeing Jesus, crowds gathered in the streets and began to shout “Hosanna
to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9). They threw their cloaks and
palm branches into the street so that the donkey carrying Jesus could step on
them as it passed.

The donkey that carried Christ into Jerusalem is important because it meant
a lot to the people on the street that day. A proud warrior king would have
entered the city riding a war horse and flanked by legions of troops. But that’s
not who Jesus was. He was a humble man, sent to do God’s work and fulfill the
prophecies, specifically what was foretold by the prophet Zechariah, “Behold,
your king is coming to you, a just savior is he, humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

Remember, an animal gives glory to God by being exactly what it is! That
donkey was praising God by being nothing more than a donkey. And what is a
donkey? Well, a donkey is a humble work animal owned by the poor. Donkeys
carried people, like Mary the Mother of God, on long trips. Donkeys pulled
carts and spun mills. When Jesus sat on that donkey and entered the Holy
City, He affirmed the value of that animal and all animals. He also showed the
people of Jerusalem, through the donkey, exactly who He was and what He
had come to do.

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 Animals
Wittness to Truth
St. Martin de Porres was a wonder-worker who cared not only for human
beings, but all creatures. Whether he encountered a dog, a rat, or a fly, he
was able to identify the fingerprint of the Creator on that creature.

St. Martin de Porres was raised by his mother, a freed African slave. His
father, a Spanish knight, abandoned his wife and children when Martin was
young, ashamed that they were mixed race. But even as a child, Martin was
not bitter. Instead, he clung to Jesus. When he was old enough, Martin was
trained as a barber who, at the time, not only cut hair but also performed
the work of a doctor or surgeon. He cared for the ill, praying for them and
doing what he could medically. Very often his prayers were answered with
miracles.

Martin desired to give his life totally to God and become a monk. However,
because he was Black, laws forbade Martin from entering the monastery.
So Martin became a servant at the monastery, joyfully performing the
dirtiest, most humble tasks.

But Martin’s love didn’t end with humans. He loved all God’s creatures.
Many remarked that it seemed Brother Martin was able to communicate
with animals in a special way. He felt that animals were his brothers
and sisters, and as a result, he made a special promise to never eat meat.
Brother Martin created a shelter for stray animals and used his skills as a
surgeon to heal them when possible.

Brother Martin’s love for animals extended beyond domesticated pets. He

even cared for rats and flies. One day, Martin was asked to go and clean
out the cellar, a nasty place full of rotting food and infested with rats. He
was given poison to kill the rats. As the story goes, Martin went down to
the cellar, but he took pity on the rats and spoke to them. Eventually they
came to an agreement. The rats would leave the monastery and stay out for
good as long as Martin promised to bring them food on a hill outside the
monastery, which he did faithfully.

Eventually, the monks were so impressed with Martin that he was allowed
to profess vows. As a monk, he continued to work the most amazing

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 Animals

St. Martin de Porres

295
 Animals
miracles. He was known to pass through locked doors to help the ill,
and sometimes he floated as he prayed. Through it all, Martin remained
humble. He refused to disrespect any of God’s creatures, even the lowliest
animal.

Called to Action
Strive to view animals in a correct, balanced way. To do this, we must
acknowledge the dignity of an animal while remembering that they are not
on the same level as a human. Here are some simple ideas to do this:
1. Allow Your Animals to be Animals: Remember that a dog glorifies God
by being a dog. The same is true with a cat, fish, or hamster. Strive to let
your household pets be exactly what they are, and watch as their simple
behavior glorifies our Creator.
2. Learn about Animals: God, in His generosity, created an amazing
variety of animals to fill this world. Learning about different types of
animals, where they live, and how they survive, is really a study of our
Creator! As you learn about animals, allow your mind and heart to be
pulled toward God.
3. Look After Humans First: We are called to care for animals, but never at
the expense of humanity. Before you give your money or time to causes
that protect or provide for animals, make sure that you are financially
supporting charities that feed and care for human beings.

“If you have men who will exclude any of God’s

creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity,
you will have men who will deal likewise with their
fellow men.”

St. Francis
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 Animals

Discuss
• What are some ways that our family benefits from animals?
• Have you ever noticed someone treating animals like people?
• Is this an area that our family could work on? How?

Notes

297
 Conclusion
Learning about the issues addressed in Catholic Social Teaching can feel a
bit like an exploration of evil and sin. Slavery, abortion, misuse of workers
and natural resources, homelessness, drug addiction, the death penalty,
suicide...these are some dark, terrible things. And yet, Catholic Social
Teaching is not dark or depressing. It’s the opposite!

Our faith tells us that even though we live in a fallen world and evil lurks
around every corner, there is an even more powerful force active in
the world: love. Our God, whom scripture tells us is love, is bigger and
stronger than all the evil that surrounds us, and He desires that you go
out into the world, acting as His hands and feet, to bring the light to the
darkest corners of the human heart.

When we live our lives in accordance with Catholic Social Teaching, we

are modeling our lives after Christ’s. During His public ministry, Christ
welcomed all people: men, women, children, the religious elite, foreigners,
and even notorious sinners. He never shied away from anyone or any
problem. As He explained in Matthew’s Gospel, “Those who are well have
no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not
the righteous but sinners” (Mark 2:17). Likewise, we are called to love
each person we encounter and help them carry whatever cross they are
struggling with.

Following Christ’s example, the Church has become God’s field hospital,
offering healing and help to the spiritually sick through the grace of the
sacraments. Those who are sick or confused by Satan’s lies come to the
Church to encounter God. Throughout the history of the Church, the
saints have offered God’s love to the suffering and testified to the truth

298
of Jesus Christ in every situation imaginable: on death row, in the face of
corrupt popes, while giving birth to a child, in the midst of a civil war, and
countless other situations.

Love sits at the center of Catholic Social Teaching. God’s law commands
us to love one another. Love makes us recognize the dignity of others
and respond to their needs. Love urges us to treat the environment with
respect, and love encourages us to sacrifice our own desires for others.
Finally, love compels us to speak the truth, even when it is awkward or
unpopular.

Perhaps as a young person you doubt your ability to love and to change
this very broken world. But resist despair in the face of evil. God is bigger
than all of the problems we’ve discussed in this study. United to God,
who is Love, we can change the world. God chose you for this time and
place, He is inviting you to become a saint by loving those in your life and
leading them to the Truth.

And so, go and be God’s love in the world. Listen to the tiny inspirations
you receive from the Holy Spirit to serve those in need. Pay attention to
the pain of your family members and friends, and prayerfully ask God how
you can serve them in love and truth. Open your eyes and your heart to
the struggles of persons with disabilities, to the homeless, to immigrants.
Find ways to offer love and support. Say ‘no’ to yourself, so that you have
more time, money, and resources to offer those in need.

Most importantly, ask the Holy Spirit to free you from selfishness, so that
God’s love might flow through you and penetrate the darkness. Because
God desires to work through you.

Practicing the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church is a lifelong

endeavor. We are on this journey with you. May we all strive to be a source
of God’s love in this broken world.

Jesus, we trust in You!

Love and prayers,

Nancy and everyone at Catholic Sprouts

299
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en/encyclicals/documents/ papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.
html

John Paul II. “Message for the Celebration of World Day of Peace, January
1, 1990.” https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/messages/peace/
documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_ 19891208_xxiii-world-day-for-peace.html

Witness to the Truth

Ball, Ann. Modern Saints: Their Lives and Faces, Book 1. North Carolina:
TAN Books, 1991.

Ball, Ann. Modern Saints: Their Lives and Faces, Book 2. North Carolina:
TAN Books, 1992

Beutner, Dawn Marie. Saints: Becoming an Image of Christ Every Day of the
Year. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2020.

Ellsberg, Robert. Blessed Among Us: Day by Day with Saintly Witnesses.
Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2016.

Wallace, Carey. Stories of the Saints: Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure,
Grace, and Courage. New York: Workman Publishing, 2020.

Wallace, Susan Helen. Saints for Young Readers for Every Day: January-
June. Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2005.

Wallace, Susan Helen. Saints for Young Readers for Every Day: July-
December. Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2005.

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 Catholic Sprouts
Catholic Sprouts is an apostolate that supports Catholic parents as they work to
evangelize their children and build their own Domestic Churches.

We do this by offering resources, a free daily podcast, liturgical studies for

families, instructional materials and a vibrant community for Catholic parents.

Connect with us online:

www.catholicsprouts.com

Listen to our daily podcast:

Catholic Sprouts: Daily Podcast for Catholic Kids.
Available wherever you listen!

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