A Self-Propagating Church

A church that is self ministering is by the same token a self propagating one. It is equipped to assure the growth of the church by the acquisition of new members. By its very nature the church is missionary. it should not be closed unto itself but concerned about the many others who God may be calling to the church. Where the church to become unto it self, it would be doomed to slow extinction and a weakening of its vitality through the lack of new blood.

A living and effective local church should possess the outgoing dynamism for attracting new members. A self-propagating church is one that does not rely on others for attracting new members, but its own members, its own initiative, its own methods and means.

Life, Dignity, and Rights

The central focus of the Church is life, dignity, and rights of the human person. We are called in a special way to serve the poor and vulnerable; to build bridges of solidarity among peoples of differing races and nations, language and ability, gender and culture.

Communities of Solidarity

Churches are called to be communities of solidarity. Christian social teaching more than anything else insists that we are one family; it calls us to overcome barriers of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, and nationality. We are one in Christ Jesus (cf. Gal 3:28)—beyond our differences and boundaries.

Dignity Of The Human Person

At the center of all Christian teaching is the dignity of the human person. The human person is the clearest reflection of God's presence in the world; all of the Church's work in pursuit of both justice and peace is designed to protect and promote the dignity of every person. For each person not only reflect God, but is the expression of God's creative work and the meaning of Christ's redemptive ministry.

"Loving Our Neighbor"

"Loving our neighbor" has global dimensions in a shrinking world. In our prayer, formation, service, and citizenship, and in our programs of outreach, we must break through the boundaries of neighborhood and nation to recognize the web of life that connects all of us in this age of globalization.

In Pursuit of Solidarity

In pursuit of solidarity, a worldwide effort to promote development, an effort that “involves sacrificing the positions of income and of power enjoyed by the more developed economies” in the interest of “an overall human enrichment to the family of nations”

Cain's Question

Cain's question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gn 4:9), has global implications and is a special challenge for our time, touching not one brother but all oursisters and brothers.

• Are we keepers of the creations for future generations?
  
• Are we responsible for the fate of the world's poor?
  
• Do we have duties to suffering people here at home?
  
  
• Must we respond to the needs of the suffering in distant nations?
  

For the followers of Jesus, the answer is yes. Indeed, we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. As members of God's one human family, we must acknowledge our duties and we must accept God's charge to care for all human life and for all creation.

Christian communities of faith should measure their prayer, education, and action by how they serve the life, dignity, and rights of the human person. A parish’s “Christianity" is illustrated in its willingness to go beyond its own boundaries to extend the Gospel, serve those in need, and work for global justice and peace. This is not a work for a few agencies or one parish committee, but for every believer and every local community of faith.

Scripture speaks of a active commitment to our neighbor and demands we share responsibility for all humanity. This duty is not limited to one’s own family, nation or state, but extends progressively to all so no one can consider themselves indifferent to the lot of another member of the human family”

Paul Said

In the words of the Apostle Paul, we must strive “to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:3-6).

As Christians and Americans

Christians face special responsibilities and opportunities. We are members of a universal Church that transcends national boundaries and calls us to live in solidarity and justice with the peoples of the world. We in the united states are also citizens of a powerful democracy with enormous influence beyond our borders. As Christians and Americans we are uniquely called to global solidarity.

We have special responsibilities.

Principled and constructive leadership is essential to build a safer, more just world. Our efforts must begin with fundamental reform of the “structures of violence” that bring suffering and death to the poor.

social ministry

We can learn from those christian communities that are leading the way in making social ministry and integral part of their ministry and evangelizing. We need to build local communities of faith where social teaching is central, where social ministry is integral, not optional; where it is the work of every christian, not just the mission of a few committed people and committees.

A key test..........

A key test of a parish's "Christianity" is its willingness to go beyond its boundaries to serve those in need and work for global justice and peace. Working with others for common goals across religious, racial, ethnic, and other lines is another sign of solidarity in action.

The central message is simple: our faith is profoundly social. We cannot be called truly "christian" unless we hear and heed the Church's call to serve those in need and work for justice and peace. We cannot call ourselves followers of Jesus unless we take up his mission of bringing "good news to the poor, liberty to captives, and new sight to the blind" (cf. Lk 4:18).

In the world that God created

In the world that God created and entrusted to us. Our stewardship is a form of creating and sustaining it. In our creating, we must be guided by a concern for generations to come. We show our respect for the Creator by our care for creation.

Society and the State

Society and the State must ensure wage levels adequate for the maintenance of the worker and his family, including a certain amount for savings. This requires a continuous effort to improve workers' training and capability so that their work will be more skilled and productive, as well as careful controls and adequate legislative measures to block shameful forms of exploitation, especially to the disadvantage of most vulnerable workers, of immigrants and of those in the margins of society.

Charity

In teaching us charity, the Gospel intent is to teach us: the preferential respect due to the poor; and the special situation they have in society. The more fortunate should place themselfs and their goods more generously at the service of others.

The remaining 20 percent

More than 80 percent of the world’s population live in developing countries. They use just 20 percent of the world’s wealth.

The remaining 20 percent of the world’s people live in industrialized nations and control 80 percent of the world’s wealth.