120YEARSOFPAPAL SOCIALTEACHING

Sincetheendofthenineteenthcentury,popes haveregularlywrittenencyclicalsdealingwith thesocial,political,andeconomicconcernsof theirday(e.g.,economicdisparity,social revolutions,industrialization,war,etc.).These encyclicals,whicharethefoundationofmodern Catholicsocialteaching,utilizetheChurchs scriptural,philosophical,andtheologicalwisdom inordertoproposeanewwayofliving,basedon truecharityandjustice. Piuswarnedagainsttheexcessiveconcentrations ofeconomicandpoliticalpower,andarticulated theprincipleofsubsidiarity,namelythatno higherleveloforganizationshoulddowhat lesserandsubordinateorganizationscando.

MateretMagistra (MotherandTeacher)
PopeJohnXXIII,1961

RerumNovarum(OfNewThings)
PopeLeoXIII,1891

PopeLeoXIIIwrotethe rstsocialencyclical, Rerumnovarum,in responsetothe changesbroughton bytheIndustrial Revolutionand politicalupheavalin Europe.PopeLeorejected socialismasasolutiontotheunequaldistribution ofwealthandinsteadupheldtherighttoprivate propertyandtherightofworkerstoform associations.

PopeJohnXXIIIwroteontheanniversariesof RerumnovarumandQuadragesimoanno. ArmingtheroleoftheChurchasamotherand teacherofallnations,hereiteratedtheteachingof histwopredecessorsandfocusedonthenew socialquestionsofhistime:theplightof depressedagriculturaleconomiesinrelationto industrialones,internationalaidand development,andscienticandtechnical advancements.

PaceminTerris (Peaceon Earth)

PopeJohnXXIII, 1963

QuadragesimoAnno (IntheFortiethYear)
PopePiusXI,1931

PopePiusXIwrote Quadragesimoannoto commemoratethe40th anniversaryofRerum novarum.Rejecting bothcommunismand unbridledcapitalism,

Coveringtheentire spectrumofrelations betweenindividuals,betweentheindividualand publicauthorities,andbetweennations,John XXIIIarmedtheinviolabilityofhumanrights andtheChristianobligationtoworktoward lastingpeacebyfollowingGodslaws. Recognizingthethreatofnucleararms,hecalled fortheirelimination.

PopulorumProgressio (OntheDevelopmentofPeoples)
PopePaulVI,1967

CentesimusAnnus(HundredthYear)
PopeJohnPaulII,1991

Therstpopetotravel extensivelyaroundtheglobe, PopePaulVIhighlighted theethicaldimensionsof globaldevelopment. Peaceisnotjustthe absenceofwar,itis spiritualandhuman development.

Writingonthe100th anniversaryofRerumnovarumand soona erthecollapseoftheSovietUnion,PopeJohn PaulIIrecognizedthemeritsofmarketbased economies,butwarnedofthedangersofconsumerism. Humanityhasanessentialcapacityfor transcendencewhichtheChurchsafeguards.

EvangeliumVitae(TheGospelofLife)
PopeJohnPaulII,1995

OctagesimaAdveniens (EightiethAnniversary)
PopePaulVI,1971 Inhisapostolicletterwrittenonthe80thanniversary ofRerumnovarum,PaulVIcalledonChristians (particularlythelaity)toliveuptothedutyof participatinginsocialandpoliticalreformasawayof discoveringthetruthandlivingouttheGospel.

PopeJohnPaulIIwroteEvangeliumvitaetohighlight themostbasicofallprinciplesthevalueand sacrednessofallhumanlifeandtocallonChristians tobuildanewcultureoflife.Scienceandtechnology haveproducednewthreatstohumanlife: contraception,abortion,articialreproduction,and euthanasia.HealsoarticulatedtheChurchsobjections tocapitalpunishment.

DeusCaritasEst(GodIsLove)
PopeBenedictXVI,2005

LaboremExercens(OnHumanWork)
PopeJohnPaulII,1981

Celebratingthe90thanniversaryofRerumnovarum, PopeJohnPaulIIexplainedthatworkisfundamental tohumanexistenceforitisa sharinginGodscreation. Laborhasaspecialdignity andpriorityovercapital.

InaworldwherethenameofGodissometimes associatedwithvengeanceorevenhatred,Pope BenedictXVIspokeofGods limitlessloveandthe distinctivenatureofChristian charitythatwemustshow tooneanother.

SollicitudoRei Socialis (OnSocialConcern)

PopeJohnPaulII,1987

CaritasinVeritate (CharityinTruth)
PopeBenedictXVI,2009

PopeJohnPaulIIcelebratedthe20thanniversaryof PopulorumprogressiobyupdatingandextendingPaul VIsteaching.Neithercommunismnorcapitalismby themselvescanensureauthenticdevelopment.While theChurchhasnotechnicalsolutionstooer,itisan expertinhumanitythathassomethingtosayabout whatconstitutestrueprogress.

Charityintruth,PopeBenedictwrote,towhichJesus Christborewitness,istheprincipaldrivingforce behindtheauthenticdevelopmentofeverypersonand ofallhumanity.Thebookofnatureisoneand indivisible:environment,humanlife,sexuality, marriage,family,socialrelations.Authentic developmentrequiresthatweprotectandnourishall thesewhilerelyingonGodsloveandprovidence.

Adapted from the USCCB and the Office of Social Justice, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis ~ April 2011