Exploring Catholic Social Teaching
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EXPLORING<br />
CATHOLIC<br />
SOCIAL TEACHING<br />
SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS
EXPLORING<br />
CATHOLIC<br />
SOCIAL TEACHING
About Sophia Institute for Teachers<br />
Sophia Institute for Teachers was launched in 2013 by Sophia Institute to renew and rebuild <strong>Catholic</strong><br />
culture through service to <strong>Catholic</strong> education. With the goal of nurturing the spiritual, moral, and<br />
cultural life of souls, and an abiding respect for the role and work of teachers, we strive to provide<br />
materials and programs that are at once enlightening to the mind and ennobling to the heart;<br />
faithful and complete, as well as useful and practical.<br />
Sophia Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1983.<br />
©2021, Sophia Institute for Teachers. All rights reserved. Portions of this publication may be<br />
photocopied and/or reproduced within schools for educational use only. Written permission must<br />
be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book outside a school in any<br />
medium.<br />
The lessons in this supplemental guide are taken from the catechetical series Spirit of Truth.<br />
Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church, Second Edition, ©<br />
1994, 1997, 2000 by Libreria Editrice Vaticana–United States <strong>Catholic</strong> Conference, Washington, D.C.<br />
All rights reserved.<br />
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991,<br />
1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the<br />
copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any<br />
form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.<br />
We thank all copyright holders for their permission to use their material in this publication. Every<br />
attempt was made to secure permission to reprint any protected material used in this publication.<br />
Any omissions or errors were unintentional, and we will make adjustments immediately upon<br />
request.<br />
Printed in the United States of America<br />
Design by Perceptions Design Studio<br />
<strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
ISBN: 978-1-64413-554-9
Contents<br />
Acknowledgments ......................................................................ii<br />
How to Use This Guide .................................................................iii<br />
Sacred Art and Catechesis ...............................................................v<br />
Lessons<br />
Note: The grade levels listed with each lesson are suggestions. We encourage you to read each lesson<br />
and use the ones that will work best with your students.<br />
Lesson 1: Jesus Teaches Us to Love Him and Others, Lower Elementary ....................1<br />
Lesson 2:<br />
God Calls Us to Love Him above All Else and to Love One Another<br />
Out of Love for Him, Lower Elementary .......................................15<br />
Lesson 3: Respect for Life, from the Unborn to the Elderly, Middle Elementary .............37<br />
Lesson 4: Care for the Resources of the Environment, Middle Elementary ................ 45<br />
Lesson 5:<br />
<strong>Exploring</strong> the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy with Sacred Art,<br />
Middle Elementary ........................................................ 59<br />
Lesson 6: Introduction to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, Middle Elementary ...67<br />
Lesson 7: Jesus Teaches Us How to Live the Corporal Works of Mercy, Middle Elementary ..77<br />
Lesson 8:<br />
The Human Person, Made in the Image and Likeness of God,<br />
Middle School and High School ............................................. 85<br />
Lesson 9: Society, Middle School and High School ..................................... 95<br />
Lesson 10: The Citizen and Government, Middle School and High School ..................107<br />
Lesson 11: Just War, Middle School and High School ....................................133<br />
Sample High School Theology Chapter<br />
Different Types of Justice ......................................143<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING OVERVIEW<br />
i
Acknowledgments<br />
Teacher Authors<br />
Tom Acemoglu<br />
Fr. Ed Broom, OVM<br />
Veronica Burchard<br />
Jackie Dielbold<br />
Jose Gonzalez<br />
Anna Maria Mendell<br />
Catherine Petrie<br />
James Sartino<br />
Melissa Stancato<br />
Kelly Vardakas<br />
Talia Westerby<br />
Editors<br />
Veronica Burchard<br />
Mike Gutzwiller<br />
Academic Advisors<br />
Monsignor John Cihak, S.T.L., S.T.D.<br />
Michel Therrien, S.T.L, S.T.D.<br />
Illustrations<br />
John Folley<br />
Mary MacArthur<br />
Patrick Nunes<br />
Copy Editors and Consultants<br />
Nora Malone<br />
Jane Cavolina<br />
Design<br />
Perceptions Design Studio<br />
Amherst, NH<br />
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How to Use This Guide<br />
No textbook or teacher’s guide can replace your own witness. Each and every day, offer students<br />
your own personal examples and stories. Most of all, pray often with your class. Sharing and<br />
modeling how to treat others with respect and charity will help them grow in understanding of<br />
how Christ calls us each to treat our neighbors and engage in the public square.<br />
Each lesson in this Teacher’s Guide has a recommended grade range, but feel free to use them<br />
outside of these suggestions, and/or to adapt them for use with older or younger learners.<br />
Each lesson is designed as a supplement. Lessons are also designed to be self-contained, so that<br />
you may just as easily present a single lesson or all of them. Feel free to choose the version that<br />
would be appropriately challenging for your students.<br />
Each lesson includes:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Lesson overview, suggested grade level, learning goals<br />
Scripture selections<br />
Connections to the Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
Warm-ups<br />
Activities and handouts<br />
Formative assessments<br />
Answer keys<br />
Tips<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
You know best what your students already know, so keep that in mind when<br />
approaching warm-up exercises, which are meant to recall prior knowledge and/or<br />
create a mindset for the lesson.<br />
Whenever possible, have students use their own copies of the Holy Bible to do readings.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING OVERVIEW<br />
iii
Occasionally, references are made to additional resources including:<br />
Sophia SketchPad Videos<br />
ӹ Found at SophiaSketchPad.org<br />
ӹ Catechetical videos developed for use in <strong>Catholic</strong> classrooms<br />
ӹ Viewing guides and other supplements<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Curriculum Exchange<br />
ӹ Found at SophiaInstituteforTeachers.org/Curriculum<br />
ӹ Teacher-written resources for all subjects and grade-levels<br />
ӹ Rate and review lessons, then share your own<br />
Sacred Art Library<br />
ӹ Found at SophiaInstituteforTeachers.org/Art<br />
ӹ Digital images of art included in this guide, and much more<br />
ӹ Suggestions for discussion starters<br />
A note on scriptural selections<br />
The translation of the Bible used in this teacher’s guide is the New American Bible, Revised<br />
Edition (NABRE). For the sake of readability on certain student handouts, we have removed<br />
biblical line breaks, line numbers, footnotes, and other references. Whenever possible, we<br />
encourage you to have students use their own copies of the Holy Bible to do readings.<br />
iv<br />
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Sacred Art and Catechesis<br />
How to Use the Works of Art in This Guide<br />
This Teacher’s Guide uses sacred art as a means of teaching<br />
young people about the <strong>Catholic</strong> Faith. Beauty disposes us to<br />
the Divine, and sacred art helps lead students to love what is<br />
good, beautiful, and true. Art can be viewed and appreciated<br />
by all students, no matter their grade, reading ability, personal<br />
background, or level of sophistication. Feel free to use these<br />
works of art with students of all grade levels. Add<br />
your own questions if these are too hard. Say them<br />
out loud if students cannot read the questions<br />
themselves. Have older students compose their own<br />
questions. Have fun.<br />
HANDOUT A<br />
Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet<br />
BY FORD MADOX BROWN (1856)<br />
City of Manchester Art Galleries, Manchester, UK.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Before presenting artwork, we recommend<br />
you gather relevant Scripture passages and<br />
sections of the Catechism to contextualize<br />
discussion.<br />
We recommend projecting a full-screen<br />
image of each work of art, and/or handing<br />
out color copies for each student or small<br />
group of students.<br />
6<br />
62<br />
HANDOUT A<br />
Madonna with Child<br />
By Sassoferrato<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Allow students to view the art quietly for several minutes — or for as long as you can.<br />
Encourage them to appreciate it for its own sake before beginning any analysis.<br />
Begin your discussion by asking questions that are easy to answer. This may help “prime<br />
the pump” for future discussion.<br />
Be willing to share your own response to the painting. Allow your students to see<br />
the painting move you. Sharing the feelings and ideas the artwork evokes in you may<br />
encourage your students to be more willing to take risks in the ways they contribute to<br />
the discussion.<br />
Add your own favorite works of art. Don’t be limited to paintings. Think about using<br />
sculpture, wood carvings, stained glass, and so forth. Your enthusiasm for works of art<br />
will be contagious.<br />
When appropriate, talk with your students about how sacred art, unlike other forms of<br />
artwork, is meant to draw our attention not the particularities of the figures in the work,<br />
but to universals: truth, beauty and goodness, and most of all, to the Author of beauty<br />
who is God Himself.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING OVERVIEW<br />
v
Jesus Teaches Us to Love<br />
Him and Others<br />
LESSON 1<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
Pre-K–2nd grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
God is love.<br />
God loves us.<br />
Good parents love and protect their<br />
children; we are God’s children, and He<br />
loves and protect us.<br />
Guardian Angels help God protect us.<br />
The love of our family is like God’s love,<br />
and God’s love is even greater.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 221<br />
ӹ CCC 352<br />
Vocabulary<br />
ӹ Guardian Angel<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONE<br />
God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his<br />
only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.<br />
1 JOHN 4:8B-9<br />
1
Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: Madonna with<br />
Child Look and Learn<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout D: The Guardian Angels<br />
Teacher Resource: God Is<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout B: Madonna with<br />
Love Puzzle Template<br />
Child Coloring Page<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout E: God Is Love<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout C: The Banjo<br />
Lesson Look and Learn<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Have the class stand and make the Sign of the Cross, saying the words together slowly.<br />
B. Lead students in ten minutes of stretching and easy calisthenics. As you do each exercise<br />
together, do a call and response along the following lines:<br />
C. Stand with arms raised high, then bend and touch toes. You say, “God loves me and He gave me<br />
ten…” Students respond “Toes!”<br />
D. Extend arms to the sides, wiggling fingers. You say, “God loves me and He gave me ten…”<br />
students respond, “Fingers!”<br />
E. Crouch down in a squat four or five times. Point to your knees as you do so. You say, “God loves<br />
me and He gave me two…” Students respond, “Knees!” And so forth.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Have students get into a circle. Using the class angel to moderate discussion, go around the<br />
circle giving each student a few moments to tell the class about someone or something they<br />
love. Encourage students to say two different things: first, who or what it is they love, and<br />
second, one way they show their love.<br />
B. Ask for a show of hands for how many students mentioned someone in their families.<br />
C. Discuss with students how our families are a sign of God, who is the Blessed Trinity. God is a<br />
communion of Persons — an unbreakable bond of life-giving love. Our families are unbreakable<br />
bonds! Your parents love you even when you disobey. The love of our families gives us a taste of<br />
what God’s love is like. His love is even greater — His love is the greatest thing in the universe!<br />
D. Wrap up the discussion by connecting the exercises you did together a few moments ago to the<br />
way we show love. God created our bodies, and everything He made is good. We use our bodies<br />
to show love to our family — Mothers carry their babies in their womb, they nurse their babies,<br />
both parents feed their babies, change diapers, tuck them in at night, give hugs, reassuring pats,<br />
and so forth. Have students raise their hands and list other ways they use their bodies to show<br />
love. In addition to the ideas student generate, you could add:<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
They hug their parents and siblings.<br />
They do chores to help around the house.<br />
They pick up after themselves.<br />
They hold hands when they cross the street.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Hold up the image on Handout A: Madonna with Child. You may want to let them know that<br />
madonna means “My Lady” in Italian. We use the title to refer to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Tell<br />
them to look at the painting for a few minutes in silence, and to notice whatever they like about<br />
it.<br />
B. Read aloud and discuss the questions on Madonna with Child Look and Learn (Handout A),<br />
then read aloud from A Parent’s Love (Handout B).<br />
C. Have students color Madonna with Child Coloring Page (Handout B). As they are coloring,<br />
remind students of the Blessed Trinity and note that we call God our heavenly Father. We are<br />
God’s children. God loves us so much that He gave us His son, Jesus. Jesus gave his life for us.<br />
Giving your life for someone else is an act of love.<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Have the class stand and make the Sign of the Cross, saying the words together slowly.<br />
B. Have students turn to the The Banjo Lesson Look and Learn (Handout C). Discuss the<br />
questions. Then, invite a volunteer to tell aloud a creative story about who the people in the<br />
painting are, and what they are doing. Call on a few students to share their creative stories.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Ask students to compare and contrast this painting with Madonna with Child. How are they<br />
similar, how are they different?<br />
B. Discuss with students how you have been looking at examples of good parents with these two<br />
paintings. What are qualities of a good parent? What does a good parent do? What does a good<br />
parent believe?<br />
C. Encourage students to raise their hand and offer one example. Repeat back each example as<br />
you write a simplified version on the board. For example, a good parent: prepares meals for his<br />
child, cares for him, provides clothing and shelter, helps him when he is hurt, and so forth. A<br />
good parent believes that his child is important, can learn, and should be loved.<br />
D. Summarize all the examples that students give by stating that good parents put the needs of<br />
their child above their own needs. A good parent sacrifices for the good of his or her child.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 1 3
LESSON PLAN<br />
Invitation to witness: Tell a story about a time that you knew God loved you and was<br />
protecting you. Frame the story using terms you have been using throughout the lesson.<br />
Include in your story that Jesus sacrificed Himself for our good.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Connect the way parents protect their children to another way God protects His children — the<br />
Guardian Angels.<br />
B. Make sure students are quiet because you are about to share with them God’s word in<br />
Scripture. Reassure students that they don’t need to understand every word.<br />
C. Read aloud from Psalms 91:10-13:<br />
No evil shall befall you,<br />
no affliction come near your tent.<br />
For he commands his angels with regard to you,<br />
to guard you wherever you go.<br />
With their hands they shall support you,<br />
lest you strike your foot against a stone.<br />
You can tread upon the asp and the viper,<br />
trample the lion and the dragon.<br />
D. Talk with students about how every single person has a guardian angel who helps protect us<br />
from evil and preserve us from sin.<br />
E. Continue to reinforce this information as children color in the picture on The Guardian Angels<br />
(Handout D).<br />
F. Close with the Prayer to Your Guardian Angel:<br />
Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this day be at my<br />
side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Before class, use the template on Teacher Resource: God is Love Puzzle Template (page 14<br />
in this guide) to make a puzzle set for each student.<br />
B. After creating a quiet and prayerful atmosphere, together make the Sign of the Cross and then<br />
read aloud from 1 John 4:8b-9:<br />
God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the<br />
world so that we might have life through him.<br />
C. Enter into a dialogue with students in which you go over the following information: This Bible<br />
verse tells us that God is love. Love isn’t just something that God does; love is what God is. God is<br />
also the greatest thing in the universe. How do we know? He created everything in it. That means<br />
He is greater than anything in the universe! If God is the greatest thing in the universe, and God is<br />
love, then what is one way we can become like the greatest thing in the universe? Love! When we<br />
love someone, we are sharing in God’s divine life.<br />
D. Take a moment to look at and read aloud some of the things you wrote on your “Classroom of<br />
Love” bulletin board.<br />
E. Explain that Scripture tells us something like this as well. Read aloud from 1 Corinthians 13:13<br />
“So faith, hope, love remain, these three, but the greatest of these is love.”<br />
Activity and Assessment<br />
Distribute a God Is Love Puzzle set to each student and give them time to complete the puzzle.<br />
Then have them color and decorate their own version of the puzzle on God Is Love (Handout E).<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 1 5
HANDOUT A<br />
Madonna with Child<br />
By Sassoferrato<br />
6<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS
HANDOUT A<br />
Madonna with Child<br />
Look and Learn<br />
What do you like about this painting?<br />
Where is the light coming from in the painting?<br />
Does the lady look like a good<br />
mother? Why or why not?<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 7
HANDOUT B<br />
Madonna with Child Coloring Page<br />
His mother kept all these things in her heart.<br />
(Luke 2:51b)<br />
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A Parent’s Love<br />
The lady in the painting is Mary.<br />
Mary loves her baby Jesus very much.<br />
She would do anything for Him.<br />
Parents love their children more<br />
than themselves. A parent would<br />
give her life for her child.<br />
We are God’s children. God loves us so<br />
much that He gave us His son, Jesus.<br />
Jesus gave his life for us.<br />
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HANDOUT C<br />
The Banjo Lesson<br />
By Henry Ossawa Tanner<br />
10<br />
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HANDOUT C<br />
The Banjo Lesson<br />
Look and Learn<br />
Who do you think the people<br />
in the painting are?<br />
What do you see in the background?<br />
The two people might be a father<br />
and son. Do you think the man is a<br />
good father? Why or why not?<br />
What are they doing?<br />
What do you think they were doing<br />
earlier? What will they do next?<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 11
HANDOUT D<br />
The<br />
Guardian<br />
Angels<br />
12<br />
He commands his<br />
angels with regard<br />
to you, to guard you<br />
wherever you go.<br />
(Psalms 91:11)<br />
October 2 ~ Guardian Angels<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS
HANDOUT E<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 13
God is Love Puzzle Template<br />
TEACHER RESOURCE<br />
Directions:<br />
Copy the puzzle pieces below onto heavy paper and laminate them. Then cut out the<br />
pieces, keeping sets together. Distribute a set to each student.<br />
14<br />
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God Calls Us to Love Him above All Else and<br />
to Love One Another Out of Love for Him<br />
LESSON 2<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
2nd–5th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Jesus teaches us the two Great<br />
Commandments: to love God and to love<br />
our neighbor.<br />
The Great Commandments are a summary<br />
of the Ten Commandments and the whole<br />
Law of God.<br />
To love our neighbor means to love<br />
everyone we encounter.<br />
To love God means to love our neighbor,<br />
which is a sign of being a disciple of<br />
Christ.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 278 ӹ CCC 1967<br />
ӹ CCC 459 ӹ CCC 2055-<br />
ӹ CCC 1064 2063<br />
ӹ CCC 1337 ӹ CCC 2196<br />
ӹ CCC 1473 ӹ CCC 2608<br />
ӹ CCC 1878 ӹ CCC 2738<br />
Vocabulary<br />
ӹ Commandment<br />
ӹ Ten Commandments<br />
ӹ Pharisee<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Blasphemy<br />
Samaritan<br />
Disciple<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your<br />
God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and<br />
with all your mind. This is the greatest and the<br />
first commandment. The second is like it: You<br />
shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole<br />
law and the prophets depend on these two<br />
commandments.”<br />
This is how all will know that you are my<br />
disciples, if you have love for one another.<br />
JOHN 13:35<br />
MATTHEW 22:37-40<br />
15
Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: The Great<br />
Commandments<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout E: How Can I<br />
Love My Neighbor?<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout B: Loving God and<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout F: We Are Called<br />
Loving Our Neighbor<br />
to Love Assessment<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout C: The Good Samaritan<br />
ӹ<br />
Teacher Resource: Ten<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout D: Readers<br />
Commandments Cards<br />
Theater: The Parable of<br />
the Good Samaritan<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Note: In advance, print enough copies of Teacher Resource: Ten Commandments Cards (page 33 in<br />
this guide) and cut out enough cards for every student to receive one card.<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Begin by leading your students in the following prayer:<br />
Dear God, You call us to be part of the Christian family and members of your <strong>Catholic</strong><br />
Church. Help us to be one people who live for you. Give us the opportunities to love you and<br />
to love our neighbor. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.<br />
B. Begin by explaining to your students that in the Old Testament God gave Moses Ten<br />
Commandments to give to His people. A commandment is a rule or law that God gave to<br />
His people to learn to love Him and to love each other. Then ask if your students can name<br />
any of the Ten Commandments. Write correct answers on the board until you list all ten. If<br />
your students have trouble naming commandments, ask them questions such as “Is there a<br />
commandment about lying?” or “Is there a commandment about listening to our parents?” The<br />
Ten Commandments are:<br />
1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange gods before me.<br />
2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.<br />
3. Remember to keep holy the LORD’s day.<br />
4. Honor your father and mother.<br />
5. You shall not kill.<br />
6. You shall not commit adultery.<br />
7. You shall not steal.<br />
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.<br />
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.<br />
C. Distribute to each student one of the Ten Commandments Cards. (Some students will have the<br />
same cards.) Then have your students read their assigned commandment and write on the line<br />
what it teaches us about loving God or others. Circulate around the room to assist as needed,<br />
particularly with concepts students may not understand. (Explain to students who have the<br />
Sixth Commandment that adultery refers to being faithful to one’s spouse and respecting our<br />
bodies. Explain to students who have the Ninth and Tenth Commandments that coveting refers<br />
to wanting something that someone else has, to the point of being jealous of what they have.<br />
Note: The Ninth and Tenth Commandments have been combined onto one card for the sake of<br />
simplicity.)<br />
D. After your students have completed their activity, go through each of the Ten Commandments<br />
and call on students who were assigned to each commandment to share and discuss what they<br />
wrote. Emphasize during this time that the Ten Commandments were laws that God gave to us<br />
to teach us how to love.<br />
Activity and Formative Assessment<br />
A. Explain to your students that Jesus gave us one of His most well-known teachings when He<br />
was challenged by a Pharisee. The Pharisees were religious leaders in Jesus’ time, and many<br />
of them were enemies of Jesus. This Pharisee hoped to catch Jesus saying something that was<br />
against the Law of Moses. Then he could have had Jesus arrested for blasphemy. Blasphemy<br />
was a religious crime that involved insulting God or the things of God, or saying or teaching<br />
things that went against God’s Law. In response to the Pharisee, Jesus gave us two special<br />
commandments.<br />
B. Distribute copies of Handout A: The Great Commandments to your students and have them<br />
follow along as you read aloud. Then discuss the focus questions.<br />
C. Emphasize that the two Great Commandments Jesus gave are in fact a summary of all the Ten<br />
Commandments. The first three of the Ten Commandments teach us how to love God, which is<br />
the first of Jesus’ Great Commandments. The other seven of the Ten Commandments teach us<br />
how to love our neighbor, or each other, which is the second of Jesus’ Great Commandments.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Distribute a copy of Handout B: Loving God and Loving Our Neighbor. Have students read<br />
each statement and decide whether it is an example of loving God or loving our neighbor.<br />
Then have them write or say two of their own examples of loving God and two examples of<br />
loving our neighbor.<br />
B. When they have finished, call on students to share and discuss their answers.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 2 17
LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Distribute a copy of Handout C: The Good Samaritan to your students.. Project an image of the<br />
painting by Jacapo Bassano. Give your students a few minutes to observe the painting. Then ask<br />
them the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What do you first notice about this painting?<br />
How does this painting make you feel?<br />
What do you think is happening in this painting?<br />
ӹ Read aloud the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-35:<br />
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I<br />
do to inherit eternal life?”<br />
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”<br />
He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your<br />
being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”<br />
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”<br />
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”<br />
Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.<br />
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.<br />
A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on<br />
the opposite side.<br />
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite<br />
side.<br />
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.<br />
He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.<br />
Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him.<br />
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the<br />
instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall<br />
repay you on my way back.’<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
How does this painting illustrate the parable? Who are the figures in the front of the<br />
painting? What are they doing? Who are the two figures in the background? What are they<br />
doing? This painting shows the Samaritan helping the robbery victim onto his horse to take<br />
him to the inn. The figures in the front are the Samaritan and the robbery victim. The figures<br />
in the background are the priest and the Levite walking away.<br />
What question did the scholar of the law ask of Jesus? How was this question answered?<br />
Who in the parable lived this command? Why? The scholar asked Jesus “What must I do to<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
inherit eternal life?” Jesus asked the scholar what he thought the answer to the question was,<br />
to which he answered “You shall love the lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your<br />
being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” The<br />
Samaritan lived this command by caring for his neighbor and attending to his wounds. By<br />
doing so, he was also showing his love for God by following His command.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Explain that the Samaritans were outcasts in society during Jesus’ time and were considered<br />
to be less than others. In fact, it was against the law for upstanding Jewish citizens to even<br />
speak to a Samaritan. How did the Samaritan in this parable exemplify Jesus’ teaching in<br />
this parable? The priest and the Levite failed to love their neighbor. The Samaritan, who was<br />
considered an outcast and even an enemy, disregarded this and helped a person in need.<br />
Have your students turn to a neighbor and discuss a time when they did the right thing for<br />
someone else, even when they didn’t want to. Accept reasoned answers.<br />
B. Explain to your students that this parable comes from the Gospel of Luke. In it, Jesus deepens<br />
His teaching about loving our neighbor as ourselves by dramatically demonstrating to us that<br />
“our neighbor” doesn’t refer only to those people we like or who are our friends. God calls us to<br />
love everyone. Everyone we meet gives us an opportunity to love.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Distribute copies of Handout D: Readers Theater: The Parable of the Good Samaritan. Assign<br />
roles to various students, and then lead your students in a dramatization of the Parable of the<br />
Good Samaritan. Use the “stage direction” from the script to help direct your students in what<br />
to do and say.<br />
B. After completing the Readers Theater, ask:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What does this parable teach us about love for one another?<br />
Why do you think Jesus made the Samaritan the hero of the story and not the priest or the<br />
Levite? Help students recognize that the parable teaches us that everyone is deserving and<br />
capable of giving and receiving love.<br />
What other thoughts, questions, or new learning do you have about this parable? Accept<br />
reasoned answers.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
Give students a copy of Handout E: How Can I Love My Neighbor?. For each suggested neighbor,<br />
have your students draw a picture of one way they can love that person, and then write a sentence<br />
describing their drawing.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 2 19
LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Read aloud to your students John 14:15, 21:<br />
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. …Whoever has my commandments and<br />
observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,<br />
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.<br />
B. Then ask your students the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What does Jesus tell us loving Him involves? Keeping His commandments.<br />
What are His commandments? “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all<br />
your soul, and with all your mind,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”<br />
What do these Great Commandments have to do with the Ten Commandments? They are a<br />
summary of the Ten Commandments (and, in fact, the whole of God’s Law).<br />
Therefore, what should we do in order to love God? Follow all of His commandments — the<br />
Great Commandments Jesus taught and all of the Ten Commandments.<br />
C. Next, read aloud 1 John 4:20-21:<br />
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not<br />
love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the<br />
commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.<br />
D. Then, ask your students the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
This Scripture passage comes from the first letter of John. What does John say makes one a<br />
liar? Saying “I love God,” but hating one’s brother (or neighbor).<br />
What will someone who loves God do? Love his neighbor.<br />
E. Last, read aloud John 13:35:<br />
This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.<br />
F. Then ask your students the following question:<br />
ӹ<br />
A disciple is a student or follower of someone. Jesus had many disciples, and He calls us to<br />
be His disciples. How will others know that we are Jesus’ disciples? By our love for another.<br />
G. Explain to your students that our love for God is made known by our love for others. In fact, the<br />
Bible makes it clear that we cannot love God without loving our neighbor. This is a requirement<br />
of our Christian Faith. When we love our neighbor, we show our love for God. We make God’s<br />
love for us known here on earth. Loving in this way helps to make us disciples of Jesus.<br />
Activity and Assessment<br />
A. Give your students a copy of Handout F: We Are Called to Love Assessment and have them<br />
circle the correct answer to each question.<br />
B. When your students have finished, review and discuss the correct answers.<br />
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HANDOUT A<br />
The Great Commandments<br />
Directions:<br />
Listen as your teacher reads aloud the story of the<br />
Great Commandments from the Gospel of Matthew.<br />
Then answer the focus questions.<br />
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced<br />
the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one<br />
of them [a scholar of the law] tested him by asking,<br />
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the<br />
greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord,<br />
your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and<br />
with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first<br />
commandment. The second is like it: You shall love<br />
your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the<br />
prophets depend on these two commandments.”<br />
(Matthew 22:34-40)<br />
1. What question did the Pharisee ask Jesus?<br />
______________________________________________________________________ __<br />
______________________________________________________________________ __<br />
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2. To the people of Jesus’ time, all of the Ten<br />
Commandments were equally important to follow. The<br />
Pharisee hoped that Jesus would choose one over<br />
the others and therefore break the Law. What two<br />
commandments did Jesus give as an answer to the<br />
Pharisee?<br />
______________________________________________________________________<br />
______________________________________________________________________<br />
______________________________________________________________________<br />
3. Think about the first three of the Ten Commandments.<br />
Whom do they teach us how to love?<br />
______________________________________________________________________<br />
4. Think about the other seven of the Ten<br />
Commandments. Whom do they teach us how to<br />
love?<br />
______________________________________________________________________<br />
5. How do Jesus’ two Great Commandments sum up the<br />
Ten Commandments?<br />
______________________________________________________________________<br />
______________________________________________________________________<br />
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HANDOUT B<br />
Loving God and Loving<br />
Our Neighbor<br />
Directions:<br />
Read each statement below. If it is an example of<br />
loving God, write “God” on the line. If it is an example<br />
of loving our neighbor, write “Neighbor” on the line.<br />
Then write two of your own examples of loving God<br />
and two examples of loving our neighbor.<br />
_________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________<br />
1. Praying<br />
2. Going to Mass on Sunday<br />
3. Cleaning the kitchen for your<br />
parents<br />
4. Saying kind things about<br />
someone<br />
5. Being happy for a friend who just<br />
got a new video game that you<br />
don’t have<br />
6. Reading the Bible every day<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 23
_________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________<br />
7. Telling a friend that he or she did<br />
a good job on something<br />
8. Helping your elderly neighbor<br />
with household chores<br />
9. Borrowing a book and returning it<br />
in good condition<br />
10. Hanging a crucifix on the wall in<br />
your bedroom<br />
11. Write two of your own examples of how to love God:<br />
____________________________________________________________________________<br />
____________________________________________________________________________<br />
12. Write two of your own examples of how to love our neighbor:<br />
____________________________________________________________________________<br />
____________________________________________________________________________<br />
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HANDOUT C<br />
The Good Samaritan<br />
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HANDOUT D<br />
Readers Theater: The Parable<br />
of the Good Samaritan<br />
Directions:<br />
Act out the Parable of the Good Samaritan according<br />
to the instructions below.<br />
Roles<br />
Narrator 1<br />
Narrator 2<br />
Narrator 3<br />
Man<br />
2 Robbers<br />
Priest<br />
Levite<br />
Samaritan<br />
Innkeeper<br />
Crowd (the rest of<br />
the class)<br />
The Parable of the Good Samaritan<br />
Narrator 1:<br />
Narrator 2:<br />
Narrator 3:<br />
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan<br />
Jesus tells us to love everyone.<br />
Jesus teaches us that everyone is our<br />
neighbor and that everyone we meet<br />
gives us a chance to love.<br />
Jesus also teaches us that to love<br />
means to act. We love when we help<br />
and serve others.<br />
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Crowd:<br />
Narrator 1:<br />
Narrator 2:<br />
Narrator 3:<br />
Priest:<br />
This is the Parable of The Good<br />
Samaritan.<br />
A man was traveling on the road from<br />
Jerusalem to Jericho.<br />
(The Man should walk from one side<br />
of the classroom to the other as if he is<br />
traveling.)<br />
He was attacked and badly beaten by<br />
robbers, who left him on the side of the<br />
road to die.<br />
(The Robbers should “attack” the Man,<br />
and the Man should fall to the ground.<br />
The Robbers should then walk away.)<br />
Another traveler, a priest, came along.<br />
He saw the man lying in the road.<br />
(The Priest should walk from one side<br />
of the classroom to the other and stop<br />
briefly when he comes to the man.)<br />
Look at this man! I can’t bear to look at<br />
him. I should walk on the other side of<br />
the road so I don’t have to help him.<br />
(The Priest should then walk away.)<br />
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Crowd:<br />
Narrator 1:<br />
Levite:<br />
Crowd:<br />
Narrator 2:<br />
Samaritan:<br />
And the priest passed by.<br />
Another traveler, a Levite, also noticed<br />
the man lying in the road.<br />
(The Levite should walk from one side<br />
of the classroom to the other and stop<br />
briefly when he comes to the man.)<br />
Surely this man will die! I wonder what<br />
he did to deserve that. It’s not my<br />
problem, though. I should walk on the<br />
other side of the road.<br />
(The Levite should then walk away.)<br />
And the Levite passed by.<br />
Then a Samaritan traveler came along.<br />
Even though the Samaritans and the<br />
Jews were not friends, he showed mercy<br />
to the man.<br />
(The Samaritan should walk from one<br />
side of the classroom to the other and<br />
stop when he comes to the man.)<br />
Oh, you poor man! Let me help you.<br />
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Narrator 3:<br />
Samaritan<br />
(to the<br />
Innkeeper):<br />
Innkeeper:<br />
Crowd:<br />
The Samaritan bandaged the man’s<br />
wounds and helped him up. He took him<br />
to an inn and paid for his care.<br />
(The Samaritan should help the Man to<br />
his feet and walk with him to the other<br />
side of the room. The Samaritan should<br />
“hand over” the Man to the innkeeper.)<br />
Here is some money. Please take care<br />
of this man. If you spend more than what<br />
I have given you, I will pay you back<br />
when I return.<br />
I will do as you say.<br />
This is the Parable of the Good<br />
Samaritan. How can you be a good<br />
neighbor?<br />
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HANDOUT E<br />
How Can I Love My Neighbor?<br />
Directions:<br />
In each box, draw a picture of how you can show love<br />
for that person. Then write a sentence describing your<br />
drawing.<br />
A Family Member<br />
A Classmate<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
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A Stranger<br />
A Needy Person in<br />
the Community<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
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HANDOUT F<br />
We Are Called to Love Assessment<br />
Directions:<br />
Draw lines to match each question to the correct<br />
answer.<br />
1. Who taught<br />
us the Great<br />
Commandments?<br />
The Ten Commandments<br />
2. What do the Great<br />
Commandments<br />
summarize?<br />
3. Which parable<br />
is an example<br />
of the Great<br />
Commandments?<br />
The Good Samaritan<br />
A disciple<br />
4. Whom are we<br />
called to love?<br />
Jesus<br />
5. What is a follower<br />
of Jesus called?<br />
Our neighbor<br />
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Ten Commandments Cards<br />
TEACHER RESOURCE<br />
1<br />
I am the LORD your<br />
God: you shall not have<br />
strange gods before me.<br />
2<br />
You shall not take the<br />
name of the LORD your<br />
God in vain.<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
3<br />
Remember to keep holy<br />
the LORD’s day.<br />
4<br />
Honor your father and<br />
mother.<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 2 33
5<br />
You shall not kill.<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
6<br />
You shall not commit<br />
adultery.<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
7<br />
You shall not steal.<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
8<br />
You shall not bear false<br />
witness against your<br />
neighbor.<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________<br />
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9<br />
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.<br />
10<br />
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods<br />
_________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 2 35
Answer Key<br />
Handout A: The Great Commandments<br />
Note: Remember you can discuss these questions as a class, or you can have your students write their<br />
answers. Assign only as many questions as would be appropriately challenging.<br />
1. “Which commandment in the law is the greatest?”<br />
2. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your<br />
mind,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”<br />
3. God.<br />
4. Others or our neighbor.<br />
5. The Ten Commandments teach us how to love God and how to love others (or our neighbor).<br />
Jesus’ Great Commandments teach us to do the same thing. They summarize the Ten<br />
Commandments.<br />
Handout B: Loving God and Loving Our Neighbor<br />
1. God<br />
2. God<br />
3. Neighbor<br />
4. Neighbor<br />
5. Neighbor<br />
6. God<br />
7. Neighbor<br />
8. Neighbor<br />
9. Neighbor<br />
10. God<br />
11. Accept reasoned answers.<br />
12. Accept reasoned answers.<br />
Handout C: We Are Called to Love Assessment<br />
1. Jesus<br />
2. The Ten Commandments<br />
3. The Good Samaritan<br />
4. Our neighbor<br />
5. A disciple<br />
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Respect for Life, from the<br />
Unborn to the Elderly<br />
LESSON 3<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
3rd–5th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Respecting life means defending and<br />
protecting those who cannot defend and<br />
protect themselves.<br />
Respecting life means recognizing the<br />
dignity of every person.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 2258-2301<br />
Vocabulary<br />
ӹ Dignity<br />
ӹ Rebuke<br />
ӹ Leprosy<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.<br />
JEREMIAH 1:5<br />
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and<br />
took a child and placed it by his side and said to<br />
them, “Whoever receives this child in my name<br />
receives me, and whoever receives me receives<br />
the one who sent me. For the one who is least<br />
among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”<br />
LUKE 9:47-48<br />
37
Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss<br />
Handout A: Jesus’ Friends<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Have your students help you come up with a list of people who work to defend us and keep<br />
us safe. Keep a list on the board for the class to see. Examples may include police officers,<br />
firefighters, lawyers, nurses, doctors, military/soldiers, and so forth.<br />
B. Have each of your students choose one of the jobs listed on the board and pretend that it is his<br />
or hers. Arrange your students in groups based on the job they chose. (Doctors sit with doctors,<br />
soldiers with soldiers, and so forth.) If some students chose jobs that don’t fit exactly with<br />
others, try to arrange them with other similar jobs.<br />
C. In their groups, have students take turns sharing why they chose the job they did and explain<br />
why it is appealing to them. Then, have each group determine whom they would be defending<br />
or keeping safe if they had that particular job. Have one person from each group share with the<br />
rest of the class, and write this list of different types of people on the board for all students to<br />
see.<br />
D. Have your students return to their seats. Explain that you are going to read a story about<br />
someone/thing you might not expect to be a defender and protector, but who will defend and<br />
protect an entire city!<br />
Activity<br />
A. Read the book Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss aloud to your students. Facilitate the following<br />
discussion by asking the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Who is the defender/protector in the book? Horton, who is an elephant.<br />
Who is Horton protecting? The city of Whoville, which is populated by tiny people called<br />
Whos.<br />
Who is trying to destroy or harm the Whos? All of the other jungle animals, who ridicule<br />
Horton for his beliefs.<br />
Horton keeps saying, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” What does that mean?<br />
Accept reasonable answers, but be sure to make the point that it does not matter about a<br />
person’s size or age or ability. Every single person has something to offer the world! Everyone<br />
should be respected!<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
B. Ask your students to think about what could have happened if some parts of the story were<br />
different and then ask the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What would have happened if Horton did not hear the Whos in the first place and they had<br />
no one to defend them? Accept reasoned answers.<br />
What would have happened if Horton gave up on the Whos when they were stolen? Accept<br />
reasoned answers.<br />
What would have happened if the mayor had not made sure to have every voice heard from<br />
Whoville? Accept reasoned answers.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
Tell your students to pretend that they are the mayor of Whoville, and have them write on their<br />
own paper a letter to Horton’s attackers. What would they, as the mayor, say to those attackers<br />
to make them understand how important Whoville really is? What would they say to defend the<br />
Whos?<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Find online and project photos that correspond to the following examples:<br />
ӹ<br />
a baby making a silly face.<br />
ӹ<br />
a homeless person in America.<br />
ӹ<br />
a well-known athlete.<br />
ӹ<br />
Pope Francis.<br />
ӹ<br />
an elderly person smiling.<br />
ӹ<br />
someone sick in a hospital bed.<br />
ӹ<br />
a well-known musician or band.<br />
ӹ<br />
African orphans.<br />
ӹ<br />
someone with Down syndrome.<br />
ӹ<br />
a prisoner.<br />
B. Show each photo one by one, and ask your students to describe each person or group of<br />
people. Ask them how they would describe the person or people in each photo to someone who<br />
was not looking at the photo.<br />
C. After you have shown all of the photos, ask your students what every single one of these people<br />
has in common. Accept reasoned answers, and help your students come to the conclusion that they<br />
are all God’s children. They all have dignity. (Define dignity as being worthy of honor and respect.)<br />
These are the people whom God calls us to defend and protect, as Horton did with the Whos!<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 3 39
LESSON PLAN<br />
Activity<br />
A. Ask your students to think about who Jesus would have spent time with if He lived in our world<br />
today. Call on volunteers to share their thoughts about the people Jesus would have surrounded<br />
Himself with. Accept reasoned answers.<br />
B. Explain to your students that in this lesson, they are going to look in the Bible to see who Jesus<br />
hung out with when He lived on the earth.<br />
C. Distribute a copy of Handout A: Jesus’ Friends to your students. Call on volunteers to read<br />
aloud the three stories from Scripture about the people Jesus spent His time with, and have<br />
the rest of your students follow along on their worksheets. Then ask the discussion questions<br />
following each story to get your students thinking about how Jesus did not always surround<br />
Himself with the most popular, healthy, or perfect people. Have your students record the<br />
answers as you discuss them.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
Arrange your students in groups of three or four. Have each group come up with a list of people<br />
Jesus might surround Himself with if he were living today. Allow one person per group to share<br />
them with the class, and make a list on the board for the entire class to see.<br />
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HANDOUT A<br />
Jesus’ Friends<br />
Directions: Read or listen to the three stories from Scripture. Discuss the<br />
question following each story with your classmates.<br />
Scripture Story #1: Read Matthew 19:13-15.<br />
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and<br />
pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to<br />
me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as<br />
these.” After he placed his hands on them, he went away.<br />
Explanation:<br />
To rebuke means to scold harshly.<br />
At this time in history, children were not encouraged to speak to adults<br />
unless they were spoken to. In this passage, children also meant really little<br />
ones, mainly babies. The disciples might have thought that bringing babies to<br />
Jesus would delay His teaching and interrupt what He was there to do.<br />
Discussion Questions<br />
1. Who was Jesus spending time with in this passage?<br />
2. Are you surprised that Jesus spent time with children? Why or why<br />
not?<br />
3. How do you think the disciples reacted when Jesus asked them to<br />
bring the babies to Him?<br />
4. How do you think the parents of the babies felt when Jesus was<br />
willing to bless their children?<br />
5. What does this story teach you about Jesus?<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 41
Scripture Story #2: Read Matthew 8:1-4.<br />
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And<br />
then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you<br />
can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will<br />
do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said<br />
to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer<br />
the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”<br />
Explanation:<br />
Leprosy is a terrible skin disease. In biblical times, people with leprosy were<br />
made to live outside the city, away from everyone else. This was because<br />
leprosy was easy to catch, and if you had leprosy, you would die from it. A<br />
person with leprosy was thought to be “unclean.” In fact, people thought<br />
that if you had leprosy, you were being punished because you probably did<br />
something really bad.<br />
Discussion Questions<br />
1. Who was Jesus spending time with in this passage?<br />
2. Why is this surprising?<br />
3. Can you imagine what it would be like not to be allowed to be<br />
touched at all and to be blamed for something that is not your fault?<br />
How do you think the leper felt when Jesus actually touched him?<br />
4. What does this teach you about Jesus?<br />
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Scripture Story #3: Read Luke 19:1-10.<br />
He came to Jericho and intended to<br />
pass through the town. Now a man<br />
there named Zacchaeus, who was a<br />
chief tax collector and also a wealthy<br />
man, was seeking to see who Jesus<br />
was; but he could not see him because<br />
of the crowd, for he was short in<br />
stature. So he ran ahead and climbed<br />
a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,<br />
who was about to pass that way. When<br />
he reached the place, Jesus looked up<br />
and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come<br />
down quickly, for today I must stay<br />
at your house.” And he came down<br />
quickly and received him with joy.<br />
When they all saw this, they began<br />
to grumble, saying, “He has gone to<br />
stay at the house of a sinner.” But<br />
Zacchaeus stood there and said to the<br />
Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions,<br />
Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I<br />
have extorted anything from anyone<br />
I shall repay it four times over.” And<br />
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has<br />
come to this house because this man<br />
too is a descendant of Abraham. For<br />
the Son of Man has come to seek and<br />
to save what was lost.”<br />
Explanation:<br />
Tax collectors were considered to be sinners in biblical times. They would go<br />
to peoples’ houses to collect their taxes and often take more than they should<br />
so that they could get rich. They were not known for sharing their riches,<br />
either. So, many people hated tax collectors for being greedy and selfish.<br />
Discussion Questions<br />
1. Who was Jesus spending time with in this passage?<br />
2. Why was this surprising?<br />
3. Jesus did not just talk to Zacchaeus. What else did He do that was<br />
so surprising?<br />
4. How did Zacchaeus react to getting to meet with Jesus? What did<br />
Jesus inspire him to do?<br />
5. What did this teach you about Jesus?<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 43
Notes<br />
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________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Care for the Resources of<br />
the Environment<br />
LESSON 4<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
3rd–5th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Everything good on the earth was created<br />
by God to glorify Him.<br />
If we love God, we will take care of His<br />
creation.<br />
Caring for the resources of the<br />
environment is something that we can all<br />
do every day.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 293<br />
ӹ CCC 339<br />
ӹ CCC 354<br />
ӹ CCC 1147<br />
ӹ CCC 2405<br />
ӹ CCC 2415-1418<br />
Vocabulary<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Observe<br />
Creation<br />
Natural Resources<br />
Conserve<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
God looked at everything he had made, and found<br />
it very good.<br />
GENESIS 1:31<br />
All things came to be through him, and without<br />
him nothing came to be.<br />
JOHN 1:3<br />
45
Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: St. Francis Journal<br />
Teacher Resource: Oil Spill Experiment Instructions (materials listed on<br />
resource page)<br />
Saint Cards<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Allow students to have a show-and-tell time. Ask them to bring in a material possession that<br />
means a lot to them. Give each student an opportunity to talk about the item and why it<br />
matters so much to him or her.<br />
ӹ<br />
Adaptation: If bringing in items will not work, ask students either to talk about a material<br />
possession that means a lot to them or to draw a picture of it and then explain in the same<br />
way they would if they had the object in the classroom.<br />
B. After all your students have had a chance to share, ask them the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
How would you feel if this item were broken, stolen, dirty, or mistreated in some way?<br />
How would you feel if you realized that the person who mistreated it was someone you love<br />
very much? How much more would that hurt you or surprise you?<br />
C. Explain to your students that the earth is something that God loves, much as they love their<br />
special item. We are called to take care of the earth, because we love God and He loves us!<br />
Activity<br />
A. Make and distribute enough copies of Handout A: St. Francis Journal for each student. They<br />
will be using this journal throughout the entire set of lessons.<br />
B. Have your students gather around a table (they should leave their St. Francis Journals at their<br />
desks for now) on which you will perform the experiment explained in Teacher Resource: Oil<br />
Spill Experiment Instructions (page 58 in this guide). Conduct the experiment as outlined.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
After observing the oil-spill experiment, students should return to their seats to complete the Oil<br />
Spill Experiment (page 50) pages in their St. Francis Journals. Allow students to share their<br />
observations with the class.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Have your students turn to God’s Creation in their St. Francis Journal.<br />
B. Read Genesis 1:1-31 aloud. Ask your students to write down everything they hear that God<br />
created as you read the story. You may need to read the passage twice to give your students a<br />
chance to compile a more complete list.<br />
C. After you have finished reading, create a class list on the board. Call on students to name the<br />
things that God created. Allow your students to write on their worksheet the parts of creation<br />
that they may have missed so their list is complete. Explain that they will be using this list later<br />
in the lesson.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Make a special note of the name of your students’ journal, the “St. Francis Journal.” Distribute to<br />
each student the St. Francis of Assisi Saint Card downloaded from SophiaInstituteforTeachers.<br />
org/SpiritofTruthSupplements (or read the card aloud) to give them some background on<br />
St. Francis: he is well known for respecting and loving all of God’s creation in nature. He would<br />
even talk to the birds and often heard God’s voice just by appreciating all of the beautiful parts<br />
of creation around him.<br />
B. Have your students turn to Natural Resources (page 53) in their St. Francis Journal. Explain<br />
that the items listed on the page are natural resources. From these resources we can make<br />
everything else! Make sure the students understand where they might see each resource in<br />
their own lives, homes, school, and so forth.<br />
C. Have your students choose something from the list of things God made in creation or from the<br />
natural resource list to try to conserve when they go home today. Explain to your students that<br />
to conserve means to protect something from harm or destruction. Have them then turn to<br />
My Plan of Action in their St. Francis Journal. Walk students through the page, and encourage<br />
them to decide on something they can do at home to care for some part of creation or a natural<br />
resource better than they usually do. Give your students time to respond to the questions on<br />
the page.<br />
Note: If your students are struggling for ideas, suggest some of the following: turn off the water<br />
while brushing your teeth, take your pet for a walk, clean up trash from your yard or street, plant<br />
something, turn off the lights when you are not using them, recycle plastics/paper/aluminum, and<br />
so forth.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
Ask your students, for “homework,” to try their new plan of conservation at home. Tell them that,<br />
during the next lesson, they will be asked to share how their conservation plan went.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, Lesson 4 47
LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Have your students turn to My Plan Played Out in their St. Francis Journal. Walk them<br />
through filling out this page, and then call on a few students to share how their conservation/<br />
appreciation efforts went.<br />
B. As students are sharing, make a class list of their conservation efforts on the board.<br />
C. Challenge them to pick something they liked that another of their classmates tried and try it for<br />
fun at home tonight.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Take your students on a walk around your school grounds. Ask them to bring their St. Francis<br />
Journal and a pencil along with them.<br />
Note: If weather does not permit an actual walk around the school grounds, go somewhere in the<br />
building where students can see outside through windows and observe God’s creation around their<br />
everyday environment.<br />
B. As you walk together, pause a few times to let students either write about or draw what they<br />
observe around the school on My Observations. Explain that God created everything simply<br />
because He loves them.<br />
C. If weather permits, stay outside for this last part of the lesson. If not, return to your classroom<br />
and explain to your students that you are going to pray together as a class to thank God for what<br />
you observed when walking around. All students will get a chance to say out loud their favorite<br />
part of creation or natural resource they observed while walking around. Have your students<br />
repeat after you (or project on the board if you are in the classroom) the following prayer:<br />
Heavenly Father, we want to say thank you for all of the ways that you have made our earth<br />
so beautiful simply because you love us. We each want to take a moment to thank you by<br />
naming something we observed today (allow students to share out loud). Thank you, God,<br />
for all of these parts of creation. We ask you for the strength to love you more by taking care<br />
of the gifts you have given us. Amen.<br />
Assessment<br />
Assign students to do the same thing at home that they just did on their observation walk: observe<br />
God’s creation there. Ask them to record their observations on God’s Creation at Home (page<br />
57) or write it down on notebook paper and bring it to class the next day. Make sure they write<br />
a prayer thanking God for His creation, naming as many specific resources or gifts of creation they<br />
observed at home as they can.<br />
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HANDOUT A<br />
St. Francis Journal<br />
___________________________________________<br />
NAME<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 49
Oil Spill Experiment<br />
Directions: Answer the questions below about the oil spill experiment. Share<br />
your observations with the class.<br />
1. What did you observe when the oil was first poured into the water?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. What happened to the oil and water after the waves formed?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. What happened to the marine life/feathers after the oil moved around?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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If conducting the optional additional experiment:<br />
1. What different cleaning methods did your class use to try to clean up the<br />
marine life and/or feathers?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. What seemed to work the best?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. What was surprising to you about this cleaning process?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 51
God’s Creation<br />
As your teacher reads the passage from Genesis, listen<br />
for the things God created. List them all below and<br />
create a drawing of them on the right side of the page.<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________<br />
52<br />
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Natural Resources<br />
Air<br />
Water<br />
Soil<br />
Plants<br />
Animals<br />
Fossil Fuels<br />
Minerals<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 53
My Plan of Action<br />
Directions: Choose a natural resource that you can conserve at home, and<br />
construct a plan of action by answering the questions below.<br />
1. Which part of God’s creation or which natural resource are you going to<br />
conserve or appreciate when you go home today?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. What do you plan to do?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. Why are you choosing this part of creation or this natural resource to do<br />
something about today?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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My Plan Played Out<br />
Directions: Answer the questions below about your conservation efforts.<br />
1. What did you choose to do to appreciate or conserve God’s creation or a<br />
natural resource at your home yesterday?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. Was this hard for you to do? Why or why not?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. Challenge: After hearing your classmates’ ideas, which additional idea will<br />
you try today?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 55
My Observations<br />
As you walk around your school or look out the windows, draw or write<br />
everything you observe that you know God made for you to enjoy:<br />
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God’s Creation at Home<br />
1. As you observe the world around your home, write down what you<br />
observe that God created just for you to enjoy and appreciate:<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. Write a prayer below that you can say each night to thank God for these<br />
specific gifts of His creation.<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 57
Oil Spill Experiment Instructions<br />
TEACHER RESOURCE<br />
Materials Needed<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Glass jar (large)<br />
Distilled water (enough to fill half the jar)<br />
Blue food coloring<br />
Cooking oil (mix well with cocoa powder to<br />
simulate oil, optional)<br />
Rubber duck (or other bath toy to represent<br />
wildlife) or feathers<br />
Optional Materials Needed<br />
(for Additional Experiment)<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Paper towel<br />
Cotton balls<br />
Rag<br />
Sponge<br />
Liquid dishwashing detergent<br />
Procedure<br />
1. Have students gather in an area in which they can all observe the glass jar.<br />
2. Fill half of the jar with distilled water. Add the blue food coloring (to mimic the color of the<br />
ocean).<br />
3. Add the bath toys and allow them to float freely.<br />
4. Pour in the oil, carefully avoiding the “marine life” bath toys. Make sure students see how the<br />
water and oil look before the next step.<br />
5. Now, create “waves” in your “ocean” by gently swaying the water around, making sure the oil<br />
comes in contact with the “marine life.” Tell students to observe what is happening to the bath<br />
toys when the oil starts touching them.<br />
6. Explain to students that this is something that really happens in our oceans! Big ships carrying<br />
oil sometimes leak or sink and spill oil into the ocean, killing wildlife.<br />
Additional Experiment (optional)<br />
1. If you want to see what a long process it is to clean up an oil spill, try to clean up parts of the<br />
water or bath toys with a variety of absorbents, such as paper towels, cotton balls, a rag, a<br />
sponge, or liquid dishwashing detergent.<br />
2. Take turns placing some of the absorbents in the middle of the “oil spill” to see how effective<br />
each method is in cleaning up the mess.<br />
3. After trying many, the students will observe that it takes a lot of effort and work to clean up<br />
even a small oil spill. Make the point that, even though it is hard, it is important that we make<br />
sure to take this kind of responsibility seriously to respect God’s creation!<br />
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<strong>Exploring</strong> the Corporal and Spiritual<br />
Works of Mercy with Sacred Art<br />
LESSON 5<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
3rd–5th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
Jesus gives us a model for living the<br />
Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 2447<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
[N]ot because of any righteous deeds we had<br />
done but because of his mercy, he saved us<br />
through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the<br />
holy Spirit.<br />
TITUS 3:5<br />
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,<br />
“Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus<br />
answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you<br />
do not understand now, but you will understand<br />
later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my<br />
feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you<br />
will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter<br />
said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but<br />
my hands and head as well.”<br />
JOHN 13:6-9<br />
59
Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet<br />
Handout B: Foot Washing<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Project an image of the painting of Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet (Handout A). Give students<br />
several minutes to quietly view the art before you say or ask anything. Allow them to come up<br />
and stand closer to the image to examine details.<br />
B. Once several minutes have passed, ask:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What do you first notice about this work of art?<br />
What do you like about this work of art?<br />
How does this work of art make you feel?<br />
How do the colors in the work of art draw your eye?<br />
What is happening in this picture?<br />
Give students a little background on the practice of foot washing; for example:<br />
• In ancient times, having your guests’ feet washed was a way to show them honor.<br />
• Foot washing was commonly practiced in desert climates, where sandals were the usual<br />
footwear.<br />
• In these climates, water was rare and precious, yet gracious hosts offered it to their<br />
guests.<br />
• The lowest servant in the household was expected to wash the feet of guests.<br />
Activity<br />
Put students in small groups and distribute a copy of Handout A: Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet. Have<br />
them discuss the questions with each other. During this time, focus on keeping students intent on<br />
the artwork and the discussion questions, letting their conversations go in unexpected ways.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Circulate among the groups, listening to their discussions, keeping them on task, and offering<br />
insights or clarification where needed.<br />
B. Before moving on to the next activity, have each group write one question they would ask the<br />
artist about his painting and turn it in.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
Project once again an image of Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet and read aloud a few of the most<br />
interesting questions offered by the student groups the previous day. Allow students to share their<br />
reactions and other personal responses to the art.<br />
Activity and Formative Assessment<br />
A. Ask students to refer to Handout A: Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet, and have them skim over the<br />
questions they discussed the previous day. Then call on groups in turn to share their answers to<br />
each of the questions.<br />
B. Display the image on Handout B: Foot Washing. Ask students to compare this image with the<br />
Brown painting. As a class, discuss the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What is the pope’s role in the Church?<br />
Why would he imitate Jesus this way?<br />
Whose feet is Pope Francis washing?<br />
Why would the pope wash the feet of prisoners?<br />
C. For homework, have students ask their parents to help them locate and bring in an image of a<br />
pope doing any of the following things:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Caring for a sick person<br />
Visiting the imprisoned<br />
Feeding the hungry<br />
Helping the poor<br />
Comforting someone<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Have students share the pictures they brought in for homework and explain what is happening<br />
in the pictures. When they are done, they should affix the pictures to a bulletin board or<br />
another display area.<br />
B. Discuss how the pope is Christ’s representative on Earth and is called to imitate Christ in a<br />
special way. Then ask: “Are only priests and religious called to be like Christ?” Of course the<br />
answer is no: we are all called to live as Christ did. In this unit we will study closely what that<br />
means.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, Lesson 5 61
HANDOUT A<br />
Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet<br />
BY FORD MADOX BROWN (1856)<br />
City of Manchester Art Galleries, Manchester, UK.<br />
62<br />
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HANDOUT A<br />
Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet<br />
Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet, by Ford Madox Brown (1856)<br />
Directions: Take some time to quietly view and reflect on the art. Let yourself be inspired<br />
in any way that happens naturally. Then think about the questions below, and<br />
discuss them with your classmates.<br />
Conversation Questions<br />
1. Who is the man kneeling?<br />
2. What is He doing?<br />
3. Who is the man whose feet are being washed?<br />
4. Who are the people in the background? Where does this scene take place?<br />
5. What event in the Bible does this painting show us?<br />
6. Read John 13:1-20. How does this painting help you understand these verses?<br />
7. Why is Peter surprised that Jesus would wash his feet?<br />
8. How does Jesus respond to Peter’s surprise?<br />
9. What does Jesus tell the disciples in verses 14-15? What are some things He models in<br />
this Gospel?<br />
10. Should we understand the words wash and clean in these verses in a strictly literal<br />
sense? In other words, might they mean something else in addition to their ordinary<br />
meanings? How does Jesus “wash” us? How does He make us “clean”?<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 63
HANDOUT B<br />
Foot Washing<br />
Directions:<br />
Look at the image and answer the questions below.<br />
1. Who is the man kneeling?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. How does this image compare with the painting Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet by Ford<br />
Madox Brown?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Answer Key<br />
Handout A: Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet<br />
1. Jesus Christ<br />
2. Washing the feet of a man<br />
3. St. Peter<br />
4. The Apostles in the Upper Room at the Last Supper<br />
5. Jesus washing the Apostles’ feet on Holy Thursday<br />
6. Accept reasoned answers.<br />
7. Because he knows that Jesus is God the Son; only lowly servants were expected to wash feet.<br />
8. Unless Peter is washed by Jesus, Peter will not go to Heaven.<br />
9. Jesus tells them that He has given them an example to follow. He models servant leadership,<br />
humility, unconditional love, and mercy. Accept additional reasoned answers.<br />
10. These words remind us how Jesus cleanses our souls of sin. Students may make connections to<br />
the Sacraments of Baptism and Confession and the use of holy water and sacred chrism.<br />
Handout B: Foot Washing<br />
1. Pope Francis<br />
2. Accept reasoned answers<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 5 65
Notes<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Introduction to the Corporal and<br />
Spiritual Works of Mercy<br />
LESSON 6<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
3rd–5th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Works of Mercy are concrete ways in<br />
which we can live out our Faith.<br />
There are seven Corporal and seven<br />
Spiritual Works of Mercy.<br />
In Scripture, Christ not only instructs us<br />
on what the acts of mercy are; He also<br />
provides examples in His ministry.<br />
As <strong>Catholic</strong>s, we are called to be Christ in<br />
the world and build His Kingdom through<br />
our actions.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 1966 – 1970<br />
ӹ CCC 2447<br />
Vocabulary<br />
ӹ Corporal<br />
ӹ Mercy<br />
ӹ Spiritual<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
Lord, You are good and forgiving, most merciful<br />
to all who call on You.<br />
PSALMS 65:5<br />
Do to others whatever you would have them do<br />
to you. This is the law and the prophets.<br />
MATTHEW 7:12<br />
67
Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: Hunter’s Story — “Coming Home”<br />
Handout B: The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Explain that from what something is, we can tell what we ought to do. For example, say: “A man<br />
is hungry. We ought to feed him,” or “A child is being bullied. We ought to stand up for him.”<br />
B. Call on a student to offer an original “is” statement, and then call on the next student to say the<br />
corresponding “ought” statement. Go around the room, alternating between “is” and “ought.” If<br />
students struggle to come up with original statements, you could offer:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
A man is drowning, and you have a life preserver./You ought to throw it to him.<br />
A new student at your school is lonely./You ought to welcome him.<br />
A friend is struggling in math, and you are good at math./You ought to help him.<br />
A man is dying of thirst./You ought to give him water.<br />
An elderly person is walking onto a crowded bus./You ought to give that person your seat.<br />
A friend is sick in the hospital./You ought to visit and cheer up your friend.<br />
C. When it becomes your turn, make the statement: “You are created in God’s image and likeness.”<br />
D. The class’s response should be something to the effect of, “We ought to live as the Lord lives.”<br />
E. Ask students to volunteer some things they know about how Jesus lived. Accept reasoned<br />
answers that evidence Jesus’ self-giving love and sacrifice on the Cross for our salvation. Lead<br />
students to the conclusion that in addition to suffering death, Jesus gave us many concrete<br />
examples of how to show love to one another. We will study those in this unit and learn about<br />
how we can live them ourselves.<br />
Activity<br />
Distribute copies of Handout A: Hunter’s Story — “Coming Home” to each student and have them<br />
read the story and answer the questions.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Have a student summarize the story.<br />
B. Invite students to share their responses to questions 2 and 3. As they do so, record the answers<br />
in two columns on the board: “Needs” and “How someone could answer those needs.”<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
C. Ask students to connect the needs from the first column with the concrete acts in the second<br />
column (e.g., the need for food; soup kitchen).<br />
D. Transition the conversation toward why we act charitably. Encourage students to connect this<br />
activity to Jesus’ teachings: the greatest commandment, to love one another as He has loved us.<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Ask students to recall “Hunter’s Story” from yesterday’s lesson, then ask whether they think there<br />
was anything mysterious about determining what Hunter needed and how someone could meet<br />
those needs. Students should respond that it was not a difficult process.<br />
B. Tell students how through the gift of our consciences, God has written His law on our hearts.<br />
If we listen to God’s voice in quiet and stillness, He will help us live out His mercy and love each<br />
other as He has loved us.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Distribute and have students complete Handout B: The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy<br />
individually. They should then pair up and discuss their responses.<br />
B. Call on a few students to share their responses with the class, providing correction as needed.<br />
C. Ask again if there are any of the Works of Mercy that are mysterious or hard to figure out?<br />
Aren’t these all what we would want someone to do for us if we needed them to?”<br />
D. Write on the board the Golden Rule that Jesus gives us in Matthew 7:12:<br />
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”<br />
E. Connect Jesus’ teaching to the Works of Mercy, reminding students that the Church believes<br />
these works to be essential to the Christian life<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Go around the room and have each student draw a slip from the shoe box or container with<br />
the students’ definitions of mercy . Ask them to consider whether the definition fits with the<br />
one they had in mind. Call on a few students to read their definitions aloud and comment on<br />
whether they think the definition is correct and complete.<br />
B. Write on the board the definition of mercy provided in the glossary of the Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church:<br />
Mercy: The loving kindness, compassion, or forbearance shown to one who offends.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 6 69
LESSON PLAN<br />
C. You might simplify this definition by explaining that mercy is love that keeps on loving even<br />
when it is rejected. When we sin, we reject God, but He never stops loving us. His mercy (or His<br />
love) is infinite. This is how we are called to love as Christians.<br />
D. Explain that the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy are charitable acts we can do for our<br />
neighbors. As <strong>Catholic</strong>s, we are called to be Christ in the world and build His Kingdom through<br />
our actions. We love God above all, and we love one another as God has loved us.<br />
Activity and Assessment<br />
A. Give students a few minutes to practice writing out the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy<br />
on their own papers.<br />
B. After a few minutes, call on students one at a time to write one Work of Mercy on the board<br />
(without peeking at their papers!) until you’ve completed the full lists.<br />
ӹ<br />
If time permits, conclude by having students draw a picture of their favorite Work of Mercy.<br />
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HANDOUT A<br />
Hunter’s Story — “Coming Home”<br />
Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions below.<br />
Hurricane Katrina struck Biloxi,<br />
Mississippi on Monday, August 29,<br />
2005. Before it hit, our family decided<br />
to pack up some things and leave to<br />
stay with relatives away from the coast.<br />
When we left our house, the water<br />
was already covering the street. We<br />
didn’t think the water would rise any<br />
higher — it hadn’t ever in history. We<br />
were wrong.<br />
After the storm, my mom and dad and I<br />
returned home to the back bay in Biloxi.<br />
As we drove down the streets, we saw<br />
houses pulled off their foundations and<br />
fishing boats sitting in trees. I heard<br />
that my school downtown had been<br />
flooded with over 17 feet of water and<br />
would not be able to reopen. As we<br />
pulled into our neighborhood, my house<br />
looked almost perfect. A window had<br />
blown out in the front. Had we been<br />
spared the worst?<br />
I hopped out of our Jeep, my dog, JP,<br />
trailing close behind me. We walked<br />
through our yard to get out of the hot<br />
sun. As I opened the door to our home,<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 71
it was clear that my life had changed<br />
forever. During the storm, several feet<br />
of muddy water had filled the entire<br />
house, destroying nearly everything. As<br />
the water left the house, it dragged all<br />
our clothes, photographs, and furniture<br />
out with it. We found some things in our<br />
backyard or at the bottom of the canal<br />
that ran behind our house. The items<br />
were too broken to be worth saving.<br />
Most of our things were lost forever.<br />
In the weeks that followed, we worked<br />
from sunup to sundown in extreme heat<br />
emptying our house of the muck and<br />
debris. For about two weeks, there was<br />
no electricity, and it was even longer<br />
before we had running water. The<br />
government made everyone live under<br />
a curfew because without lights on the<br />
streets — and with most streets filled<br />
with wrecked homes and businesses — it<br />
was too dangerous to drive anywhere.<br />
Wallowing in pity was not an option.<br />
You have to want to help yourself get<br />
back up. I didn’t have time to think<br />
about anything else. Life moved pretty<br />
fast after that.<br />
Focus Questions<br />
1. What happened to Hunter’s home?<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. What does Hunter need?<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. How could someone answer those needs?<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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HANDOUT B<br />
The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy<br />
Directions: Read the Works of Mercy, looking up any words you don’t know. Then<br />
write them out on the lines provided. Finally, answer the questions<br />
that follow.<br />
The Corporal Works of Mercy are:<br />
Write the Corporal Works of Mercy:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Feed the hungry.<br />
Give drink to the thirsty.<br />
Clothe the naked.<br />
Shelter the homeless.<br />
Visit the sick.<br />
Visit the imprisoned.<br />
Bury the dead.<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are:<br />
Write the Spiritual Works of Mercy:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Instruct the ignorant.<br />
Counsel the doubtful.<br />
Admonish the sinner.<br />
Bear wrongs patiently.<br />
Forgive offenses willingly.<br />
Comfort the afflicted.<br />
Pray for the living and the dead.<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
________________________________________________<br />
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Focus Questions<br />
1. What does corporal mean?<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. What does spiritual mean?<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. What does mercy mean?<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
4. From where do we get these lists of Works of Mercy?<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Reflection Question<br />
Why do we need both Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy? Why<br />
wouldn’t one or the other be enough?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
The Works of Mercy are not optional but are absolutely essential to<br />
living the Christian life of holiness and goodness.<br />
CCC 2447<br />
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Answer Key<br />
Handout A: Hunter’s Story — “Coming Home”<br />
1. Hunter’s home was destroyed by the hurricane, and he lost everything.<br />
2. Hunter needs shelter, clothing, food, and drink.<br />
3. Students might offer: a refugee center, a soup kitchen, or a food bank, or people might donate<br />
food, clothing, money, and their own service to support agencies or provide direct assistance.<br />
Handout B: The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy<br />
1. Relating to the body<br />
2. Relating to the soul<br />
3. Mercy is love shown to someone who rejects that love.<br />
4. From the teachings and example of Jesus Christ.<br />
Reflection Question: Accept reasoned answers.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 6 75
Notes<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Jesus Teaches Us How to Live<br />
the Corporal Works of Mercy<br />
LESSON 7<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
3rd–5th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
We must be open to God’s saving love and<br />
keep His commandments if we want to<br />
have eternal life.<br />
He has commanded us to love one<br />
another as He has loved us.<br />
Works of Mercy are concrete ways in<br />
which we can love one another as Jesus<br />
loved us.<br />
Christ not only instructs us on what<br />
the acts of mercy are; He also provides<br />
examples in His ministry.<br />
As <strong>Catholic</strong>s, we are called to be Christ in<br />
the world and build His Kingdom through<br />
our actions.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 1966 – 1970<br />
ӹ CCC 2447<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger<br />
and abounding in mercy.<br />
PSALMS 145:8<br />
Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of<br />
these least brothers of mine, you did for me.<br />
MATTHEW 25:40<br />
77
Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: Note-Taking Aid<br />
Teacher Resource: Christ Our<br />
ӹ<br />
Blank paper, colored pencils,<br />
markers<br />
Teacher<br />
ӹ<br />
Optional: Computers/iPads<br />
ӹ<br />
Saint Cards<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
In an interactive discussion where you allow students to jump in with answers as you speak, go over<br />
the meaning of the New Commandment. For example:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
God is love. Jesus gave us the New Commandment to love who? One another.<br />
Should we love our neighbor as long as he is not annoying us, or as long as he looks the same<br />
as we do, or as long as we feel lovingly towards him? No.<br />
How does Jesus commands to love one another? As He has loved us.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Explain that Jesus’ earthly ministry is full of examples of what it means to love one another. If<br />
we imitate Jesus, we are building His Kingdom in the world. This is what we are called to do as<br />
Christians. The Works of Mercy are essential to the Christian life.<br />
B. Read Matthew 25:31-46 as students follow along in their Bibles.<br />
C. Prepare to read the passage aloud again, and this time give students a copy of Handout A: Note-<br />
Taking Aid.<br />
D. Have students write down the Corporal Works of Mercy as you read.<br />
E. Discuss how, since each human being has dignity as the image and likeness of God, when we<br />
help or do not help someone, we are helping or ignoring Christ.<br />
F. Students might wrongly object that “not helping” is not an action and therefore cannot be<br />
sinful. Have a brief discussion about acts of omission — if you choose not to help someone, you<br />
are in fact choosing to ignore him.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
Have students respond to the questions on the bottom of Handout A: Note-Taking Aid.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Have students call out the seven Corporal Works of Mercy as you write them on the board.<br />
B. Recall yesterday’s Scripture reading and explain that Jesus not only stated the Works of Mercy<br />
but also provided examples by doing them Himself.<br />
C. Demonstrate looking up a Scripture passage, reading it, and identifying which Corporal Work(s)<br />
of Mercy is illustrated.<br />
ӹ Passage: Mark 5:22-24, 35-42 or Luke 8:41-42, 49-55.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Summary: Jesus comforts Jairus and his family.<br />
Work: Comfort the afflicted, bury the dead.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Give each student one of the three cards on Teacher Resource: Christ Our Teacher (page 83<br />
in this guide) to complete independently.<br />
B. Circulate around the room to offer assistance with looking up and interpreting passages.<br />
C. Select students to share their responses with the class. Summarize the passage and identify the<br />
Corporal Work of Mercy.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Select and distribute appropriate Saint Cards from those available at SophiaOnline.org/SaintCards.<br />
Choose several saints who performed Works of Mercy, such as Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta,<br />
Bl. Miguel Pro, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and others. You could read their stories aloud or have<br />
students explore them in small groups.<br />
B. Have students write on an index card, in response to the reading:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
How this saint performed Works of Mercy<br />
Two or three ways in which they themselves can live out that act in their community<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 7 79
LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
Prepare a Corporal Works of Mercy bulletin board. Read a few responses from the index cards<br />
from the last class. Then, as a class, identify a corporal work of mercy students could complete that<br />
would engage the whole class or school (e.g., a food or clothing drive, illustrating place mats for a<br />
nursing home, or assembling kits for a homeless shelter).<br />
Activity and Assessment<br />
A. Have students select one of the Scripture passages that they read (or another that illustrates<br />
the work of mercy the class has chosen) and illustrate it. Above the image, students should<br />
write the Scripture reference. Beneath the image, students should summarize the Scripture<br />
passage and identify the corporal work of mercy.<br />
B. Alternatively, you may give students time with computers or iPads to find portrayals of<br />
their selected biblical passage in a work of fine art that could be displayed with their<br />
commentary — creating a gallery of sorts.<br />
C. When completed, the bulletin board will provide not only artworks generated or located by<br />
students but also information about the agency or people served and how students might<br />
participate in this event.<br />
Send home the following note:<br />
Dear parents,<br />
Your child has identified a corporal act of mercy to carry out in his/her community. Please<br />
help your child to accomplish this goal or another act of mercy and talk about the experience.<br />
Then help your child think of some other ways in which he or she might perform corporal acts<br />
of mercy in your neighborhood and parish community.<br />
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HANDOUT A<br />
Note-Taking Aid<br />
Directions:<br />
Listen as your teacher reads aloud from Matthew’s Gospel. Write out the<br />
Corporal Works of Mercy on the lines below:<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
1. How would you describe Jesus’ tone in this passage? (Tone means a speaker’s attitude<br />
toward his subject.) Does it sound as if Jesus is teaching us something optional or<br />
something very serious? How do you know?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. At Holy Mass, we ask forgiveness for what we have done, as well as for what we have<br />
failed to do. Can we love God if we fail to do Works of Mercy for our neighbors?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. What do you think Jesus means by “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of<br />
these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40)?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Reflection Question<br />
Have you ever performed any of the Works of Mercy that Jesus describes? Has<br />
anyone ever done them for you? Tell a story about that time on your own paper.<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
But you, brothers, do not be remiss in doing good.<br />
2 THESSALONIANS 3:13<br />
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Christ Our Teacher<br />
TEACHER RESOURCE<br />
Teacher Note:<br />
Differentiate the lesson by offering different versions to different students.<br />
Version 3 is more challenging than versions 1 and 2.<br />
1<br />
Directions<br />
1. Look up the Bible passage and read it.<br />
2. Write a 2-3 sentence summary of the passage.<br />
3. Identify the Corporal Work of Mercy referenced in the passage.<br />
Passages<br />
A. Luke 18:35-43 _____________________________________________________________<br />
B. Matthew 14:15-21__________________________________________________________<br />
2<br />
Directions<br />
3. Look up the Bible passage and read it.<br />
4. Write a 2-3 sentence summary of the passage.<br />
5. Identify the Corporal Work of Mercy referenced in the passage.<br />
Passages<br />
A. Luke 10:29-37 _____________________________________________________________<br />
B. Matthew 8:1-3_____________________________________________________________<br />
3<br />
Directions<br />
3. Look up the Bible passage and read it.<br />
4. Write a 2-3 sentence summary of the passage.<br />
5. Identify the Corporal Work of Mercy referenced in the passage.<br />
Passages<br />
A. Mark 5:2-15________________________________________________________________<br />
B. John 8:1-11_________________________________________________________________<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 7 83
Answer Key<br />
Handout A: Note-Taking Aid<br />
1. He sounds serious, as He is talking about what will happen to souls at the end of the world.<br />
Accept reasoned answers.<br />
2. No. Jesus is very clear that how we treat those in need is how we treat Him.<br />
3. How we treat the poor, the hungry, the lonely, those people the world considers “least” is how<br />
we treat Him.<br />
Reflection Question: Accept reasoned answers.<br />
Teacher Resource: Christ Our Teacher<br />
Version 1<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Luke 18: 35-43: Visit the sick. Jesus speaks with a blind beggar even though others ignore the<br />
man. Jesus heals the beggar of his blindness.<br />
Matthew 14:15-21: Feed the hungry. Jesus had many people following him, and they are growing<br />
hungry. Jesus provides food for them in the miracle of the loaves and fishes.<br />
Version 2<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Luke 10: 29-37: Shelter the homeless; also, visit the sick, feed the hungry. In the parable of the<br />
good Samaritan, the Samaritan helps the man and brings him to an inn to care for him when<br />
others would not do so.<br />
Matthew 8: 1-3: Visit the sick. Jesus was asked to heal a leper. Jesus did so when others in His<br />
society would not even consider touching someone with leprosy.<br />
Version 3<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Mark 5: 2-15: Visit the sick. Jesus visits the sick—in this case someone who is mentally ill and<br />
possessed by demons. Christ offers comfort to him and heals him of his affliction.<br />
John 8: 1-11: Visit the imprisoned. A woman has broken a law and is condemned to death. Jesus<br />
forgives her and asks her accusers if they have ever committed a sin.<br />
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The Human Person, Made in the<br />
Image and Likeness of God<br />
LESSON 8<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
5th–8th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Every human being possesses intrinsic dignity<br />
because he or she is made in God’s image and<br />
likeness.<br />
Being created in the image and likeness of a<br />
Trinitarian God means that we are made for<br />
communion with others. This should manifest<br />
itself in a sense of fraternity toward all persons.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 355-360<br />
ӹ CCC 1691<br />
ӹ CCC 1701-1709<br />
ӹ CCC 1878-1885<br />
ӹ CCC 2777-2785<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Prayer for the Lesson<br />
Lead your students in praying the Glory Be each day<br />
of the lesson:<br />
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the<br />
Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and<br />
ever shall be, world without end. Amen.<br />
Explain, that, though this is a simple prayer, it is a<br />
great way for us to glorify God, who made all good<br />
things, including each one of us, whom He made in<br />
His image and likeness.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Dignity<br />
Self-Knowledge<br />
Self-Possession<br />
Self-Gift<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
God created mankind in his image; in the image of<br />
God he created them; male and female he created<br />
them.<br />
GENESIS 1:27<br />
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that<br />
we may be called the children of God. Yet so we<br />
are.<br />
1 JOHN 3:1<br />
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Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: The Dignity of the Human Person<br />
Handout B: Made for Communion<br />
Connection to a local organization that serves a neglected or marginalized<br />
group (e.g., a nursing home, homeless shelter, children’s hospital)<br />
Construction paper and markers/and or colored pencils<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Read the story of creation from Genesis 1 aloud to your students, or, if Bibles are available, have<br />
all students follow along or take turns reading aloud. After reading, acknowledge that this is a<br />
familiar story with a familiar pattern. Then ask your students the following questions.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What happens at the end of each of the first five days of creation? God looks at what He<br />
made and calls it good.<br />
What’s different about the sixth day of creation? God calls it very good.<br />
The sixth day is the day God created man and woman. Something about that creation is<br />
different, right? What is it? God makes man and woman in His image and likeness.<br />
B. Explain to your students that this teaching — being made in the image and likeness of God — is<br />
foundational for our understanding of who we are. If we really believe that every single person<br />
is made in God’s image, we must live our lives accordingly.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Explain to your students that before we look at how we are to live our lives we need to<br />
understand what it means to be made like God. Distribute a copy of Handout A: The Dignity of<br />
the Human Person to each student. Have them read the text and answer the focus questions,<br />
or read and discuss the activity together as a class.<br />
B. When they have finished, review and discuss the correct answers.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Read aloud the following statements and have your students assess whether the persons being<br />
spoken of are being viewed with dignity. Have students raise their hands if the answer is yes.<br />
Call on a student who “voted” for the correct answer to explain his or her reasoning.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Gus says such stupid things all the time. Yeah, I make fun of him, but he brings it on himself.<br />
No — Gus is seen as less valuable because of his comments.<br />
I like to volunteer at the food pantry. The people who come through don’t have much, but<br />
they should still be treated with respect. Yes — the persons are valued despite their income level.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Jenny sits alone at lunch every day. No one makes fun of her, but no one goes and sits with<br />
her either or invites her to sit with them. No – Jenny is seen as not valuable enough to include<br />
at the lunch table.<br />
Older students only: Melissa discovers that she is pregnant. She is unmarried and works<br />
two jobs to pay her bills. She and her boyfriend are considering getting an abortion. No –<br />
Melissa and her boyfriend are not valuing the life of their unborn child, which has dignity and<br />
value regardless of her parents’ income level.<br />
B. Project the following prayer on the board and pray together:<br />
Dear God, thank you for creating us out of love. Thank you for making us in your image<br />
and likeness. Thank you for creating each of us as someone, not something. Help us to<br />
know that we are loved by you. We pray for those who do not see themselves as valuable<br />
or worthy of love. Help them to know that you love them, and help us to treat each person<br />
according to his or her dignity. Help us to show each person we meet today the love he or<br />
she deserves. Amen.<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Show students the one-minute video “Our Deepest Identity” found at SophiaOnline.org/<br />
DeepestIdentity.<br />
B. After the video is over, ask students what they thought the main idea was. Possible answers: we<br />
need other people, we can help each other, we’re not alone, etc.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Begin with a review of the previous day’s lesson and a review of many years of past religious<br />
classes by asking the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Yesterday we talked about how we are made as human beings. What do you remember?<br />
Possible answers: our dignity, image and likeness of God, our value doesn’t depend on anything<br />
besides God’s love. Draw out the “image and likeness of God” idea specifically.<br />
What do we do before every prayer? Make the Sign of the Cross.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What does the Sign of the Cross symbolize? Students might mention the Cross of Jesus, but draw<br />
out the idea of the Trinity.<br />
What is the Trinity? Three Persons in one God.<br />
If we are made in the image and likeness of God and God is a Trinity of persons, what does that<br />
mean for us? We are not made to be alone.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 8 87
LESSON PLAN<br />
B. Explain to your students that as human beings we are made for community. Alone, we are<br />
just one person, but together, we make a community of persons. Give each student a copy of<br />
Handout B: Made for Communion and have them work on it silently, or read and discuss the<br />
activity together as a class. Circulate around the room to ensure understanding and to help with<br />
their lists if needed.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
When students have finished, review and discuss Handout B: Made for Communion together.<br />
After finishing the discussion on the passage from 1 John, recall your students’ attention to the five<br />
things they listed. Direct students to choose one thing from the list and consider: “If my focus was<br />
on loving the person who helped me, what would my interaction with him or her look like?” With a<br />
partner, have students take turns sharing responses to this question for each person on their list.<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Quiet the class and explain that you are going to begin class with a prayer and that part of the<br />
prayer is a song.<br />
B. Play the song “Sing Over Your Children” by Matt Maher found at SophiaOnline.org/SingOver.<br />
C. When the song is finished, pray aloud the following:<br />
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet<br />
so we are (from 1 John 3:1).<br />
God, You have invited us to call You our Father. That makes us brothers and sisters. We pray<br />
together: Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come; Thy<br />
will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our<br />
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but<br />
deliver us from evil. Amen.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
Activity<br />
A. Remind your students how you have been talking a lot about human dignity over the past few<br />
days, and how every person is made in the image and likeness of God. God loves all people; He<br />
wants us all to live as His children, and to go to Heaven. Draw students into conversation with<br />
the following questions.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Do you think everybody feels as if he or she is a part of the human family?<br />
Who might feel excluded or alone? Possible answers: people without a family, people alone<br />
at nursing homes, homeless people, and so forth. If they struggle to come up with responses,<br />
suggest some of those possible answers yourself.<br />
Think about your own family. Are you allowed to go into your room and ignore everybody,<br />
or do you have responsibilities? Draw out the idea that their immediate family does some<br />
things together; they have some responsibilities to one another.<br />
B. Explain that a family means we are responsible for each other. Bring up the idea of solidarity:<br />
we are all one in Christ. Not only do we recognize that we are one family, but we work toward<br />
the good of others.<br />
C. Tell your students that for this lesson, you wanted to give them an opportunity to show<br />
solidarity with people who might feel excluded from God’s family. Each student will make<br />
a “thinking of you” card for someone at a local organization. If possible, pull up the website<br />
for the organization, such as a nursing home, a hospital, or a homeless shelter that you have<br />
previously selected. Explain the basics of the mission of the organization and show students<br />
some photos.<br />
D. Distribute to each student a piece of construction or drawing paper and make markers and/<br />
or colored pencils available. After you have distributed the supplies, circulate around the<br />
room. As students work, ask questions to determine their exposure to people in need (“Have<br />
you ever volunteered at a place like this?” “Do you know anyone who is lonely?”). Encourage<br />
students to put care and effort into the cards. If students aren’t sure what to write, have a list of<br />
encouraging quotes on hand to get them started.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 8 89
HANDOUT A<br />
The Dignity of the Human Person<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the following and respond to the questions that follow.<br />
We read in Genesis 1:27 that “God created<br />
mankind in his image; in the image<br />
of God he created them; male and female<br />
he created them.” The human person has a<br />
unique place in creation. We were specifically<br />
created by God in His image and likeness.<br />
This is a gift no other creature possesses.<br />
The Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church no. 357<br />
explains this idea more:<br />
Being in the image of God the human<br />
individual possesses the dignity of a<br />
person, who is not just something, but<br />
someone.<br />
What does it mean to have dignity? Dignity is<br />
the unique worth and value that we possess<br />
simply for being human, for being created<br />
like God. In being created like God, we are<br />
capable of certain things that God is capable<br />
of. First of all, we can know ourselves. We can<br />
reflect on our memories, our personality, and<br />
our behavior. Secondly, we have the gift of<br />
free will, meaning we can choose our actions.<br />
Sometimes it might feel as if we are acting<br />
on instinct, such as when we are surprised or<br />
when we are intensely focused on something.<br />
But ultimately, we have control over what we<br />
do. Finally, we are able to give of our time and<br />
our energies to other people out of love. We<br />
call these three things self-knowledge, selfpossession,<br />
and self-gift.<br />
This dignity is something we all have, no<br />
matter what. We are valuable simply because<br />
we exist. God created us out of love, and He<br />
sustains us by His love. That alone gives us our<br />
dignity. Our dignity does not depend on how<br />
popular we are or what we look like. It does<br />
not depend on how much money we have or<br />
what country we were born in. A human life<br />
has dignity from the moment of conception.<br />
Our dignity does not depend on how old we<br />
are, or how sick or close to death we might be.<br />
Our dignity does not depend on any of those<br />
things. It does not even increase because of<br />
the good we do or decrease because of the<br />
mistakes we make. We have dignity simply<br />
because we are created in the image and<br />
likeness of God. Every single person is valuable<br />
because he or she is loved by God.<br />
1. How are human beings created in relation to God?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. What do you think it means to be someone rather than something?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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3. What is self-knowledge? ________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
4. What is self-possession?_________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
5. What is self-gift?_________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
6. Where does our dignity come from? ___________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
7. Where doesn’t our dignity come from? _________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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HANDOUT B<br />
Made for Communion<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the information below, then create a list as directed.<br />
Genesis 2 describes the creation of man<br />
and woman in detail. Interestingly, after<br />
God created Adam, He says, “It is not good for<br />
the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18a). God did<br />
not mean we should never be alone, of course.<br />
Sometimes being alone is helpful so we can<br />
rest and gather our thoughts. In the next line<br />
it is made clearer what God meant: “I will<br />
make a helper suited to him” (Genesis 2:18b).<br />
God knew that Adam could not live by himself<br />
on the earth forever. It would be too lonely.<br />
The same truth applies to us today.<br />
1. Think about your week. In the space below, write five things you could not have done this<br />
week if it were not for other people.<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
It’s not enough simply to be around people.<br />
The Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church no. 1878<br />
describes the need for unity like this: “There<br />
is a certain resemblance between the unity<br />
of the divine persons and the fraternity that<br />
men are to establish among themselves in<br />
truth and love.”<br />
You may have heard the word fraternity to<br />
describe men’s groups in college. That’s not<br />
what the Catechism is talking about here. The<br />
word fraternity comes from the Latin word<br />
frater, which means “brother.” If we want to<br />
imitate God as a communion of persons, we<br />
need to have a communion with the people<br />
around us, like a family. Another word for this<br />
is solidarity. This is the principle of unity in<br />
Christ among the human race. We recognize<br />
that we are united in one human family, and<br />
we commit ourselves to working toward the<br />
good of others. The Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong><br />
Church no. 1878 goes on to say this: “Love of<br />
neighbor is inseparable from love for God.”<br />
St. John the Evangelist wrote a letter to an<br />
early Church community and said something<br />
similar: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates<br />
his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does<br />
not love a brother whom he has seen cannot<br />
love God whom he has not seen. This is the<br />
commandment we have from him: whoever<br />
loves God must also love his brother” (1 John<br />
4:20-21).<br />
2. What point do you think John is emphasizing?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Answer Key<br />
Handout A: The Dignity of the Human Person<br />
1. Created in His image and likeness.<br />
2. We each are a person, not an object.<br />
3. Not only self-awareness, but the ability to reflect on who we are (our memories, our<br />
personality, and our behavior, and so forth).<br />
4. Free will, the ability to choose our actions.<br />
5. The ability to give of ourselves (our time, energy, and so forth) to other people out of love.<br />
6. God/God’s love/being created in God’s image and likeness.<br />
7. Any other factor (e.g, wealth, appearance, popularity, good decisions/poor decisions).<br />
Handout B: Made for Communion<br />
1. Possible answers for the list include: driving to school, getting food from the grocery store,<br />
having a house to live in, playing a video game, and so forth. Essentially this is to drive home the<br />
point that everything we do depends on other people in some capacity.<br />
2. Possible answers for John’s point include: that we love God by loving other people; that if we<br />
don’t love other people, we’re not really loving God or living as He does: in love.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, Lesson 8 93
Notes<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Society<br />
LESSON 9<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
5th–8th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Relationships are a necessary and valuable<br />
part of human life.<br />
Relationships help us to understand<br />
ourselves, others, and God better.<br />
Society is a group of persons bound<br />
together organically by a principle of unity<br />
that goes beyond each one of them.<br />
Solidarity is a direct demand of human<br />
and Christian brotherhood, in which we<br />
are called to the distribution of material<br />
and spiritual goods.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 1877-1888<br />
ӹ CCC 1936-1937<br />
ӹ CCC 1939-1942<br />
Vocabulary<br />
ӹ Society<br />
ӹ Solidarity<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
Whoever has two tunics should share with the<br />
person who has none. And whoever has food<br />
should do likewise.<br />
LUKE 3:11<br />
I give you a new commandment: love one another.<br />
As I have loved you, so you also should love one<br />
another. This is how all will know that you are my<br />
disciples, if you have love for one another.<br />
JOHN 13:34-35<br />
95
Lesson LESSON PLAN Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: <strong>Social</strong> Experiment<br />
Handout B: Group Activity<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout C: Elijah and the Widow<br />
Handout D: Solidarity<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Project Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church nos. 1878-1879, and have a student stand and read<br />
them aloud.<br />
All men are called to the same end: God himself. There is a certain resemblance between the<br />
unity of the divine persons and the fraternity that men are to establish among themselves in<br />
truth and love. Love of neighbor is inseparable from love for God.<br />
The human person needs to live in society. Society is not for him an extraneous addition but<br />
a requirement of his nature. Through the exchange with others, mutual service and dialogue<br />
with his brethren, man develops his potential; he thus responds to his vocation.<br />
B. Lead your class in a discussion about the quotations and what they mean for our relationships.<br />
Use the following questions/topics for discussion.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What is the main idea of these paragraphs? Being in relationship with others is an essential<br />
part of being human. The relational nature of man resembles the relational nature of God.<br />
What is meant by “there is a certain resemblance between the unity of the divine persons and<br />
the fraternity that men are to establish among themselves”? God is a Trinity of Persons (Father,<br />
Son, and Holy Spirit) who are in eternal relationship, an eternal exchange of love, with each<br />
other. The relationship human beings are called to have among each other is meant to resemble<br />
God Himself and to be an exchange of love.<br />
Why do you think living in a society is a necessary part of human nature? What do you<br />
predict would happen if humans were isolated? Accept reasoned answers.<br />
What are some examples of how relationships help us to develop our potential? Accept<br />
reasoned answers.<br />
C. Explain to your students the following in a mini-lecture:<br />
A society is a group of persons bound together organically by a principle of unity that goes beyond<br />
each one of them. For example, think of a group of men who belong to a construction company<br />
called on to rebuild after the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City. They are<br />
called to do something that is “bigger” than them. In fact, what they are called to do is bigger than<br />
the sum of them as well. When we come together for a mutual goal, we can accomplish much<br />
more than we could if we were alone. We are all called to give to society in our own unique ways.<br />
Everyone has special gifts and talents to offer.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
Ideally, society develops positive qualities in a person and helps him to grow in self-initiative<br />
and responsibility. Although we do not always see this in our world today, society ought to help<br />
guarantee man his rights.<br />
Each community is defined by its purpose and therefore obeys certain “rules” of that society. For<br />
example, if you join the basketball team, you are expected to show up at all practices and games. If<br />
you are late to practice, the coach might have you run laps. If you don’t follow the rules of double<br />
dribbling or physical contact in a game, you might get kicked out of the game by the referee.<br />
D. Ask your students what other communities or societies they can think of and what rules<br />
are associated with these communities. Why do your students think that specific rules are<br />
necessary for each group? Accept reasoned answers.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Distribute copies of Handout A: <strong>Social</strong> Experiment to each student. Have them answer the<br />
first set of questions. Then show the video found at the following link: SophiaOnline.org/<br />
<strong>Social</strong>Experiment.<br />
B. After the video is finished, have your students answer the next set of questions. Once students<br />
have finished, review and discuss their answers and their reactions to the video.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
Have your students take some time to think about today’s lesson. Then have them answer the<br />
following questions in a three- to five-sentence paragraph on their own paper:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What is a society? Give examples.<br />
Why is it important for people to be a part of a community? Give examples.<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Project John 13:34-35, and have a student stand and read it aloud:<br />
I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love<br />
one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.<br />
B. Have your students journal on their own paper for 5 to 10 minutes using the following prompts:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What do you think Jesus was thinking of when He said this?<br />
Why would it be important for the outside world to see Jesus’ disciples loving one another?<br />
Imagine that you are one of Jesus’ disciples present when He says this. What do you feel or<br />
think when you hear Him say this?<br />
Why is the commandment to “love one another” so counter-cultural today?<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 9 97
LESSON PLAN<br />
Activity<br />
A. Arrange your students in groups of three or four. Distribute Handout B: Group Activity in their<br />
workbooks. (Note: Make sure students do not turn to the page until instructed because this will be<br />
a timed activity.) Explain that each group will need to choose one member to be the writer for<br />
this activity, but all members of the group must contribute to the activity.<br />
B. Once all groups have designated a writer, set a timer for five minutes. When you say “Go,” have<br />
each group turn over their paper and start writing. Have your students STOP and put down their<br />
pencils when the time is up.<br />
C. Have your students leave their papers at their desks and walk around the room with their group<br />
and look at the work of the other groups. They should look to see if other groups had answers<br />
similar to theirs or were able to come up with more examples. When groups have all seen each<br />
other’s work, have your students return to their original desks.<br />
D. Lead your students in a class discussion about the topic of working in a group. Ask the following<br />
questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
What was it like to work in a group?<br />
Was there anything that you noticed about your group? Did anyone find that certain people<br />
took leadership or support roles?<br />
What do you think this activity would have been like if you had done it on your own? Would<br />
you have been able to come up with as many examples?<br />
What did this group activity teach you about being part of a society?<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
Have your students take some time to think about today’s lesson. Then have them answer the<br />
following questions in a three- to five-sentence paragraph on their own paper:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Why is it important for a Christian community to be and look different from other<br />
communities?<br />
What do you think the ideal Christian community should look like?<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Arrange your students in pairs or trios. Distribute copies of Handout C: Elijah and the Widow.<br />
Have each group read the Old Testament story of Elijah’s visit to the widow in 1 Kings 17:7-16 and<br />
then discuss and answer the questions.<br />
B. When your students have completed Handout C: Elijah and the Widow, call on groups to share<br />
some of their answers.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
C. Next explain the following to your students in a mini-lecture:<br />
The principle of solidarity (or “social charity” or “friendship”) is a direct demand of human and<br />
Christian brotherhood. We all have the same origin. We are all made in the image and likeness of<br />
God. This origin brings us together as a society of people sealed by the sacrifice of Christ.<br />
Solidarity is made known by the distribution of material and spiritual goods. As Christians, we are<br />
called to give to those who have nothing. Jesus said, “Whoever has two tunics should share with<br />
the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise” (Luke 3:11). And He commands<br />
us, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).<br />
Solidarity “also presupposes the effort for a more just social order” in which tensions are more<br />
easily reduced and “conflicts more readily settled by negotiation” (CCC 1940). Therefore, each small<br />
(and large) community should be able to resolve problems within themselves. “If your brother sins<br />
[against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15).<br />
Activity<br />
A. Distribute copies of Handout D: Solidarity and explain that you are going to show two video<br />
clips, each pertaining to a set of questions on the page.<br />
B. Project the first video, “Les Misérables — Look Down” found at SophiaOnline.org/<br />
LesMisLookDown (or show the first 3:42 of the film Les Misérables from the DVD). After viewing<br />
the clip, have your students answer the “Part I” questions on Solidarity.<br />
C. After your students have completed “Part I,” project the second video, “Les Misérables (Look<br />
Down)” found at SophiaOnline.org/LesMisLookDownBeggars (or show the segment from<br />
scene 10, 1:06:43-1:09:33 of the film Les Misérables from the DVD). After viewing the clip, have<br />
your students answer the “Part II” questions on Solidarity.<br />
D. When your students have completed both sections of the worksheet, review and discuss their<br />
answers as a class.<br />
Assessment<br />
On their own paper, have your students write two five- to seven-sentence paragraphs about what<br />
they have learned in this lesson on society. Students must use examples from Scripture, their own<br />
lives, and society. They may use their notes and their Bibles, as well as references to any videos and<br />
stories shared in class.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 9 99
HANDOUT A<br />
<strong>Social</strong> Experiment<br />
Directions:<br />
Answer the first set of questions below before you watch the video. Then, after<br />
watching the video, answer the next set of questions.<br />
Part I: Answer these questions before watching the video.<br />
1. What do you think binds us together as human persons?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. Do you think there are any groups of people who are outcasts of society in America? Who?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. What do you think happens when we mistreat people who are on the margins of society?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
4. What would you do if you won the lottery?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Part II: Answer these questions after watching the video.<br />
1. What was your reaction to the video?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. What was the difference between the first set of men who were interviewed and the last<br />
three men who spoke?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. Why do you think it is important to give back to the less fortunate in our society?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
4. After watching the video, would you change your answer about what you would do if you<br />
won the lottery? What would be different?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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HANDOUT B<br />
Group Activity<br />
Directions:<br />
In your groups, come up with as many examples as possible for the following<br />
categories. Keep writing until the timer goes off. Then put your pencils down!<br />
A. Bands<br />
B. Colleges<br />
C. State Capitals<br />
D. Restaurants<br />
E. Presidents<br />
F. Countries<br />
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HANDOUT C<br />
Elijah and the Widow<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the story of Elijah and the Widow from I Kings 17:7-16. Then discuss and<br />
answer the questions.<br />
After some time, however, the wadi ran<br />
dry, because no rain had fallen in the<br />
land. So the word of the LORD came to him:<br />
“Arise, go to Zarephath of Sidon and stay<br />
there. I have commanded a widow there to<br />
feed you.” He arose and went to Zarephath.<br />
When he arrived at the entrance of the city,<br />
a widow was there gathering sticks; he called<br />
out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of<br />
water to drink.” She left to get it, and he called<br />
out after her, “Please bring along a crust of<br />
bread.” She said, “As the LORD, your God,<br />
lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a<br />
handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my<br />
jug. Just now I was collecting a few sticks, to<br />
go in and prepare something for myself and<br />
my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.”<br />
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and<br />
do as you have said. But first make me a little<br />
cake and bring it to me. Afterwards you can<br />
prepare something for yourself and your son.<br />
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar<br />
of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil<br />
run dry, until the day when the LORD sends<br />
rain upon the earth.’ She left and did as Elijah<br />
had said. She had enough to eat for a long<br />
time — he and she and her household. The jar<br />
of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil<br />
run dry, according to the word of the LORD<br />
spoken through Elijah.<br />
1. What do you think is the point of this story?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. If you were in the same position as the widow, would you have used your last bit of flour to<br />
feed a stranger? Why or why not?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. What does this story tell us about relationships with others?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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HANDOUT D<br />
Solidarity<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the information below. Then, after you have viewed the video clips, answer<br />
the questions that follow.<br />
God is a Trinity of Persons — the Father,<br />
the Son, and the Holy Spirit — who are<br />
in an eternal exchange of love with each<br />
other. The love of the Trinity is our model<br />
for how human society should be. In fact,<br />
society is part of human nature! From the<br />
beginning God made us in community, as<br />
male and female, so that we are not alone.<br />
In this community we are then called to<br />
imitate the love of God by loving and serving<br />
each other. We often use the word society to<br />
mean “American society” but the word itself<br />
can mean any group of persons who belong<br />
to something greater than any single one of<br />
them. For example, people who belong to<br />
a construction company were called on to<br />
rebuild after the destruction of the World<br />
Trade Center in New York City. They were<br />
called to do something that was “bigger” than<br />
they were. In fact, what they were called<br />
to do was bigger than the sum of them as<br />
well. When we come together for a mutual<br />
goal, we can accomplish much more than<br />
we could if we were alone. We are all called<br />
to give to society in our own unique ways.<br />
Everyone has special gifts and talents to offer.<br />
Ideally, civil society (such as towns, states,<br />
or nations) should develop virtuous qualities<br />
in individuals that help them grow in selfinitiative<br />
and responsibility. And all people<br />
should work to advance the common good of<br />
our human family.<br />
All who follow Jesus are unified in a very<br />
special society of friends in Christ. This<br />
principle is called solidarity. Remember<br />
that we are all members of Christ’s Body,<br />
the Church. Like all the parts of a body<br />
are connected, so too are all the members<br />
of Christ’s body connected. We are called<br />
to build up something greater than all of<br />
us — Christ’s Kingdom on earth. We practice<br />
solidarity when we bear each other’s<br />
sufferings, and when we make sure that<br />
material things, like food, clothing, and other<br />
resources, are distributed justly. Workers<br />
practice solidarity by doing an honest day’s<br />
work. Employers practice solidarity by paying<br />
a just wage. Peace in the world depends on<br />
us all being in solidarity with our Christian<br />
brothers and sisters in other countries. Even<br />
more importantly, we all practice solidarity<br />
when we share spiritual goods, like prayers<br />
and penance. Christ offered Himself as a<br />
sacrifice for all of our sins. We can make<br />
sacrifices and offer prayers to help our fellow<br />
Christians, including the souls in purgatory.<br />
We can ask the saints in Heaven to pray for us.<br />
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Part I: Answer these questions after watching the first video clip.<br />
1. What does this video clip show?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. How were the prisoners treated, and how did they feel about this?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3. What other examples do we see in society of communities being treated in a similar way?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
4. What would be the appropriate Christian response to the prisoners shown in the clip?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Part II: Answer these questions after watching the second video clip.<br />
5. What stands out to you about the little boys and the people in the streets?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
6. What is the difference between the people in the streets and the people in the carriage?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
7. How are the people in the streets treated by the upper class?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
8. What examples of mistreatment of the poor do we see in our society today? Explain.<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
9. How are the prisoners in the first video similar to the group of people in the streets in the<br />
second video?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
10. What would be the appropriate Christian response to the poor in this video clip?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Notes<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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The Citizen and Government<br />
LESSON 10<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ 5th–8th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ<br />
All people have equal rights.<br />
ӹ CCC 672<br />
ӹ CCC 1920-<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Our rights flow from our dignity as persons<br />
created in the image and likeness of God.<br />
Authority is the quality of exercising power<br />
over others and expecting obedience from<br />
them.<br />
All authority comes from God.<br />
Every community needs an authority to<br />
govern it.<br />
Authority is exercised legitimately only when<br />
it seeks the common good of the group<br />
concerned and if it employs morally licit<br />
means to attain it (CCC 1903).<br />
ӹ CCC 1700<br />
ӹ CCC 1706<br />
ӹ CCC 1738<br />
ӹ CCC 1890<br />
ӹ CCC 1892<br />
ӹ CCC 1895<br />
ӹ CCC 1905-<br />
1909<br />
Vocabulary<br />
ӹ Citizenship<br />
1927<br />
ӹ CCC 2242<br />
ӹ CCC 2253-<br />
2257<br />
ӹ CCC 2309<br />
ӹ CCC 2321-<br />
2325<br />
ӹ Natural Law<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Because of the inherent dignity of the human<br />
person as made in the image of God that the<br />
human person must be at the center of society<br />
Authority breaks down when governments<br />
enact unjust laws or take measures contrary<br />
the moral order.<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Golden Rule<br />
Government<br />
Just<br />
Hierarchy of<br />
Values<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Precepts of<br />
the Church<br />
Right<br />
Sacramental<br />
Society<br />
ӹ<br />
Citizens are not bound to obey<br />
unjust laws.<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
[A]nd he said: “LORD, God of our ancestors, are<br />
you not God in heaven, and do you not rule over<br />
all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand is<br />
power and might, and no one can withstand you.<br />
2 CHRONICLES 20:6<br />
Let every person be subordinate to the higher<br />
authorities, for there is no authority except from<br />
God, and those that exist have been established<br />
by God.<br />
ROMANS 13:1<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 10<br />
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Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: Law, Justice,<br />
and the Human Person<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout C: What Is Right<br />
vs. What Is Legal<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout B: A Just<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout D: Government,<br />
Hierarchy of Values<br />
Obedience, and Persecution<br />
NOTE: This lesson is designed as a weeklong mini-unit. Before beginning, assign each student one (or<br />
more) of the following saints to research in order to complete the chart on Handout C: What Is Right<br />
vs. What Is Legal. They will complete this assignment on the last day of the unit. (You may also have<br />
each student research every individual on the chart.)<br />
ӹ<br />
St. Catherine of Alexandria<br />
ӹ<br />
St. Thomas More<br />
ӹ<br />
26 Martyrs of Japan<br />
ӹ<br />
Bl. Miguel Pro<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-up<br />
A. As you work through the lessons in this unit, pray as a class the Novena for Faithful Citizenship,<br />
available here: SophiaOnline.org/USCCBCitizenshipNovena.<br />
B. Even if you do not normally say the Pledge of Allegiance, say it today as a class: “I pledge<br />
allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands:<br />
one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”<br />
C. Divide the class up into small groups and have each work on an answer to one question of the<br />
following questions:<br />
1. What does it mean to pledge allegiance?<br />
2. What are we pledging allegiance to with this recitation?<br />
3. What is a republic?<br />
4. Why do you think the author of the pledge included the word “indivisible” in 1892? (hint:<br />
think about U.S. history, especially in the 19th century).<br />
5. Why do you think Congress added the words “under God” to the pledge in 1954? (hint: think<br />
about the Cold War.)<br />
6. Why do we emphasize liberty and justice for all in the pledge?<br />
7. Does the pledge mean we put our country above everything? If not, to whom or what do we<br />
owe a higher allegiance?<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
D. Invite groups to share responses, and go over the questions with the class. Suggested answers<br />
are below:<br />
1. To promise loyalty<br />
2. To the U.S. flag, and the republic of the United States of America.<br />
3. A society where representatives of the people make and carry out laws.<br />
4. Perhaps because the country had been recently divided when Southern states seceded, and<br />
during the Civil War.<br />
5. To distinguish the U.S. from atheistic communist countries.<br />
6. Because all people are equal under the law.<br />
7. No. God’s law is always higher than man-made law. Man-made laws that contradict the<br />
moral law are unjust and we do not owe those laws obedience.<br />
Activity<br />
A. As a class, quickly brainstorm a list of people who have authority over others. Keep a list on the<br />
board. For example:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Parents have authority over their children<br />
Teachers have authority over their students<br />
A principal has authority over teachers a<br />
A business owner has authority over employees<br />
Public officials have authority over citizens<br />
B. Project or write on the board the famous line from the Declaration of Independence: “We hold<br />
these truths to be self-evident: that all men [the masculine here includes both males and females]<br />
are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Call on<br />
a student to summarize this statement. All people are equal and have God-given rights.<br />
C. Now ask the question: If all people are equal, how is it that some people have the ability to tell<br />
others what to do?<br />
D. Explain to your students that all people have equal rights because we are all created in the<br />
image and likeness of God. This truth does not mean that no authority is possible. A chief<br />
example is that parents have a natural authority over their children. The Fourth Commandment<br />
requires us to honor our parents throughout our lives, not only when we are young.<br />
E. Continue to explain that all societies, not just families, need authorities in charge. In the United<br />
States, our system of government is a republic, where the people elect representatives to make<br />
and carry out laws. This is the practice in the U.S., while other countries have other forms of<br />
government. But transcending all time and place, from where does the authority to rule over<br />
others ultimately come from? The answer is that all authority comes from God.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 10<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
F. Project and have a student stand and read aloud Romans 13:1:<br />
“Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except<br />
from God, and those that exist have been established by God.”<br />
G. Call on a student to explain the significance of this verse, specifically the truth that all authority<br />
comes from God.<br />
H. Challenge your students by asking: does this mean that everyone in power has God’s approval,<br />
i.e. that all governments are just?<br />
I. To investigate this question, brainstorm and write out a list of government officials from<br />
world history, both good and bad. For example: King Herod, Pontius Pilate, Emperors Nero and<br />
Constantine, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman, Mohandas<br />
Gandhi, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedung, Winston Churchill, Adolph Hitler. Transition to recent times:<br />
George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Bashar al-Asaad, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, Kim Jong-Un,<br />
and so forth.<br />
J. Choose a few examples to focus on specifically, e.g. Herod who ordered the slaughter of the<br />
innocents; Stalin, Hitler, or Mao who killed millions; or Truman who dropped atomic bombs on<br />
Japan. Ask students if everyone on the list in fact derived his authority from God. What is the<br />
real meaning of authority? Have students work in pairs to attempt to answer these questions.<br />
K. Circulate among groups as they work, helping students understand that authority is the quality<br />
of exercising power over others and expecting obedience from them. So while everyone on the<br />
list indeed derived authority from God, many abused their authority by acting in immoral and<br />
unjust ways. The fact that authority comes from God does not mean that all public officials will<br />
behave justly. All human beings tend to sin, and political philosophers have long observed that<br />
increased power tends to increasingly corrupt those who hold it.<br />
L. Conclude as a large group with a mini-lecture:<br />
All communities need someone or some institution in authority. That required governing authority<br />
comes from God. For example, parents have authority over their children; governments exercise<br />
authority over citizens. That does not mean that God automatically approves of everything done<br />
by people in authority. Government authority is legitimate only if it works for the common good<br />
in moral ways. For example, parents do not have the authority to kill or abuse their children, or<br />
to force them to do immoral things. Corrupt and immoral governments do not have legitimate<br />
authority. Power exercised without authority is tyranny.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Have a student stand and read aloud Daniel 2:20-21:<br />
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,<br />
for wisdom and power are his.<br />
He causes the changes of the times and seasons,<br />
establishes kings and deposes them.<br />
He gives wisdom to the wise<br />
and knowledge to those who understand.<br />
B. Have students write a journal response to this verse, incorporating ideas from class discussion,<br />
on their own paper.<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Distribute and have students independently read Part I of Handout A: Law, Justice, and the<br />
Human Person. Then have them answer the four questions at the end of that section.<br />
B. When completed, review and discuss the answers together, clarifying any questions students<br />
have.<br />
Activity and Formative Assessment<br />
A. Project and have a student stand and read aloud from Psalms 9:8-9:<br />
The LORD rules forever,<br />
has set up his throne for judgment.<br />
It is he who judges the world with justice,<br />
who judges the peoples with fairness.<br />
B. Talk briefly about how the world today uses the words “justice” and “fairness” in vague ways, but<br />
the words do have actual meanings. To treat someone fairly or justly means to give him what<br />
he is due. For example, God is due adoration and worship; our parents are due honor; all the<br />
members of our human family are due respect. The poor and the vulnerable, especially babies<br />
in the womb and the elderly, are due special care and charity. If you owe someone $50, he is<br />
“due” that money. If someone breaks a law, he is due a punishment. Justice takes many forms.<br />
C. Emphasize that God is perfectly just, and we can see signs of His justice in His law, especially<br />
the Ten Commandments. Have students complete Part II of Handout A: Law, Justice, and the<br />
Human Person.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Remind students that the purpose of government is to work for the common good. With that in<br />
mind, ask students to brainstorm a list of all the ways a government can do that. Keep a list on<br />
the board. Make sure to have a variety of actions, including very important tasks (protecting life,<br />
avoiding war), and less important ones (providing snow removal, or checking parking meters).<br />
B. After the list begins to take up most of the board, ask students how we can know which of these<br />
things are more important. The answer is that, along with knowing them through our own<br />
reason, we can turn to the Church for guidance about what those most important things are.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Distribute and have students read Handout B: A Just Hierarchy of Values and answer the<br />
question at the end of Part I. Clarify any misunderstandings before proceeding to Part II.<br />
B. Have students work to complete Part II with a partner, and go over responses as a class.<br />
DAY FOUR<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Begin by recalling the question from the previous day’s reading: what happens when a manmade<br />
law conflicts with the natural law?<br />
B. Have students read the information at the top of Handout C: What Is Right vs. What Is Legal<br />
and have them complete the chart for their assigned individual(s).<br />
Activity<br />
A. After students have filled in their information, spend time comparing and contrasting the types<br />
of unjust laws each person faced, as well as the risk each person took in refusing to obey.<br />
B. As a class, discuss the question of whether people today seem to understand the real meaning<br />
of justice:<br />
ӹ<br />
What unjust laws in history can you recall? The Indian Removal Act (1830) forcing Native<br />
Americans from their land, the Fugitive Slave Act (1850) which required Northerners to return<br />
escaped slaves to their masters, Executive Order 9066 signed by FDR in 1942 forcing Japanese<br />
Americans into internment camps, and so forth.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Can you think of any unjust laws in force today? Laws permitting abortion or assisted suicide,<br />
laws requiring employers to provide contraception, sterilization, or abortion-causing drugs in<br />
violation of their conscience, and so forth.<br />
Do people today seem to have the fortitude needed to resist injustice? Do you believe you<br />
would have the fortitude?<br />
Remember that what God commands, He makes possible through His grace. The martyrs<br />
testify to this truth with their lives! Can you imagine a St. Thomas More today? A St.<br />
Catherine of Siena? If so, in what situation can you imagine it? If not, what does our culture<br />
need to do differently?<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Have a student stand and read aloud from 2 Chronicles 20:6: [A]nd he said: “LORD, God of our<br />
ancestors, are you not God in heaven, and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations?<br />
In your hand is power and might, and no one can withstand you.”<br />
B. After meditating on this verse for a few moments, students should begin to answer the<br />
scaffolding questions for each document on Handout D: Government, Obedience, and<br />
Persecution.<br />
DAY FIVE<br />
Have students synthesize all they have learned in this unit and craft a well-written response to the<br />
final question on Handout D: Government, Obedience, and Persecution.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 10<br />
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HANDOUT A<br />
Law, Justice, and the Human Person<br />
Part I<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the essay, and then answer the questions that follow.<br />
When God revealed the Ten<br />
Commandments to Moses on Mount<br />
Sinai, He gave us the law, or rules for the<br />
moral life. Jesus fulfilled the law and gave it<br />
even greater meaning in the Beatitudes, and in<br />
His great commandments to love God above<br />
all, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This<br />
is a summary of the law, or, put another way,<br />
the very definition of justice. The Golden Rule<br />
is also a summary of justice: we should treat<br />
others as we would want to be treated.<br />
Made for communion<br />
In addition to teaching us about how to live<br />
a moral life, all of Scripture shows us that<br />
the need for law, society, and government<br />
are written into human nature. Human<br />
beings were created for communion with<br />
God, as well as with each other. The Ten<br />
Commandments and the Beatitudes tell<br />
us about how individual persons should<br />
treat each other, and they also tell us much<br />
about how a just society should be ordered.<br />
Societies, after all, are made up of individual<br />
human beings. In all the societies we live in,<br />
we are called to build the Kingdom of God<br />
here on earth.<br />
The first society we become a part of is<br />
the family. The Lord elevated the dignity of<br />
marriage to a Sacrament. Helped by God’s<br />
grace, the love of a husband and wife becomes<br />
an icon of the life-giving love of the Trinity.<br />
In the normal course of things, their love<br />
creates life. Whether our families live together<br />
or not, every person on this planet was born<br />
to a mother and a father. The family is the<br />
most basic unit of society. Like any society, it<br />
has rules: the fourth commandment requires<br />
children to honor their parents. What is more,<br />
parents have the first and most important<br />
responsibility of teaching their children our<br />
Faith, educating them, and respecting and<br />
encouraging their vocations. Parents should<br />
respect and encourage the vocations of their<br />
children. Parents should remember and teach<br />
their children that the first calling of every<br />
Christian is to follow Christ.<br />
In these ways, parents cooperate with God<br />
not only in bringing forth life, but also in<br />
nurturing creation.<br />
Community and citizenship<br />
The family is also the first place where young<br />
people learn what it means to be a citizen<br />
of the society they live in. What citizenship<br />
means will vary based on the form of<br />
government in a society. Different forms of<br />
government have existed throughout history,<br />
as human beings have struggled with finding<br />
and maintaining the best way of life. Some<br />
of these governments have been good, while<br />
others have been tyrannical and oppressive.<br />
The most important quality of what makes<br />
any society or government good is its<br />
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treatment of the human person. Recall what<br />
we learned in our unit on Church history: if<br />
respect for the dignity of the human person<br />
is not at the center of a society, that society<br />
will soon turn into tyranny. For a society to be<br />
just, governments and all individuals living in<br />
it must put the human person at the center:<br />
they must work for the common good, behave<br />
in moral ways, and respect the natural rights<br />
of all human beings.<br />
Our natural rights flow from our human<br />
dignity and are a gift from God; they are not<br />
given to us by the government. If rights were<br />
“given to us” by the government, then some<br />
people could have more rights than others,<br />
and no one could say there was anything<br />
wrong with that. Pope Benedict XIV wrote in<br />
Caritas in Veritate: “If the only basis of human<br />
rights is to be found in the deliberations of<br />
an assembly of citizens, those rights can be<br />
changed at any time.” This is one reason why<br />
the common good of the whole human family<br />
calls for countries to cooperate with each<br />
other and with international organizations.<br />
Doing so reminds all nations that our human<br />
dignity comes from being made in the image<br />
of and likeness of God, and our rights flow<br />
from our human dignity. If we lose sight of this<br />
truth, Pope Benedict continued, “Governments<br />
and international bodies can then lose<br />
sight of the objectivity and ‘inviolability’ of<br />
rights. When this happens, the authentic<br />
development of peoples is endangered.”<br />
The equal dignity of all human beings does not<br />
mean we are all the same. Everyone is born<br />
with different gifts and talents, whether those<br />
are for academics, sports, art, music, design,<br />
and so forth. Wealth is not evenly distributed<br />
either. Differences in talents, resources, and<br />
other things mean those who have more<br />
must practice charity and help the needy, as<br />
Christ has commanded us: “Amen, I say to<br />
you, whatever you did for one of these least<br />
brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew<br />
25:40). Giving to the poor is an action that<br />
shows the world what it means to love<br />
your neighbor. It is a work of justice that is<br />
especially pleasing to God. These differences<br />
also means governments and citizens have a<br />
very serious responsibility to work to reduce<br />
social and economic inequalities, and end<br />
sinful inequalities. Inequalities are sinful when<br />
some people are unfairly prevented from<br />
reaching their potential. All human beings<br />
have a right to truly develop ourselves. This<br />
development involves our entire being, and<br />
is ultimately about whether each member of<br />
our human family can answer God’s call to<br />
be who He is calling us to be. Because our<br />
rights are God-given, we know human beings<br />
are equal and deserve to be treated justly.<br />
Enslaving human beings, or buying, selling, or<br />
exchanging people like merchandise violates<br />
the moral law.<br />
Justice and the Ten Commandments<br />
Justice is the cardinal virtue that helps us give<br />
God and neighbor their due. Our neighbor is<br />
due our love, and God is due our love above<br />
all. The Ten Commandments reveal the dignity<br />
of the human person, God’s desire for justice,<br />
and the Golden Rule. To give a few examples:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Christians should not only keep the<br />
Sabbath holy, but should also avoid<br />
making demands on others that would<br />
pressure them to break the Third<br />
Commandment.<br />
Murder is always wrong, but defending<br />
yourself from an attacker does not break<br />
the Fifth Commandment.<br />
Since justice means giving God and<br />
neighbor their due, it often means<br />
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ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
paying a debt of some kind to make up<br />
for a wrong, or injustice committed. The<br />
Seventh Commandment forbids stealing.<br />
Stolen goods must be returned or paid for<br />
in order for justice to be served. Another<br />
example is lying — setting out to deceive<br />
someone by saying something we know is<br />
not true. If we tell a lie, we must make up<br />
for that lie by bringing the truth to light.<br />
The seventh commandment causes us to<br />
remember that everything God has created<br />
is for everyone. Charity compels us to help<br />
the poor in our own communities and all<br />
over the world, making sure resources are<br />
distributed justly.<br />
The seventh commandment also reminds<br />
us that work is good; labor has dignity.<br />
As a young man, Jesus worked with His<br />
earthly father Joseph as a carpenter.<br />
Working is another way, in addition to<br />
raising a family, that we can participate in<br />
nurturing creation as God does.<br />
If we break the eighth commandment by<br />
lying, we must make amends.<br />
The tenth commandment warns us not<br />
to be greedy or desire unjust power over<br />
others.<br />
The Ten Commandments reveal other<br />
responsibilities as well. We must recognize<br />
that our lives are not truly our own: suicide<br />
denies hope and charity and breaks the<br />
fifth commandment. We must do our part<br />
to uphold the right of all to a free, just,<br />
and truthful society by standing up for the<br />
vulnerable, giving of our time and money to<br />
the poor, and exercising virtues of prudence,<br />
temperance, honesty, and modesty in all<br />
our communications, including the use of<br />
social media. Governments must not try to<br />
force priests to reveal what has been told to<br />
them in confession, which is protected by a<br />
sacramental seal. This is only a partial list, of<br />
course.<br />
Remember from our unit on morality that<br />
man-made law is our participation in the<br />
natural law. The natural law is the basis of our<br />
rights and duties. Since the natural law comes<br />
from God’s wisdom and goodness, it makes<br />
perfect sense that we see so much of what<br />
is good and just in the Ten Commandments.<br />
Sometimes man-made law can conflict with<br />
the natural law. In the next lesson, we will<br />
explore what happens if that is the case.<br />
1. What is the definition of justice? _______________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. What is the first society we become a part of? _________________________________________________<br />
3. What is the most important quality of what makes any society or government good?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
4. Why is it important that our rights are ours by nature, and not “given” to us by the government?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Part II<br />
Directions:<br />
Justice means giving God and neighbor their due. Complete the chart with at<br />
least one example of how each commandment reveals God’s desire for justice. A<br />
couple have been done for you.<br />
The Commandments<br />
1 I am the LORD your God, who brought you<br />
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house<br />
of slavery.<br />
You shall not have other gods beside me.<br />
How does this commandment reveal<br />
God’s desire for justice?<br />
Because God is God, the only true God,<br />
he is due all our love and respect. Our<br />
faith leads us to love Him about all else,<br />
and to prefer nothing to Him.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:6-7<br />
2 You shall not invoke the name of the LORD,<br />
your God, in vain.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:11A<br />
3 Observe the sabbath day—keep it holy.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:12A<br />
4 Honor your father and your mother.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:16A<br />
5 You shall not kill.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:17<br />
6 You shall not commit adultery.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:18<br />
Married love is total and self-giving. The<br />
spouses do not have this relationship<br />
with anyone else. A wife is due her<br />
husband’s exclusive love, and vice-versa.<br />
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The Commandments<br />
How does this commandment reveal<br />
God’s desire for justice?<br />
7 You shall not steal.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:19<br />
Theft is taking someone else’s property<br />
against that person’s reasonable will.<br />
We have a right to our own property;<br />
we must respect the rights of others<br />
to their own property and the fruits of<br />
their labor, which is due to them.<br />
8 You shall not bear dishonest witness<br />
against your neighbor.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:20<br />
9 You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:21A<br />
10 You shall not desire your neighbor’s house<br />
or field, his male or female slave, his ox or<br />
donkey, or anything that belongs to your<br />
neighbor.<br />
DEUTERONOMY 5:21B<br />
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HANDOUT B<br />
A Just Hierarchy of Values<br />
Part I<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the essay, then answer the question that follows.<br />
Since no one in society can do everything<br />
at once, and no one has infinite resources,<br />
individuals and governments must make<br />
choices about which values to spend time and<br />
resources on. Therefore, a just society and<br />
government must have the correct priorities.<br />
(To prioritize something means to give it<br />
greater importance, or have it come before<br />
other things.)<br />
Just as some sins are more serious than<br />
others, some values are more important<br />
than others. The greatest example of this is<br />
human life. Life is the most important value.<br />
Without the right to life, no other rights are<br />
possible. Therefore protecting human life<br />
from conception to natural death must be at<br />
the top of any just government’s priorities.<br />
The USCCB’s document Living the Gospel<br />
of Life explains, “[A]bortion and euthanasia<br />
have become preeminent threats to human<br />
dignity because they directly attack life itself,<br />
the most fundamental human good and the<br />
condition for all others.”<br />
Some issues can be honestly debated by<br />
Christians, but some policies must always<br />
be opposed. The policies that must always<br />
be opposed are those that are always wrong,<br />
such as allowing the killing of unborn babies<br />
in the womb or laws permitting euthanasia<br />
or assisted suicide. These actions are always<br />
wrong, no matter what the circumstances.<br />
They also always have direct, clear effects: for<br />
example, in an abortion, a baby always dies.<br />
Euthanasia always results in an elderly, sick,<br />
or disabled person being killed.<br />
Others policies require more discernment<br />
because their effects may not always match<br />
up with their intentions: they may not always<br />
do what they set out to do. For this reason,<br />
they can be honestly debated. For example,<br />
it may be hard to tell if a policy intended to<br />
help the poor actually helps the poor; a law<br />
intended to improve education may actually<br />
harm it; law intended to help the environment<br />
may not actually help it, and/or it might<br />
require balancing with other important<br />
values. Therefore, these policies can and<br />
should be debated by Christians in good<br />
conscience. The Chuch has a responsibility to<br />
make judgments in these matters when the<br />
dignity of the human person and the salvation<br />
of souls is at stake.<br />
What is the difference between those policies that must always be opposed, and those which<br />
can be honestly debated?<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Part II<br />
Directions:<br />
A just society must encourage virtue, and not make it harder to be virtuous.<br />
Below is a list of policies that can be honestly debated by Christians. Read<br />
each one and say whether the policy makes it easier or harder to be virtuous.<br />
(Remember that we cannot claim “credit” for the virtuous actions of other<br />
people.)<br />
______________________ 1. “Good Samaritan Laws” that make it impossible to sue someone<br />
who accidentally hurts you while trying to help (for example, you<br />
could not sue a person who was giving you CPR and accidentally<br />
broke your rib).<br />
______________________<br />
______________________<br />
______________________<br />
______________________<br />
______________________<br />
2. Laws that give tax deductions for charitable giving.<br />
3. Laws that impose higher taxes to pay for welfare programs.<br />
4. Laws requiring that restaurants throw away leftover food rather<br />
than giving it to the poor.<br />
5. Laws forbidding high-fat or high-salt foods from being given to<br />
food banks.<br />
6. Laws prohibiting pan-handling<br />
______________________ 7. Laws that give taxpayer money to big banks that suffer financial<br />
losses from bad investments<br />
______________________<br />
8. Laws requiring insurance companies to charge everyone the same<br />
premiums, regardless of whether they smoke, use illegal drugs, or<br />
engage in other health risks.<br />
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HANDOUT C<br />
What Is Right vs. What Is Legal<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the information below and then complete the chart on the pages that<br />
follow for your selected individual(s).<br />
In the Beatitudes, Christ teaches us that the<br />
meek and the merciful are blessed. Also<br />
blessed are those who suffer in the name of<br />
what is right and just: “Blessed are they who<br />
are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,<br />
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew<br />
5:10). That persecution for righteousness sake<br />
sometimes comes from other people and at<br />
other times even from the government. From<br />
ancient philosophers, to St. Thomas Aquinas,<br />
to modern citizens, individuals have regularly<br />
had to wrestle with the conflict between<br />
what is right and what is legal. Faithful and<br />
courageous individuals have chosen to face<br />
the consequences of their refusal to obey<br />
unjust laws.<br />
“The citizen is obliged in conscience not<br />
to follow the directives of civil authorities<br />
when they are contrary to the demands of<br />
the moral order, to the fundamental rights of<br />
persons or the teachings of the Gospel.”<br />
—CCC 2242<br />
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Individual<br />
St. Catherine of<br />
Alexandria<br />
26 Martyrs of<br />
Japan<br />
St. Thomas More<br />
Henry David<br />
Thoreau<br />
What law did this<br />
person break?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
demands of the<br />
moral order?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
fundamental<br />
rights of<br />
persons?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
teachings of the<br />
Gospel?<br />
Was he/she<br />
obliged to disobey<br />
this law? Explain.<br />
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Individual<br />
Bl. Miguel Pro<br />
Rosa Parks<br />
Susan B. Anthony<br />
Edward Snowden<br />
What law did this<br />
person break?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
demands of the<br />
moral order?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
fundamental<br />
rights of<br />
persons?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
teachings of the<br />
Gospel?<br />
Was he/she<br />
obliged to disobey<br />
this law? Explain.<br />
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Individual<br />
Other:<br />
Other:<br />
Other:<br />
Other:<br />
What law did this<br />
person break?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
demands of the<br />
moral order?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
fundamental<br />
rights of<br />
persons?<br />
Was this law<br />
contrary to the<br />
teachings of the<br />
Gospel?<br />
Was he/she<br />
obliged to disobey<br />
this law? Explain.<br />
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HANDOUT D<br />
Government, Obedience, and Persecution<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the excepts and answer the individual document questions. Then<br />
synthesize all you have learned from all the documents in your response to the<br />
question: Should a Christian expect to endure persecution in today’s world? Why<br />
or why not?<br />
A Matthew 5:9-10<br />
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God.<br />
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the<br />
kingdom of heaven.<br />
1. How are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake blessed?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2. How do the Beatitudes as a whole help you understand Christian temperament and right<br />
conduct?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
B Romans 13:1-2<br />
Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority<br />
except from God, and those that exist have been established by God.<br />
Therefore, whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who<br />
oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves.<br />
3. From where does true authority come? ________________________________________________________<br />
4. Does this passage mean that Christians must follow the commands of all government<br />
officials at all times? Why or why not?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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C The Problem of Free Choice, St. Augustine, 395<br />
Can we possibly call these laws unjust, or rather no laws at all? A law which is not just<br />
does not seem to me to be a law.<br />
5. According to St. Augustine, can there be such a thing as an “unjust law”? Explain<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
D Last Recorded Words, St. Thomas More, 1535<br />
I die the King’s good servant – and God’s first.<br />
6. When St. Thomas More was sentenced to death for treason, he stated that the basis for his<br />
conviction was a law “repugnant to God.” How does this help you understand his last words?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
E Evangelium Vitae, Blessed Pope John Paul II, 1995<br />
From the very beginnings of the Church, the apostolic preaching reminded Christians<br />
of their duty to obey legitimately constituted public authorities (cf. Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet<br />
2:13-14), but at the same time it firmly warned that “we must obey God rather than<br />
men” (Acts 5:29). ... It is precisely from obedience to God—to whom alone is due that<br />
fear which is acknowledgment of his absolute sovereignty—that the strength and the<br />
courage to resist unjust human laws are born. It is the strength and the courage of<br />
those prepared even to be imprisoned or put to the sword, in the certainty that this<br />
is what makes for “the endurance and faith of the saints” (Rv 13:10). In the case of an<br />
intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore<br />
never licit to obey it. (EV 72, 73)<br />
7. Does our duty to God mean we do not have to obey laws we don’t like? Explain.<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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F<br />
Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
Excerpts on Human Dignity, 1997<br />
1700 The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of<br />
God; it is fulfilled in his vocation to divine beatitude… .<br />
1706 By his reason, man recognizes the voice of God which urges him “to do what is good<br />
and avoid what is evil.” Everyone is obliged to follow this law, which makes itself heard<br />
in conscience and is fulfilled in the love of God and of neighbor. Living a moral life bears<br />
witness to the dignity of the person.<br />
1738 Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person,<br />
created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and<br />
responsible being. All owe to each other this duty of respect.<br />
8. Where is our human dignity rooted? ___________________________________________________________<br />
9. Because of the human dignity we all possess, how must all human persons recognize each<br />
other?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
G<br />
Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
Excerpts on the Common Good, 1997<br />
1905 In keeping with the social nature of man, the good of each individual is necessarily<br />
related to the common good, which in turn can be defined only in reference to the<br />
human person… .<br />
1906 The common good concerns the life of all. It calls for prudence from each, and even<br />
more from those who exercise the office of authority. It consists of three essential<br />
elements:<br />
1907 First, the common good presupposes respect for the person as such. In the name of the<br />
common good, public authorities are bound to respect the fundamental and inalienable<br />
rights of the human person... .<br />
1908 Second, the common good requires the social well-being and development of the group<br />
itself... .<br />
1909 Finally, the common good requires peace, that is, the stability and security of a just<br />
order… .<br />
10. The common good can only be defined in reference to what?<br />
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11. What are the three essential elements of the common good?<br />
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12. Using the Catechism’s definition of “peace,” is there peace in your community today? Your<br />
state? Your country?<br />
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H<br />
Catechism of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
Excerpts on the Duties of Citizens, 1997<br />
2242 The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities<br />
when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights<br />
of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities, when<br />
their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its justification<br />
in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community. “Render<br />
therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”<br />
“We must obey God rather than men”:<br />
When citizens are under the oppression of a public authority which oversteps<br />
its competence, they should still not refuse to give or to do what is objectively<br />
demanded of them by the common good… .<br />
13. What are the qualities of an “upright conscience” as opposed to just any conscience?<br />
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14. According to section 2242, under what conditions are people obliged NOT to obey civil<br />
authorities?<br />
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15. What, if anything, is the difference between refusing to obey an unjust law, and actively<br />
resisting the government? Which one do these excerpts from the Catechism discuss?<br />
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16. What must one who refuses to obey an unjust law be willing to accept?<br />
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Final Question<br />
Should a Christian expect to endure persecution in today’s world? Why or why not?<br />
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Answer Key<br />
Handout A: Law, Justice, and the Human Person<br />
Part I<br />
1. Loving God above all, and loving your neighbor as yourself. The Golden Rule is also a summary<br />
of justice. Giving God and neighbor their due.<br />
2. The family.<br />
3. Respect for the dignity of the human person.<br />
4. If rights were “given to us” by the government, then some people could have more rights than<br />
others, and no one could say there was anything wrong with that. Because our rights are Godgiven,<br />
we know human beings are equal and deserve to be treated justly.<br />
Part II<br />
1. Completed for the student.<br />
2. Giving God His due means not using His name in a disrespectful way.<br />
3. Keeping the Lord’s Day set aside for God and family is a way of giving each what is due to them.<br />
4. Our parents are natural authorities over us. They gave us life. We owe them respect and<br />
obedience.<br />
5. Each and every person has a right to life.<br />
6. Completed for the student.<br />
7. Completed for the student.<br />
8. Deceiving our neighbors, or speaking badly about others, are acts that fail to respect them, or<br />
to respect God.<br />
9. Wanting to come between a husband and wife is sinful and unjust for many reasons, including<br />
because each is due the other’s exclusive love.<br />
10. Your neighbor is due his belongings; they rightfully belong to him. Wanting to have them for<br />
yourself is to desire an injustice.<br />
Handout B: A Just Hierarchy of Values<br />
Part I<br />
The policies that must always be opposed are those which are always wrong no matter what the<br />
circumstances. These also always have direct, clear effects: for example, in an abortion, a baby<br />
always dies. Euthanasia always results in an elderly, sick, or disabled person being killed. Others<br />
policies require more discernment because their effects may not always match up with their<br />
intentions. For example, a policy intended to help the poor may not actually help the poor; a law<br />
intended to improve education may actually harm it, and so forth. Therefore, these policies can and<br />
should be debated by Christians in good conscience.<br />
Part II<br />
Accept reasoned answers.<br />
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Handout C: What Is Right vs. What Is Legal<br />
Accept well researched and reasoned answers.<br />
Handout D: Government, Obedience, and Persecution<br />
1. Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.<br />
2. Christian conduct is meek, merciful, peace-making. Christians are poor in spirit, hunger for<br />
justice and righteousness, and will be persecuted for the sake of Jesus Christ.<br />
3. From God.<br />
4. No, because God’s law is a higher authority than any human authority.<br />
5. There may be laws passed by men which are unjust. But they would not be binding on<br />
conscience. In other words, they would not truly be the law.<br />
6. St. Thomas More died rather than disobey God.<br />
7. No. Only laws that are truly unjust should not be obeyed.<br />
8. In our creation in the image and likeness of God.<br />
9. As free and responsible beings.<br />
10. The human person.<br />
11. The common good is promoted when public authorities respect the fundamental and<br />
inalienable rights of the human person as well as the social well-being and development of the<br />
group, and there is peace.<br />
12. Accept reasoned answers.<br />
13. An upright conscience is formed according to God’s law.<br />
14. When their directives are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental<br />
rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel.<br />
15. Refusing to obey an unjust law is a personal act. Actively resisting the government may include<br />
public acts of civil disobedience, organized protests, and armed resistance. This Catechism<br />
excerpt discusses the former.<br />
16. The legal and social consequences of his actions.<br />
Final Question: Accept reasoned answers.<br />
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Notes<br />
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Just War<br />
LESSON 11<br />
Suggested Grade Levels<br />
ӹ<br />
5th–8th grade<br />
Learning Goals<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Original Justice is the original state of human<br />
beings before sin, which was lost due to the<br />
Original Sin.<br />
War causes terrible human suffering. Public<br />
officials and all citizens must do all they can<br />
to avoid war.<br />
War, which is the result of sin, can<br />
sometimes be unavoidable. In that case,<br />
the Church offers guidance called Just War<br />
Doctrine.<br />
The moral law does not change or vanish<br />
because of war.<br />
Peace is the stability and security of a just<br />
order. True peace comes from Jesus Christ,<br />
who reconciled us to the Father. He justifies<br />
us (or makes just our relationship with God).<br />
At the end of time, Jesus’s kingdom will come<br />
in all its fullness and perfect justice will be<br />
restored.<br />
Connection to the<br />
Catechism of the<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> Church<br />
ӹ CCC 672<br />
ӹ CCC 1909<br />
ӹ CCC 2309<br />
ӹ CCC 2327<br />
ӹ CCC 2328-2329<br />
Vocabulary<br />
ӹ Original Justice<br />
ӹ Just War Doctrine<br />
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES<br />
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is<br />
given: and the government shall be upon his<br />
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,<br />
Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting<br />
Father, The Prince of Peace.<br />
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be<br />
called children of God.<br />
MATTHEW 5:9<br />
ISAIAH 9:6 (KJV)<br />
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Lesson Plan<br />
Materials<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Handout A: War and Justice<br />
Teacher Resource: General George Washington Resigning His Commission<br />
Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah (Recording of your choice)<br />
DAY ONE<br />
Warm-up<br />
A. As you work through the lessons in this unit, pray as a class the Novena for Faithful Citizenship,<br />
available here: SophiaOnline.org/USCCBCitizenshipNovena.<br />
B. Read aloud from Isaiah 11:1-9 as students follow along in their Bibles:<br />
But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of<br />
Jesse,<br />
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.<br />
The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:<br />
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,<br />
A spirit of counsel and of strength,<br />
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the<br />
LORD,<br />
and his delight shall be the fear of the<br />
LORD.<br />
Not by appearance shall he judge,<br />
nor by hearsay shall he decide,<br />
But he shall judge the poor with justice,<br />
and decide fairly for the land’s afflicted.<br />
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of<br />
his mouth,<br />
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay<br />
the wicked.<br />
Justice shall be the band around his waist,<br />
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.<br />
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,<br />
and the leopard shall lie down with the<br />
young goat;<br />
The calf and the young lion shall browse<br />
together,<br />
with a little child to guide them.<br />
The cow and the bear shall graze,<br />
together their young shall lie down;<br />
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.<br />
The baby shall play by the viper’s den,<br />
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.<br />
They shall not harm or destroy on all my holy<br />
mountain;<br />
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of<br />
the LORD,<br />
as water covers the sea.<br />
C. Read these verses through again, this time asking students to think about how the Sacred<br />
Author wants us to understand the word justice.<br />
D. Focus on the poetic contrasts in the final lines: wolves and lambs, the leopard and goat, a baby<br />
and vipers, etc. What is the Sacred Author describing with these lines? Discuss how these verses<br />
can help us understand a picture of original justice. Original Justice is the original state of human<br />
beings before sin: there was no suffering or death, man was at peace with himself, there was harmony<br />
between men and women, and there was peace among all of creation. Animals that we consider<br />
natural enemies, such as wolves and lambs, or snakes and children, were at peace and lived in<br />
friendship. There was no threat posed by anything. Original Justice was lost due to the Original Sin.<br />
Creation no longer lived in harmony, but in conflict. The ultimate conflict, war, is the result of sin.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
Activity<br />
A. Ask the class: What is peace? Peace is not only the absence of strife, but more than that, it is the<br />
stability and security of a just order.<br />
B. What causes a lack of peace? Sin was the cause of the loss original justice, and sin is always the<br />
reason for a lack of earthly justice.<br />
C. Explain that war is the ultimate lack of earthly peace. Emphasize that war causes terrible<br />
human suffering, and that public officials and all citizens must do all they can to avoid war. Yet,<br />
war can sometimes be unavoidable.<br />
D. Explain that the Church offers guidance for going to war and waging it justly, called Just War<br />
Doctrine. Just War Doctrine is Church teaching on conditions that all must exist at the same<br />
time for war to be just. These conditions are: the damage by the aggressor(s) must be lasting,<br />
grave, and certain; all other means of avoiding war must have been tried, there must be a real<br />
chance of winning, and the war itself must not result in worse conditions than the conditions<br />
that cause the war.<br />
E. During a war, the moral law remains in force. Civilians must not be targeted, non-combatants<br />
and prisoners must be treated justly, and “following orders” is not a valid reason for committing<br />
atrocities like genocide.<br />
F. After going over these conditions, distribute and have students read and complete Handout A:<br />
War and Justice.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
When students have completed the activity, review and discuss the correct answers. Then have<br />
students choose a partner and summarize what they have learned with each other.<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-up<br />
A. Project an image of General George Washington Resigning His Commission, by John Trumbull,<br />
available at the following link: SophiaOnline.org/Washington. You may also make copies to<br />
distribute using the image on Teacher Resource: General George Washington Resigning His<br />
Commission (page 142 in this guide).<br />
B. Go over the background information about the painting available on the AOC website. Then, as<br />
a large group, discuss the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
What are some things you know about George Washington, in addition to the fact that he<br />
was our first president? Students should be aware that he was the general of the Continental<br />
Army that defeated the British in the Revolutionary War.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
Why would it be unexpected for a general to resign his commission—to voluntarily give up<br />
power? Historically, almost all people with power had sought to gain more power, rather than<br />
give up what they have.<br />
Washington again gave up power when he was president. He was elected unanimously<br />
in 1788, and won in a landslide four years later. He could have kept running for president<br />
until he died, but he chose to refuse a third term. Why was this an important precedent?<br />
Washington began a tradition that presidents would refuse to run for third terms, ensuring<br />
that presidents did not govern for life. This tradition continued until FDR ran and was<br />
elected to four terms. The 22nd Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1957, preventing<br />
presidents from being elected to more than two terms.<br />
Two key principles of the U.S. government are a) civilian control of the military and b) the<br />
peaceful transfer of power. Why would these be important for preserving liberty and justice<br />
for all? These principles ensure we are governed by civil institutions and not by the threat or<br />
use of military force.<br />
C. Explain how many governments throughout world history including our present day have<br />
been based on the use of force. The U.S. is special for many reasons, including that civilians<br />
have control over the military, we have a peaceful transfer of power from one president to<br />
another every four or eight years, and a similar transfer of power every two or six years in<br />
Congress. Our government has used force on many occasions, of course, beginning with the<br />
Revolutionary War, to the Civil War, to modern wars. Some uses of force in U.S. history may<br />
have been just, while others may have been unjust.<br />
Activity and Assessment<br />
Have students select a war from American history and/or the present day and apply the principles<br />
of Just War Doctrine to determine if it is/was a just war. Some free resources on this topic are<br />
available online at SophiaOnline.org/CurrentEvents..<br />
DAY THREE<br />
Warm-Up<br />
A. Project on the board and have a student stand and read aloud 1 Timothy 2:1-2:<br />
“First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for<br />
everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all<br />
devotion and dignity.”<br />
B. Conduct a brief discussion on what this Scripture verse tells us we should do for our leaders.<br />
Emphasize that even if we do not like our current president, legislators, or local officials, we<br />
should pray for them anyway.<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
C. Point out that at each Holy Mass, those gathered pray for a series of intentions during the<br />
Prayers of the Faithful. After praying for the needs of the Church, we pray for public authorities<br />
and the salvation of the whole world. In addition to praying at Mass, Christians should<br />
remember those in authority (from parents to teachers to those at all levels of government) in<br />
their daily prayers.<br />
D. Now ask, for what reason does St. Paul write that should we pray for all in authority? Are we<br />
praying that our nation will be strong and powerful or that we will be rich and prosperous? Of<br />
course the answer is no. We pray for public authorities so “that we may lead a quiet and tranquil<br />
life in all devotion and dignity.” In other words, we are praying for peace — with God, as well as<br />
within our families, with other citizens, and with other nations. The Catechism defines peace<br />
as “the stability and security of a just order” (1909). Good government leads to earthly peace for<br />
individuals and nations.<br />
E. Earthly peace is a good and very important goal — one we must all strive for. But spiritual peace<br />
is an even greater one. What is the stability of a just order, spiritually speaking? Spiritual peace<br />
is man restored to communion with God. Jesus Christ made this peace possible by reconciling us to<br />
the Father by His sacrifice on the Cross. Another way of saying this is that He justifies us — restores<br />
justice to the order between God and man, conferred through the Sacrament of Baptism. He<br />
reconciles us to Himself and the Church when we sin through the Sacrament of Confession. He<br />
also gives us His peace in the Eucharist. One of the last things we say at mass before we receive<br />
the Eucharist is “…Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.” The ultimate<br />
peace is found in being united with Christ. On earth, we receive this gift chiefly in the Eucharist.<br />
Activity<br />
A. Read aloud from Matthew 5:9:<br />
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”<br />
B. After meditating on this verse from the Beatitudes for a few moments, have students explain on<br />
their own paper at least one earthly way and one spiritual way that Jesus is the Prince of Peace.<br />
For example:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
He restores man to communion with God (the just order between God and humanity) with<br />
His sacrifice on the Cross. (spiritual peace)<br />
He reconciles us to Him and the Church when we sin in the Sacrament of Confession.<br />
(spiritual peace)<br />
He offers us His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, so we can be united with Him and His<br />
Church, the Body of Christ. (spiritual peace)<br />
He commands us to work for a just order between ourselves, that is, rightly-ordered<br />
relationships among families, communities—including special care for the poor—and among<br />
nations. (earthly peace)<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
A. Reread Isaiah 11:1-9 from the first day of the lesson. Point out the prophet is speaking here in<br />
the future tense: these amazing things will happen in the future. What are we to make of that?<br />
B. The Catechism helps us understand that this passage describes the Kingdom of God, which<br />
Christ will usher in in all of its fullness at the end of time: “to bring all men the definitive order<br />
of justice, love and peace” (672). The world began with Original Justice, and will end in the<br />
perfect justice, love, and peace of Christ.<br />
C. To close this part of the lesson, read aloud from the King James Version of Isaiah 9:6:<br />
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon<br />
his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The<br />
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”<br />
D. Then play a recording or a video of the Hallelujah chorus of Handel’s Messiah. You may even<br />
wish to write the lyrics on the board, as they are very short and simple. They come from the<br />
Book of Revelations:<br />
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah<br />
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah<br />
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth [reigns]<br />
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah<br />
The kingdom of this world;<br />
is become the kingdom of our Lord,<br />
and of His Christ<br />
and of His Christ<br />
And He shall reign forever and ever<br />
King of kings and Lord of lords<br />
King of kings and Lord of lords<br />
And He shall reign forever and ever<br />
Forever and ever<br />
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah<br />
Hallelujah<br />
Note: This type of music may be unfamiliar to the students. If that is the case, after playing it once<br />
and allow the students to express any reactions, from bewilderment to amusement to dislike. After<br />
hearing them out, ask them to now listen to it a second time, putting aside any personal reactions,<br />
and this time paying attention to the sheer jubilation, awe, and praise the song expresses.<br />
E. On their own paper, have students respond to the prompt:<br />
ӹ<br />
How do the lyrics of this hymn express joy for peace in the reign of Christ?<br />
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LESSON PLAN<br />
F. Finally, give students adequate time to write a thoughtful prayer to Jesus, our Prince of Peace,<br />
for citizens and/or public officials in your town, city, state, or our nation. Hold a prayer service<br />
in which you invite students to share the prayers they wrote.<br />
G. Close with the Prayer for Peace of Pope St. John XXIII:<br />
Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace, who are yourself our peace and<br />
reconciliation, who so often said, "Peace to you," grant us peace. Make all men and women<br />
witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love. Banish from their hearts whatever might<br />
endanger peace. Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee and defend the great gift of<br />
peace. May all peoples of the earth become as brothers and sisters. May longed-for peace<br />
blossom forth and reign always over us all.<br />
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HANDOUT A<br />
War and Justice<br />
Directions:<br />
Read the essay and then complete the chart on Just War Doctrine.<br />
In addition to our family, our community,<br />
our state, and our nation, we are<br />
members of the human family. International<br />
organizations can help to protect human<br />
rights throughout the world and help<br />
promote Christian solidarity.<br />
Sadly, war between nations, and even<br />
within nations, has been a plague on human<br />
existence since the beginning of human<br />
history. Almost all nations have been born<br />
through conquest. The nuclear arms race,<br />
which began in the 20th century, is a curse<br />
on the human race that threatens millions of<br />
lives and especially hurts the poor. In addition<br />
to the toll war takes on human life, another<br />
evil war brings is the false notion that civil<br />
laws—or even the moral law—do not apply in<br />
wartime. The opposite is true. The moral law<br />
is permanent and always true, even during<br />
armed conflicts. Going to war does not give<br />
governments the right to abridge the rights of<br />
citizens or ignore the moral law.<br />
Because of the suffering, evil, and injustice<br />
war causes, governments must do everything<br />
possible to reasonably avoid war. This does<br />
not mean that all war is immoral. Nations do<br />
have the right to self-defense. Philosopher<br />
St. Thomas Aquinas has guided the Church’s<br />
doctrine on just war.<br />
For a war to be just, all of the following must<br />
be true at the same time:<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
ӹ<br />
“The damage inflicted by the aggressor on<br />
the nation or community of nations must<br />
be lasting, grave, and certain;<br />
All other means of putting an end to it<br />
must have been shown to be impractical<br />
or ineffective;<br />
There must be serious prospects of<br />
success;<br />
The use of arms must not produce evils<br />
and disorders graver than the evil to be<br />
eliminated. The power of modern means<br />
of destruction weighs very heavily in<br />
evaluating this condition.<br />
These are the traditional elements<br />
enumerated in what is called the ‘just war’<br />
doctrine. The evaluation of these conditions<br />
for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential<br />
judgment of those who have responsibility for<br />
the common good” (CCC 2309). Because of<br />
the work nations do in gathering intelligence,<br />
it may not be possible for ordinary citizens<br />
to be able to make an informed judgment as<br />
to whether a war is just. This is one of many<br />
reasons it is important that we pray for our<br />
elected leaders.<br />
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For each condition of just war, explain why it is necessary for justice. One example has been<br />
offered for each condition.<br />
The damage inflicted<br />
by the aggressor<br />
on the nation or<br />
community of nations<br />
must be lasting, grave,<br />
and certain;<br />
It would be unjust to go to war over temporary harms.<br />
Other reason:<br />
Other reason:<br />
All other means of<br />
putting an end to it<br />
must have been shown<br />
to be impractical or<br />
ineffective;<br />
It would be unjust to go to war without trying to use diplomacy<br />
to settle disputes.<br />
Other reason:<br />
Other reason:<br />
There must be serious<br />
prospects of success;<br />
If a nation has no chance of winning, it would be unjust to risk<br />
soldiers’ lives.<br />
Other reason:<br />
Other reason:<br />
The use of arms must<br />
not produce evils<br />
and disorders graver<br />
than the evil to be<br />
eliminated.<br />
It would be unjust if war resulted in worse conditions than those<br />
that caused the war.<br />
Other reason:<br />
Other reason:<br />
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 141
General George Washington Resigning His Commission<br />
BY JOHN TRUMBULL (C. 1824)<br />
Rotunda, U.S. Capitol. Courtesy the Architect of the Capitol.<br />
142<br />
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Chapter at a Glance<br />
Different Types of Justice<br />
High School Chapter<br />
Teacher Introduction<br />
Justice is the moral virtue that disposes us<br />
to give what is due to God and our neighbor.<br />
This virtue is expressed in four basic ways.<br />
Distributive justice pertains to what a society<br />
as a whole owes to its members: rewards and<br />
punishments for good and bad deeds, as well<br />
as the resources necessary for life. Legal justice<br />
obliges those subject to a higher authority<br />
to serve the common good through obedience,<br />
as well as through participation in the political<br />
process. Commutative justice pertains to<br />
agreements between equal parties and requires<br />
us to honor our commitments, as long as<br />
they are reasonable and morally good. Finally,<br />
social justice pertains to the responsibility of<br />
society and its members to respect human<br />
dignity. It requires all levels of society to work<br />
together to ensure the temporal well-being of<br />
all. This fourth type of justice especially calls us<br />
to remember that charity and justice go hand in<br />
hand; a society without love can never be just.<br />
Though they may not always realize it,<br />
many of your students’ impulses to complain<br />
about or change society are rooted in<br />
the sense of justice that arises from their<br />
human dignity. Everyone has something<br />
they feel strongly about and want to act<br />
on, and this chapter is your chance to engage<br />
your students’ concerns through the<br />
virtue that is at the root of their desire. It<br />
will help you clearly lay out the types of<br />
justice, and it will enable you to teach the<br />
truth about how a <strong>Catholic</strong> ought to live<br />
justly so that as your students go out into<br />
society, they will be a light to the world.<br />
© Sophia Institute for Teachers 143
Chapter at a Glance<br />
Enduring Understandings<br />
In this chapter, students will understand that…<br />
■ Justice is a moral virtue that leads the Christian to give God and neighbor their due.<br />
■ Distributive justice accounts for the needs, rewards, and punishments of a person.<br />
■ Legal justice requires one to obey just laws in the service of their society.<br />
■ Commutative justice is served through honoring contracts and conducting economic and social<br />
matters with fairness.<br />
■ <strong>Social</strong> justice necessitates that a member of society respects the dignity of other members and<br />
ensures especially the well-being of the poor and vulnerable.<br />
■ Justice must be tempered with love and mercy.<br />
Essential Questions<br />
■ What is justice, and what does it demand of a Christian?<br />
■ What are distributive justice, legal justice, commutative justice, and social justice?<br />
■ Why are regulations alone insufficient for a truly peaceful society?<br />
■ Why is it wrong to believe that justice alone can rightly order society?<br />
Lesson Plan<br />
ACTIVITY<br />
Handout A: Focus and Reflection Questions<br />
Handout B: Straight to the Source Primary Source Material<br />
Warm-Up: Handout C: The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus<br />
Activity #1: Handout D: Identifying and Applying the Kinds of Justice<br />
Activity #2: Handout E: Excerpt from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<br />
Activity #3: Handout F: The Need for Conversion<br />
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What Your Students Will Learn in This Chapter<br />
Vocabulary<br />
■ Right<br />
■ The Golden Rule<br />
■ Distributive Justice<br />
■ Law<br />
■ Authority<br />
■ Legal Justice<br />
■ Property<br />
■ Civil Law<br />
■ Anarchy<br />
■ Moral Law<br />
■ Civil Disobedience<br />
■ Commutative Justice<br />
■ Contract<br />
■ Economic Justice<br />
■ Covenant<br />
■ <strong>Social</strong> Justice<br />
■ <strong>Social</strong>ism<br />
■ Marxism<br />
■ Temporal Welfare<br />
■ Generosity<br />
Scripture Encounters<br />
Students will directly engage with the<br />
following Scripture passages over the<br />
course of the chapter:<br />
■ Proverbs 22:16<br />
■ Proverbs 31:8–9<br />
■ Micah 6:8<br />
■ Matthew 7:12<br />
■ Matthew 22:21<br />
■ Luke 16:19–31<br />
■ Acts 5:29<br />
■ 1 Peter 2:13–16<br />
Straight to the Source<br />
Additional readings from primary<br />
sources<br />
■ Mater et Magistra 34<br />
■ Sollictitudo Rei <strong>Social</strong>is 41<br />
■ Quadragesimo Anno 137<br />
Materials<br />
No additional materials are needed for<br />
this chapter.<br />
Lives of Faith<br />
■ St. Martin de Porres<br />
Connections to the Catechism<br />
Students will directly engage with the<br />
following Catechism references over<br />
the course of the chapter:<br />
■ CCC 1807<br />
■ CCC 1928<br />
■ CCC 1932<br />
■ CCC 2236<br />
■ CCC 2238<br />
■ CCC 2239<br />
■ CCC 2242<br />
■ CCC 2243<br />
■ CCC 2410<br />
■ CCC 2411<br />
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Chapter Text and Discussion Questions<br />
1 The essay discusses the innate<br />
sense that even young children<br />
have regarding of things that<br />
rightfully belong to us. Toward<br />
what greater truth might this<br />
be pointing us? The foundation<br />
of justice is the nature and dignity<br />
of the human person and the<br />
profound need we have for others<br />
to respect what rightfully belongs<br />
to us and for us to respect what<br />
belongs to others. This goes beyond<br />
our material possession and also<br />
includes our bodily integrity, our<br />
conscience, and so forth.<br />
2 Note the text says children often<br />
rebel at a “perceived” injustice.<br />
Think of a time you saw a child<br />
have this kind of reaction. How<br />
did the adults around them react?<br />
Who/what helps us develop a<br />
more mature sense of justice?<br />
Students will probably say the adults<br />
tried to help the child calm down and<br />
recognize the needs of others. When<br />
we are young, we are entirely selfcentered.<br />
Our parents, the Church,<br />
friends, and family help us develop<br />
this more mature sense that takes<br />
into account the needs of others.<br />
3 What are ways in which society<br />
can be structured to encourage<br />
people to be just? In what ways<br />
is our current society failing<br />
to mold just people? Accept<br />
reasoned responses. Responses might<br />
involve the duty of lawmakers to create<br />
laws that encourage moral growth and<br />
development.<br />
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Vocabulary<br />
Right (n.): That to which<br />
someone has a just<br />
claim. Some rights, called<br />
natural rights, are Godgiven,<br />
fundamental to<br />
the human person, and<br />
common to all people. It<br />
is the duty of government<br />
to protect our natural<br />
rights. Other rights, called<br />
political rights or civil<br />
rights, can be given and/<br />
or taken away by civil<br />
authority, such as the<br />
right to vote, serve on<br />
juries, or receive a public<br />
education.<br />
In order to have<br />
a just society,<br />
we first need<br />
just people.<br />
© Sophia Institute for Teachers<br />
From the time we are children, we have an innate sense of justice or fairness.<br />
We do not always grasp what “fair” means, but we do know that we<br />
think life should be fair. Some of a child’s very fi rst protests, usually toward<br />
a sibling or playmate, are against some perceived injustice. The root of<br />
this sense of justice is the innate grasp humans have of the difference<br />
between what one can say is “mine” and what is “yours.” Usually, it begins<br />
with things over which we feel we have some ownership — a toy or an occupied<br />
space, for example — but as we grow, it extends to the boundaries<br />
of our body, mind, and spirit. In these last three, we acknowledge the ownership<br />
we have over bodily integrity, our emotional well-being, conscience,<br />
legitimate freedom, and our relationship to God. The foundation of justice<br />
is the nature and dignity of the human person and the profound need we<br />
have for others to respect what rightfully belongs to us. This need leads to<br />
a corresponding sense of respect we must have for what belongs to others.<br />
In this chapter, we will explore the nature and kinds of justice upon which<br />
any peaceful society depends.<br />
The Moral Virtue of Justice<br />
The simple defi nition of justice is the “moral virtue that consists in<br />
the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. …<br />
[Justice] disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish<br />
in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard<br />
to persons and to the common good. The just man… is distinguished<br />
by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward<br />
his neighbor” ( CCC 1807). Notice that justice is a virtue that resides within<br />
us by means of the fi rm will to give others their due. The word justice<br />
itself is rooted in a person’s intention to give what is owed or what belongs<br />
to others by right, or ius in Latin. In order to have a just society, we fi rst<br />
need just people. The virtue of justice is primarily about the intention to be<br />
in a right relationship with others by giving them what they are due: love.<br />
Think of justice like the fl oor of a house; it is the ground of any social<br />
order. Without it, people cannot acquire the most elementary goods necessary<br />
to human life. Justice does not require everyone to be friends or even<br />
to like each other. Justice does, however, require love for God and respect<br />
for the dignity of every human person. In other words, justice demands<br />
that we refrain from ever using other people for our own selfi sh gain and<br />
that we honor all people as images of the living God. Justice demands we<br />
ensure that society uphold the legitimate rights of every person. Implicitly,<br />
justice acknowledges that each person we encounter, and every society<br />
in which we participate, belongs ultimately to God, who is the sole owner<br />
of everything and so establishes the standard by which we are to treat all<br />
people. That standard is His love. Because God loves us, we are minimally<br />
146 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
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equired to follow the Golden Rule, which is to treat others as we wish<br />
to be treated — to love our neighbor as ourselves. As Jesus put it, “Do to<br />
others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and<br />
the prophets” ( Matt. 7:12). This command is the foundation of justice.<br />
Distributive Justice<br />
Sermon on the Mount by Ivan Kuzʹmich Makarov (1889).<br />
Over the centuries, great minds have named different forms of justice. The<br />
Church identifi es four basic expressions of this virtue: distributive justice,<br />
legal justice, commutative justice, and social justice. Distributive justice<br />
is the most basic form of social relations. It pertains to what any community<br />
or social organization as a whole owes to its individual members.<br />
This distribution is always proportionate to what the members contribute<br />
to the common good. “Those in authority should practice distributive<br />
justice wisely, taking account of the needs and contribution of each,<br />
with a view to harmony and peace. They should take care that the<br />
regulations and measures they adopt are not a source of temptation<br />
by setting personal interest against that of the community” ( CCC<br />
2236). Distributive justice also pertains to the just allocation of resources<br />
High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
Christ’s command to<br />
treat others as we wish<br />
to be treated is the<br />
foundation of social<br />
justice.<br />
Vocabulary<br />
The Golden Rule (n.):<br />
The rule to “do unto<br />
others as you would have<br />
done unto you.” In other<br />
words, to treat others<br />
as you would wish to be<br />
treated. and to love your<br />
neighbor as yourself.<br />
Distributive Justice (n.):<br />
The most basic form of<br />
social relations pertaining<br />
to what any society owes<br />
its individual members<br />
in proportion to their<br />
contributions and needs.<br />
177<br />
4 Why is following the Golden Rule<br />
the bare minimum? How does fully<br />
embracing God’s will go much<br />
further? Give some examples.<br />
Accept reasoned responses. The<br />
Golden Rule helps us to avoid<br />
doing anything to someone that we<br />
don’t like and to treat them as we<br />
ourselves desire, but love compels us<br />
further to act on their behalf and for<br />
their good as well.<br />
5 How can society be better<br />
structured toward ensuring<br />
distributive justice toward the<br />
poor without simply taking from<br />
those who have more? How can<br />
the economy better accommodate<br />
workers? All salaries must be just in<br />
respect to the type of work involved.<br />
High salaries offered to attract and<br />
retain top-performing executives<br />
cannot come at the expense of<br />
the wages of lower-level workers.<br />
Public policy can also be structured<br />
to encourage charitable giving, to<br />
promote education, and to support<br />
marriage, the latter two of which are<br />
associated with better economic<br />
outcomes.<br />
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6 Recount or find an example<br />
of someone, or a group, being<br />
given preferential treatment<br />
that another person might not<br />
receive. Why do you think a<br />
rightly-formed conscience is<br />
troubled by such things? Students<br />
may suggest injustices such as<br />
the quality of legal defense that<br />
is provided by overworked public<br />
defenders compared to that which<br />
is provided by expensive private<br />
lawyers, celebrities receiving special<br />
treatment when accused of crimes,<br />
racist policies like segregation<br />
withholding resources from specific<br />
groups, discrimination against Asian<br />
Americans in higher education, and<br />
so forth. Someone with a rightlyformed<br />
conscience is troubled<br />
and, hopefully, moved to action,<br />
whenever a person or group of<br />
people faces injustice.<br />
178 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
Vocabulary<br />
Law (n.): An ordinance of<br />
reason promulgated by<br />
a proper authority for the<br />
common good.<br />
to those in need, especially concerning public goods and infrastructure,<br />
such as access to water, energy, transportation, clean air and water, and<br />
green spaces. In addition, the distribution of wealth cannot accrue to the<br />
powerful at the expense of the powerless, as when individuals conspire<br />
to pay an artifi cially low wage to workers.<br />
There are many common examples of distributive justice. For instance,<br />
a nation owes its soldiers honor and gratitude, and we observe this duty<br />
when we erect monuments to our fallen heroes and provide care and support<br />
to our veterans and their families. Governments and judicial authorities<br />
are obliged to uphold and enforce the rule of law for their people and<br />
never oppress them or submit to corruption. If a judge were to go easy in<br />
prosecuting a celebrity yet bring down the full weight of the law on a poor<br />
man who could not afford adequate defense, society would not be distributing<br />
justice fairly. Within the business community, a corporation owes its<br />
workers a just wage and safe working conditions. (And workers owe their<br />
employers an honest day’s work, which we will discuss in the next section).<br />
In the family, parents must provide for the basic needs of their children to<br />
Authority is exercised <br />
legitimately only when<br />
it seeks the common<br />
good and administers<br />
justice accordingly.<br />
Allegory of Justice by Filippo Tarchiani, Matteo Rosselli,<br />
and Ottavio Vannini (1620–1625).<br />
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the best of their ability — i.e., food, shelter, medical care, education, safety,<br />
etc. All of these examples show us how distributive justice pertains to those<br />
in authority over a community. The responsibility of legitimate authority is<br />
to ensure that society treat every person fairly. Those subject to authority<br />
also have responsibilities, which we will discuss shortly.<br />
Distributive justice also pertains to the fairness surrounding rewards<br />
and punishments. In school, for example, a teacher owes students the<br />
grade they deserve — without infl ation or punity. Have you ever suspected<br />
that you received a grade lower than you deserved because a teacher did<br />
not like you? Yet perhaps the opposite has also happened: you may have<br />
received a higher grade than you deserved due to a teacher’s favor. Would<br />
you protest as much in the latter as in the former circumstance? Likewise,<br />
in the criminal justice system, punishments should never be disproportionate<br />
to the crime committed, except perhaps in a case where showing mercy<br />
is appropriate. Furthermore, when people show outstanding success or go<br />
above and beyond the call of duty, we owe such individuals honor through<br />
recognition, awards, and gratitude. As you can see, distributive justice refers<br />
to any situation in which a community gives what is justly due to its<br />
individual members.<br />
Legal Justice<br />
Legal justice is the corollary to distribute justice and pertains to those who<br />
are subject to a higher authority. Individual members of society have an<br />
obligation to contribute to the good of society by building up the common<br />
good. One of the most important ways we do this is by obeying just laws<br />
and respecting those in positions of legitimate authority over us. In general,<br />
to disobey legitimate authority by breaking the law harms the community<br />
and undermines the common good. Those subject to authority “should<br />
regard those in authority as representatives of God, who made them<br />
stewards of his gifts” ( CCC 2238). Scripture teaches that all authority<br />
comes from God and is a participation in God’s own governance of the<br />
world. This is why St. Peter wrote, “Be subject to every human institution<br />
for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme or to<br />
governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the<br />
approval of those who do good. For it is the will of God that by doing<br />
good you may silence the ignorance of foolish people. Be free, yet<br />
without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God” ( 1<br />
Pet. 2:13–16).<br />
Just laws exist to establish a proper ordering of social life to the common<br />
good. For example, when a person disobeys traffi c laws, they often<br />
put others at risk. Laws that protect property rights and people’s financial<br />
High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Authority (n.): The quality<br />
of exercising power over<br />
others and expecting<br />
obedience from them.<br />
All communities need<br />
someone or some institution<br />
in authority. Authority is<br />
exercised legitimately only<br />
when it seeks the common<br />
good of the group and<br />
employs morally licit means<br />
to attain it.<br />
Legal Justice (n.): What<br />
each person owes in<br />
fairness to the community,<br />
such as obeying just laws<br />
and respecting legitimate<br />
authority.<br />
Property (n.): Those<br />
things we legitimately<br />
own, including our<br />
material possessions and<br />
the fruits of our labor.<br />
Property helps guarantee<br />
the freedom and dignity<br />
of persons, and helps us<br />
take care of ourselves and<br />
our families. We have a<br />
responsibility to make our<br />
property fruitful and share<br />
its benefi ts with others,<br />
especially our families.<br />
179<br />
7 What comes to mind when you<br />
hear the term “legal justice”?<br />
This question is meant to activate<br />
prior knowledge students may<br />
have about justice under law.<br />
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High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
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8 What are some reasons we<br />
should offer gratitude to our<br />
country? A justly governed country<br />
provides the conditions in which<br />
other critical institutions, such as the<br />
family, are able to flourish.<br />
9 Why is the red-light example<br />
one of convention rather than<br />
morality? Traffic laws are a<br />
society’s attempt to ensure order<br />
and safety, but their particulars do<br />
not depend on fundamentally moral<br />
issues such as the dignity of life.<br />
10 What processes does the United<br />
States government have for<br />
ensuring that political leaders<br />
follow the law? Do they always<br />
work? On what do they ultimately<br />
depend? Elections help to ensure<br />
that the public will is respected. If<br />
leaders disobey the laws, they can<br />
face impeachment, removal from<br />
office, censuring, recall elections,<br />
etc. Accept reasoned answers as<br />
to whether these practices and<br />
laws are effective. In a democratic<br />
republic, they ultimately depend on<br />
the will and virtue of the people.<br />
180 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
Vocabulary<br />
Civil Law (n.): A rule<br />
of conduct established<br />
by legitimate human<br />
authority. Just civil law<br />
corresponds to right<br />
reason and is derived<br />
from the eternal law of<br />
God. Unjust civil law<br />
is contrary to reason.<br />
Citizens are obligated<br />
to obey just civil laws<br />
because such laws are<br />
in accordance with the<br />
moral order. Citizens are<br />
obligated in conscience<br />
not to follow unjust civil<br />
laws because such<br />
laws are contrary to the<br />
demands of the moral<br />
order. Citizens must also<br />
not cooperate in practices<br />
allowed by civil law that<br />
are contrary to the Law of<br />
God.<br />
resources provide a sense of security that allows the economy to function<br />
properly. It is thus the duty of citizens “to contribute along with the civil<br />
authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity,<br />
and freedom. The love and service of one’s country follow from the<br />
duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to<br />
legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens<br />
to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community” ( CCC<br />
2239). Obedience to higher authority and concern for the good of all are<br />
the primary expressions of legal justice. Another example is when a worker<br />
puts in a hard and honest day’s work for the pay he or she receives. An<br />
old adage for the laborer is that one “ought not work slow for more dough.”<br />
This violates the virtue of legal justice.<br />
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that not every law has the same<br />
gravity or signifi cance. Obviously, murder or dealing drugs is far more<br />
harmful to society than jaywalking. There are even times when it can be<br />
legitimate to break a civil law, especially in the case of an emergency. We<br />
have to distinguish between moral laws that we may never violate — such<br />
as the prohibition against murder, perjury, or treason — and civil laws that<br />
are a matter of convention or custom. The latter laws will often admit exceptions<br />
that do not result in a sin if we have a good and compelling reason<br />
to break them. Think of a husband stopping and then passing through a<br />
red light to get his pregnant wife to the hospital in the middle of the night.<br />
While he breaks a civil law, he does so for a legitimate cause, and thus he<br />
has not violated the virtue of legal justice.<br />
Another function of legal justice is for citizens to participate in the political<br />
process to the extent that they can. This can be through educating<br />
themselves on the issues, voting (in a democracy or democratic republic<br />
such as the United States), paying taxes, and working to ensure that<br />
morally upright men and women govern the commonwealth. Participating<br />
in the political process is an obligation of legal justice and of one’s membership<br />
in a community. We sometimes elect leaders who do not have the<br />
best interest of the commonwealth at heart. Perhaps they mismanage their<br />
responsibilities or, even worse, are engaged in illegal activity. When this<br />
is the case, legal justice obligates the governed to demand reform or a<br />
change of leadership. Everyone is accountable to the rule of law according<br />
to the demands of legal justice, even those in authority. They are not above<br />
civil law, since they are subject to God’s law. In such cases of corruption,<br />
citizens must use legitimate ways to bring about reform.<br />
Legal justice, however, does not necessarily permit citizens to resort to<br />
violent revolution as a means to bring about change. This very often makes<br />
the situation worse by leaving behind a power vacuum filled by a government<br />
even more corrupt. The Church provides several criteria for when a violent<br />
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change of regime may occur. “Armed resistance to oppression by political<br />
authority is not legitimate, unless all the following conditions are met: 1)<br />
there is certain, grave, and prolonged violation of fundamental rights; 2)<br />
all other means of redress have been exhausted; 3) such resistance will<br />
not provoke worse disorders; 4) there is well-founded hope of success;<br />
and 5) it is impossible reasonably to foresee any better solution” ( CCC<br />
2243). Another alternative, anarchy, never brings effective change and is always<br />
contrary to justice, since it completely disregards the rule of law.<br />
One last consideration of legal justice is that we are never obligated<br />
to obey a civil law that violates God’s moral law. In fact, we are directly<br />
commanded not to follow it! “The citizen is obliged in conscience not to<br />
follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the<br />
demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or<br />
the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities,<br />
when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience,<br />
finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving<br />
the political community” ( CCC 2242). This is what Jesus meant, in<br />
part, when he taught that we ought to “repay to Caesar what belongs to<br />
Caesar and to God what belongs to God” ( Matt. 22:21). Civil and divine<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Anarchy (n.): A state of<br />
lawlessness. In political<br />
terms, it is a nation or<br />
polity lacking any authority<br />
and governance.<br />
Moral Law (n.): A rule<br />
of conduct established<br />
by competent authority<br />
for the common good.<br />
In biblical terms, the<br />
moral law is the fatherly<br />
instruction of God, setting<br />
forth the ways that lead to<br />
happiness and proscribing<br />
those that lead to evil.<br />
St. Peter Preaching in Jerusalem by Charles Poerson (1642).<br />
St. Peter declared to the<br />
early Church “we must<br />
obey God rather than<br />
men” (Acts 5:29).<br />
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11 Can you think of other examples<br />
in which a <strong>Catholic</strong> must<br />
break the law for the sake of<br />
conscience? Accept reasoned<br />
responses that invoke governmental<br />
policies that force people to commit<br />
or condone moral wrongs.<br />
12 Why must an objector face<br />
the consequences of his or<br />
her choice? An objector can<br />
demonstrate resistance to a<br />
particular law while still showing<br />
reverence for the rule of law through<br />
accepting the consequences of<br />
violating the law. This can be a<br />
powerful witness to the Faith.<br />
13 Identify saints who were<br />
persecuted or martyred for their<br />
refusal to follow unjust laws<br />
or authorities. Accept reasoned<br />
responses. Early Christians were<br />
martyred for refusing to abandon<br />
the Faith for pagan practices and<br />
emperor worship. Others might<br />
include St. John Nepomucene,<br />
who was martyred for refusing to<br />
violate the seal of the confessional.<br />
See also St. Thomas More or the<br />
Nagasaki Martyrs.<br />
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Vocabulary<br />
Civil Disobedience (n.):<br />
The refusal to obey civil<br />
laws or demands and<br />
the willingness to accept<br />
punishment for this<br />
disobedience, as a form<br />
of nonviolent protest.<br />
Commutative Justice<br />
(n.): The regulation<br />
of exchange between<br />
persons and between<br />
institutions in accordance<br />
with a strict respect<br />
for their rights. It<br />
obligates both parties to<br />
responsibility, requires<br />
safeguarding of property<br />
rights, paying debts, and<br />
fulfi lling obligations freely<br />
contracted. Without it, no<br />
other form of justice is<br />
possible.<br />
Contract (n.): A legally<br />
binding agreement<br />
between two or more<br />
parties that can be<br />
dissolved once the<br />
conditions of the<br />
agreement have been<br />
fulfi lled (or not) or upon<br />
mutual agreement.<br />
Christ on the Cross is <br />
our perfect model<br />
and example in times<br />
when we face the<br />
earthly challenges of<br />
Christian discipleship.<br />
law may differ, and if they ever contradict, we have to follow God’s law. St.<br />
Peter gave us a model for civil disobedience when he refused to obey the<br />
Jewish leaders after they ordered him to stop preaching in the name of Jesus.<br />
Peter declared, “We must obey God rather than men” ( Acts 5:29). We<br />
see examples of this today when a soldier chooses not to carry out an order<br />
that kills innocent or civilian populations, or when a doctor refuses to kill an<br />
unborn baby even if a local law says he must perform abortions. However,<br />
with the obligation to disobey unjust laws comes the accompanying need<br />
to submit to any punishment for that disobedience. This duty, which Christ<br />
models for us perfectly on the Cross, may have the effect of shocking the<br />
conscience of observers and may help bring about the repeal of unjust laws.<br />
Whether or not our disobedience has this effect, this demand of the Church<br />
is one of the harder but undeniable truths of Christian discipleship.<br />
Commutative Justice<br />
The next kind of justice is commutative justice. This form of justice is<br />
common in the marketplace, where people enter into contractual agreements<br />
with each other. “Contracts are subject to commutative justice<br />
which regulates exchanges between persons and between institutions<br />
in accordance with a strict respect for their rights” ( CCC 2411).<br />
Christ on the Cross between Mary and St. John by Albrecht Altdorfer (ca. 1512).<br />
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183<br />
Lives of Faith<br />
St. Martin de Porres<br />
Fifteen-year-old Martin de Porres arrived at the<br />
entrance to the Dominican Priory of the Holy<br />
Rosary in Lima, Peru. His greatest desire was to<br />
follow Christ through a life of service to the poor<br />
and sick in this religious community. But there was<br />
one major impediment to his dream of becoming a<br />
Dominican: he was of mixed race.<br />
Martin had grown up in extreme poverty. His<br />
father, a Spanish gentleman, had abandoned<br />
young Martin and his mother, a freed Panamanian<br />
slave of African or Native American descent. After<br />
a short time in primary school, Martin learned<br />
under a barber who taught him to cut hair and<br />
provide basic medical care. It was this medical<br />
training that Martin hoped to put to good use in<br />
the service of the poor.<br />
At the time, being of mixed race meant that<br />
Martin could not become a professed member of<br />
the Dominicans. But nothing would deter Martin<br />
from serving God. Regardless of the ridicule and<br />
derision that he experienced, he chose to volunteer<br />
as a servant in the priory. He used his medical<br />
training to help those who were sick and injured.<br />
He also cleaned, did laundry, and worked<br />
in the kitchen. He joyfully completed all of these<br />
humble tasks while suffering great injustice at the<br />
hands of many in the community. He was a man<br />
of deep prayer, which gave him the strength to<br />
endure all that God asked of<br />
him in his mission.<br />
The greater the struggle,<br />
the more abundant the<br />
graces that God pours out on<br />
those souls who cooperate<br />
in His plan. After eight<br />
years, Martin was granted<br />
the privilege of becoming<br />
a professed member of the<br />
Third Order of St. Dominic.<br />
After 10 years, he was placed<br />
in charge of the infirmary,<br />
where he served all peoples<br />
[N]othing<br />
would deter<br />
Martin from<br />
serving God.<br />
regardless of race or economic background.<br />
Rather than fall into bitterness, Martin instead<br />
always sought to serve Christ in love.<br />
It was St. Martin’s total surrender to God in<br />
love, and his great love for all people, that gave him<br />
the strength to endure the injustice he experienced<br />
during his life in the sixteenth century. He not only<br />
fulfi lled his dream of becoming a Dominican, but<br />
he also was said to have been given extraordinary<br />
supernatural gifts from God including: bilocation,<br />
aerial flights, instant cures, miraculous knowledge,<br />
spiritual knowledge, and a close relationship with<br />
animals. St. Martin understood that only the love<br />
of God conquers hate.<br />
Photo credit: Pitxiquin (January 4, 2017)<br />
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14 Our Faith often places significant<br />
emphasis on covenants. Why<br />
are contracts also important for<br />
social and economic life? Accept<br />
reasoned responses. Contracts hold<br />
us accountable for our promises and<br />
help us to organize our earthly affairs<br />
and businesses. They govern areas<br />
of less intimacy and importance than<br />
our covenantal relationships but are<br />
nevertheless an important way of<br />
ensuring justice between two parties.<br />
15 What are some ways our society<br />
could better acknowledge<br />
the reality of sacramental<br />
Marriage? On a personal level,<br />
we can recommit ourselves to<br />
understanding what Marriage truly<br />
is, and we can support our friends<br />
and families in their marriages as we<br />
remind them to stay close to Jesus,<br />
who offers the spouses the graces<br />
they need to persevere through<br />
difficulty. From a governmental<br />
standpoint, we can advocate for<br />
repeal of laws such as those that<br />
penalize marriage in economic<br />
terms and those that allow for<br />
no-fault divorce while providing no<br />
recourse for the abandoned spouse,<br />
and we can support those laws and<br />
policies that encourage just living<br />
wages that do not require both<br />
parents of young children to work.<br />
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Vocabulary<br />
Economic Justice (n.):<br />
A particular expression<br />
of commutative justice.<br />
It pertains exclusively<br />
to the moral obligations<br />
of individuals, business,<br />
and governments<br />
concerning just wages,<br />
stable currencies, fair<br />
interest rates on loans,<br />
safe working conditions<br />
for laborers, and other<br />
responsibilities associated<br />
with economic life.<br />
Covenant (n.): A sacred<br />
permanent bond of<br />
family relationship. God<br />
entered into a series<br />
of covenants with His<br />
People throughout<br />
Salvation History to<br />
invite us to be part of<br />
His divine family and to<br />
prepare us gradually and<br />
in stages, words, and<br />
deeds to receive the gift<br />
of salvation.<br />
© Sophia Institute for Teachers<br />
Commutative justice always involves two parties of equal standing and the<br />
certain shared obligations they have toward each other. It often contributes<br />
to social order through the mutual respect each person has for another’s<br />
property. We see examples of commutative justice whenever we make a<br />
purchase at a store. When you buy something, your obligation is to pay<br />
the agreed price. The seller’s obligation is to give you exactly what you<br />
have paid for. To shortchange a seller, or for a seller not to deliver on the<br />
promised good or service, is a violation of commutative justice.<br />
This type of justice compels us to keep our word and honor our commitments.<br />
It also pertains to lending and borrowing. We must always pay back<br />
a just loan and return borrowed goods in the same condition we borrowed<br />
them. If you borrow your friend’s car with a full tank of gas, you should<br />
return the car with a full tank of gas. This is how the Church explains it:<br />
“Promises must be kept and contracts strictly observed to the extent<br />
that the commitments made in them are morally just. A significant<br />
part of economic and social life depends on the honoring of contracts<br />
between physical or moral persons — commercial contracts of purchase<br />
or sale, rental or labor contracts. All contracts must be agreed<br />
to and executed in good faith” ( CCC 2410). Another form of justice that<br />
you might hear about, economic justice, is a particular expression of<br />
commutative justice. It pertains exclusively to the moral obligations of individuals,<br />
business, and governments concerning just wages, stable currencies,<br />
fair interest rates on loans, safe working conditions for laborers, and<br />
other responsibilities associated with economic life. It also obliges laborers<br />
to work honestly for their pay.<br />
Generally, when one of the parties to a contractual agreement fails<br />
to meet their obligation, the other party is free of the contract. This distinguishes<br />
a contractual from a covenantal relationship. In a covenant,<br />
both parties are obligated to the terms of the covenant, even if one party<br />
fails. Thus, God is always faithful to His covenant, even when we are not.<br />
Likewise, in Marriage, a covenant binds spouses to each other as long<br />
as they both live. Their Marriage is not a contract but a permanent bond<br />
that remains despite the failure of one or both parties. This is what makes<br />
covenants stable and contracts more fl uid. Society needs both covenantal<br />
and contractual relationships. They differ by the nature of the agreement<br />
between two parties. Yet commutative justice is at work in both covenants<br />
and contracts. We are always obligated to fulfi ll what we have promised to<br />
do so long as the agreement is morally sound and reasonable.<br />
In summary of these fi rst three kinds of justice, the Catechism states,<br />
“Commutative justice obliges strictly; it requires safeguarding property<br />
rights, paying debts, and fulfilling obligations freely contracted.<br />
Without commutative justice, no other form of justice is possible. One<br />
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High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
Pope Pius XI articulated<br />
the concept of social<br />
justice as the fourth form<br />
of justice observed by<br />
the Church.<br />
185<br />
16 Why is the term “social justice”<br />
in a way redundant? Because<br />
all justice necessarily involves<br />
more than one person — justice<br />
means giving God and neighbor<br />
their due.<br />
Vocabulary<br />
<strong>Social</strong> Justice (n.): The<br />
responsibility of each<br />
member of society to<br />
respect the dignity of<br />
every human being, and<br />
the rights which fl ow from<br />
that dignity and guarantee<br />
it. Society must provide<br />
the conditions that allow<br />
people to obtain what is<br />
their due according to<br />
their nature and vocation.<br />
Pope Pius XI by Alberto Felici (1930).<br />
distinguishes commutative justice from legal justice which concerns<br />
what the citizen owes in fairness to the community, and from distributive<br />
justice which regulates what the community owes its citizens in<br />
proportion to their contributions and needs” ( CCC 2411). Historically,<br />
the Church has taught these three as the primary forms of justice. More<br />
recently, however, due to signifi cant changes to the socioeconomic order<br />
and events such as the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and<br />
the growing poverty of the southern hemisphere, Pope Pius XI introduced<br />
a fourth form of justice — social justice.<br />
<strong>Social</strong> Justice<br />
You will often hear people sum up the Church’s social teaching by referring<br />
to it as “social justice.” This is not an accurate way to speak of <strong>Catholic</strong><br />
<strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong>, however. <strong>Social</strong> justice is a term that needs clarifi cation<br />
because it is often misunderstood. Note that all justice involves multiple<br />
persons — it is all based on relationships: our relationship with God and<br />
our relationships with one another. Therefore, the term social justice is, in<br />
a way, redundant. All justice is by defi nition social, because it necessarily<br />
involves more than one person.<br />
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17 Can there ever be a personal<br />
good that conflicts with the<br />
common good? Why or why not?<br />
Accept reasoned answers; through<br />
leading questions, help students see<br />
that no true private good can conflict<br />
with the common good.<br />
18 What does it mean to participate<br />
in socioeconomic life? What are<br />
ways in which people are able to<br />
take part in socioeconomic life or<br />
are hindered from participating<br />
in it? Accept reasoned responses.<br />
Examples for how we take part in<br />
socioeconomic life include ensuring<br />
that people are able to vote in a<br />
democratic society, have time for<br />
rest and leisure with family, afford<br />
at least a modest standard of living<br />
on a salary, and find opportunities<br />
for advancement. When wages<br />
are artificially lowered, prices are<br />
artificially raised, voting laws create<br />
barriers to civic engagement,<br />
standards of education are lower<br />
in poorer neighborhoods, or family<br />
structure is threatened through<br />
economic and social ills, there<br />
can be significant difficulties in full<br />
participation.<br />
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Vocabulary<br />
<strong>Social</strong>ism (n.): An<br />
economic and political<br />
philsophy in which the<br />
means of production,<br />
distubtution, and<br />
exchange is owned by the<br />
centralized government.<br />
The individual does<br />
not own the fruits of his<br />
labor, but relies on the<br />
government to distribute<br />
goods.<br />
Marxism (n.): The<br />
political, economic, and<br />
social theory of Karl<br />
Marx, which holds that<br />
all history is the history of<br />
class struggle. The perfect<br />
society to Marx is one<br />
where the workers control<br />
the means of production,<br />
all property is held in<br />
common, with each<br />
contributing according to<br />
his ability, and receiving<br />
according to his need.<br />
Communists later claimed<br />
to base their actions on<br />
Marxist thought.<br />
Temporal Welfare (n.):<br />
The good pertaining to<br />
this earth, as oppossed<br />
to the good pertaining to<br />
Heaven or eternity.<br />
People sometimes wrongly use the term social justice to refer to a<br />
socialist economic order, which abolishes private property and places the<br />
ownership and control of wealth primarily in the hands of a government. In<br />
the Marxist use of the term, socialism refers to a form of government that<br />
seeks to level the economic playing fi eld by force through a centralized<br />
economy that supposedly will abolish every form of social and economic<br />
injustice. Simply put, the idea is that government could somehow equally<br />
distribute goods to everyone. For reasons we will address in a later chapter,<br />
the Church rejects socialism as a socioeconomic system because it is<br />
opposed to a Christian view of the human person and society (CCC 2425).<br />
In short, socialism can never be just because it undermines the basic right<br />
to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor and destroys the right to exercise free<br />
initiative in the economy (CCC 2429). <strong>Social</strong>ism and communism are also<br />
based on a fl awed view of the human person, viewing all of history as nothing<br />
more than class struggle. Therefore, when the Church speaks of social<br />
justice, she means something very different.<br />
A simple definition of social justice is the responsibility of each member<br />
of a society to respect the dignity of every human being created in the image<br />
and likeness of God. “Society ensures social justice when it provides<br />
the conditions that allow associations or individuals to obtain what is<br />
their due, according to their nature and their vocation. <strong>Social</strong> justice is<br />
linked to the common good and the exercise of authority” ( CCC 1928).<br />
Most fundamentally, society must ensure that all people can fulfill their basic<br />
human needs, and the primary way to meet these needs is through a full participation<br />
in social life. Yet individuals cannot fully participate in socioeconomic<br />
life without the cooperation of others and just social conditions. Minimally,<br />
what social justice requires is that every sector of society takes responsibility<br />
for creating the conditions for each individual and family to start a business<br />
or find employment, socialize with others, and participate in politics in order<br />
to guarantee our temporal welfare. <strong>Social</strong> justice requires a collaboration<br />
between governments, businesses, and other institutions to create a stable<br />
economy that allows for just wages, safe working conditions, adequate transportation,<br />
and the ability of people to start businesses and have access to<br />
employment and any education needed to participate in economic activity.<br />
In cases where people are disabled and unable to work, society (that is,<br />
everyone) must also find effective means to see that these individuals have<br />
access to supports that provide for their temporal welfare in the absence of<br />
work (CCC 2426–2436). These services may be provided by extended family,<br />
private charities, government agencies, or a combination of all three. In the<br />
case of vulnerable individuals, such as the unborn, the displaced, and the elderly,<br />
society (again, everyone) must work to provide these groups of people<br />
with special protection, especially from abortion, exploitation, and euthanasia.<br />
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The primary virtue at play in social justice is a sense of personal responsibility<br />
for the basic needs of those who are most vulnerable and struggle<br />
to support themselves. The commitment to social justice is what makes<br />
certain that no one falls through the cracks of society because of extreme<br />
poverty, oppression, or social exclusion. As a virtue, this responsibility obligates<br />
us to help our neighbor if we are able or to support services like food<br />
banks if we have no other way to help.<br />
These acts are not a matter of charity but of justice; each of us is<br />
responsible for ensuring that no one is deprived of their basic needs. As<br />
Scripture teaches us, we are our neighbor’s keeper. Jesus’ parable of the<br />
Good Samaritan illustrated the point beautifully (Luke 10:29–37). And as<br />
the Church teaches, “The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others<br />
and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it<br />
involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area this may be. ‘As you<br />
did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’” ( CCC<br />
1932). While this responsibility is a social responsibility for everyone, we<br />
exercise it individually as we do what we can to make sure that social<br />
conditions are not marginalizing or excluding anyone. For each individual,<br />
the practice of social justice depends on their unique circumstances and<br />
social position.<br />
High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
The commitment<br />
to social justice<br />
is what makes<br />
certain that no<br />
one falls through<br />
the cracks of<br />
society because of<br />
extreme poverty,<br />
oppression, or<br />
social exclusion.<br />
187<br />
19 Read the parable. What<br />
prompts Jesus to tell the<br />
parable? How does His<br />
response demonstrate a more<br />
loving and merciful approach<br />
to the definition of neighbor?<br />
Accept reasoned responses. The<br />
man who posed the question<br />
to Jesus was a lawyer, which<br />
indicates that the response he<br />
may have hoped for was less<br />
inclusive than the response<br />
he received. Jesus offered a<br />
different insight that pushed the<br />
man beyond a traditional, easy<br />
definition of neighbor. Ancient<br />
Jews and Samaritans loathed<br />
each other; the wounded man,<br />
presumably Jewish, was ignored<br />
by his own kinsmen and was<br />
rescued by an enemy, and so this<br />
story demonstrates an important<br />
insight regarding how we ought to<br />
see others.<br />
Marx and Engels at the Rheinische Zeitung by E. Capiro (1849).<br />
Karl Marx and Friedrich<br />
Engels published The<br />
Communist Manifesto<br />
in 1848, asserting<br />
therein that the basis<br />
of all human history is<br />
class struggle and social<br />
confl ict.<br />
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157
20 How would you compare and<br />
contrast justice and charity in<br />
your own words? Both involve<br />
giving, but justice is about giving<br />
another what he is owed (that which<br />
therefore does not rightly belong<br />
to us). Charity is about giving to<br />
others out of generosity what rightly<br />
belongs to us.<br />
21 What characters from literature<br />
or film can you think of who<br />
embody a strict adherence to<br />
justice without charity? In addition<br />
to the ideas students generate, you<br />
may suggest for their consideration<br />
Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles<br />
Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Javert<br />
from Les Miserables, Chillingworth<br />
from The Scarlet Letter, and others.<br />
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<strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
?<br />
Isn’t it more important to work for justice<br />
than to engage in charity?<br />
In the often intense cry for “social justice”<br />
in our political environment, we<br />
hear some people express a disdain for<br />
works of Christian charity. This perspective<br />
originates in a Marxist view of social<br />
life, which maintains that charitable<br />
works create a class of people who are<br />
dependent upon the rich. This leaves<br />
the poor powerless and without a voice,<br />
so some claim. While the Church clearly<br />
acknowledges the reality of oppression<br />
and the social marginalization of the<br />
poor, she also believes, as Jesus taught<br />
us, that social order requires both justice<br />
and charity (Matt. 5–7). We will discuss<br />
this belief at length in the next chapter.<br />
For the moment, keep in mind that<br />
justice and charity are a social responsibility<br />
of Christian discipleship and are<br />
related integrally to each other. In justice,<br />
we give to others what we owe to<br />
them — what belongs to them by right.<br />
In charity, we give to others what belongs<br />
to us by right out of generosity.<br />
Holiness requires both, since each virtue<br />
contributes to the perfection of the<br />
human will in respect to love of God and<br />
neighbor. Society also needs both forms<br />
of self-giving. We must give to others<br />
what is due to them; and situations<br />
exist in which God calls us to give beyond<br />
what belongs to us in charity — as<br />
He has done for us. The primary social<br />
expressions of charity are the fourteen<br />
works of mercy, which we will discuss in<br />
a later chapter.<br />
The other important aspect of how<br />
justice and charity relate to each other<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Generosity (n.): The quality of freely<br />
and abundantly giving to others.<br />
is that without love of neighbor, people<br />
will not act justly toward others but selfishly.<br />
Thus, the idea that justice alone<br />
can rightly order society is misguided.<br />
Justice without charity makes society<br />
harsh and merciless. Human beings<br />
need more than fair treatment; since we<br />
are all sinners, we need the love and<br />
mercy of others.<br />
Pope Benedict XVI explained the<br />
need for charity and justice in his letter<br />
Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love). It<br />
is a long passage worth quoting in its<br />
entirety:<br />
Love — caritas — will always prove<br />
necessary, even in the most just society.<br />
There is no ordering of the State<br />
so just that it can eliminate the need<br />
for a service of love. Whoever wants<br />
to eliminate love is preparing to eliminate<br />
man as such. There will always<br />
be suffering which cries out for consolation<br />
and help. There will always<br />
be loneliness. There will always be<br />
situations of material need where<br />
help in the form of concrete love of<br />
neighbor is indispensable. The State<br />
which would provide everything, absorbing<br />
everything into itself, would<br />
ultimately become a mere bureaucracy<br />
incapable of guaranteeing<br />
the very thing which the suffering<br />
person — every person — needs:<br />
namely, loving personal concern.<br />
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We do not need a State which regulates<br />
and controls everything, but a can live “by bread alone” ( Mt 4:4; cf.<br />
man: the mistaken notion that man<br />
State which, in accordance with the Dt 8:3) — a conviction that demeans<br />
principle of subsidiarity, generously man and ultimately disregards all<br />
acknowledges and supports initiatives<br />
arising from the different social<br />
that is specifi cally human. (28)<br />
We have to remember that we cannot<br />
forces and combines spontaneity<br />
achieve perfect justice in this life. God has<br />
with closeness to those in need. The<br />
reserved that for eternal life, in which He<br />
Church is one of those living forces:<br />
judges all things perfectly. Human beings<br />
she is alive with the love enkindled<br />
do not have the wisdom, power, or the<br />
by the Spirit of Christ. This love does<br />
not simply offer people material<br />
authority to right every wrong — to create<br />
help, but refreshment and care for<br />
a perfect society. Every attempt to do so<br />
their souls, something which often has created the worst social conditions of<br />
is even more necessary than material<br />
support. In the end, the claim totalitarian states. In the next chapter, we<br />
injustice known to human history under<br />
that just social structures would will look more closely at what the Church<br />
make works of charity superfl uous teaches about the necessity of justice<br />
masks a materialist conception of and charity to the social order.<br />
Christ of the Coin by Anthony van Dyck (ca. 1625).<br />
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22 Why is the Church capable of<br />
ensuring charity and justice<br />
in a way the State is not?<br />
Accept reasoned responses. The<br />
Church is capable of offering<br />
material help through the various<br />
services offered in charity;<br />
more importantly, the Church<br />
offers Christ and the care of<br />
souls. While material support is<br />
important, the Church also offers<br />
a deeper context for that material<br />
support and offers healing to a<br />
broken world. The Church also<br />
has been founded by God to care<br />
for the “least of these.”<br />
23 Why is the pursuit of a perfect<br />
earthly society a tempting but<br />
ultimately flawed project from<br />
the start? Perfect justice is not<br />
possible in this life and in this<br />
world through human effort. Only<br />
God has the power to properly<br />
order a society toward perfection.<br />
While governments and powerful<br />
leaders can forcibly attempt<br />
to shape society, this power is<br />
never absolute and necessarily<br />
falls. The Church, beset as<br />
she is by human weaknesses<br />
and corruption through history,<br />
endures because the Church is<br />
not a merely human institution or<br />
earthly government.<br />
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The Truth Is…<br />
The topic of social justice has come to be widely misunderstood in our society.<br />
The modern world thinks if we only right every wrong, real or imagined, then we<br />
can achieve a perfect society. At face value, this does not seem so bad. After<br />
all, is justice not giving people their due? If someone is wrong, then correcting<br />
them is an act of justice! The problem is that our society has come to defi ne<br />
what is wrong and what is right without any reference to God’s law. In fact,<br />
God’s law and the natural law have been discarded for the whims of human<br />
fancy — or worse, the schemes of those who have been corrupted by wealth<br />
and power. The modern idea of social justice tends to align itself more with<br />
socialism than with justice, and this is precisely why we as <strong>Catholic</strong>s have a<br />
responsibility to discuss and practice what the Church teaches about authentic<br />
social justice.<br />
The Church has always taught that the social order requires both authentic<br />
justice and charity. Someone who does in fact co-opt the term social justice<br />
as a cover for socialist and communist policies undermines human dignity by<br />
inverting the relationship between the government and the individual and dismissing<br />
the human right to property and autonomy. Handing over the responsibility<br />
of caring for others to the government is not only a dodge, but it leads to<br />
worse treatment of the poor and, ironically, creates more poor people. On the<br />
other hand, someone who totally dismisses social justice as a cover for socialism<br />
ignores the fact that we have a solemn duty as Christians and as human<br />
beings to care for the true dignity of others. We must practice true, Christian<br />
social justice in order to combat both these fl awed points of view, and — as<br />
always — that process begins with conversion to Christ at the individual and<br />
family level. You are at an age now where you can truly begin to exercise justice<br />
in a social context, and you can start by giving a witness of respect and<br />
love to your family, friends, and community.<br />
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Chapter Activities<br />
Handout A<br />
Focus and Reflection Questions<br />
1 What is the foundation of justice? The<br />
foundation of justice is the nature and dignity<br />
of the human person and the need for<br />
others to respect what belongs to us.<br />
2 What do we owe each person in order to<br />
have a just society? Love.<br />
Handout A<br />
Focus and Reflection Questions<br />
1 What is the foundation of justice?<br />
2 What do we owe each person in order to have a just society?<br />
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3 What is the Golden Rule? Where can we<br />
find it in Scripture? “So whatever you wish<br />
that men would do to you, do so to them; for<br />
this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12).<br />
3 What is the Golden Rule? Where can we fi nd it in Scripture?<br />
4 What are the four basic expressions of justice that the Church identifi es?<br />
5 What makes up distributive justice? Explain two key principles.<br />
6 How do citizens uphold legal justice?<br />
7 When is it morally permissible, and even necessary, to break a law?<br />
4 What are the four basic expressions<br />
of justice that the Church identifies?<br />
Distributive, legal, commutative, social.<br />
8 What does commutative justice regulate? Whom does it involve?<br />
9 What is the difference between a covenant and a contract, and how do both refl ect commutative<br />
justice?<br />
10 What is social justice? Why is social justice incompatible with socialism?<br />
5 What makes up distributive justice?<br />
Explain two key principles. Distributive justice<br />
pertains to what any community or social<br />
organization owes to its individual members.<br />
Distributive justice also pertains to the fairness<br />
surrounding rewards and punishments.<br />
11 Why is supporting those in need not a matter of charity but of justice?<br />
12 What injustices did St. Martin de Porres experience in his family life? In the Dominican community?<br />
What lessons can we learn from his response?<br />
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6 How do citizens uphold legal justice? By<br />
obeying just laws and respecting those in<br />
positions of legitimate authority over us.<br />
7 When is it morally permissible, and even necessary, to break a law? Laws that are a matter of convention<br />
or custom will often admit exceptions that do not result in a sin if we have a good and compelling<br />
reason to break them. When a civil law is unjust, it may actually be not just permissible but necessary to<br />
violate it in order to remain obedient to God’s will.<br />
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8 What does commutative justice regulate? Whom does it involve? Commutative justice regulates<br />
exchanges between persons and between institutions in accordance with a strict respect for their rights.<br />
It involves two parties of equal standing and the certain shared obligations they have toward each other.<br />
9 What is the difference between a covenant and a contract, and how do both reflect commutative<br />
justice? In a contract, when one of the parties fails to meet their obligation, the other party is free of the<br />
contract. This distinguishes a contractual from a covenantal relationship. In a covenant, both parties are<br />
obligated to the terms of the covenant, even if one party fails. Both reflect commutative justice because<br />
they involve the obligation to fulfill what we have promised to do so long as the agreement is morally<br />
sound and reasonable.<br />
10 What is social justice? Why is social justice incompatible with socialism? <strong>Social</strong> justice is the<br />
responsibility of each member of a society to respect the dignity of every human being created in the<br />
image and likeness of God. <strong>Social</strong>ism can never be just because it undermines the basic right to enjoy<br />
the fruits of one’s labor and destroys the right to exercise free initiative in the economy.<br />
11 Why is supporting those in need not a matter of charity but of justice? We are our neighbor’s<br />
keeper; we have a Christian responsibility to those in our society, and that obligates us to ensure that no<br />
one is deprived of basic needs.<br />
12 What injustices did St. Martin de Porres experience in his family life? In the Dominican community?<br />
What lessons can we learn from his response? Martin’s father abandoned him and his mother,<br />
a great injustice to them both. In the Dominican community, he faced institutionalized racism: he was not<br />
allowed to become a professed member because he was mixed race. He responded with meekness and<br />
humility, persevering in prayer and service to God and neighbor. Martin always sought to serve Christ in<br />
love rather than fall into bitterness.<br />
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Handout B<br />
Straight to the Source<br />
Primary Source Activity<br />
These optional primary source readings and reflection questions are meant to help root the learning from<br />
this chapter in the documents and tradition of the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church. The first reading is a more simple<br />
reading, the second is of average difficulty, and the third is intended for more advanced students.<br />
Answer Key<br />
Mater et Magistra 34<br />
1 Between Christianity and communism/socialism.<br />
2 Because socialism is founded on a purely temporal doctrine of human society and focuses only on material<br />
well-being.<br />
3 It restricts liberty too severely and disregards the meaning of true authority.<br />
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Handout B<br />
Straight to the Source<br />
ADDITIONAL READINGS FROM PRIMARY SOURCES<br />
Handout B<br />
Straight to the Source<br />
ADDITIONAL READINGS FROM PRIMARY SOURCES<br />
Mater et Magistra 34, An Encyclical Letter of Pope St. John XXIII, May 15, 1961<br />
34. Pope Pius XI further emphasized the fundamental opposition between Communism and Christianity,<br />
and made it clear that no <strong>Catholic</strong> could subscribe even to moderate <strong>Social</strong>ism. The reason is that<br />
<strong>Social</strong>ism is founded on a doctrine of human society which is bounded by time and takes no account of<br />
any objective other than that of material well-being. Since, therefore, it proposes a form of social organization<br />
which aims solely at production, it places too severe a restraint on human liberty, at the same time<br />
flouting the true notion of social authority.<br />
1 In this encyclical, Pope St. John XIII describes the opposition between Christianity and what?<br />
2 Why can <strong>Catholic</strong>s never subscribe even to moderate socialism?<br />
3 What two flaws fl ow from socialism’s sole focus on production?<br />
Sollicitudo Rei <strong>Social</strong>is 41, An Encyclical Letter of Pope St. John Paul II,<br />
December 30, 1987<br />
The Church’s social doctrine is not a “third way” between liberal capitalism and Marxist collectivism, nor<br />
even a possible alternative to other solutions less radically opposed to one another: rather, it constitutes<br />
a category of its own. Nor is it an ideology, but rather the accurate formulation of the results of a careful<br />
reflection on the complex realities of human existence, in society and in the international order, in the light<br />
of faith and of the Church’s tradition. Its main aim is to interpret these realities, determining their conformity<br />
with or divergence from the lines of the Gospel teaching on man and his vocation, a vocation which is at<br />
once earthly and transcendent; its aim is thus to guide Christian behavior. It therefore belongs to the fi eld,<br />
not of ideology, but of theology and particularly of moral theology.<br />
The teaching and spreading of her social doctrine are part of the Church’s evangelizing mission. And since<br />
it is a doctrine aimed at guiding people’s behavior, it consequently gives rise to a “commitment to justice,”<br />
according to each individual’s role, vocation and circumstances.<br />
The condemnation of evils and injustices is also part of that ministry of evangelization in the social fi eld<br />
which is an aspect of the Church’s prophetic role. But it should be made clear that proclamation is always<br />
more important than condemnation, and the latter cannot ignore the former, which gives it true solidity<br />
and the force of higher motivation.<br />
Quadragesimo Anno 137, An Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI, May 15, 1931<br />
The law of charity, “which is the bond of perfection,” must always take a leading role. How completely<br />
deceived, therefore, are those rash reformers who concern themselves with the enforcement of justice<br />
alone — and this, commutative justice — and in their pride reject the assistance of charity! Admittedly, no<br />
vicarious charity can substitute for justice which is due as an obligation and is wrongfully denied. Yet even<br />
supposing that everyone should fi nally receive all that is due him, the widest field for charity will always<br />
remain open. For justice alone can, if faithfully observed, remove the causes of social confl ict but can<br />
never bring about union of minds and hearts. Indeed all the institutions for the establishment of peace<br />
and the promotion of mutual help among men, however perfect these may seem, have the principal foundation<br />
of their stability in the mutual bond of minds and hearts whereby the members are united with one<br />
another. If this bond is lacking, the best of regulations come to naught, as we have learned by too frequent<br />
experience. And so, then only will true cooperation be possible for a single common good when the constituent<br />
parts of society deeply feel themselves members of one great family and children of the same<br />
Heavenly Father; nay, that they are one body in Christ, “but severally members one of another,” so that “if<br />
one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with it.” For then the rich and others in positions of<br />
power will change their former indifference toward their poorer brothers into a solicitous and active love,<br />
listen with kindliness to their just demands, and freely forgive their possible mistakes and faults. And the<br />
workers, sincerely putting aside every feeling of hatred or envy which the promoters of social confl ict so<br />
cunningly exploit, will not only accept without rancor the place in human society assigned them by Divine<br />
Providence, but rather will hold it in esteem, knowing well that everyone according to his function and duty<br />
is toiling usefully and honorably for the common good and is following closely in the footsteps of Him Who,<br />
being in the form of God, willed to be a carpenter among men and be known as the son of a carpenter.<br />
1 Why are regulations insuffi cient for true cooperation among persons in a society? What more is<br />
needed?<br />
2 Why does the pope invoke Jesus as the son of a carpenter? What point is he making with this<br />
example?<br />
3 The pope refers to “promoters of social conflict” in this passage. What evidence do you see around<br />
you of those seeking to exploit feelings of resentment among workers? How can this be combatted<br />
with charity?<br />
1 What does Pope St. John Paul II say that the Church’s social doctrine is NOT?<br />
2 What does he describe as the main aim of the Church’s social doctrine? What is it aimed at guiding?<br />
3 How does the pope describe the right balance between the condemnation of injustice and the<br />
proclamation of the Gospel within the ministry of evangelization?<br />
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Sollictitudo Rei <strong>Social</strong>is 41<br />
1 It is not a “third way” between capitalism and communism; it is not an ideology.<br />
2 To interpret the realities of human existence in the light of faith and the Tradition of the Church. Its aim is to<br />
guide human behavior.<br />
3 We must condemn evils as part of evangelization, but we should also remember that proclaiming the Gospel<br />
is more important; the Gospel is what gives our admonishment meaning, weight, and urgency.<br />
Quadragesimo Anno 137<br />
1 Real cooperation only arises from mutual bonds of minds and hearts among people, which comes from knowing<br />
they are all members of the same body — the Body of Christ.<br />
2 To show that there is nothing wrong with occupying a “lowly” place in society. God Himself, when He assumed<br />
a human nature, chose to be not a rich and powerful ruler but a tradesman. Humble work is honorable and<br />
supports the common good.<br />
3 Accept reasoned answers, encouraging students to apply Pope Pius XI’s teaching to their own lives.<br />
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Handout C<br />
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus<br />
Warm-Up<br />
This activity is meant to introduce the chapter’s topic, activate student knowledge, and encourage<br />
students to reflect on their own experience in order to set the stage for the learning in the rest of the<br />
chapter.<br />
Scored _____ / 10<br />
Activity Instructions<br />
A Have students turn to Handout C: The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus and read the Parable of the<br />
Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31) independently or read it aloud to the class.<br />
B Then, have students complete the worksheet with a partner.<br />
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Handout C<br />
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus<br />
Directions: Read the following parable. Then answer the questions and prepare to discuss.<br />
______/ 10 pts.<br />
4 Note that in telling this parable, Christ does not condemn the rich man’s wealth itself; what instead does<br />
He show that the rich man has allowed wealth to do to him? What responsibility comes with wealth?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Luke 16:19–31<br />
[Jesus said] “There was a rich man who dressed in<br />
purple garments and fi ne linen and dined sumptuously<br />
each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named<br />
Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have<br />
eaten his fi ll of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s<br />
table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.<br />
When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels<br />
to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died<br />
and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he<br />
was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham<br />
far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father<br />
Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the<br />
tip of his fi nger in water and cool my tongue, for I am<br />
suffering torment in these fl ames.’ Abraham replied,<br />
‘My child, remember that you received what was good<br />
during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received<br />
what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas<br />
you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you<br />
a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from<br />
crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours<br />
or from your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you,<br />
father, send him to my father’s house, for I have fi ve<br />
brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come<br />
to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They<br />
have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’<br />
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from<br />
the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham<br />
said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,<br />
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise<br />
from the dead.’”<br />
5 The rich man pleads with Abraham to allow Lazarus to warn his fathers and brothers, who are still living,<br />
of the fate the rich man has suffered. Whom do these fi gures represent? How does Abraham’s response<br />
serve as a warning?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
6 What could the rich man have done to achieve God’s justice? Rewrite the parable into an imagined one<br />
in which Christ instead praises the rich man for his just acts.<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
1 Who are the two main characters in the fi rst part of the story? How do the fates of these two characters<br />
compare to the earthly lives they lived?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2 Why do you think Lazarus is named, and the rich man is not?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3 How does the rich man’s life demonstrate injustice through his relationship (or lack thereof) with<br />
Lazarus? What did he owe to the beggar at his door?<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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C Finally, discuss student answers as a large group. Invite students who wish to share their creative responses<br />
to do so.<br />
D Close by reading aloud Luke 6:20–26 and allowing a few moments of silent reflection.<br />
Answer Key<br />
Accept reasoned answers such as the suggested following:<br />
1 Lazarus, the poor, sick beggar, dies and goes to paradise. The rich man dies and is sentenced to eternal<br />
torment. Their fortunes in life are reversed after their deaths.<br />
2 The rich man represents indifference to the suffering of others; he, like his name, is ultimately forgettable,<br />
though his fate serves as a reminder and a warning. Lazarus, silent in the parable, seems to quietly bear his<br />
suffering and through it comes to know God’s mercy and the great reversal foreshadowed in Luke 6:20–26.<br />
3 Lazarus seems to have been regularly shunned and ignored. The rich man, whether unaware of Lazarus or<br />
indifferent to his suffering, demonstrates a terrible self-absorption. The rich man never came to appreciate that<br />
Lazarus was a neighbor to him and deserved more than his disregard. Lazarus, in a way, was an opportunity<br />
for charity and an instance for righting the social evil of poverty, but he went entirely ignored.<br />
4 The rich man allowed preoccupation with his fine things to make him distant and indifferent. His wealth did not<br />
become an occasion of generosity but instead had turned him inward. Wealth itself is not evil but places its<br />
owner at risk of increased selfishness and greed — of relying on oneself rather than God. Wealth places upon<br />
its owners’ shoulders a greater responsibility to care for others.<br />
5 The figures represent us, still living. Have we hardened our hearts to the words of Moses and the prophets? If<br />
we do not believe them, why would we believe even in the face of a miracle, or even believe in the One who<br />
has risen from the dead — who is Christ Himself?<br />
6 Accept reasoned, creative responses. An example: [Jesus said] “There was a rich man who dressed in purple<br />
garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named<br />
Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s<br />
table. The rich man, hearing of Lazarus, summoned the poor man and dined with him. When the poor man<br />
died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. Hearing of the death of Lazarus, the rich man<br />
gave his own tomb for the burial. He went out and found others who were hungry and thirsty and sick and<br />
brought them to his table. Each week he went out and gathered more to his home. He gave his last silver coin<br />
to feed the hungry of the city. The poor man, who once was rich, also died and was buried, and he was carried<br />
away by angels to the bosom of Abraham, and there found Lazarus, who once was poor.<br />
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Handout D<br />
Identifying and Applying the Kinds of Justice<br />
Activity #1<br />
This activity is meant to help your students work directly with the content of this chapter and think more<br />
deeply about it.<br />
Scored ____ / 10<br />
Activity Instructions<br />
A Have students use the Chapter text to assist<br />
them in completing the chart on Handout D:<br />
Identifying and Applying the Kinds of Justice.<br />
B Independently or with a partner, students will<br />
need to:<br />
1. Identify the four types of justice described in<br />
the chapter.<br />
2. Briefly define the type of justice.<br />
3. Beyond the examples provided in the text,<br />
identify a way in which this form of justice<br />
may be served.<br />
4. Beyond the examples provided in the text,<br />
identify a way in which this form of justice<br />
may be violated.<br />
C When students have completed the chart, discuss<br />
the results. You may wish to project a blank chart<br />
and fill it in together as you debrief the activity.<br />
D Spend a few moments especially taking time to<br />
compare and discuss the ways in which the forms<br />
of justice are observed or violated.<br />
Handout D<br />
Identifying and Applying<br />
the Kinds of Justice<br />
Directions: Use the Chapter text and your own ideas to complete the graphic organizer below.<br />
1 Identify the 4 types of justice described in the chapter.<br />
2 Briefl y defi ne the type of justice.<br />
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3 Beyond the examples provided in the text, identify a way in which this form of justice may be observed.<br />
4 Beyond the examples provided in the text, identify a way in which this form of justice may be violated.<br />
Type of Justice Brief Definition Justice Observed Justice Violated<br />
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Answer Key<br />
Example of a completed chart:<br />
Type of Justice Brief Definition Justice Observed Justice Violated<br />
Distributive Justice<br />
Making sure all<br />
people have what<br />
they need and<br />
deserve.<br />
A doctor earns a<br />
high salary because<br />
she contributes rare,<br />
highly sought-after<br />
skills to the common<br />
good.<br />
A criminal receives<br />
a punishment that<br />
is harsh and not<br />
proportionate to the<br />
crime committed.<br />
Legal Justice<br />
Everyone should<br />
obey just laws and<br />
respect those with<br />
legitimate authority.<br />
Recognizing the<br />
authority of political<br />
leaders even if you<br />
didn’t vote for them.<br />
Gerrymandering:<br />
using legal means of<br />
redistricting in order<br />
to deprive certain<br />
groups of voting<br />
power.<br />
Commutative Justice<br />
Everyone should<br />
obey just laws and<br />
respect those with<br />
legitimate authority.<br />
A car mechanic<br />
makes a fair estimate<br />
for a repair and<br />
stands by it.<br />
An employer doesn’t<br />
pay the contracted<br />
salary to her<br />
employees.<br />
<strong>Social</strong> Justice<br />
Responsibility of<br />
society to respect<br />
the dignity of each<br />
person.<br />
A community makes<br />
resources available to<br />
families struggling to<br />
afford food.<br />
More powerful<br />
members of a<br />
society oppress<br />
another group and<br />
disenfranchise them.<br />
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Handout E<br />
Excerpt from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”<br />
by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<br />
Activity #2<br />
This activity is meant to help extend, deepen, or apply the learning that has occurred in this chapter.<br />
Scored ____ / 10<br />
Activity Instructions<br />
A Project or write on the board the quotation:<br />
One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I submit<br />
that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty<br />
of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing<br />
the highest respect for law. — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<br />
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Handout E<br />
Excerpt from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”<br />
by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<br />
______/ 10 pts.<br />
4 Considering the last paragraph, why is “legal” not the same as “moral” or “good?” What are examples of<br />
laws in our country today that allow for harmful or immoral behavior?<br />
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Directions: Visit SophiaOnline.org/MLKLetter and skim over “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Rev.<br />
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King wrote this letter in 1963 from his jail cell, where he had been<br />
incarcerated for his role in organizing nonviolent protests against segregationist policies in<br />
Birmingham, Alabama.<br />
Read carefully from the paragraph beginning “Since we so diligently urge<br />
people to obey the Supreme Court's decision of 1954 outlawing segregation<br />
in the public schools” to the paragraph ending “If today I lived in a Communist<br />
country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I<br />
would openly advocate disobeying that country's antireligious laws.”<br />
As you read, pay close attention to the ways in which Dr. King echoes<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> teachings on just and unjust law in his letter. Then, answer the<br />
following questions and prepare for a discussion.<br />
1 According to Martin Luther King, Jr., why are segregation laws<br />
unjust? What is the origin of segregation, and why is it something<br />
that ought to be resisted?<br />
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Martin Luther King Photo Credit:<br />
Warren K. Leffl er (March 2 1965).<br />
2 Dr. King was not <strong>Catholic</strong>, but he identifi es two <strong>Catholic</strong> saints in his description of just law. Identify them<br />
and describe how their teaching refl ects King’s message.<br />
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5 Write a brief refl ection explaining your response to the following quotation:<br />
“One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I<br />
submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the<br />
penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality<br />
expressing the highest respect for law.”<br />
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3 What does King say that is directly refl ected in your chapter reading on legal justice?<br />
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B Ask the class to put this quote in their own words. Then, using leading questions, help them see that King is<br />
carefully distinguishing here between “a law” (or man-made law) and “law,” by which he means something else<br />
entirely. (Underline the last word of the quotation to emphasize this point.) What might he mean by this? By<br />
“law” King means a higher law — God’s law. Man-made law that contradicts God’s law only purports to be law;<br />
it is not in fact law and is not binding on our conscience.<br />
C Transition to the activity by asking the class what they already know about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Keep<br />
a list on the board of facts and biographical information.<br />
D Ask specifically what they may know about King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” He wrote this letter in 1963<br />
from his jail cell, where he had been incarcerated for his role in organizing nonviolent protests against segregationist<br />
policies in Birmingham, Alabama.<br />
E<br />
F<br />
Distribute and have students refer to Handout E: Excerpt from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Rev.<br />
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Then have them visit SophiaOnline.org/MLKLetter and skim over “Letter from a<br />
Birmingham Jail” and answer the questions on the worksheet. They should carefully read from the paragraph beginning<br />
“Since we so diligently urge people to obey the Supreme Court’s decision of 1954 outlawing segregation<br />
in the public schools” to the paragraph ending “If today I lived in a Communist country where certain principles<br />
dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that country’s antireligious laws.”<br />
Review answers and discuss when students have finished the assignment.<br />
Answer Key<br />
Accept reasoned answers such as the suggested answers below:<br />
1 Laws requiring segregation are “politically, economically, and sociologically unsound” and “morally wrong and<br />
sinful.” Segregation “distorts the soul and damages the personality,” and it brings to life in a terrible way the<br />
alienation and separation that occurs through sin. He urges disobedience to segregation laws because they<br />
are intrinsically morally wrong.<br />
2 He quotes St. Augustine: “an unjust law is no law at all” (De Libero Arbitrio i, 5). This reflects the idea that laws<br />
that are inherently opposed to justice are not truly laws. He also paraphrases St. Thomas Aquinas: “an unjust<br />
law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law” (paraphrased from Summa Theologica,<br />
I-II, Q. 91, art. 2–3). In other words, man-made laws are unjust when they contradict God’s laws.<br />
3 He says that someone who breaks an unjust law must do so with a willingness to suffer the consequences. His nonviolent<br />
approach to civil disobedience parallels the Church teachings that a resistance to unjust laws must not be<br />
tainted by recourse to violence. Civil laws that directly contradict God’s moral law demand disobedience. Serving God’s<br />
law sometimes demands disobedience to man-made law when man-made law is contrary to God’s will. Resistance to<br />
unjust law and authority should never lead to lawlessness or anarchy but should rather illustrate the moral failings of<br />
the law — something that innocent people submitting to unjust penalties demonstrates to the world. This is one reason<br />
King also emphasizes the importance of willingly accepting the consequences for civil disobedience.<br />
4 Dr. King uses the example of Nazi Germany as a demonstration that legality is not a measure for morality. War<br />
and atrocity under the Nazi regime demanded resistance. Additionally, the Hungarian resistance was itself<br />
illegal disobedience to unjust rule. Unjust laws allow one group’s immoral views to be forced onto another.<br />
Accept reasoned responses: unjust war, legal abortion, legal slavery, socialism, crony capitalism, etc. can all<br />
reflect ways that unjust laws allow some to profit at the expense of others.<br />
5 Accept thoughtful answers.<br />
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Handout F<br />
The Need for Conversion<br />
Activity #3<br />
This activity is meant to help extend, deepen, or apply the learning that has occurred in this chapter.<br />
Scored ____ / 10<br />
Activity Instructions<br />
A Begin by asking the class if anyone has ever<br />
been forced to volunteer their time for a cause<br />
that they did not really believe in or care about,<br />
for example for “service hours” requirements<br />
or other objectives. Follow up by asking if their<br />
hearts were truly in it — or, at least, if they would<br />
have been more involved with the charitable endeavor<br />
if they had personally chosen it. Answers<br />
will vary, but students will likely answer that being<br />
forced to volunteer did not produce the fruits<br />
that would have come from their own freely chosen<br />
actions.<br />
B Explain that “forced charity” is a contradiction<br />
of terms — love cannot be forced, it can only be<br />
freely offered. God Himself grants us free will;<br />
He loves us and wants eternal life for us, but He<br />
does not force anyone to love Him! Of course,<br />
this is NOT to say that there is no value in doing<br />
charitable works out of obligation — students<br />
should keep doing their service hours if they are<br />
required! It is better to help the needy out of obligation<br />
than not to help them. But enforced acts<br />
of goodwill can never bring about true conversion<br />
toward the good or a truly just society.<br />
200 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
Handout F<br />
The Need for Conversion<br />
Directions: Answer the questions and then read the Scripture verses that follow. Finally, answer the<br />
refl ection question.<br />
______/ 10 pts.<br />
1 Have you ever followed a rule grudgingly, even though you disagreed with it? What happened? Did you<br />
come to see wisdom in the rule? Or did you grow more resentful?<br />
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2 Have you ever been required to do a charitable activity or volunteer for a cause you did not personally<br />
believe in? Describe what happened.<br />
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Proverbs 22:16<br />
Oppressing the poor<br />
for enrichment, giving<br />
to the rich: both are<br />
sheer loss.<br />
Reflect<br />
© Sophia Institute for Teachers<br />
Proverbs 31:8–9<br />
Open your mouth in behalf of<br />
the mute, and for the rights of<br />
the destitute;<br />
Open your mouth, judge justly,<br />
defend the needy and the<br />
poor!<br />
Micah 6:8<br />
You have been told, O mortal,<br />
what is good,<br />
and what the LORD requires of you:<br />
Only to do justice and to love<br />
goodness,<br />
and to walk humbly with your God.<br />
It is better to help the needy out of obligation than not to help them. That said, why can<br />
enforced acts of charity never bring about a truly just society? What else is needed?<br />
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C Conclude that as you have been learning for the<br />
last three chapters, a society can only be just if it<br />
is made up of just people. Laws, even if they are<br />
good laws, are not enough for a truly peaceful<br />
world. Have students reflect on the questions on<br />
Handout F: The Need for Conversion and write<br />
brief responses.<br />
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D Then, have them read silently the Scripture verses that follow and respond to the reflection question.<br />
E<br />
Close in a <strong>Catholic</strong> prayer for justice, such as:<br />
Father, you have given all peoples one common origin.<br />
It is your will that they be gathered together<br />
as one family in yourself.<br />
Fill the hearts of mankind with the fire of your love<br />
and with the desire to ensure justice for all.<br />
By sharing the good things you give us,<br />
may we secure an equality for all<br />
our brothers and sisters throughout the world.<br />
May there be an end to division, strife and war.<br />
May there be a dawning of a truly human society<br />
built on love and peace.<br />
We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord.<br />
Amen.<br />
Answer Key<br />
Accept reasoned answers for all.<br />
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Teacher Notes<br />
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High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
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High School Chapter<br />
Different Types<br />
of Justice
High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
175<br />
Chapter Overview<br />
We all have a natural impulse toward justice that arises from our human dignity.<br />
But what exactly is justice? While people may use the term justice to mean<br />
different things, properly speaking, justice is the moral virtue by which we give God<br />
and our neighbor their due. Distributive justice requires that society as a whole<br />
give its members what they deserve based on their contribution to the common<br />
good. Legal justice obliges us to obey legitimate authorities and participate in the<br />
political process. Commutative justice holds people to their promises and requires<br />
us to honor the agreements we make. <strong>Social</strong> justice calls all levels of society to<br />
work together to respect the dignity and ensure the well-being of all people. Finally,<br />
each of these types of justice must be carried out in the spirit of Christian<br />
charity, because without love, there can be no true justice.<br />
In this chapter you will learn that…<br />
■ Justice is a moral virtue that leads the Christian to give God and neighbor their due.<br />
■ Distributive justice accounts for the needs, rewards, and punishments of a person.<br />
■ Legal justice requires one to obey just laws in the service of their society.<br />
■ Commutative justice is served through honoring contracts and conducting economic and social<br />
matters with fairness.<br />
■ <strong>Social</strong> justice necessitates that a member of society respects the dignity of other members and<br />
ensures especially the well-being of the poor and vulnerable.<br />
■ Justice must be tempered with love and mercy.<br />
Bible Basics<br />
Connections to the Catechism<br />
“Do to others whatever you would have them<br />
do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”<br />
MATTHEW 7:12<br />
“We must obey God rather than men.”<br />
ACTS 5:29<br />
CCC 1807<br />
CCC 1928<br />
CCC 1932<br />
CCC 2236<br />
CCC 2238<br />
CCC 2239<br />
CCC 2242<br />
CCC 2243<br />
CCC 2410<br />
CCC 2411<br />
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176 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
Vocabulary<br />
Right (n.): That to which<br />
someone has a just<br />
claim. Some rights, called<br />
natural rights, are Godgiven,<br />
fundamental to<br />
the human person, and<br />
common to all people. It<br />
is the duty of government<br />
to protect our natural<br />
rights. Other rights, called<br />
political rights or civil<br />
rights, can be given and/<br />
or taken away by civil<br />
authority, such as the<br />
right to vote, serve on<br />
juries, or receive a public<br />
education.<br />
From the time we are children, we have an innate sense of justice or fairness.<br />
We do not always grasp what “fair” means, but we do know that we<br />
think life should be fair. Some of a child’s very first protests, usually toward<br />
a sibling or playmate, are against some perceived injustice. The root of<br />
this sense of justice is the innate grasp humans have of the difference<br />
between what one can say is “mine” and what is “yours.” Usually, it begins<br />
with things over which we feel we have some ownership — a toy or an occupied<br />
space, for example — but as we grow, it extends to the boundaries<br />
of our body, mind, and spirit. In these last three, we acknowledge the ownership<br />
we have over bodily integrity, our emotional well-being, conscience,<br />
legitimate freedom, and our relationship to God. The foundation of justice<br />
is the nature and dignity of the human person and the profound need we<br />
have for others to respect what rightfully belongs to us. This need leads to<br />
a corresponding sense of respect we must have for what belongs to others.<br />
In this chapter, we will explore the nature and kinds of justice upon which<br />
any peaceful society depends.<br />
The Moral Virtue of Justice<br />
In order to have<br />
a just society,<br />
we first need<br />
just people.<br />
The simple definition of justice is the “moral virtue that consists in<br />
the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. …<br />
[Justice] disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish<br />
in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard<br />
to persons and to the common good. The just man… is distinguished<br />
by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward<br />
his neighbor” (CCC 1807). Notice that justice is a virtue that resides within<br />
us by means of the firm will to give others their due. The word justice<br />
itself is rooted in a person’s intention to give what is owed or what belongs<br />
to others by right, or ius in Latin. In order to have a just society, we first<br />
need just people. The virtue of justice is primarily about the intention to be<br />
in a right relationship with others by giving them what they are due: love.<br />
Think of justice like the floor of a house; it is the ground of any social<br />
order. Without it, people cannot acquire the most elementary goods necessary<br />
to human life. Justice does not require everyone to be friends or even<br />
to like each other. Justice does, however, require love for God and respect<br />
for the dignity of every human person. In other words, justice demands<br />
that we refrain from ever using other people for our own selfish gain and<br />
that we honor all people as images of the living God. Justice demands we<br />
ensure that society uphold the legitimate rights of every person. Implicitly,<br />
justice acknowledges that each person we encounter, and every society<br />
in which we participate, belongs ultimately to God, who is the sole owner<br />
of everything and so establishes the standard by which we are to treat all<br />
people. That standard is His love. Because God loves us, we are minimally<br />
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Christ’s command to<br />
treat others as we wish<br />
to be treated is the<br />
foundation of social<br />
justice.<br />
Vocabulary<br />
The Golden Rule (n.):<br />
The rule to “do unto<br />
others as you would have<br />
done unto you.” In other<br />
words, to treat others<br />
as you would wish to be<br />
treated. and to love your<br />
neighbor as yourself.<br />
Distributive Justice (n.):<br />
The most basic form of<br />
social relations pertaining<br />
to what any society owes<br />
its individual members<br />
in proportion to their<br />
contributions and needs.<br />
Sermon on the Mount by Ivan Kuzʹmich Makarov (1889).<br />
required to follow the Golden Rule, which is to treat others as we wish<br />
to be treated — to love our neighbor as ourselves. As Jesus put it, “Do to<br />
others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and<br />
the prophets” (Matt. 7:12). This command is the foundation of justice.<br />
Distributive Justice<br />
Over the centuries, great minds have named different forms of justice. The<br />
Church identifies four basic expressions of this virtue: distributive justice,<br />
legal justice, commutative justice, and social justice. Distributive justice<br />
is the most basic form of social relations. It pertains to what any community<br />
or social organization as a whole owes to its individual members.<br />
This distribution is always proportionate to what the members contribute<br />
to the common good. “Those in authority should practice distributive<br />
justice wisely, taking account of the needs and contribution of each,<br />
with a view to harmony and peace. They should take care that the<br />
regulations and measures they adopt are not a source of temptation<br />
by setting personal interest against that of the community” (CCC<br />
2236). Distributive justice also pertains to the just allocation of resources<br />
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178 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
Vocabulary<br />
Law (n.): An ordinance of<br />
reason promulgated by<br />
a proper authority for the<br />
common good.<br />
to those in need, especially concerning public goods and infrastructure,<br />
such as access to water, energy, transportation, clean air and water, and<br />
green spaces. In addition, the distribution of wealth cannot accrue to the<br />
powerful at the expense of the powerless, as when individuals conspire<br />
to pay an artificially low wage to workers.<br />
There are many common examples of distributive justice. For instance,<br />
a nation owes its soldiers honor and gratitude, and we observe this duty<br />
when we erect monuments to our fallen heroes and provide care and support<br />
to our veterans and their families. Governments and judicial authorities<br />
are obliged to uphold and enforce the rule of law for their people and<br />
never oppress them or submit to corruption. If a judge were to go easy in<br />
prosecuting a celebrity yet bring down the full weight of the law on a poor<br />
man who could not afford adequate defense, society would not be distributing<br />
justice fairly. Within the business community, a corporation owes its<br />
workers a just wage and safe working conditions. (And workers owe their<br />
employers an honest day’s work, which we will discuss in the next section).<br />
In the family, parents must provide for the basic needs of their children to<br />
Authority is exercised<br />
legitimately only when<br />
it seeks the common<br />
good and administers<br />
justice accordingly.<br />
<br />
Allegory of Justice by Filippo Tarchiani, Matteo Rosselli,<br />
and Ottavio Vannini (1620–1625).<br />
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the best of their ability — i.e., food, shelter, medical care, education, safety,<br />
etc. All of these examples show us how distributive justice pertains to those<br />
in authority over a community. The responsibility of legitimate authority is<br />
to ensure that society treat every person fairly. Those subject to authority<br />
also have responsibilities, which we will discuss shortly.<br />
Distributive justice also pertains to the fairness surrounding rewards<br />
and punishments. In school, for example, a teacher owes students the<br />
grade they deserve — without inflation or punity. Have you ever suspected<br />
that you received a grade lower than you deserved because a teacher did<br />
not like you? Yet perhaps the opposite has also happened: you may have<br />
received a higher grade than you deserved due to a teacher’s favor. Would<br />
you protest as much in the latter as in the former circumstance? Likewise,<br />
in the criminal justice system, punishments should never be disproportionate<br />
to the crime committed, except perhaps in a case where showing mercy<br />
is appropriate. Furthermore, when people show outstanding success or go<br />
above and beyond the call of duty, we owe such individuals honor through<br />
recognition, awards, and gratitude. As you can see, distributive justice refers<br />
to any situation in which a community gives what is justly due to its<br />
individual members.<br />
Legal Justice<br />
Legal justice is the corollary to distribute justice and pertains to those who<br />
are subject to a higher authority. Individual members of society have an<br />
obligation to contribute to the good of society by building up the common<br />
good. One of the most important ways we do this is by obeying just laws<br />
and respecting those in positions of legitimate authority over us. In general,<br />
to disobey legitimate authority by breaking the law harms the community<br />
and undermines the common good. Those subject to authority “should<br />
regard those in authority as representatives of God, who made them<br />
stewards of his gifts” (CCC 2238). Scripture teaches that all authority<br />
comes from God and is a participation in God’s own governance of the<br />
world. This is why St. Peter wrote, “Be subject to every human institution<br />
for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme or to<br />
governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the<br />
approval of those who do good. For it is the will of God that by doing<br />
good you may silence the ignorance of foolish people. Be free, yet<br />
without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God” (1<br />
Pet. 2:13–16).<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Authority (n.): The quality<br />
of exercising power over<br />
others and expecting<br />
obedience from them.<br />
All communities need<br />
someone or some institution<br />
in authority. Authority is<br />
exercised legitimately only<br />
when it seeks the common<br />
good of the group and<br />
employs morally licit means<br />
to attain it.<br />
Legal Justice (n.): What<br />
each person owes in<br />
fairness to the community,<br />
such as obeying just laws<br />
and respecting legitimate<br />
authority.<br />
Property (n.): Those<br />
things we legitimately<br />
own, including our<br />
material possessions and<br />
the fruits of our labor.<br />
Property helps guarantee<br />
the freedom and dignity<br />
of persons, and helps us<br />
take care of ourselves and<br />
our families. We have a<br />
responsibility to make our<br />
property fruitful and share<br />
its benefits with others,<br />
especially our families.<br />
Just laws exist to establish a proper ordering of social life to the common<br />
good. For example, when a person disobeys traffic laws, they often<br />
put others at risk. Laws that protect property rights and people’s financial<br />
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Vocabulary<br />
Civil Law (n.): A rule<br />
of conduct established<br />
by legitimate human<br />
authority. Just civil law<br />
corresponds to right<br />
reason and is derived<br />
from the eternal law of<br />
God. Unjust civil law<br />
is contrary to reason.<br />
Citizens are obligated<br />
to obey just civil laws<br />
because such laws are<br />
in accordance with the<br />
moral order. Citizens are<br />
obligated in conscience<br />
not to follow unjust civil<br />
laws because such<br />
laws are contrary to the<br />
demands of the moral<br />
order. Citizens must also<br />
not cooperate in practices<br />
allowed by civil law that<br />
are contrary to the Law of<br />
God.<br />
resources provide a sense of security that allows the economy to function<br />
properly. It is thus the duty of citizens “to contribute along with the civil<br />
authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity,<br />
and freedom. The love and service of one’s country follow from the<br />
duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to<br />
legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens<br />
to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community” (CCC<br />
2239). Obedience to higher authority and concern for the good of all are<br />
the primary expressions of legal justice. Another example is when a worker<br />
puts in a hard and honest day’s work for the pay he or she receives. An<br />
old adage for the laborer is that one “ought not work slow for more dough.”<br />
This violates the virtue of legal justice.<br />
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that not every law has the same<br />
gravity or significance. Obviously, murder or dealing drugs is far more<br />
harmful to society than jaywalking. There are even times when it can be<br />
legitimate to break a civil law, especially in the case of an emergency. We<br />
have to distinguish between moral laws that we may never violate — such<br />
as the prohibition against murder, perjury, or treason — and civil laws that<br />
are a matter of convention or custom. The latter laws will often admit exceptions<br />
that do not result in a sin if we have a good and compelling reason<br />
to break them. Think of a husband stopping and then passing through a<br />
red light to get his pregnant wife to the hospital in the middle of the night.<br />
While he breaks a civil law, he does so for a legitimate cause, and thus he<br />
has not violated the virtue of legal justice.<br />
Another function of legal justice is for citizens to participate in the political<br />
process to the extent that they can. This can be through educating<br />
themselves on the issues, voting (in a democracy or democratic republic<br />
such as the United States), paying taxes, and working to ensure that<br />
morally upright men and women govern the commonwealth. Participating<br />
in the political process is an obligation of legal justice and of one’s membership<br />
in a community. We sometimes elect leaders who do not have the<br />
best interest of the commonwealth at heart. Perhaps they mismanage their<br />
responsibilities or, even worse, are engaged in illegal activity. When this<br />
is the case, legal justice obligates the governed to demand reform or a<br />
change of leadership. Everyone is accountable to the rule of law according<br />
to the demands of legal justice, even those in authority. They are not above<br />
civil law, since they are subject to God’s law. In such cases of corruption,<br />
citizens must use legitimate ways to bring about reform.<br />
Legal justice, however, does not necessarily permit citizens to resort to<br />
violent revolution as a means to bring about change. This very often makes<br />
the situation worse by leaving behind a power vacuum filled by a government<br />
even more corrupt. The Church provides several criteria for when a violent<br />
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change of regime may occur. “Armed resistance to oppression by political<br />
authority is not legitimate, unless all the following conditions are met: 1)<br />
there is certain, grave, and prolonged violation of fundamental rights; 2)<br />
all other means of redress have been exhausted; 3) such resistance will<br />
not provoke worse disorders; 4) there is well-founded hope of success;<br />
and 5) it is impossible reasonably to foresee any better solution” (CCC<br />
2243). Another alternative, anarchy, never brings effective change and is always<br />
contrary to justice, since it completely disregards the rule of law.<br />
One last consideration of legal justice is that we are never obligated<br />
to obey a civil law that violates God’s moral law. In fact, we are directly<br />
commanded not to follow it! “The citizen is obliged in conscience not to<br />
follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the<br />
demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or<br />
the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities,<br />
when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience,<br />
finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving<br />
the political community” (CCC 2242). This is what Jesus meant, in<br />
part, when he taught that we ought to “repay to Caesar what belongs to<br />
Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Matt. 22:21). Civil and divine<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Anarchy (n.): A state of<br />
lawlessness. In political<br />
terms, it is a nation or<br />
polity lacking any authority<br />
and governance.<br />
Moral Law (n.): A rule<br />
of conduct established<br />
by competent authority<br />
for the common good.<br />
In biblical terms, the<br />
moral law is the fatherly<br />
instruction of God, setting<br />
forth the ways that lead to<br />
happiness and proscribing<br />
those that lead to evil.<br />
St. Peter Preaching in Jerusalem by Charles Poerson (1642).<br />
St. Peter declared to the<br />
early Church “we must<br />
obey God rather than<br />
men” (Acts 5:29).<br />
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Vocabulary<br />
Civil Disobedience (n.):<br />
The refusal to obey civil<br />
laws or demands and<br />
the willingness to accept<br />
punishment for this<br />
disobedience, as a form<br />
of nonviolent protest.<br />
Commutative Justice<br />
(n.): The regulation<br />
of exchange between<br />
persons and between<br />
institutions in accordance<br />
with a strict respect<br />
for their rights. It<br />
obligates both parties to<br />
responsibility, requires<br />
safeguarding of property<br />
rights, paying debts, and<br />
fulfilling obligations freely<br />
contracted. Without it, no<br />
other form of justice is<br />
possible.<br />
law may differ, and if they ever contradict, we have to follow God’s law. St.<br />
Peter gave us a model for civil disobedience when he refused to obey the<br />
Jewish leaders after they ordered him to stop preaching in the name of Jesus.<br />
Peter declared, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). We<br />
see examples of this today when a soldier chooses not to carry out an order<br />
that kills innocent or civilian populations, or when a doctor refuses to kill an<br />
unborn baby even if a local law says he must perform abortions. However,<br />
with the obligation to disobey unjust laws comes the accompanying need<br />
to submit to any punishment for that disobedience. This duty, which Christ<br />
models for us perfectly on the Cross, may have the effect of shocking the<br />
conscience of observers and may help bring about the repeal of unjust laws.<br />
Whether or not our disobedience has this effect, this demand of the Church<br />
is one of the harder but undeniable truths of Christian discipleship.<br />
Commutative Justice<br />
The next kind of justice is commutative justice. This form of justice is<br />
common in the marketplace, where people enter into contractual agreements<br />
with each other. “Contracts are subject to commutative justice<br />
which regulates exchanges between persons and between institutions<br />
in accordance with a strict respect for their rights” (CCC 2411).<br />
Contract (n.): A legally<br />
binding agreement<br />
between two or more<br />
parties that can be<br />
dissolved once the<br />
conditions of the<br />
agreement have been<br />
fulfilled (or not) or upon<br />
mutual agreement.<br />
Christ on the Cross is <br />
our perfect model<br />
and example in times<br />
when we face the<br />
earthly challenges of<br />
Christian discipleship.<br />
Christ on the Cross between Mary and St. John by Albrecht Altdorfer (ca. 1512).<br />
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Lives of Faith<br />
St. Martin de Porres<br />
Fifteen-year-old Martin de Porres arrived at the<br />
entrance to the Dominican Priory of the Holy<br />
Rosary in Lima, Peru. His greatest desire was to<br />
follow Christ through a life of service to the poor<br />
and sick in this religious community. But there was<br />
one major impediment to his dream of becoming a<br />
Dominican: he was of mixed race.<br />
Martin had grown up in extreme poverty. His<br />
father, a Spanish gentleman, had abandoned<br />
young Martin and his mother, a freed Panamanian<br />
slave of African or Native American descent. After<br />
a short time in primary school, Martin learned<br />
under a barber who taught him to cut hair and<br />
provide basic medical care. It was this medical<br />
training that Martin hoped to put to good use in<br />
the service of the poor.<br />
At the time, being of mixed race meant that<br />
Martin could not become a professed member of<br />
the Dominicans. But nothing would deter Martin<br />
from serving God. Regardless of the ridicule and<br />
derision that he experienced, he chose to volunteer<br />
as a servant in the priory. He used his medical<br />
training to help those who were sick and injured.<br />
He also cleaned, did laundry, and worked<br />
in the kitchen. He joyfully completed all of these<br />
humble tasks while suffering great injustice at the<br />
hands of many in the community. He was a man<br />
of deep prayer, which gave him the strength to<br />
endure all that God asked of<br />
him in his mission.<br />
The greater the struggle,<br />
the more abundant the<br />
graces that God pours out on<br />
those souls who cooperate<br />
in His plan. After eight<br />
years, Martin was granted<br />
the privilege of becoming<br />
a professed member of the<br />
Third Order of St. Dominic.<br />
After 10 years, he was placed<br />
in charge of the infirmary,<br />
where he served all peoples<br />
regardless of race or economic background.<br />
Rather than fall into bitterness, Martin instead<br />
always sought to serve Christ in love.<br />
It was St. Martin’s total surrender to God in<br />
love, and his great love for all people, that gave him<br />
the strength to endure the injustice he experienced<br />
during his life in the sixteenth century. He not only<br />
fulfilled his dream of becoming a Dominican, but<br />
he also was said to have been given extraordinary<br />
supernatural gifts from God including: bilocation,<br />
aerial flights, instant cures, miraculous knowledge,<br />
spiritual knowledge, and a close relationship with<br />
animals. St. Martin understood that only the love<br />
of God conquers hate.<br />
[N]othing<br />
would deter<br />
Martin from<br />
serving God.<br />
Photo credit: Pitxiquin (January 4, 2017)<br />
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Vocabulary<br />
Economic Justice (n.):<br />
A particular expression<br />
of commutative justice.<br />
It pertains exclusively<br />
to the moral obligations<br />
of individuals, business,<br />
and governments<br />
concerning just wages,<br />
stable currencies, fair<br />
interest rates on loans,<br />
safe working conditions<br />
for laborers, and other<br />
responsibilities associated<br />
with economic life.<br />
Covenant (n.): A sacred<br />
permanent bond of<br />
family relationship. God<br />
entered into a series<br />
of covenants with His<br />
People throughout<br />
Salvation History to<br />
invite us to be part of<br />
His divine family and to<br />
prepare us gradually and<br />
in stages, words, and<br />
deeds to receive the gift<br />
of salvation.<br />
Commutative justice always involves two parties of equal standing and the<br />
certain shared obligations they have toward each other. It often contributes<br />
to social order through the mutual respect each person has for another’s<br />
property. We see examples of commutative justice whenever we make a<br />
purchase at a store. When you buy something, your obligation is to pay<br />
the agreed price. The seller’s obligation is to give you exactly what you<br />
have paid for. To shortchange a seller, or for a seller not to deliver on the<br />
promised good or service, is a violation of commutative justice.<br />
This type of justice compels us to keep our word and honor our commitments.<br />
It also pertains to lending and borrowing. We must always pay back<br />
a just loan and return borrowed goods in the same condition we borrowed<br />
them. If you borrow your friend’s car with a full tank of gas, you should<br />
return the car with a full tank of gas. This is how the Church explains it:<br />
“Promises must be kept and contracts strictly observed to the extent<br />
that the commitments made in them are morally just. A significant<br />
part of economic and social life depends on the honoring of contracts<br />
between physical or moral persons — commercial contracts of purchase<br />
or sale, rental or labor contracts. All contracts must be agreed<br />
to and executed in good faith” (CCC 2410). Another form of justice that<br />
you might hear about, economic justice, is a particular expression of<br />
commutative justice. It pertains exclusively to the moral obligations of individuals,<br />
business, and governments concerning just wages, stable currencies,<br />
fair interest rates on loans, safe working conditions for laborers, and<br />
other responsibilities associated with economic life. It also obliges laborers<br />
to work honestly for their pay.<br />
Generally, when one of the parties to a contractual agreement fails<br />
to meet their obligation, the other party is free of the contract. This distinguishes<br />
a contractual from a covenantal relationship. In a covenant,<br />
both parties are obligated to the terms of the covenant, even if one party<br />
fails. Thus, God is always faithful to His covenant, even when we are not.<br />
Likewise, in Marriage, a covenant binds spouses to each other as long<br />
as they both live. Their Marriage is not a contract but a permanent bond<br />
that remains despite the failure of one or both parties. This is what makes<br />
covenants stable and contracts more fluid. Society needs both covenantal<br />
and contractual relationships. They differ by the nature of the agreement<br />
between two parties. Yet commutative justice is at work in both covenants<br />
and contracts. We are always obligated to fulfill what we have promised to<br />
do so long as the agreement is morally sound and reasonable.<br />
In summary of these first three kinds of justice, the Catechism states,<br />
“Commutative justice obliges strictly; it requires safeguarding property<br />
rights, paying debts, and fulfilling obligations freely contracted.<br />
Without commutative justice, no other form of justice is possible. One<br />
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Pope Pius XI articulated<br />
the concept of social<br />
justice as the fourth form<br />
of justice observed by<br />
the Church.<br />
Vocabulary<br />
<strong>Social</strong> Justice (n.): The<br />
responsibility of each<br />
member of society to<br />
respect the dignity of<br />
every human being, and<br />
the rights which flow from<br />
that dignity and guarantee<br />
it. Society must provide<br />
the conditions that allow<br />
people to obtain what is<br />
their due according to<br />
their nature and vocation.<br />
Pope Pius XI by Alberto Felici (1930).<br />
distinguishes commutative justice from legal justice which concerns<br />
what the citizen owes in fairness to the community, and from distributive<br />
justice which regulates what the community owes its citizens in<br />
proportion to their contributions and needs” (CCC 2411). Historically,<br />
the Church has taught these three as the primary forms of justice. More<br />
recently, however, due to significant changes to the socioeconomic order<br />
and events such as the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and<br />
the growing poverty of the southern hemisphere, Pope Pius XI introduced<br />
a fourth form of justice — social justice.<br />
<strong>Social</strong> Justice<br />
You will often hear people sum up the Church’s social teaching by referring<br />
to it as “social justice.” This is not an accurate way to speak of <strong>Catholic</strong><br />
<strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong>, however. <strong>Social</strong> justice is a term that needs clarification<br />
because it is often misunderstood. Note that all justice involves multiple<br />
persons — it is all based on relationships: our relationship with God and<br />
our relationships with one another. Therefore, the term social justice is, in<br />
a way, redundant. All justice is by definition social, because it necessarily<br />
involves more than one person.<br />
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186 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
Vocabulary<br />
<strong>Social</strong>ism (n.): An<br />
economic and political<br />
philsophy in which the<br />
means of production,<br />
distubtution, and<br />
exchange is owned by the<br />
centralized government.<br />
The individual does<br />
not own the fruits of his<br />
labor, but relies on the<br />
government to distribute<br />
goods.<br />
Marxism (n.): The<br />
political, economic, and<br />
social theory of Karl<br />
Marx, which holds that<br />
all history is the history of<br />
class struggle. The perfect<br />
society to Marx is one<br />
where the workers control<br />
the means of production,<br />
all property is held in<br />
common, with each<br />
contributing according to<br />
his ability, and receiving<br />
according to his need.<br />
Communists later claimed<br />
to base their actions on<br />
Marxist thought.<br />
Temporal Welfare (n.):<br />
The good pertaining to<br />
this earth, as oppossed<br />
to the good pertaining to<br />
Heaven or eternity.<br />
People sometimes wrongly use the term social justice to refer to a<br />
socialist economic order, which abolishes private property and places the<br />
ownership and control of wealth primarily in the hands of a government. In<br />
the Marxist use of the term, socialism refers to a form of government that<br />
seeks to level the economic playing field by force through a centralized<br />
economy that supposedly will abolish every form of social and economic<br />
injustice. Simply put, the idea is that government could somehow equally<br />
distribute goods to everyone. For reasons we will address in a later chapter,<br />
the Church rejects socialism as a socioeconomic system because it is<br />
opposed to a Christian view of the human person and society (CCC 2425).<br />
In short, socialism can never be just because it undermines the basic right<br />
to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor and destroys the right to exercise free<br />
initiative in the economy (CCC 2429). <strong>Social</strong>ism and communism are also<br />
based on a flawed view of the human person, viewing all of history as nothing<br />
more than class struggle. Therefore, when the Church speaks of social<br />
justice, she means something very different.<br />
A simple definition of social justice is the responsibility of each member<br />
of a society to respect the dignity of every human being created in the image<br />
and likeness of God. “Society ensures social justice when it provides<br />
the conditions that allow associations or individuals to obtain what is<br />
their due, according to their nature and their vocation. <strong>Social</strong> justice is<br />
linked to the common good and the exercise of authority” (CCC 1928).<br />
Most fundamentally, society must ensure that all people can fulfill their basic<br />
human needs, and the primary way to meet these needs is through a full participation<br />
in social life. Yet individuals cannot fully participate in socioeconomic<br />
life without the cooperation of others and just social conditions. Minimally,<br />
what social justice requires is that every sector of society takes responsibility<br />
for creating the conditions for each individual and family to start a business<br />
or find employment, socialize with others, and participate in politics in order<br />
to guarantee our temporal welfare. <strong>Social</strong> justice requires a collaboration<br />
between governments, businesses, and other institutions to create a stable<br />
economy that allows for just wages, safe working conditions, adequate transportation,<br />
and the ability of people to start businesses and have access to<br />
employment and any education needed to participate in economic activity.<br />
In cases where people are disabled and unable to work, society (that is,<br />
everyone) must also find effective means to see that these individuals have<br />
access to supports that provide for their temporal welfare in the absence of<br />
work (CCC 2426–2436). These services may be provided by extended family,<br />
private charities, government agencies, or a combination of all three. In the<br />
case of vulnerable individuals, such as the unborn, the displaced, and the elderly,<br />
society (again, everyone) must work to provide these groups of people<br />
with special protection, especially from abortion, exploitation, and euthanasia.<br />
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The primary virtue at play in social justice is a sense of personal responsibility<br />
for the basic needs of those who are most vulnerable and struggle<br />
to support themselves. The commitment to social justice is what makes<br />
certain that no one falls through the cracks of society because of extreme<br />
poverty, oppression, or social exclusion. As a virtue, this responsibility obligates<br />
us to help our neighbor if we are able or to support services like food<br />
banks if we have no other way to help.<br />
These acts are not a matter of charity but of justice; each of us is<br />
responsible for ensuring that no one is deprived of their basic needs. As<br />
Scripture teaches us, we are our neighbor’s keeper. Jesus’ parable of the<br />
Good Samaritan illustrated the point beautifully (Luke 10:29–37). And as<br />
the Church teaches, “The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others<br />
and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it<br />
involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area this may be. ‘As you<br />
did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’” (CCC<br />
1932). While this responsibility is a social responsibility for everyone, we<br />
exercise it individually as we do what we can to make sure that social<br />
conditions are not marginalizing or excluding anyone. For each individual,<br />
the practice of social justice depends on their unique circumstances and<br />
social position.<br />
The commitment<br />
to social justice<br />
is what makes<br />
certain that no<br />
one falls through<br />
the cracks of<br />
society because of<br />
extreme poverty,<br />
oppression, or<br />
social exclusion.<br />
Marx and Engels at the Rheinische Zeitung by E. Capiro (1849).<br />
Karl Marx and Friedrich<br />
Engels published The<br />
Communist Manifesto<br />
in 1848, asserting<br />
therein that the basis<br />
of all human history is<br />
class struggle and social<br />
conflict.<br />
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<strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
?<br />
Isn’t it more important to work for justice<br />
than to engage in charity?<br />
In the often intense cry for “social justice”<br />
in our political environment, we<br />
hear some people express a disdain for<br />
works of Christian charity. This perspective<br />
originates in a Marxist view of social<br />
life, which maintains that charitable<br />
works create a class of people who are<br />
dependent upon the rich. This leaves<br />
the poor powerless and without a voice,<br />
so some claim. While the Church clearly<br />
acknowledges the reality of oppression<br />
and the social marginalization of the<br />
poor, she also believes, as Jesus taught<br />
us, that social order requires both justice<br />
and charity (Matt. 5–7). We will discuss<br />
this belief at length in the next chapter.<br />
For the moment, keep in mind that<br />
justice and charity are a social responsibility<br />
of Christian discipleship and are<br />
related integrally to each other. In justice,<br />
we give to others what we owe to<br />
them — what belongs to them by right.<br />
In charity, we give to others what belongs<br />
to us by right out of generosity.<br />
Holiness requires both, since each virtue<br />
contributes to the perfection of the<br />
human will in respect to love of God and<br />
neighbor. Society also needs both forms<br />
of self-giving. We must give to others<br />
what is due to them; and situations<br />
exist in which God calls us to give beyond<br />
what belongs to us in charity — as<br />
He has done for us. The primary social<br />
expressions of charity are the fourteen<br />
works of mercy, which we will discuss in<br />
a later chapter.<br />
The other important aspect of how<br />
justice and charity relate to each other<br />
is that without love of neighbor, people<br />
will not act justly toward others but selfishly.<br />
Thus, the idea that justice alone<br />
can rightly order society is misguided.<br />
Justice without charity makes society<br />
harsh and merciless. Human beings<br />
need more than fair treatment; since we<br />
are all sinners, we need the love and<br />
mercy of others.<br />
Pope Benedict XVI explained the<br />
need for charity and justice in his letter<br />
Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love). It<br />
is a long passage worth quoting in its<br />
entirety:<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Generosity (n.): The quality of freely<br />
and abundantly giving to others.<br />
Love — caritas — will always prove<br />
necessary, even in the most just society.<br />
There is no ordering of the State<br />
so just that it can eliminate the need<br />
for a service of love. Whoever wants<br />
to eliminate love is preparing to eliminate<br />
man as such. There will always<br />
be suffering which cries out for consolation<br />
and help. There will always<br />
be loneliness. There will always be<br />
situations of material need where<br />
help in the form of concrete love of<br />
neighbor is indispensable. The State<br />
which would provide everything, absorbing<br />
everything into itself, would<br />
ultimately become a mere bureaucracy<br />
incapable of guaranteeing<br />
the very thing which the suffering<br />
person — every person — needs:<br />
namely, loving personal concern.<br />
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We do not need a State which regulates<br />
and controls everything, but a<br />
State which, in accordance with the<br />
principle of subsidiarity, generously<br />
acknowledges and supports initiatives<br />
arising from the different social<br />
forces and combines spontaneity<br />
with closeness to those in need. The<br />
Church is one of those living forces:<br />
she is alive with the love enkindled<br />
by the Spirit of Christ. This love does<br />
not simply offer people material<br />
help, but refreshment and care for<br />
their souls, something which often<br />
is even more necessary than material<br />
support. In the end, the claim<br />
that just social structures would<br />
make works of charity superfluous<br />
masks a materialist conception of<br />
man: the mistaken notion that man<br />
can live “by bread alone” (Mt 4:4; cf.<br />
Dt 8:3) — a conviction that demeans<br />
man and ultimately disregards all<br />
that is specifically human. (28)<br />
We have to remember that we cannot<br />
achieve perfect justice in this life. God has<br />
reserved that for eternal life, in which He<br />
judges all things perfectly. Human beings<br />
do not have the wisdom, power, or the<br />
authority to right every wrong — to create<br />
a perfect society. Every attempt to do so<br />
has created the worst social conditions of<br />
injustice known to human history under<br />
totalitarian states. In the next chapter, we<br />
will look more closely at what the Church<br />
teaches about the necessity of justice<br />
and charity to the social order.<br />
Christ of the Coin by Anthony van Dyck (ca. 1625).<br />
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190 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
The Truth Is…<br />
The topic of social justice has come to be widely misunderstood in our society.<br />
The modern world thinks if we only right every wrong, real or imagined, then we<br />
can achieve a perfect society. At face value, this does not seem so bad. After<br />
all, is justice not giving people their due? If someone is wrong, then correcting<br />
them is an act of justice! The problem is that our society has come to define<br />
what is wrong and what is right without any reference to God’s law. In fact,<br />
God’s law and the natural law have been discarded for the whims of human<br />
fancy — or worse, the schemes of those who have been corrupted by wealth<br />
and power. The modern idea of social justice tends to align itself more with<br />
socialism than with justice, and this is precisely why we as <strong>Catholic</strong>s have a<br />
responsibility to discuss and practice what the Church teaches about authentic<br />
social justice.<br />
The Church has always taught that the social order requires both authentic<br />
justice and charity. Someone who does in fact co-opt the term social justice<br />
as a cover for socialist and communist policies undermines human dignity by<br />
inverting the relationship between the government and the individual and dismissing<br />
the human right to property and autonomy. Handing over the responsibility<br />
of caring for others to the government is not only a dodge, but it leads to<br />
worse treatment of the poor and, ironically, creates more poor people. On the<br />
other hand, someone who totally dismisses social justice as a cover for socialism<br />
ignores the fact that we have a solemn duty as Christians and as human<br />
beings to care for the true dignity of others. We must practice true, Christian<br />
social justice in order to combat both these flawed points of view, and — as<br />
always — that process begins with conversion to Christ at the individual and<br />
family level. You are at an age now where you can truly begin to exercise justice<br />
in a social context, and you can start by giving a witness of respect and<br />
love to your family, friends, and community.<br />
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High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
191<br />
Handout A<br />
Focus and Reflection Questions<br />
1 What is the foundation of justice?<br />
2 What do we owe each person in order to have a just society?<br />
3 What is the Golden Rule? Where can we find it in Scripture?<br />
4 What are the four basic expressions of justice that the Church identifies?<br />
5 What makes up distributive justice? Explain two key principles.<br />
6 How do citizens uphold legal justice?<br />
7 When is it morally permissible, and even necessary, to break a law?<br />
8 What does commutative justice regulate? Whom does it involve?<br />
9 What is the difference between a covenant and a contract, and how do both reflect commutative<br />
justice?<br />
10 What is social justice? Why is social justice incompatible with socialism?<br />
11 Why is supporting those in need not a matter of charity but of justice?<br />
12 What injustices did St. Martin de Porres experience in his family life? In the Dominican community?<br />
What lessons can we learn from his response?<br />
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<strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
Handout B<br />
Straight to the Source<br />
ADDITIONAL READINGS FROM PRIMARY SOURCES<br />
Mater et Magistra 34, An Encyclical Letter of Pope St. John XXIII, May 15, 1961<br />
34. Pope Pius XI further emphasized the fundamental opposition between Communism and Christianity,<br />
and made it clear that no <strong>Catholic</strong> could subscribe even to moderate <strong>Social</strong>ism. The reason is that<br />
<strong>Social</strong>ism is founded on a doctrine of human society which is bounded by time and takes no account of<br />
any objective other than that of material well-being. Since, therefore, it proposes a form of social organization<br />
which aims solely at production, it places too severe a restraint on human liberty, at the same time<br />
flouting the true notion of social authority.<br />
1 In this encyclical, Pope St. John XIII describes the opposition between Christianity and what?<br />
2 Why can <strong>Catholic</strong>s never subscribe even to moderate socialism?<br />
3 What two flaws flow from socialism’s sole focus on production?<br />
Sollicitudo Rei <strong>Social</strong>is 41, An Encyclical Letter of Pope St. John Paul II,<br />
December 30, 1987<br />
The Church’s social doctrine is not a “third way” between liberal capitalism and Marxist collectivism, nor<br />
even a possible alternative to other solutions less radically opposed to one another: rather, it constitutes<br />
a category of its own. Nor is it an ideology, but rather the accurate formulation of the results of a careful<br />
reflection on the complex realities of human existence, in society and in the international order, in the light<br />
of faith and of the Church’s tradition. Its main aim is to interpret these realities, determining their conformity<br />
with or divergence from the lines of the Gospel teaching on man and his vocation, a vocation which is at<br />
once earthly and transcendent; its aim is thus to guide Christian behavior. It therefore belongs to the field,<br />
not of ideology, but of theology and particularly of moral theology.<br />
The teaching and spreading of her social doctrine are part of the Church’s evangelizing mission. And since<br />
it is a doctrine aimed at guiding people’s behavior, it consequently gives rise to a “commitment to justice,”<br />
according to each individual’s role, vocation and circumstances.<br />
The condemnation of evils and injustices is also part of that ministry of evangelization in the social field<br />
which is an aspect of the Church’s prophetic role. But it should be made clear that proclamation is always<br />
more important than condemnation, and the latter cannot ignore the former, which gives it true solidity<br />
and the force of higher motivation.<br />
1 What does Pope St. John Paul II say that the Church’s social doctrine is NOT?<br />
2 What does he describe as the main aim of the Church’s social doctrine? What is it aimed at guiding?<br />
3 How does the pope describe the right balance between the condemnation of injustice and the<br />
proclamation of the Gospel within the ministry of evangelization?<br />
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Handout B<br />
Straight to the Source<br />
ADDITIONAL READINGS FROM PRIMARY SOURCES<br />
Quadragesimo Anno 137, An Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI, May 15, 1931<br />
The law of charity, “which is the bond of perfection,” must always take a leading role. How completely<br />
deceived, therefore, are those rash reformers who concern themselves with the enforcement of justice<br />
alone — and this, commutative justice — and in their pride reject the assistance of charity! Admittedly, no<br />
vicarious charity can substitute for justice which is due as an obligation and is wrongfully denied. Yet even<br />
supposing that everyone should finally receive all that is due him, the widest field for charity will always<br />
remain open. For justice alone can, if faithfully observed, remove the causes of social conflict but can<br />
never bring about union of minds and hearts. Indeed all the institutions for the establishment of peace<br />
and the promotion of mutual help among men, however perfect these may seem, have the principal foundation<br />
of their stability in the mutual bond of minds and hearts whereby the members are united with one<br />
another. If this bond is lacking, the best of regulations come to naught, as we have learned by too frequent<br />
experience. And so, then only will true cooperation be possible for a single common good when the constituent<br />
parts of society deeply feel themselves members of one great family and children of the same<br />
Heavenly Father; nay, that they are one body in Christ, “but severally members one of another,” so that “if<br />
one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with it.” For then the rich and others in positions of<br />
power will change their former indifference toward their poorer brothers into a solicitous and active love,<br />
listen with kindliness to their just demands, and freely forgive their possible mistakes and faults. And the<br />
workers, sincerely putting aside every feeling of hatred or envy which the promoters of social conflict so<br />
cunningly exploit, will not only accept without rancor the place in human society assigned them by Divine<br />
Providence, but rather will hold it in esteem, knowing well that everyone according to his function and duty<br />
is toiling usefully and honorably for the common good and is following closely in the footsteps of Him Who,<br />
being in the form of God, willed to be a carpenter among men and be known as the son of a carpenter.<br />
1 Why are regulations insufficient for true cooperation among persons in a society? What more is<br />
needed?<br />
2 Why does the pope invoke Jesus as the son of a carpenter? What point is he making with this<br />
example?<br />
3 The pope refers to “promoters of social conflict” in this passage. What evidence do you see around<br />
you of those seeking to exploit feelings of resentment among workers? How can this be combatted<br />
with charity?<br />
© Sophia Institute for Teachers
High School Chapter<br />
Different Types<br />
of Justice
High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice<br />
195<br />
Handout C<br />
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus<br />
______/ 10 pts.<br />
Directions: Read the following parable. Then answer the questions and prepare to discuss.<br />
Luke 16:19–31<br />
[Jesus said] “There was a rich man who dressed in<br />
purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously<br />
each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named<br />
Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have<br />
eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s<br />
table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.<br />
When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels<br />
to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died<br />
and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he<br />
was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham<br />
far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father<br />
Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the<br />
tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am<br />
suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied,<br />
‘My child, remember that you received what was good<br />
during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received<br />
what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas<br />
you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you<br />
a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from<br />
crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours<br />
or from your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you,<br />
father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five<br />
brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come<br />
to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They<br />
have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’<br />
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from<br />
the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham<br />
said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,<br />
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise<br />
from the dead.’”<br />
1 Who are the two main characters in the first part of the story? How do the fates of these two characters<br />
compare to the earthly lives they lived?<br />
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2 Why do you think Lazarus is named, and the rich man is not?<br />
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3 How does the rich man’s life demonstrate injustice through his relationship (or lack thereof) with<br />
Lazarus? What did he owe to the beggar at his door?<br />
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196 <strong>Exploring</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong><br />
4 Note that in telling this parable, Christ does not condemn the rich man’s wealth itself; what instead does<br />
He show that the rich man has allowed wealth to do to him? What responsibility comes with wealth?<br />
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5 The rich man pleads with Abraham to allow Lazarus to warn his fathers and brothers, who are still living,<br />
of the fate the rich man has suffered. Whom do these figures represent? How does Abraham’s response<br />
serve as a warning?<br />
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6 What could the rich man have done to achieve God’s justice? Rewrite the parable into an imagined one<br />
in which Christ instead praises the rich man for his just acts.<br />
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197<br />
Handout D<br />
Identifying and Applying<br />
the Kinds of Justice<br />
______/ 10 pts.<br />
Directions: Use the Chapter text and your own ideas to complete the graphic organizer below.<br />
1 Identify the 4 types of justice described in the chapter.<br />
2 Briefly define the type of justice.<br />
3 Beyond the examples provided in the text, identify a way in which this form of justice may be observed.<br />
4 Beyond the examples provided in the text, identify a way in which this form of justice may be violated.<br />
Type of Justice Brief Definition Justice Observed Justice Violated<br />
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Handout E<br />
Excerpt from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”<br />
by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<br />
______/ 10 pts.<br />
Directions: Visit SophiaOnline.org/MLKLetter and skim over “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Rev.<br />
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King wrote this letter in 1963 from his jail cell, where he had been<br />
incarcerated for his role in organizing nonviolent protests against segregationist policies in<br />
Birmingham, Alabama.<br />
Read carefully from the paragraph beginning “Since we so diligently urge<br />
people to obey the Supreme Court's decision of 1954 outlawing segregation<br />
in the public schools” to the paragraph ending “If today I lived in a Communist<br />
country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I<br />
would openly advocate disobeying that country's antireligious laws.”<br />
As you read, pay close attention to the ways in which Dr. King echoes<br />
<strong>Catholic</strong> teachings on just and unjust law in his letter. Then, answer the<br />
following questions and prepare for a discussion.<br />
1 According to Martin Luther King, Jr., why are segregation laws<br />
unjust? What is the origin of segregation, and why is it something<br />
that ought to be resisted?<br />
_____________________________________________________<br />
_____________________________________________________<br />
Martin Luther King Photo Credit:<br />
Warren K. Leffler (March 2 1965).<br />
_____________________________________________________<br />
2 Dr. King was not <strong>Catholic</strong>, but he identifies two <strong>Catholic</strong> saints in his description of just law. Identify them<br />
and describe how their teaching reflects King’s message.<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
3 What does King say that is directly reflected in your chapter reading on legal justice?<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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4 Considering the last paragraph, why is “legal” not the same as “moral” or “good?” What are examples of<br />
laws in our country today that allow for harmful or immoral behavior?<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
5 Write a brief reflection explaining your response to the following quotation:<br />
“One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I<br />
submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the<br />
penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality<br />
expressing the highest respect for law.”<br />
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____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Handout F<br />
The Need for Conversion<br />
______/ 10 pts.<br />
Directions: Answer the questions and then read the Scripture verses that follow. Finally, answer the<br />
reflection question.<br />
1 Have you ever followed a rule grudgingly, even though you disagreed with it? What happened? Did you<br />
come to see wisdom in the rule? Or did you grow more resentful?<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
2 Have you ever been required to do a charitable activity or volunteer for a cause you did not personally<br />
believe in? Describe what happened.<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
____________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Proverbs 22:16<br />
Oppressing the poor<br />
for enrichment, giving<br />
to the rich: both are<br />
sheer loss.<br />
Proverbs 31:8–9<br />
Open your mouth in behalf of<br />
the mute, and for the rights of<br />
the destitute;<br />
Open your mouth, judge justly,<br />
defend the needy and the<br />
poor!<br />
Micah 6:8<br />
You have been told, O mortal,<br />
what is good,<br />
and what the LORD requires of you:<br />
Only to do justice and to love<br />
goodness,<br />
and to walk humbly with your God.<br />
Reflect<br />
It is better to help the needy out of obligation than not to help them. That said, why can<br />
enforced acts of charity never bring about a truly just society? What else is needed?<br />
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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© Sophia Institute for Teachers