COLORS OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS

We belong to one global family & we are challenged to be in solidarity with our brothers & sisters around

the globe

world poverty – over 3Billion live on less than $2.50/ day

- 18 children die every minute (26,000/day) due to poverty

- over 9M people (of w/c 5million are children) die bec. Of hunger & malnutrition

- 1.1 billion (18%) do not have access to safe water

Common good Pope John XXIII (Pacem in Terris, 1963):The common good requires that civil authorities maintain a careful balance between coordinating and protecting the rights of the citizens on the one hand, and promoting them, on the other. It should not happen that certain individuals or social groups derive special advantage from the fact that their rights have received preferential protection. (65)

All people are equal & have the right & duty to participate full in the life

of their community

Distribution of wealthThe richest 20% accounts for 75% of world income

The poorest 40% accounts for 5% of world income 5%

20%

75%

20%

40%

40%

Second Vatican Council (Gaudium et Spes, 1965):God destined the earth and all that it contains for the use of all human beings and all peoples... Furthermore, the right to have a share of earthly goods, sufficient for oneself and one's family, belongs to everyone. (69)

Sharing instead of accumulating

Life is sacred and the dignity of every

person is to be respected

Toxic chemicals in consumer products

GMO – growth hormones in our food; biotechnology

Agent orange in Vietnam – herbicides (dioxin)

Pollution from garbage landfills

Labour... is not a mere commodity. On the contrary, the worker's human dignity in it must be recognised. It therefore cannot be bought and sold like a commodity. (83)

Pope Pius XI (Quadragesimo Anno, 1931):

LABOR EXPLOITATION:- Child labor/ slaves by NESTLE in their cocoa

plantation in Africa- Child labor by Nike; sweat shops by most signature

brands - 30% of CONGO children are lost / utilized in

MINING to make most electronic gadgets

All people have both rights & responsibilities

In his desire to have and to enjoy rather than to be and to grow, man consumes the resources of the earth and his own life in an excessive and disordered way. Man, who discovers his capacity to transform and in a certain sense create the world through his own work, forgets that this is always based on God's prior and original gift of the things that are.

Pope John Paul II (Centesimus Annus, 1991):

Live simply!

It is good for people to realize that purchasing is always a moral — and not simply — economic act. Hence the consumer has a specific social responsibility, which goes hand-in-hand with the social responsibility of the enterprise.

Pope Benedict XVI (Caritas in Veritate, no. 66]

Consume responsibly!

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE: – in Australia/ New Zealand (2009) 45°C hottest in 70/ 155 yrs

DROUGHT : - In Kenya for 2 decades

- - in Mexico (2009) worst in 70 yrs, 50,000 cows dead, 7million hectares of crops are wiped out

- in Chile / Argentina/ Paraguay/ Uruguay, worst experience in 50 yrs- - in Iraq , experienced 4 consecutive yrs

- - in China, worst in 50 yrs affecting 10M hectares

TYPHOON & FLOODING:- Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Central Europe, Bangladesh, Philippines,

Vietnam, New Zealand (winter cyclone causing flash floods)

SNOWSTORM (Alaska, Canada, China)TORNADO/ HURRICANE (usa, Cuba)

We share one planet: we are caretakers of God’s Earth & all of

creation

Second Vatican Council (Gaudium et Spes, 1965):God destined the earth and all that it contains for the use of all human beings and all peoples... Furthermore, the right to have a share of earthly goods, sufficient for oneself and one's family, belongs to everyone. (69)

Live sustainably!

20% of world’s people in the highest income countries

account for 86% of private expenditures

The poorest 20% - only 1.3%

Inequalities in consumption

Inequalities in consumption

20%

1.3

86

12.7

consumption

Series1

20%

60%

Global consumption:Military spending in the world = $ 780 BNarcotics drugs in the w = $ 400 BAlcoholic drink in Europe = $ 105 BCigarettes in Europe = $ 50 BBusiness entertainment in japan = $ 35 BPet foods in US & Europe = $ 17 BPerfume in US & Europe = $ 12 BIce cream in Europe = $ 11 BCosmetics in US = $ 8 B

Global Need

Basic education for all = $ 6 BWater & sanitation for all = $ 9 BBasic health & nutrition = $ 13 B

Pope John Paul II (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 1987):Super-development consists in an excessive availability of every kind of material goods for the benefit certain social groups, [which] easily makes people slaves of 'possession' and of immediate gratification, with no other horizon than the multiplication or continual replacement of the things already owned with others still better. This is the so-called civilization of 'consumption' and 'consumerism'... One quickly learns that the more one possesses the more one wants. (28.1)

God calls us to show special preference for the

poor & weak among us

Pope Leo XIII (Rerum Novarum, 1891):

It is evident that the public authorities ought to take proper care to safeguard the lives and well-being of the unpropertied class. (34)

We work to continue the construction of God’s reign

on Earth.

The world is in our hands…