CHARITY WORK AS AN EXPRESSION OF EVANGELICAL LOVE VATICAN CITY,
29 FEB 2008 (VIS)
- The Holy Father today received participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", who are meeting to reflect on the theme: "Human and spiritual qualities of people who work in Catholic charity institutions".
"Charitable activity occupies a central position in the Church's evangelising mission", said the Pope. We must not forget that works of charity are an important area in which to meet people who do not yet know Christ, or who know Him only partially. It is right, then, that pastors and those responsible for pastoral charity work ... should concern themselves with the human, professional and theological-spiritual formation" of people who operate in this field.
"Those who work in the many forms of charitable activity of the Church cannot, then, content themselves just with offering technical services or resolving practical problems and difficulties. The assistance they provide must never be reduced to mere philanthropy but must be a tangible expression of evangelical love".
Charity workers, the Pope explained, must be, "above all, witnesses of evangelical love". They achieve this "if the ultimate aim of their mission is not that of being social service operatives, but of announcing the Gospel of charity. Following Christ's footsteps, they are called to be witnesses of the value of life in all its expressions, especially defending the life of the weak and the sick, following the example of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta who loved and looked after the dying, because life is not measured in terms of efficiency, but has value always and for everyone".
Ecclesial charity workers, Benedict XVI continued, are also "called to be witnesses of love, of the fact that we fully become men and women when we live for others, that no-one must die and live for themselves alone".
And, he concluded, charity workers "must be witnesses of God, Who is fullness of love and invites us to love".
AC/CHURCH CHARITABLE ACTIVITY/... VIS 080229 (340)
How does Catholic social teachings/doctrine and events in the Church and in the world impact our work in Catholic Charities? How does our practice in Catholic Charities influence policy and mission? Read most current thinking in Church's social doctrine, mission, practice and social policy. Follow @brianrcorbin
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- Brian R. Corbin is the Senior Vice President of Social Policy for Catholic Charities USA. Brian served as Executive Director of Catholic Charities Services and Diocesan Coordinator for Catholic Health Affairs for the Diocese of Youngstown from 2001 to 2014. Mr. Corbin also served as Director of Social Action for Catholic Charities from 1987 to 2014, with a combined experience of 27 years in the Diocese of Youngstown. In his capacity as Executive Director of Catholic Charities Services, Brian served as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Diocese of Youngstown Catholic Charities Corporation. Further, he served as the Liaison with the St. Vincent De Paul Societies operating in the Diocese of Youngstown and acted as the Diocesan Director of Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Campaign for Human Development and Migration and Refugee Services. Brian is currently the Vice Chair of the Humility of Mary Health Partners/Mercy Health. Brian served on the USCCB National Advisory Council as its Chairman, and served on the National Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities USA as its Secretary.
Catholic Charities USA Code of Ethics Principles and Values Section
II. Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
“The permanent principles of the Church’s social doctrine [341] constitute the very heart of Catholic social teaching. These are the principles of: the dignity of the human person…which is the foundation of all the other principles and content of the Church’s social doctrine; the common good [342]; subsidiarity; and solidarity.” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 160)
“Besides the principles that must guide the building of a society… the Church’s social doctrine also indicates fundamental values.” The relationship between principles and values is undoubtedly one of reciprocity, in that social values are an expression of appreciation to be attributed to those specific aspects of moral good that these principles foster, serving as points of reference for the proper structuring and ordered leading of life in society. These values require, therefore, both the practice of the fundamental principles of social life and the personal exercise of virtue, hence of those moral attitudes that correspond to these very values [426]. All social values are inherent in the dignity of the human person, whose authentic development they foster. Essentially, these values are: truth, freedom, justice, love” [427]. (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 197)
A. Human Dignity
Catholic Charities affirm that each person is made in the image of God and has inherent dignity. Each person must be respected from conception to natural death. Each person is endowed with rights and duties.
Catholic Charities affirm that each person served and engaged with our work will be held in great esteem and with great respect.
Catholic Charities, as members of the civic society, affirm that we should actively participate in the public discourse at both the national and local community level, seeking justice for all, but especially for those who have no voice of their own. We affirm that we should both advocate and serve, advocating both for individuals and for just social structures.
Catholic Charities affirm that the most poor and vulnerable persons and families have a special claim to our services and programs.
Catholic Charities affirm that our staff and boards should engage those served to have representative voice in decisions impacting policies and programs. Accordingly, we affirm the need to create structures and processes for obtaining appropriate input from stakeholders.
Catholic Charities commit ourselves to continue to be a voice with poor and vulnerable individuals and families in the public discourse.
Catholic Charities affirm that transparency and accountability will always be pursued in our communication and work.
Catholic Charities affirm the truth of the intrinsic dignity and worth of the human person as a social being and will witness to our Catholic identity in fulfilling our roles in Church and in society.
B. Freedom
Catholic Charities affirm that we will always assist our clients, staff and volunteers to live in socially responsible freedom, to exercise their authentic autonomy in light of objective truth and to actualize their inherent potential as beings created in the image and likeness of God.
Catholic Charities will respect and affirm the autonomy of each organization/entity with whom we are in relationship.
Catholic Charities affirm that it is a matter of justice that all clients have the right to self-actualization and to reach their potential as beings created in the image and likeness of God.
Catholic Charities affirm that we will work to achieve greater justice in our communities through our social policy advocacy efforts – locally, nationally and internationally.
Catholic Charities affirm that all contracts and agreements and all relationships with stakeholders will be based on norms of justice.
Catholic Charities affirm that we will work to expand and maintain diversity and excellence in our membership, board, leadership positions and staff.
Catholic Charities affirm that we will continue to work to help eradicate racism and prejudice within our own organizations and in society at large.
Catholic Charities affirm that love – caritas – will be the chief identifying characteristic and element of our work and life.
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