CATHOLIC SOCIAL

ENCYCLICALS
from Rerum Novarum to Laudato Si
 Rerum Novarum

Pope Leo XIII

May 15, 1891

On the Conditions of Labor

First Social Encyclical

Dubbed as the MAGNA CARTA of the

Social Teaching of the Church

Context: Industrial Revolution/French

Revolution
THEMES: Rerum Novarum
THE GAP BETWEEN RICH
AND POOR, AND THE
UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF
WEALTH

It affirms the moral question

about the concentration of
income in the hands of the
capitalist, and it affirms that
labor is as important as the
capital

Inequality is a scandal to our

common humanity. We need not
treat our extreme inequalities as
if its natural.
THEMES: Rerum Novarum
MORAL DECLINE AMONG THE
PEOPLE

Self direction has sadly lead to the

increasing ISOLATION among the
people, especially the poor.

We have severed the bonds we

have with other people.

We NO LONGER feel
RESPONSIBLE for the other
because we argue that the others
misery (poverty) is his/her own
responsibility; she/he has to provide
his/her needs as I do for mine.

We then justify our DIFFERENCES

towards the needs of others.
 Rerum Novarum
THEMES:

PRIVATE PROPERTY

Rerum Novarum also affirms the

legitimacy of private ownership.

Capitalists should not be greedy

and distribute fairly the profit

Socialist are more unjust when

they rob people of their property

Property must be made

available for COMMON USE if
there is dire need.
THEMES: Rerum Novarum
WAGES AND CONTRACT

Contracts, though rightly

governed by mutual consent, may
not be sufficient to guarantee
the JUST WAGE of a worker.

CONTRACTS alone can still be

subjected to the manipulation
and exploitation of employers
who have greater bargaining
power over the employees.

There is a need for NATURAL

JUSTICE (Procedural fairness):
wages must be enough to
support the NEEDS of an upright
and honest worker (RN 45)
THEMES:
Rerum Novarum
WORKERS UNION

Unions, though suspected often

as communist organizations, were
supported by the Church.

UNIONS among workers will allow

them to earn enough
BARGAINING POWER to enter
into a negotiation with the owners
so that the interest of the workers
may also be safeguarded.

But, Unions priority is to

safeguard the COMMON GOOD.
The unions cause to represent the
workers interest must not
compromise the COMMON
GOOD.
 Pope PIUS XI
Quadragesimo Anno
May 15, 1931

On Reconstructing the Social

Order

Why was there a need to

RECONSTRUCT the social order?

The rise of NATIONALIST

government (aims to form a
strong national government): they
wanted to curb poverty by
concentrating power on the
government so they could facilitate
the distribution of goods, with the
aim for social justice.

There was also the GREAT

DEPRESSION that contributed to
the massive unemployment, poverty
and misery among people.
THEMES:
Quadragesimo Anno
CRITIQUE AGAINST
ECONOMIC DICTATORS

Economic Dictators are those

people whose decisions have
wide implications in the socio-
economic system

Economic Dictatorship was

identified as one of the causes of
the Great Depression due to the
imbalances of power which also
led to the inequity of wealth
distribution.

There is a call to move towards

better power sharing even in the
economic system.
THEMES:
Quadragesimo Anno
PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY

This is QAs response to the need to The principle needs to be

balance personal freedom (capitalism
interpreted as a support both for
and democracy) vis-a-vis the common
good and equality (socialism and the EMPOWERMENT of the
totalitarian regimes). lower bodies, and their
accountability for a
The principle of SUBSIDIARITY
states: Just as it is gravely wrong to RESPONSIBLE performance of
take from individuals what they can their action.
accomplish by their own initiative and
industry and give it to the community, so
also it is an injustice and at the same
time a grave evil and disturbance of
right order to assign to a greater and
higher association what lesser and
subordinate organizations can do. For
every social activity ought of its very
nature to furnish help to the members of
the social body, and never destroy and
absorb them. (QA79)
THEMES:
Quadragesimo Anno
WARNING AGAINST
IMPERIALISM A) Economic Imperialism -
happens because of economic
Quadragesimo Anno also warned dictators where the socio-
against the potential rise of economic environment are
IMPERIALISM amidst the calls for dominated by the few powerful
more collaboration between ones.
nations.
B) Political Imperialism - happens
when a powerful nation exercise
The social teaching of the Church
undue influence and dominance
warns that IMPERIALISM is the over a weaker nation.
NEW form of COLONIALISM
(neo-colonialism). Imperialism
happens when a state or
organization is no longer allowed
to govern itself, but is instead
influenced and even manipulated
by those with greater power.
 John XXIII

Mater et Magistra
May 15, 1961
The ARMS RACE: increased
Christianity and Social Progress production of nuclear weapon

SOCIAL PROGRESS SPACE RACE: in 1969, USA

successful landed a manned craft
Post WWII context: there are on the moon (before the Russians
did)
nations who were trying to
rebuild themselves after the war INTERNET: used by US Military in
1969
The EAST-WEST bloc: after the
second world war there emerged
the war of IDEOLOGIES
(capitalism vs Socialism)
represented by USA and USSR

THe COLD WAR: the increasing

animosity between USA and
USSR.
THEMES:
Mater et Magistra
Quadragesimo Anno
THE PRINCIPLE OF
SOCIALIZATION MM however emphasizes that
socialization should be
Mater et Magistra encourages a complemented with the
social arrangement that allows principle of SUBSIDIARITY and
cooperation and collaboration SOCIAL INCLUSION (recipients
between peoples and nations. must be empowered so they
could productively participate in
The primary aim of socialization the production of communal
goods).
is: to form association/
institutions (especially the ones
initiated by governments) whose
primary task is to make
everyone, especially the
DEPRIVED POOR, are provided
with their BASIC NEEDS (MM
115, 127 and 136)
 Mater et Magistra
Quadragesimo Anno
THEMES:

THE UNDERDEVELOPMENT
OF PEOPLES

MM warns that some people are

poor not because they are not
hardworking, but because they
are exploited and are made to
work for ends which are
imposed on them (MM69)

Moreover, MM laments over the

differences of the social
conditions among people in the
rich and poor nations (MM70)
THEMES:
Mater et Magistra
Quadragesimo Anno
EMPHASIS ON THE SOCIAL
PROCESS: SEE-JUDGE ACT

There are three stages which

should normally be followed in
the reduction of social principles
into practice. First, one reviews
the concrete situation;
secondly, one forms a
judgment on it in the light of
these same principles; thirdly,
one decides what in the
circumstances can and should
be done to implement these
principles. These are the three
stages that are usually
expressed in the three terms:
look (see), judge, act. (MM236)
 John XXIII Pacem in Terris
April 11, 1963

Establishing Universal Peace in

Truth, Justice, Charity and Liberty

The NEED to talk about peace:

The growing tension because of

the COLD WAR

The CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS of

October 1962: presented the real
danger and possibility of a
NUCLEAR WAR

The realization that a modern-day

NUCLEAR conflict or war would
be qualitatively different from the
previous wars.
THEMES:
ORDER AND PEACE
PT argues that we could only
guarantee peace if there is
proper order among the
relationships of people and
nations
Order between INDIVIDUALS
(1) We need to realize that peace
starts with the order of our
personal relationship. (2) But,
order in personal relations had to
start with the recognition of the
RIGHTS of each individual (3)
Hence, PT extensively talks
about HUMAN RIGHTS.
Pacem in Terris
Quadragesimo Anno
Order between CITIZENS and
GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES (1) PT
argues for the legitimacy of the state
authorities (citizens are morally bound
to exercise CIVIC participation) (2)
But, government authorities are also
reminded that their mandate comes
from the people, and they would have
to RESPONSIBLY carry out the
COMMON GOOD.
Order between nations (1) increased
calls for cooperation among nations
through the creation of a GLOBAL
COMMUNITY (2) Appreciation of
UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION
and the call for it to maintain the
respect for the SOVEREIGNTY OF ITS
MEMBER STATES (PT, 141)
THEMES:
Pacem in Terris
Quadragesimo Anno

CALL FOR DISARMAMENT

DISARMAMENT: The stock-

piles of armaments which have
been built up in various
countries must be reduced all
around and simultaneously by
the parties concerned (PT112)

CALL FOR MUTUAL TRUST:

true and lasting peace among
nations cannot consist in the
possession of an equal supply
of armaments but only in mutual
trust (PT113)
 Populorum Progressio
Paul VI

March 26, 1967

On the Development of
Peoples
THEME
INTEGRAL HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT
PP reminds us that development
is not just about economic
growth, but it is also SOCIAL
PROGRESS as we'll (PP34)
SOCIAL PROGRESS:
development must be
MEANINGFUL to human
persons.
It is rather sad when people
economically progressed, and
yet lose their sense of meaning
and purpose.
We are reminded that as we
work towards progress, we
should not LOSE SIGHT of the
more meaningful things in life.
THEMES: Populorum Progressio
CALL FOR GLOBAL
SOLIDARITY

RICH NATIONS are morally

responsible to provide aid to the
poor. While other nations live in
abundance (some peoples live
wasteful lives), others are dying
of hunger and deprivation.

AUTHENTIC AID: donor nations

are encouraged to do away with
oppressive structures in loads
and aids; imperialism should
not become a norm between the
donor and the beneficiary
(PP54)
 Populorum Progressio
THEMES:

DEVELOPMENT, THE NEW

NAME FOR PEACE

CONFLICT often stem from

hunger, deprivation, poverty and
misery.

Works for peace-building

would have to include
capacity-building.

When people are contented,

only then can we start
discussing about peaceful co-
existence.
 John Paul II Laborem Exercens
September 14, 1981
Critique against the practice of
ECONOMISM (give much importance
On Human Work to economic achievements. We
become blinded to the integral needs
THEME of the dignified workers)

WORK as the key to the Social WORK and PERSONAL DIGNITY:

attention to an increasing
Problem dissatisfaction among workers

Work as fundamental to our

nature and dignity as persons

Distinction: ENDS OF WORK

OBJECTIVE WORK (product of

labor) versus SUBJECTIVE
WORK (acting agent)

THEMES:
THE ROLE OF INDIRECT
EMPLOYERS
The concept of indirect
employer includes both persons
and institutions of various kinds,
and also collective labour
contracts and the principles of
conduct which are laid down by
these persons and institutions
and which determine the whole
socioeconomic system or its
result (LE 17)
Laborem Exercens
Quadragesimo Anno
EXAMPLES OF INDIRECT
EMPLOYERS
Policies and laws that are
oppressive to an ordinary
working man.
Income tax and other taxes
make the life of workingmen
more difficult.
Other policies such as
outsourcing and contractual
employment are also oppressive
to workers.
 Pacem in
Laborem Terris
Exercens
Quadragesimo Anno
THEMES: Workers wage must allow him/
her to ACQUIRE PROPERTIES in
LABOR VERSUS CAPITAL order to better secure his/her
ISSUE familys FUTURE (JUST WAGE).

Reiterates the tradition of Workers should not feel that they

speaking ON BEHALF OF are just COGS in a huge
LABOR (the world evolves to its machine.
present form because of the
persons labor.)

But, we should resist to interpret

labor in purely ECONOMIC
terms
 Pacem in
Laborem Terris
Exercens
Quadragesimo Anno
THEMES:

WORK UNIONS

We need to stop viewing labor

unions within the context of
CLASS STRUGGLE

UNIONS are organizations: their

role is to UNITE people and not
to instigate CONFLICTS,
OPPOSITIONS or HOSTILITIES.

UNIONS must aim towards the

COMMON GOOD
 Pacem in
Laborem Terris
Exercens
Quadragesimo Anno

THEMES:

SPIRITUALITY OF WORK

For the SATISFACTION of human

nature

WORK brings a person

CLOSER to God

Human work REFLECTS the

CROSS and RESURRECTION of
Christ
 John Paul II
December 30, 1987
On Social Concerns
20th Anniversary of PP
Sollicitudo Rei Socialis
Its both an IRONY and a
SCANDAL to our COMMON
HUMANITY

THEME

SUPERDEVELOPMENT AND
UNDERDEVELOPMENT

Reiterated the irony of having

nations which are super
developed (where waste because
of excess is a problem), while
there are underdeveloped nations
(where people are deprived and
are miserable) - (SRS28)
 Pacem in
Laborem
Quadragesimo
Sollicitudo ReiTerris
Exercens
Anno
Socialis

THEMES:

EMERGENCE OF TERRORISM

Some groups/sectors justify

terrorism for some supposedly
noble cause.

DANGER: other group have

already found a way to
LEGITIMIZE terroristic
practices This has
increasingly made our world less
and less secure.
 Pacemby
Laborem
Sollicitudo in Terris
Exercens
Rei Socialis
THEMES:
HOUSING PROBLEM: SRS
DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM concentrated on the issue about
housing problems.
Increased campaign to control
population.

WHAT REALLY IS THE

SITUATION? While governments
seem to have an unanimous
understanding that we need to
control population, it is also true
that there are nations whose
populations are increasingly
ageing.
 TOP 5 MOST POPULATED PROVINCES

CAVITE (3.0-3.3M)
BULACAN (2.9-3.1M)
LAGUNA (2.7-2.9M)
CEBU (2.6-2.8M)
RIZAL (2.5-2.7M)
THEMES: Pacem in
Laborem
Quadragesimo
Sollicitudo ReiTerris
Exercens
Anno
Socialis

THE NEED TO OVERCOME

STRUCTURES OF SIN

Some struggles perpetuate

SINFUL and CORRUPT
practices.

It becomes difficult to say NO to

corruption if the structures
encourage corrupt practices.

SRS is then challenging us to

purify and improve our
structures so they become
ENABLING structures, rather
than PARALYZING ones.
 John Paul II
Centisimus Annus
May 1, 1991

On the 100th Anniversary of Rerum Socialisms demise was

Novarum sounded off by the fall of the
Berlin Wall in 1989.
THEME

REVIEW ON SOCIALISM AND

It reiterated the error of Socialist
CAPITALISM anthropology: to treat the human
person as a mere pawn for
Though capitalism as an ideology had grand social agenda: socialism
also achieved progress in coming up denies basic human freedom.
with more humane laws, there are still
continuing challenges in capitalism:
(1) the dignity of workers remain a
concern (2) Inequality of power,
income and wealth distribution has
not fully disappeared (3) Economism
(prioritizing income and things over
persons) remain a valid concern.

THEMES:
CALL FOR SOCIAL
INCLUSION
Redistribution of wealth can only
be justified if it aims towards
EMPOWERMENT and SOCIAL
INCLUSION: the reason why we
would have to redistribute the
wealth (through taxation) is to
address the inequality of wealth
and the deprivation of the poor.
Pacem in
Centisimus
Laborem Terris
Annus
Exercens
Quadragesimo Anno
But, such efforts would be
incomplete if the recipients are
reduced to dependency. hence,
socialization efforts (financed by
wealth distribution) have to result
in the empowerment of the
recipient and making them
participative in the common
endeavors of the community.
 Benedict XVI Caritas in Veritate
June 29, 2009

On Integral Human
Development in Charity and
Truth

THEME

DANGERS OF
GLOBALIZATION

(a) The strong eating up the

weak

(b) Eclecticism: relativism

(c) Leveling: loss of identity

 Caritas
Pacemin
Laborem
Quadragesimo
Sollicitudo inVeritate
Terris
Exercens
Rei Anno
Socialis
THEMES:

ADVANTAGES OF
GLOBALIZATION

Better sharing of knowledge and

resources but, there should be
no strings attached.

Better opportunity of
collaboration and solidarity
Authentic dialogue should
however be pursued
(fundamentalism has to be
overcome)
THEMES: Caritas
Pacemin
Laborem
Quadragesimo
Sollicitudo inVeritate
Terris
Exercens
Rei Anno
Socialis
RECAPTURING OUR
GIFTEDNESS The realization that the World is
a GIFT
The recognition of our own
giftedness: that we all have our (1) Our forgetfulness about this
gifts to offer (Enhancing our giftedness makes us selfish
traditional skills - i.e. Medical and arrogant
Practices)
(2) Denken ist Danken: To think
is to thank - when we direct
(recreate the world, it should
be with grateful heart)

(3) Real gratitude is expressed in

ones OPENNESS: the
willingness to authentically
commune with others.
 Francis
Evangelii Gaudium
November 24, 2013

The Proclamation of the Gospel

in Todays World

THEME

ECONOMY OF EXCLUSION

He refers to our culture as

THROW-AWAY culture

(1) We have increasing lost sight of

what really matters (what is really
the good for us) (2) Our economy
only values the strong and ignores
the WEAK. (3) We are no longer
MOVED (scandalized) by the
condition of the poor and the
miserable among us (EG54)

THEMES:
NO TO A FINANCIAL SYSTEM
THAT RULES RATHER THAN
SERVES
Not to share ones wealth with
the poor is to steal from them
and to take away their livelihood.
It is not our own goods which we
hold, but theirs (EG57)
Economists can no longer ignore
the role of the moralists and the
ethicists To save the financial
system, it has to become ethical.
Caritas
Pacemin
Evangelii
Laborem
Quadragesimo
Sollicitudo inVeritate
Terris
Exercens
Gaudium
Rei Anno
Socialis
Just as goodness tends to
spread, the toleration of evil,
which is injustice, tends to
expand its baneful influence and
quietly to undermine any political
and social system, no matter
how solid it may appear. if every
action has its consequences, an
evil embedded in the structures
of a society has a constant
potential for disintegration and
death (EG59)
This echoes JPIIs warning
against the proliferation of
terrorists ideology (SRS24)
 Caritas
Pacemin
Evangelii
Laborem
Quadragesimo
Sollicitudo inVeritate
Terris
Exercens
Gaudium
Rei Anno
Socialis

THEMES:

SOCIAL DIALOGUE AS A
CONTRIBUTION TO PEACE

No one ought to ignore the

presence of the other The
good individuals and
communities have to be a
product of a commune
discussion and dialogue.

Evangelization involves the path

of dialogue (EG238)