CHAPTER 2

Justice and Virtues

 Virtue

Habitual and
firm disposition
to do the good.
Cardinal Virtues

“Hinge” virtues
that enable us to
live moral lives.
 Theological
Virtues

God-given virtues
that direct us to
our loving, Triune
God.
 Prudence
Faith

Fortitude

Hope
Theological
Virtues Cardinal

Justice

Love/
Charity Temperance
Virtue
Prudence
- Good common sense; human
reason married to truth.

Fortitude
- Courage to do what is true
and right.
Virtue
Temperance
- Moderates the attraction of
pleasures and provides balance
in the use of created goods.

Justice
- We give God and our neighbor what
is their due by right.
Virtue
Faith
- Empowers us to believe in
God and all that God
has said and revealed to
us, including what the
Church proposes for
our belief, because God is
truth itself.
Virtue
Hope
- Empowers us to trust in God’s
promises.

Charity/Love
- Enables us to love God
above everything and to love our
neighbor as ourselves.
Justice As A Virtue
- Commutative Justice
• The justice of exchange.
• Calls for fairness in agreements and
exchanges between individuals or
private social groups.
• Equality based on what is given and
what is received.
Justice As A Virtue
- Distributive Justice
•Justice that guarantees the common
welfare.
•Involves sharing.
•Just distribution of the goods of creation
that God intends all of us to
use and share.
•Concerns the obligation of the
government to its citizens.
Justice As A Virtue
- Legal Justice
•Citizens’ obligations toward the larger
society and government.
•Requires a citizen to obey the laws of
society and possibly serve the
government.
Justice As A Virtue
- Social Justice
•Applies the Gospel message of Jesus
Christ to the structures, systems, and
laws of society in order to guarantee the
rights of individuals.
•Ensures that persons have a fair say in
social, political, and
economical institutions
of society.
The Bible on Justice
- Justice in the Old Testament:
God’s faithfulness to the covenant
made with Abraham
despite the unfaithfulness
of the Chosen People.
The Bible on Justice
- Justice in the New Testament:
God brought His covenant to
fulfillment by sending Jesus
Christ.
Jesus’ words and actions
show us the Kingdom of
God.
The Bible on Justice
- Justice in the New Testament:
Jesus taught the love of God and love of
neighbor as oneself are the Greatest
Commandments.
In order to embrace God’s kingdom, one
must live according to the Beatitudes.
We are to respond to the needs of the
least in our midst.
(Parable of sheep and goats)
The Bible on Justice
- Justice in the New Testament:
Our neighbor is everyone. (Parable of the Good Samaritan)
Be compassionate about the needs of others. (Parable of
the day laborers)
Jesus’ passion death and resurrection was an act of
love for all to save us.
Jesus formed a just community to carry
on his work after his ascension.
Criteria to be a member of the
community is to SERVE.
Catholic Social Teaching on Justice
- Early Christians shared their
property and goods, condemned
selfishness, and encouraged sharing.
In the history of our Church,
what did each person do to promote
justice?

St. Augustine of Hippo

St. Francis of Assisi
St. Vincent de Paul
St. Louise de Marillac
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Catholic Social Teaching on Justice
- Modern Teaching:
Rerum Novarum (The Condition of
Labor) written by Pope Leo XIII to
condemn the abuses of Marxist
socialism and unbridled capitalism.

- Marked the beginning

of the Church’s social
teaching in the modern
era.
Social Justice is Essential
- Working for Justice in an
essential dimension of
Christian living.
The Immigration Issue
 Refugee – A person who leaves his or
her country and is unwilling to return
due to persecution.
 Immigrant – A person who leaves one
country to take up permanent residence
in another country.
 Migrant – One who moves
within one’s country or
between countries in search
of work.
Vocabulary
• virtue
• cardinal virtue
• theological virtue
• prudence
• fortitude
• temperance
• justice
• faith
• hope
• charity/love
Vocabulary
• commutative justice
• distributive justice
• legal justice
• social justice
• covenant
• Rerum Novarum
• globalization
• refugee
• immigrant
• migrant