Living Catholicism: Morality and the Family: the Bedrock of Social Justice

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July 25, 2007

Morality and the Family: the Bedrock of Social Justice

Good families, but especially stay-at-home mothers, need to be reminded of the awesome work they are doing for society, even though, ironically, society generally does not think so. The documents of the Church have shown us this truth time and time again. Whenever they discuss the dignity of human life, they list the importance of protecting it from the moment of conception to natural death, the importance of the family, and then they list social justice issues like just wages, and end with the importance of respecting the environment.

Society tends to have things backwards. Politically correct issues like "saving the environment" and the vague idea of "social justice" and "helping the poor" top the list. Then things like abortion, family life, and contraception are certainly matters of personal choice with no option being right or wrong.

Society needs to be shown that the fundamental issues of morality and the family are intimately correlated and connected with social justice. The truth of the matter is that moral families often prevent the need for social justice and moral behavior is the bedrock of fighting the war on poverty. Anyone who works with the poor in the US will know that the majority of poor people in this country are single mothers. Sometimes the single mother goes from man to man, having several children with more than one father, creating a situation of dire need. Moral families decrease many things that hurt society like divorce, drug addiction, and lawlessness, to name a few. In these times where the devil is having a parade tearing up morality and the family, this message should be reiterated over and over again. Sadly, most people that are all about social justice don't see it this way, even if they call themselves Catholic. I hope the example and eventual involvement of holy families in social justice issues will rectify this division in the Church, and will shine a bright light on this truth and correct order of priorities for society.

In Christ,
Daniel

Posted by jay at July 25, 2007 4:12 PM