(OSV News) –Catholic social teaching has been widely described as “the Church’s best-kept secret.” A recent report indicates that this may still be the case and that efforts to spread it could be thwarted by a reduction in diocesan positions dedicated to social action.
A report from the Loyola Institute for Ministry at Loyola University New Orleans, titled “Advancing the Social Mission of the Catholic Church,” indicates that while most respondents are familiar with Catholic social teaching , they received little information on this subject from their parishes. dioceses or among other American Catholics.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops describes Catholic social teaching as “the wisdom of the Church for building a just society and living a life of holiness amid the challenges of modern society”, and organizes it into seven main themes: life and dignity of the human person; call for family, community and participation; rights and responsibilities; option for the poor and vulnerable; the dignity of work and workers’ rights; solidarity; and caring for God’s creation.
In spring 2020, the Washington-based Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors of Social Action received a grant from the USCCB’s Catholic Campaign for Human Development. The Roundtable collaborates with the USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development and partners with Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services.
USCCB funding allowed the Roundtable to study two main areas of concern: “the perceived decline in diocesan staff positions in the United States whose primary responsibility was the promotion of social teaching and Catholic social action” and “the level of understanding and awareness of Catholic social policies”. teaching among the clergy, religious and laity of the American Catholic Church.
The Roundtable commissioned the Loyola Institute for Ministry to conduct research via two surveys. The first, in 2021, surveyed Roundtable members, participants in its Social Action Summer Institute, diocesan parish social ministry employees, and others identified by the Roundtable and CCHD, and also included 19 additional interviews.
Results from 311 respondents indicated that approximately 90% of respondents reported knowledge of Catholic social teaching. But when asked if they perceived that other Catholics were aware of this teaching, respondents rated this knowledge at just over 20% for Catholics in their parish, just under 20% for Catholics in their parish. diocese and less than 10% for Catholics nationally.
Just under half of respondents to the first survey said their diocese was committed to promoting actions in support of themes of Catholic social teaching. About 45% said they had seen a reduction in the number of local social work offices.
“It’s really a confirmation of what has been pretty palpable for most of us in this type of ministry across the country: we know anecdotally that many of our peers are losing their roles,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick , chairman of the board of directors of the Round Table.
“Either the offices are closed by the diocese or there is attrition: they (advocacy directors) will resign and retire, and then that role won’t be filled,” Fitzpatrick said. “Or one office will be merged with something else.”
Although that means fewer members in the Round Table association, he said, “the bigger picture for the Catholic Church is how to provide this type of support for social teaching Catholic in our parishes, our dioceses and our schools if people who are steeped in and have training in education are not widely available throughout the country? »
The bishops seem aware of the reduction in social action ministry, he said, “but, for one reason or another, they do not seem mobilized to address this issue.”
The second survey was carried out in 2022 among lay people, deacons, priests, vowed religious and seminarians of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. This archdiocese was chosen because of its professional diversity, according to the report’s author, Thomas Ryan, professor of theology and ministry at Loyola University’s Institute for Ministry.
This survey received 812 responses. “One of the things that really struck me was that the majority of respondents in every category said they were familiar with Catholic social teaching,” Ryan said.
At the cumulative archdiocesan level, more than 70% of respondents reported knowing Catholic social teaching, feeling that it influences their faith, and that it affects the way they live. However, the question of how fully this teaching is understood remains open.
“I doubt that everyone who responded to the survey knows the technical history and terminology of Catholic social teaching,” Ryan said. “But I think it at least reflects the fact that people know that their faith has social implications, and that those social implications affect their faith and the way they live. … I was surprised to find that in the together there was such familiarity.”
This familiarity, however, was not achieved in the Sunday homilies. When asked, “Is Catholic social teaching a regular part of the Masses I attend?” the majority of those surveyed said no, Ryan said. The response was the same when asked if Catholic social teaching was a regular feature of parish life beyond Mass.
“Some of the conclusions I would draw from this are that people are interested in and aware of the social implications of their faith, but want to know more,” Ryan said. “There is an opportunity for growth in the Masses people attend and in parish life in general.”
Because the parish places little emphasis on the social doctrine of the Church, applications of that teaching risk being purely theoretical, he said.
“Catholic social teaching cannot address only a certain group of people, nor can it be limited to an intellectual effort,” Ryan said. “People recognize that this is not transmitted in Mass, nor in parish life. It really has to be an integral part of the practice of our faith – our sacramental life, our life of faith formation, our community life.”
Of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching, or CST, life and dignity of the human person was the area in which respondents from the Archdiocese of New Orleans devoted the most time and effort, while that respondents in the first survey devoted most of their time and effort to preferential treatment of the poor.
Both surveys also identified the dignity of work and workers’ rights as the theme of this most neglected teaching in the Church today.
The summary of the report, released in June, includes a photograph of a sign at St. Patrick Parish in Scottsdale, Arizona, that reads, “Mass is to be lived, go love and serve the Lord.” The report’s recommendations pointed to this image, stating: “CST is an integral part of the Christian faith, worship and parish life. Without it, each of these elements is diminished. CST should be integrated into all aspects of parish life and worship.
Other recommendations include: “The Church should be attentive to CST themes that tend to be neglected and the challenges they pose on a personal, ecclesial and social level” and “the faithful should recognize how political language ( left-right, conservative-liberal) can trigger the kind of partisan divisions in the Church that exist in the political arena. They should find less politically charged, more theologically informed language and employ generous and effective listening skills in discussions about CST.
Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans told OSV News that he is pleased that the report is raising awareness of Catholic social teaching in his archdiocese and elsewhere, and said he is grateful to the organizations that contributed “for helping to keep Catholic social teaching at the forefront of our minds and hearts in the life of our church. »
Ryan said the survey results are intended to provide encouragement.
“I would like to see this report as an invitation, not as a hammer or a cudgel to say, ‘You’re not doing things right,'” he said. “How could this report help us all on our journey? The life of faith is a pilgrimage. This report does not have all the answers, but it is an invitation to continue this journey towards, by grace, sharing the very life of God.”
Catholic social teaching can “contribute to the work of forming all the faithful as missionary disciples, people sent into the world to proclaim the Gospel,” he said.
Ryan also believes that a greater emphasis on the Church’s social teaching could attract young, lapsed Catholics and young adults to the Church and help them evangelize others.
“We have this gift to share with the world,” Ryan said. “It’s integral, and without it, in some way, our faith is diminished.”