By Fred Kammer, SJ

Presented at the Archdiocesan Social Ministry Renewal, Indianapolis, IN on October 1, 2009

 by Fred Kammer, S.J.

 by Fr. Fred Kammer, S.J.

Consideration of racism is grounded in fundamental scriptural beliefs: equal dignity of all people, created in God’s image; and Christ’s redemption of all.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church spells this out:

 by Fr. Fred Kammer, S.J.

The rights of migrants (refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers, migrant workers, and internally displaced persons-IDPs) begin with the foundation of Catholic Social Teaching, namely, the dignity and sanctity of the human person. The right to life and the conditions worthy of life—when threatened by poverty, injustice, religious intolerance, armed conflict, and other root causes—give rise to the right to migrate.¹

As Pope John XXIII explained:

by the Rev. Fred Kammer, S.J.

by the Rev. Fred Kammer, S.J. 

In 1986, the U.S. bishops wrote:

Whether the problem is preventing war and building peace or addressing the needs of the poor, Catholic teaching emphasizes not only the individual conscience, but also the political, legal and economic structures through which policy is determined and issues are adjudicated.¹

by the Rev. Fred Kammer, S.J.

Teaching (CST) is one-half of the answer to the question, “What is really going on in this situation?” Beyond mere description, the focus here is on trying to understand and analyze a situation,problem, or dilemma more carefully. Holland and Henriot define social analysis as “the effort to obtain a more complete picture of a social situation by exploring its historical and structural relationships.” ²

By the Rev. Fred Kammer, S.J.

by Fred Kammer, S.J.

The clearest statement on taxes and their morality came in the U.S. Bishops’ pastoral on Economic Justice for All. The bishops urged that, “The tax system should be continually evaluated in terms of its impact on the poor.”¹ They enunciated three principles to guide such evaluations: