Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Attention American Catholic Both Liberal and Conservative on Pope's New Encyclical

sThere seems to be a little fighting over who is right and who is wrong. I actually think the Pope is not interested in that. But please note this Encyclical is a tad different. The others were addressed o the Catholic World. This is addressed to not only Catholics, but other Christians , other faiths and even non believers. Perhaps we should we recall that and see our prime duty is to take it to them and let non Catholics know about it.

I have read this thing three times through and I have to think for an Orthodox Catholic (no matter there political leanings) on the whole there is little to disagree on as to the broad themes and plenty of room for legitimate discussion on practical application. We don't have to come to a consensus on ever little dotted i and crossed t before we share this good news.

Just a thought

2 comments:

Carlos Echevarria said...

An enhanced UN gives me pause, the pres of the UN Gen Assembly is Miguel D Escoto, a gross liberation theologist, defrocked priest and Hugo Chavez/Castro brothers supporter.

Moreover, that body as a whole is inadequate in so many respects and comprised of member states which do not adhere internally or externally to freedom.

I think from a Catholic perspective it should be quite the opposite, as concentrations of wealth and power should devolve back to their natural status.

James H said...

"A particular manifestation of charity and a guiding criterion for fraternal cooperation between believers and non-believers is undoubtedly the principle of subsidiarity[137], an expression of inalienable human freedom. Subsidiarity is first and foremost a form of assistance to the human person via the autonomy of intermediate bodies. Such assistance is offered when individuals or groups are unable to accomplish something on their own, and it is always designed to achieve their emancipation, because it fosters freedom and participation through assumption of responsibility. Subsidiarity respects personal dignity by recognizing in the person a subject who is always capable of giving something to others. By considering reciprocity as the heart of what it is to be a human being, subsidiarity is the most effective antidote against any form of all-encompassing welfare state. It is able to take account both of the manifold articulation of plans — and therefore of the plurality of subjects — as well as the coordination of those plans. Hence the principle of subsidiarity is particularly well-suited to managing globalization and directing it towards authentic human development. In order not to produce a dangerous universal power of a tyrannical nature, the governance of globalization must be marked by subsidiarity, articulated into several layers and involving different levels that can work together. Globalization certainly requires authority, insofar as it poses the problem of a global common good that needs to be pursued. This authority, however, must be organized in a subsidiary and stratified way[138], if it is not to infringe upon freedom and if it is to yield effective results in practice."

THose would be qualification that the Pope would put on a new UN or other group