CHURCH'S SOCIAL DOCTRINE MUST BE KNOWN, LIVED, PROPAGATED

VATICAN CITY, OCT 25, 2004 (VIS) - Saying the Church's social doctrine must be "known, lived and propagated," Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace today presented the "Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church" in the Holy See Press Office. Work on the volume, published in both Italian and English, began at the council five years ago under the presidency of the late Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan.

  Joining Cardinal Martino at the presentation were Bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi and Msgr. Frank Dewane, respectively secretary and under-secretary of the council.

   The cardinal pointed out that the book is dedicated to the Holy Father who, in No. 54 of the 1999 Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America," recommended that "it would be very useful to have a compendium or approved synthesis of Catholic social doctrine, including a catechism which would show the connection between it and the new evangelization."

  The volume, over 500 pages in length, opens with a letter to the president of the pontifical council from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State. It consists of an Introduction, "An Integral and Solidary Humanism," three parts and a Conclusion entitled "For a Civilization of Live."

  Speaking of "the simple and straightforward structure of the volume," he explained that "Part One, composed of four chapters, deals with the fundamental presuppositions of social doctrine. ... Part Two, composed of seven chapters, deals with the contents and classical themes of social doctrine - the family, human work, economic life, the political community, the international community, the environment and peace. The third part, which is quite brief with one chapter, contains a series of recommendations for the use of social doctrine in the pastoral activity of the Church and the life of all Christians, above all the lay faithful."

  The council president underscored that the Compendium "is made available to all - Catholics, other Christians, people of good will." It is "an instrument for the moral and pastoral discernment of the complex events that mark our time, a guide to inspire, ... and an aid to the faithful concerning the Church's teaching in the area of social morality." It is also, he said, "an instrument for fostering ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue on the part of Catholics with all who sincerely seek the good of mankind."

  Cardinal Martino then listed "certain decisive challenges of great relevance and importance" to which it is hoped the Compendium will respond:  "First is the cultural challenge, which social doctrine deals with by keeping in mind its constitutive interdisciplinary dimension. ... The second challenge arises from ethical and religious indifference and the need for renewed inter-religious cooperation. ... The third challenge is a properly pastoral challenge. The future of the Church's social doctrine in the modern world will depend on the continually renewed understanding of this social doctrine as being rooted in the mission proper to the Church.  ... It depends on the renewed understanding, therefore, of how this doctrine is connected with all aspects of the Church's life and action."
OP/COMENDIUM SOCIAL DOCTRINE/MARTINO        VIS 20041025 (520)