Communities Salt and Light

Social Teaching Documents

Major Themes

Notable Quotations

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Social Teaching Documents

Office for Social Justice
328 West Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651-291-4477)

Notable quotations from
Communities of Salt and Light
U.S. Bishops' 1993 statement on parish social ministry

The central message is simple: our faith is profoundly social. We cannot be called truly "Catholic" unless we hear and heed the Church's call to serve those in need and work for justice and peace. We cannot call ourselves followers of Jesus unless we take up his mission of bringing "good news to the poor, liberty to captives, and new sight to the blind" (cf. Lk 4:18).

We need to build local communities of faith where our social teaching is central, not fringe; where social ministry is integral, not optional; where it is the work of every believer, not just the mission of a few committed people and committees.

The most important setting for the Church's social teaching is not in a food pantry or in a legislative committee room, but in prayer and worship, especially gathered around the altar for the Eucharist.

Preaching that reflects the social dimensions of the gospel is indispensable. Priests should not and need not impose an agenda on the liturgy to preach about justice. Rather, we urge those who preach not to ignore the regular opportunities provided by the liturgy to connect our faith and our everyday lives, to share biblical values on justice and peace.

Our social doctrine must also be an essential part of the curriculum and life of our schools, religious education programs, sacramental preparation, and Christian initiation activities.

We need to share and celebrate our common social heritage as Catholics, developing materials and training tools that ensure that we are sharing our social teaching in every educational ministry of our parishes.

Our parishes need to encourage, support, and sustain lay people in living their faith in the family, neighborhood, marketplace, and public arena...

The most challenging work for justice is not done in church committees, but in the secular world of work, family life, and citizenship.

Parishes are called to reach out to the hurting, the poor, and the vulnerable in our midst in concrete acts of charity.

Just as the gospel tells us our lives will be judged by our response to the ‘least of these,' so too our parishes should be measured by our help for the hungry, the homeless, the troubled, and the alienated—in our own community and beyond.

Parishioners are called to use their talents, the resources of our faith, and the opportunities of this democracy to shape a society more respectful of the life, dignity, and rights of the human person.

Parishes can help lift up the moral and human dimension of public issues, calling people to informed participation in the political process.

Many parishes are joining with other churches and groups to rebuild a sense of community in their own neighborhoods and town. These church-based and community organizations are making a difference on housing, crime, education, and economic issues in local communities.

Parishes need to be bridge-builders, reminding us that we are part of a Universal Church with ties of faith and humanity to sisters and brothers all over the world.

A key test of a parish's ‘Catholicity' is its willingness to go beyond its boundaries to serve those in need and work for justice and peace.

We believe that the Catholic community needs to be more than ever a source of clear moral vision and effective action. We are called to be the "salt of the earth" and "light of the world" in the words of the Scriptures (cf. Mt 5:13-16). This task belongs to every believer and every parish. It cannot be assigned to a few or simply delegated to diocesan or national structures. The pursuit of justice and peace is an essential part of what makes a parish Catholic.