11 - 16 of 16 Comments

1. Eric Manz

   2 years ago

   Jack,
   I have a problem with your term social injustice. Your data about the disparity between the have's and have nots is incorrect. I am a truck driver who is struggleing at this time but I do not view corporate america as evil. Corporations create jobs and some of them high paying jobs, for those who work hard to succeed. During the 80's what you seem to view as a time when greed was at its highest, Charitable giving doubled in the US because the economic policies of the Right created more wealth for more people than ever before in this country. Many living in poverty were lifted into a higher economic class. Help people help themselves to me is true social justice. Don't give a man a fish, teach him to fish.

2. Andy Holland

   2 years ago

   The only way we can really "fight back" is like St. Seraphim of Sarov said, 'convert yourself, and a thousand others will be converted around you.' If we fight their way we become them. When we convert ourselves by taking in the real presence, the God-man Jesus Christ, even in the midst of this baby killing rich hell hole; only then will we be effective in converting others. As they destroy us, they will become us as our forefathers destroyed the Saints and then became Saints themselves being converted by the truth they tormented, witnessed, and finally accepted. The two edged sword proceeds from the mouth of the Lord; by allowing ourselves to become his grave, by dieing to this world and its ways, He arises again and we with him, and what comes from us no longer defiles us, but sanctifies us just as what entered us, the carcass, sanctifies us. We must bless our enemies and diligently light candles for them and pray for them - so they and we no more kill, lie, cheat and fornicate. If we truly love the image of God, its the only way we can "fight back."

3. Jack Gordon

   2 years ago

   Ed: You're correct. The Right has instead hijacked "social injustice," wholesale. And, man, are they effective! Just look at the enormous and growing disparity in wealth in our society since the right-wing plutocrats managed to put a folksy and grandfather-like former actor in the White House as their front man. Why, by 2003, the top 1 percent of American households owned 57.5 percent of corporate wealth in the US, and the top tenth of 1 percent about half of that. And the bottom 40%? Well, they owned less than 1% of the nation's wealth. Now, that, my friends, is what I call industrial strength social injustice.

4. Ed

   2 years ago

   I have been following the story, but have not seen where the "right" has hijacked "social justice" or any other terminology. Clearly the "left" (liberals/progressives) has been using it to push a socialist agenda. Neo-Marxist Saul Alinsky taught in "Rules for Radicals" that: "True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within. Alinsky viewed revolution as a slow, patient process. The trick was to penetrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties....". Some enemies who misuse Catholic terminology are enemies within the Church. If the "Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition" was actively promoted by all of our Teachers - the Bishops, and used as a student text in Seminaries, Convents, Catholic Universities, 11th and 12 grades in Catholic High Schools, etc., then we would be in a much better position. Hijacking of anything would be much more difficult if everyone who attends Church knew the real teachings of their Faith. The main problem is due to a lack of proper catechesis, so the "enemies within" can more easily deceive.

5. vance

   2 years ago

   Fr Johannes, excellent article and well said. If the church hopes to reclaim moral language from the Liberal Establishment, The USCCB will need to be in solidarity to issue a national statement to the faithful. Then follow that up with directive to all local parish pastors to comply with and support the statement. This is a super tall order. It can be done. BUT there are too many Liberals in the ranks of the Bishops and clergy and they will not comply because they were accomplices in the Liberal Establishment hijacking Christian Moral Language. The Pro Life and conservative movement could take up the challenge but we will see.

6. John Baysson

   2 years ago

   Beautiful article!
   
   That example about "Love" was spot on and shows the heart of the problem. May God guide us all out of this mess we've created.

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