Since this decade started, several changes and transitions have already passed which

molded the current state of our society. Several improvements, issues, and decline in aspects of
lives on our society has been directing the progress of our current generation, especially in
economic, cultural, environmental, political, educational aspects. But the best punch line here
will be the role of the church on guiding the society, particularly ours, in dealing with several
current social situations and issues. Furthermore, does the current nature of the social teachings
of the church is really relevant as to how it can manage the society to stay in Gods way while
dealing with the current issues and onslaught Philippines is facing?

Nature and Relevance of the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church

As a Mother and a Teacher. The Catholic Church has been founded by Jesus Christ as mother
and teacher of nations, so that everyone who come to her loving embrace, may find salvation as
well as the fullness of a more excellent life. To this Church, the pillar and mainstay of the truth,
her most holy Founder has entrusted the double task of begetting sons unto herself, and of
educating and governing those whom she begets, guiding with maternal providence the life both
of individuals and of peoples. The lofty dignity of this life, she has always held in the highest
respect and guarded with watchful care.
Doubtless, this most serious question demands the attention and the efforts of others besides
ourselves to wit, of the rulers of States, of employers of labor, of the wealthy, aye, of the working
classes themselves, for whom we are pleading. But we affirm without hesitation that all the
striving of men will be vain if they leave out the Church. Manifestly, it is the Church that draws
from the Gospel the teachings through which the struggle can be composed entirely, or, after its
bitterness is removed, can certainly become more tempered. It is the Church, again, that strives

not only to instruct the mind but to regulate by her precepts the life and morals of individuals,
that ameliorates the condition of the workers through her numerous and beneficent institutions,
and that wishes and aims to have the thought and energy of all classes of society united to this
end, that the interests of the workers be protected as fully as possible. To accomplish this purpose
she holds that the laws and the authority of the State, within reasonable limits, ought to be
obeyed.
Churchs Mission. Coming forth from the eternal Father's love, founded in time by Christ the
Redeemer and made one in the Holy Spirit, the Church has a saving and an eschatological
purpose that can be fully attained only in the future world. But she is already present in this
world, and is composed of men, that is, of members of the earthly city who have a call to form
the family of God's children during the present history of the human race, and to keep increasing
it until the Lord returns. United on behalf of heavenly values and enriched by them, this family
has been constituted and structured as a society in this world by Christ, and is equipped by
appropriate means for visible and social union. Thus the Church, at once a visible association and
a spiritual community goes forward together with humanity and experiences the same earthly lot
that the world does. She serves as a leaven and as a kind of soul for human society for its
renewal in Christ and transformation into God's family. The teaching and spreading of her social
doctrine are part of the Church's evangelizing mission. Since it is a doctrine aimed at guiding
people's behavior, it consequently gives rise to a `commitment to justice,' according to each
individual's role, vocation, and circumstances. The condemnation of evils and injustices is also
part of that ministry of evangelization in the social field, which is an aspect of the Church's
prophetic role. But it should be made clear that proclamation is always more important than

condemnation, and the latter cannot ignore the former, which gives it true solidity and the force
of higher motivation.
The Churchs Social Message. The social doctrine of the Church, which proposes a set of
principles for reflection, criteria for judgment and directives for action is addressed in the first
place to members of the Church. It is essential that the faithful engaged in human promotion
should have a firm grasp of this precious body of teaching and make it an integral part of their
evangelizing mission.... Christian leaders in the Church and society, and especially lay men and
women with responsibilities in public life, need to be well formed in this teaching so that they
can inspire and vivify civil society and its structures with the leaven of the Gospel.
Scope of Churchs Social Teaching. The Church's social teaching comprises a body of doctrine,
which is articulated as the Church interprets events in the course of history, with the assistance of
the Holy Spirit, in the light of the whole of what has been revealed by Jesus Christ. This teaching
can be more easily accepted by men of good will; the more the faith ful let themselves be guided
by it.
Today, the Church's social doctrine focuses especially on man as he is involved in a complex
network of relationships within modern societies. The human sciences and philosophy are
helpful for interpreting man's central place within society and for enabling him to understand
himself better as a social being. However, man's true identity is only fully revealed to him
through faith, and it is precisely from faith that the Church's social teaching begins.
General Relevance. With these established details about the social teachings of the church, we
can hopefully assess the major responsibility of the Church as to how our society, especially us
Christian citizens, will deal with the several aspects of our lives according to Gods will, such as

dealing with the economic, socio-cultural, educational, political, and environmental issues and
encounters.

De La Salle University Dasmarias

College of Education
Religious Education Department

PRELIM
MAJOR
TASK
Submitted by:
Mark Jasper E. Flores
ECE-22
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