Mark Anthony B. Moreno Rev. Fr. John Pulch U.

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4th Year UBAS Class Catholic Social Teaching

Gaudium et Spes: Joys and Hopes in this Modern World

An encyclical is generally used for significant issues. As to what has been discussed to us,
encyclicals were born to address such problems in society using the view of the church. Starting
from the Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII, which deals with the problem of poverty during the
capitalist era, it had been followed and had been the ground of other encyclicals. Encyclicals were
concerned about the societal issues in which the church must take part and help to give means of
resolving or to give light to the minds and hearts of the people. Being Christians and part of the
church was called for a moral-spiritual obligation in our community.
One of the documents, which have been originated also from Rerum Novarum, is
the Gaudium et Spes, which have been promulgated by Pope Paul VI. This document was a
concern with the real world. The document wants to make the world a better place and make it
improved with the help of the church’s authority. It addresses the place of men in this world.
During this time, it is also the time of technological improvement and changes. There are varieties
of pressures that can make it difficult for a man to find peace in himself; it can create tension in
every group from the family to the community.
Gaudium et Spes noted that economic, scientific and political changes are happening so
quickly that it is difficult to keep up with their effects on society. While these developments have
brought many people to God, others have left faith behind. As we look at our present day, we are
now in the post-modern era in which the influence of deconstruction is rampant. In these evolving
times, the Second Vatican Council highlights the role of the church in the world by turning to
Scripture in the Church’s social teachings.
The encyclical emphasizes the dignity of man as created in the image of God, which comes
from their call to communion with God. Humanity has labored throughout history to improve
living conditions and scientific advances have made great steps. These achievements are signs of
God’s greatness seen in the work of man. At the same time, progress has brought a negative impact
to us today, and as believers, we must not forget the word moderation especially today in the most
recent time. The Church is the family of God’s children in this world. The Church’s primary
purpose is a religious one, to share God with the world, but also to protect and promote human
dignity. She initiates action on behalf of all.
The encyclical has been divided into two parts addressing the problem or to the concern of
church in modern times. First are the Church and Man’s calling. Where men are called to be one
with the values Christ taught us. The dignity of the human person flows out of the fact we are made
in the image and likeness of God. This dignity is recognized in human intellect, conscience, and
freedom. God creates humans to be together. We are called to be neighbors to each other: even to
forgive our enemies. Considering technology and human advances, people are to be considered
more valuable for what they are than they have. The Church is the soul of human society in its
renewal by Christ and transformation into the family of God. The church aims for a better world
in union with Christ.
The second part is the problems that need urgent action or attention. The well-being of
individuals is intimately linked with the well-being of marriage and the family in the community.
The purpose of marriage is to multiply life and to take and educate children. Parents should teach
their children to follow their vocations and raise them in the Church. The cultural and social
changes in recent years have brought about a new age of human history. Christians should be
united in one family. There is a danger that humanity will put too much trust in the discoveries of
today and no longer seek God. It will lead to the abandonment of the faith that we have. The
Church is not bound exclusively to any race or nation and seeks to share the word of God to all.
We should also work to preserve each person’s dignity regardless of race, sex, nation, religion, or
social condition.
These have been the concerns being address by the bishops in the year 1965 in the reign of
the Second Vatican Council. As to how I see it, the content of this document is a way to advance.
Today, I could say that the problems being address in the document is what is happening now in
recent time. Because of the improvement of technology today, it had brought a good effect, but as
well as with the opposite of it. All of us long for progress for we want something great or
something, which we find our lives more easily. Borrowing the term coined by Pope Francis from
his well-known Encyclical, Laudato Si’, he used the term “technocratic” which speaks of the status
of the modern world. The document is broad or general in its sense that deals with a lot of concern
about what is going on in society today.
 Today that this document talks about is present at hand. There are many issues, which can
be pointed in the sense that it is broad. However, it emphasizes much more on the relationship of
man to society, in connection to the teachings of the church. We are now in the state of changes
coming from the development of technology that causes social changes in the modern world today.
These social changes affected everyone. It cannot be denied that these changes have been good to
us for it helped a lot in shaping the world to progress, but the opposite of this infected men and the
society that resulted in the moral-spiritual implication to the community.
Using this document as the springboard for my reflection, since it is focused on the
relationship of man to society. The environment is an important issue when we talk about society.
Thus, he is in a relationship also with the environment. Our environmental status today in this
modern world is in a state of crisis. We are experiencing the negative effects coming from the
development of the technology we have today. During our thesis writing, it comes up to my mind
to write about a thesis in concern with the environmental problem that we are facing now. I write
about a thesis in concern with the forests we have, which is the source of our basic needs. The man
had abused the richness of our land and now we are experiencing its effect on us. This can be the
point of my reflection in relation to this encyclical.
It had to bring a lot of trouble for us, which is the changes in the climate and other
calamities have been more destructive. The degradation of the forests that have been caused by the
underlying causes such as, Socio-Demographic factors, Economic Market and Technological
Factors, and weak implementation of policies by the government have made this far destruction to
happen. As an individual and part of the community, it led me to ponder and ask how I could help,
even in a simple way. Being a Christian and being part of the community, we are compelled to a
task. A task that is easy, a burden that is light. We are now so much focused on the development
of technology. For us, if technology is improving and excelling in its work, we easily say that we
are progressing. As to I see it, we are veiled by these advancements and improvements looking it
as the progress of our modern world, but it is not. The environment that we have, where nature has
been the source of all these things that we have has been neglected. We pay more attention to the
latter for the definition of progress for us is to be way advance.
Our holy father, Pope Francis encourages us to redefine progress. In this modern time, we
are aiming for progress, but what this progress really means? Is it by these technological
advancements that are happening presently on hand? Pope Francis, inspired by the life of St.
Francis of Asisi, calls for a deep understanding of the progress. For he has seen this as the one that
veils in neglecting the importance of the environment. Taking care of our home needs an urgent
response from us, in saving her. We are impelled to take action in order to avoid perpetuating a
brutal act of injustice towards the poor and future generations.
Upon reading the document Gaudium et Spes, made me reconnect their concerns before to
what is happening in the modern world. Their concerns are still happening and need resolution.
However, how can we do this? What can I contribute to resolve these ongoing issues or to
supplement a way out of it especially in the environmental issue? We believe as Christians that all
things that we have in this world originated from the Almighty Father. We have given the power
to take care of what He had given to us. However, we have abandoned it. Reflecting upon the
recent situation today, especially in concern with our environment, the gift of nature that we have
is at risk. It made me ask myself how can I help in this age, in the age of the modern world where
some important matters had been neglected. As a seminarian and a member of the faith we have,
I have the capacity to become a role model of implementing such acts. With the extent of my
knowledge, I can be able to teach people in light of Jesus’ teachings to us. Especially in my
apostolate assignment area, which I can be able to spread, not just the Gospel or the teachings of
the church but also moral-spiritual actions that we need to act especially in this age.
It is by helping one another, in one heart and one mind; we will be able to achieve the
progress that we aim for. The progress that will bring the people and the church towards the path
of peace, harmony, and love. Looking at our environmental status today, as in particular sense of
the concern of the said document, man has a role to it. Man is in communion with the community
and is in communion with God. Man must take part in it in participation towards the good of all.
Since each one is related to one another, we have the task to be in one move towards this path that
the Mother Church aims. It is not only limited to a few people, but it is a universal call wherein
we are called for a universal mission. I know there are more issues, which need to be resolved, but
for me, our lives here must be first preserved in order to continue the plans that we have for the
coming of the next generation. There is still time to do this in resolving the state that we have now.
We need to reconfigure ourselves, especially in this present day, where the influence of
post-modernism is rampant. The effect of this Post-Modern era is a life-changing status that leads
to another perspective of one’s standpoint in life. It cannot be denied, that it can also lead to a
better way of looking what life is, what is going on, what does really matter in recent time, but
also it may cause disorder in the community when it reaches to its extremes. Analyzing it, it
definitely helps in changing the line of thought before which is not applicable, not necessary, for
it critiques the system, and changes the way it used to be, on the other hand, it will cause a
commotion when it reaches to its fullest uproar. The call now resides in each one of us, that in this
Post-Modern era, on how we will be able to take our line of thought applicable to all, not only
concerning to our own intent but to all who live in this world. It sometimes misleads the people
towards the good of the society as well as with the Church. We need to help one another in the
community, in bringing back the good things, which we had set already from the past, and to
neglect those things that can bring separation to each one, especially the separation of the
relationship between God and man. The joys and the hopes of our time now are to reset and to
reconfigure ourselves, and be closer to Christ our Lord. We should work together as one in creating
peace, justice, and love. In making, our lives be meaningful and purposeful in the world where we
are living now.

The discords that we have examined and experienced must be eliminated. It is in order to
achieve what the church is aiming for the benefit of all. We need to understand each other, help
one another in the state of crisis that we are facing today. We are in a world where God is with us,
He manifests in varied mysterious ways. To end this reflection, we are called to be united and to
participate in shaping the modern world towards the right path. In preparation for the coming of
the next generation. To live in a world full of peace and happiness grounded in love.