2. Getting Started with the Reading
Written in 1986 by United States Catholic Bishops
Popular support for reduction in public services
“Trickle-down economics”
Pastoral letter
Addressed to broad audience, including non-
Catholics
Divided by numbered paragraphs
3. Key Terms
Vatican II (see link)
Productive property (paragraph 137)
Common good (para. 137)
4. Why does work have “dignity”
(para. 136-137)?
Allows people to participate in society
Reap the rewards and share benefits of community
“crucial to self-realization”
Fulfillment of material needs
“first line of defense against poverty”
Most people don’t own productive property – they
must work
Enables contribution to common good
Serve others, contribute to well-being, etc.
5. Government and Society
Must protect right to gainful employment (para.
153)
How to do so will vary
Bishops’ Recommendations (para. 200-203)
Self-help for the poor – enable employment
Provide training, seed money, and legal assistance
Education and illiteracy reduction
Tax reform
6. The Bishops and Tax Reform (para.
202)
Taxes should raise enough money to fulfill needs
of the poor
Tax rates should be progressive – wealthier
should pay higher taxes
No tax on those in poverty - Tax rate should not
burden those who can’t afford basic necessities
7. Welfare Reform
Assistance programs should:
Assist recipients to become self-sufficient through
gainful employment
Provide adequate levels of support
Standardized nationally
Available to all families that are in need (especially
two-parent homes; odd since two-parent families
were included since 1960)
8. Central Claim
Financial insecurity prevents people from making
independent decisions that reflect their values
and commitments. To be poor is to be powerless
and constrained from participating in society. Our
choices and our actions are thus limited by
financial struggles.
9. Question for the week
In what ways are your choices affected by
financial concerns? What might be an example
of a significant choice that you might make based
on a lack of financial security?
10. Themes to think of for assignment…
Welfare
Poverty
Inequality
Unemployment
Tax rates
Etc.
