Goodbye!

Over the past couple of weeks, Emon, Dylan, and I have told you all about the several key themes of the Catholic Social Teachings. We’ve told you about how they are lived out all over the world, and how you can live them out in your own community. Even though this was an assignment, I think we’ve learned a valuable lesson about loving one another. The stress of having two weeks to write a two thousand word blog brought us together, and I hope our words will bring others together. Perhaps this won’t reach the entire world, but it will reach someone.

“If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.”

-Emily Dickinson

Sincerely, Sarah

Rights and Responsibilities

Catholics teach that human dignity can be protected and a healthy place can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are too. For that, every person has a right to life and a right to those things required for human life. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities--to each other, to our families, and to the world.

Every person has a right to life and has a part of life. Meaning that every human has the right to what is needed to live a full and good life, things like the employment, health care, and education required for a good life. The right to exercise religious freedom publicly and privately by individuals and institutions along with freedom of conscience need to be constantly defended. In a way, the right of free religious beliefs can protect all other rights.

The Church helps property and teaches that “every man has by nature the right to possess property as his own." The right to private property is not absolute, however, and is limited by the concept of the social mortgage. It is just for its members to destroy property used in a bad way by others, or for the state to sort out wealth for people who have unjustly hoarded it. Rights are duties and responsibilities to each other, our families, and to the church. Rights should be understood and used in a moral way made in dignity of each human person.
Dylan Williams

Call to Family, Community, and Participation

We are call to participate in the church and in our community. We can’t just stay back and let other people do things for you. We can’t just yet people run over you and you not say a word. We have to stand up and have a voice in the community. We have to participate in the church. This is why we have the Vatican 2 so young people can have a voice, and not just ordain religious. We all have a say in our community and in our faith. We are one body and we all make the kingdom of God.

There are many ways to participate and in the community. You can go to church and sang in the church. You can play music, and be in the choir. You can be a alter server, and a married deacon. You can be a server and give food to the poor and clothes. You can be a gift barrier and pray for the church and community. There is many ways to participate in the church. Blessed Pope John 2 tried to push the Vatican two among the church. The church is just a building. The people in the community make up the whole church with a capital C.
Emon Smith

The Dignity of Worker and the Rights of Workers

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers - The human person is central, the clearest reflection of God among us. Each person has a basic dignity from God, not from any accomplishment.

“The economy must help people, not the other way around”

(The 1986 US Bishops letter, Economic Justice for All).

Work is more than a way to make a life; it is an act of continuing a share in God’s creation. workers serve to the very common good through the services or materials they help provide and by creating jobs that sustain the dignity and rights of workers to create work, to decent and just wages, to a decent benefits and security in their old age, to the choice of whether to organize and join unions, to the opportunity for legal conditions for the immigrant workers, to private property, and to the economic plan.

Workers also have responsibilities to provide a fair day’s of work for a fair day’s pay, to treat employers and co-workers with respect, and to carry out their work in ways that contribute to the common good. Workers, employers, and unions should not only advance their own interests, but also work together to improve economic justice and the being of all. There is not a better time that we need to know about this.

-Dylan

Care for God's Creation

We are called to care for God’s creation. We can all make a change in the world. We can do this by thinking green and being a steward of creation. We can recycle, which helps us save trees, which in turn reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere and reduces global warming. In most cases, recycling uses less energy than creating new products. Recycling helps to keep waste out of landfills, and help to keep the waste level to a minimum. The three r’s, reduce, reuse, and recycle help us make the world green, and if we work together we can make the world a better place.
　
The Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus help launch Disney’s Friends for Change Effort. Their successful tree planting tie-in with the film EARTH, Disney is today launching a new multiplatform environmental initiative that will help kids help the planet. Compassionate Kids Foundation is determined to help the earth and care for God’s creation by taking action to protect the planet, our home, the beautiful Earth. We can all help the world and make it a better place. When we work together as one and care for God’s creation and lend a helping hand. We are caring for God’s creation and making the world a better place.

Emon

Solidarity

Solidarity- a harmony of interests and responsibilities among individuals in a group, no matter what religion, race, or sex you are.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not

perish but might have everlasting life."(John 3:16)

When you think of solidarity, think of God becoming Man and dying on the Cross in solidarity with each and every member of the human race. Learning to practice solidarity means that ‘loving our neighbor’ has global dimensions in a world depending on each other (even when we don’t want to). Solidarity also means that we should welcome strangers by including immigrants seeking work, a safe home, education for their children, and a good life for their families.

In light of the Lord’s encouragement to make peace with our commitment to solidarity with our neighbors home and everywhere. It also states that we seek peace and continue justice in a world corroded by violence and conflict. Decisions should be guided by moral standards and set about doing only as a last suggestion. As Pope Paul VI said: “If you want peace, work for justice!” (World Day of Peace Message, January 1, 1972). God wants us to be his peacemakers. Peace really does makes a difference. If only we all truly learn how to use solidarity, this world would be awesome.

- Dylan

Bullying

Bullying, we’ve all been there. Either we’re the bullies or the ones being bullied, but most Americans are pretty familiar with this concept. We seek out those who are different or inferior, and we terrorize them. There is a chapter in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul called Betty Ann. It’s pretty straight forward. She’s the weird new kid in high school that no one likes, and whom everyone bullies. Those children probably are unaware of how deep their words cut, but Betty Ann’s life was drastically changed and she never recovered. There are many Betty Anns out there, and we should all work to make them feel welcome. “Sticks and stones only break bones. Words can shatter the soul.”

Every day thousands of teens wake up afraid to go to school. Bullying is a problem that affects millions of students, and it has everyone worried, not just the kids on its receiving end. Yet because parents, teachers, and other adults don't always see it, they may not understand how extreme bullying can get. So, I hope that everyone reading this will understand that everyone deserves the right to be treated fairly. We are all human, so let’s act like it.
Sincerely, Sarah

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

We are call to help the needy and those who are less fortunate. We can give the needy clothes and shelter. We can be there for each other when they are down. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." This shows us that if you bring peace to the world, you are showing God’s love to others and helping those in need. We are all equal and who am I to pretend to be blind and not see their needs? We can all help the needy to make peace and show God’s love for each other.

The NBA, its teams, and its players support a range of programs, partners, and initiatives that strive to positively impact children and families worldwide. NBA teams maintain a range of creative programs geared to give back to their communities. We Are The World Foundation is dedicated to raising money and to making grants to charitable organizations with meaningful and efficient relief and development programs that are responding to the continuing crisis in Haiti. We can all help out the needy.” Obedience to our Heavenly Father starts with our loving service to a needy brother.” I truly enjoy no more of the world's good things than what I willingly distribute to the needy”.

Emon Smith

http://wearetheworldfoundation.org/

http://www.nba.com/nba_cares/

Life and Dignity of the Human Person

Human life is a sacred thing that should be glorified and held in highest reverence, but in today's society, this is not the case. It is constantly under attack from abortion,

euthanasia, the death penalty, and terrorists and war attacks. The Catholic Church believes that war is wrong and that we can find effective and peaceful ways to resolve conflicts and avoid future arguments. Now, what really bewilders me is abortion. I find the statement, "pro-choice," hypocritical, because to say that they are pro-choice implies that all of the parties involved have a choice, but what about the child? The unknowing fetus doesn't have a choice.

One of my favorite quotes is "Why do we murder those who murder, to show that murder is wrong?" I wish I could say that it was said by some amazing politician, but I honestly have no clue who wrote it. The punishment of the death penalty is just as bad, if not worse, as the crime itself. It is worse because it is seen as a justified act, that some people see it as a good or deserved thing. No one deserves their life to be taken away, no matter what they have done. As Catholics, we believe that every human life is precious and deserves saving.

Sincerely, Sarah

A Round of Introductions

Hey, hi, hello, and welcome to the greatest blog in the entire world. Since you are so fortunate to find this treasure, let me explain to you the gist of this blog. Three students from some Catholic school in Florida were assigned to blog about the several key points of the Catholic Social Teachings. I know, I know, so exciting. Really. Well, it seems prudent for a round of introductions: those three lucky students are Emon, Dylan, and me, Sarah. Now, you may be wondering, "Oh but, Sarah! How will I know which amazing blogs belong to who?" Well, it's actually very simple. We will all sign our names at the bottom of the posts we write, just for you. Also, just so you know we're serious about his blog, we've created a little mission statement to follow:

"We believe in living out our Catholic Social Teachings.

We are called to care for all God's creation,

animals and humans alike, because they are all sacred.

We are called to respect and love everyone,

even if they do not respect or love us.

We believe we should be actively involved in our

community and our world, and that through our actions,

we can change that world."

Sincerely, Sarah