PEACE & Catholic Social Teaching
(Written by James Varani of the St. Francis of Assisi Peace & Justice Committee.)
(Article intended for the bulletin FORUM on: 2010-04-11.)

Catholic social teaching – how we are to live in harmony with our brothers and sisters – is sometimes described as having seven pillars or foundations. Peace is fundamental to each of these.

The first (and foremost) underlying principle governing our relationships is the Life and Dignity of the Human Person. The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred. The dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. The lack of peace – be it in war between nations or strife within the family - is the ultimate insult to the dignity of the human person. Each of the other pillars reflects the inherent human dignity. There is the Call to Family, Community and Participation, the Recognition of Human Rights and Responsibilities, the Recognition of the Dignity of Work & Rights of Workers and Solidarity. None of these foundations of Catholic social teaching can be fully lived in the absence of peace. For example,

- no matter how society is organized, we are all members of one family of God. Every one is a brother or sister. Every conflict is, therefore, contrary to the basic principles of family life.
- human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Human rights and responsibilities are difficult to maintain in times of strife. A state of war is incompatible with community life.
- Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of participation in God’s creation. Modern warfare requires that the economic activity of the community support the war effort. It is difficult for workers in a wartime economy to fully participate in the call to be co-creators with God.

Two other pillars of Catholic social teaching include the Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable and Care for God’s Creation. As with all of the other pillars, the actions called for by these underlying principles is not compatible with a state of conflict. It is the poor and vulnerable who suffer the most from every bad thing that comes along. Thus, all conflict interferes (almost by definition) with the Catholic Church’s “preferential option for the poor.” Finally, there is stewardship of creation. All strife, but especially modern warfare, is incompatible with our call to be stewards of creation. Modern warfare constitutes one of the greatest environmental threat we face.

We live in a world that has always had an abundance of strife. Imagining a time when true peace will reign is difficult. Imagining how we can be peacemakers is also difficult. Perhaps realizing that any step toward peace, no matter how small, is an affirmation of all the fundamental principles of Catholic social teaching will help us come to the realization that the state of peace – no matter how distant and far off it can seem – is not something ancillary to who we are as a people of faith. On the contrary, it is central to what we profess as Catholics.