Social Life

Catholic thought on social life is a universal proposition to all people. It is a doctrine that encourages integral human growth in both love and truth.

"All people feel the interior impulse to love authentically: love and truth never abandon them completely, because these are the vocation planted by God in the heart and mind of every human person."[1]

Christianity not only hopes for individual salvation, it also has hope for the entire community

Hope for salvation is hope for all humanity. The Letter to the Hebrews speaks of a "city" (cf. 11:10-16; 12:22; 13:14) and therefore of the salvation of the entire community. In the same way, Saint Augustine begins the Letter to Proba (on Eternal Life) by quoting Psalm 144 [143]:15: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord".[2]

In this way, Jesus Christ is the Light and Mary the Star of Hope

"Jesus Christ is the true light, the sun that has risen above all the shadows of history. But to reach him we also need lights close by--people who shine with his light and so guide us along our way. Who more than Mary could be a star of hope for us? With her ‘yes' she opened the door of our world to God himself." [3]

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[1] Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in veritate, on Integral Development in Charity and Truth. June 29, 2009, § 1.

[2] Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi §14.

[3] Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi § 49.

Introduction by Françoise Breynaert