Catholic social teaching, if lived by Catholics, can help evangelize American culture by putting liberty in conversation with social solidarity, said Father Daniel Griffith, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Minneapolis.
Father Daniel Griffith
“That’s how the principles work together, and we can really be a transformative force, a leaven for good, as informed Catholics,” he said. “I think it always begins in prayerful reflection, in terms of what the Lord is calling us to.”
Father Griffith recently joined “Practicing Catholic” host Patrick Conley to discuss Catholic social teaching and what it asks of the faithful. He said the topic is near and dear to his heart, and a main area of his teaching at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis.
Modern Catholic social teaching began in 1891 with Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical “Rerum Novarum,” Father Griffith said. The encyclical put forward several fundamental principles that help promote individual and collective human flourishing, including striving for justice and understanding rights and responsibilities, he said.
Framers of the U.S. Constitution set out to build that document upon a natural rights foundation that flows from God-given rights, not rights from the government, Father Griffith said. “And so, the government’s main duty is to promote and certainly not transgress our natural rights,” he said.
“Pacem in Terris,” a social encyclical issued by Pope St. John XXIII in 1963, insists that everyone is endowed with intelligence and free will, with rights and duties flowing from their human dignity, Father Griffith said.
Individuals not only have rights, but from Catholic social teaching, others in society have the duty to work toward policy and law that promote those rights, he said.
Father Griffith said he has been heartened by the solidarity and unity among peace-loving and justice-loving nations in exercising solidarity with the Ukrainian people, a prophetic sign “of what we can be and what we can do together for the good people who not only are struggling, but toward a path of greater justice and peace.” In his Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin may have underestimated that solidarity, Father Griffith said.
To hear the full interview, tune in to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts 9 p.m. March 18 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM, and airs again 1 p.m. March 19 and 2 p.m. March 20.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who describes some of the ways he stays connected with others; and Jose Aguto of Catholic Climate Covenant, who offers thoughts on Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’” and climate change.
Listen to their interviews after they have aired:
soundcloud.com/practicingcatholic
Practicing Catholic on Spotify
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