caritas in veritate summary

8/7/2019 Caritas in Veritate summary

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Caritas in Veritate (Latin: "Charity in Truth") is the third encyclical ofPope Benedict XVI and his first social

encyclical. It was signed on June 29, 2009, and was published on July 7, 2009. It was initially published in

English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.

The encyclical is concerned with the problems of global development and progress towards the common

good, arguing that both Love and Truth are essential elements of an effective response. The work is

addressed to all strata of global society there are specific points aimed at political leaders, business

leaders, religious leaders, financiers and aid agencies but the work as a whole is also addressed to allpeople of good will.

The encyclical contains detailed reflection on economic and social issues and problems. The Pope points

out that the Church does not offer specific technical solutions, but rather moral principles to inform the

building of such solutions. The economic themes include an attack on free market fundamentalism, though

a simplistic polarization of the free market model versus interventionist big government solutions is

rejected. There is emphasis on the need for the actions of all economic actors to be informed by ethics as

well as the profit motive. Other areas discussed include hunger, the environment, migration, sexual tourism,

bioethics, cultural relativism, social solidarity, energy and population issues.

The encyclical is divided into six chapters, along with an introduction and conclusion.

[edit] Introduction

The encyclical begins with a discussion of how charity and truth are fundamental parts of our development,

both as individuals and for humanity as a whole. Love (charity[1]

) is described as an extraordinary force

motivating people to strive for the common good: "The more we strive to secure a common good

corresponding to the real needs of our neighbours, the more effectively we love them." The pope

emphasises that while charity is "at the heart of the Church's social doctrine", it must be linked to truth if it

is to remain a force for good. Without truth, love can become an "empty shell" to be filled with emotional

influences which in the worst case can result in love turning into its opposite. Similarly, social actionwithout truth can end up "serving private interests and the logic of power". Another risk for the individual

without truth is to fall prey to an excessively sceptical and empirical view of life. The Pope pays tribute to

Pope Paul VI's 1967 encyclical Populorum progressio, which he describes as the "Rerum Novarum of its

day"[2]

Benedict goes on to recognise he is echoing the principle theme ofPopulorum progressio in calling

for people to strive for greater development with all their hearts and minds. He says the Christian is called

on to engage politically for the benefit of other people in so far as he or she is able, and equally to love and

help their neighbours on an individual level.

[edit] Chapter 1: The message of Populorum progressio

Chapter 1 continues the discussion ofPopulorum progressio, illustrating how it fits in both with Pope Paul

VI's overall magisterium and with the broader tradition of Catholic teachings. Benedict recounts how the

earlier encyclical taught that institutions designed to hasten social development are not by themselves

sufficient to ensure good outcomes. He reminds us that Paul VI advised the chief causes of enduring

poverty are not material in nature, but lie in failures of the will and "the lack of brotherhood among

individuals and peoples". He asserts that people working for the benefit of others need their own individual

sense of vocation, which is derived in part from the Bible and the life of Christ. Benedict states that while

reason alone can identify inequality and while globalisation has made us neighbours, neither can establish

the sense of fraternity which flows from God's love. The holy father introduces a theme concerning the

importance in tackling hunger which reoccurs later in the work, using a quote from Populorum progressio:

"the peoples in hunger are making a dramatic appeal to the peoples blessed with abundance".

[edit] Chapter 2: human development in our time

The Pope describes globalisation as the main feature of the current age. While acknowledging the great

benefits delivered, including the emergence from underdevelopment of whole regions and nations, the

Pope warns globalisation has already created many new problems and that without the influence of charity

and truth, it could cause "unprecedented damage and create new divisions within the human family".


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Benedict warns of dangers arising from unbalanced growth and from those pursuing profit purely for its

own sake, without seeing profit as a means to do good. He discusses increasing inequality, including new

groups of poor emerging even in rich nations. The pope says globalisation has in part given rise to damaging

cultural eclecticism and levelling. Addressing political leaders, Benedict says that "The primary capital to be

safeguarded is man" and suggests that reducing prolonged unemployment should be a high priority as it

causes "great psychological and spiritual suffering." He goes on to discuss the suffering caused in the

underdeveloped world by food shortages, saying that to feed the hungry is an ethical imperative. The Pope

considers a number of trends harmful to development: the prevalence of corruption in both poor and richcountries, the existence of harmful speculative capital flows, the tendency for development aid to be

"diverted from it proper ends due to irresponsible actions", the "unregulated exploitation of the earths

resources", and "on the part of rich countries there is excessive zeal for protecting knowledge through an

unduly rigid assertion of the right to intellectual property, especially in the field of health care." While

acknowledging that organised religion is not always an entirely positive influence, the Pope warns of the

danger of state imposed atheism, which he says deprives citizens of the moral and spiritual strength

needed for genuine development and to respond generously to divine love. He emphasises that

successfully resolving the various global challenges will need Love as well as knowledge: "the individual

who is animated by true charity labours skilfully to discover the causes of misery, to find the means to

combat it, to overcome it resolutely".

[edit] Chapter 3: fraternity, economic development and civil society

The third chapter focuses on gratuity how giving and receiving gifts reflects God's nature and how it helps

builds communities. Benedict states civil society is the most natural setting for gratuitousness, but that

gratuity is also needed in the operations of the State and the Market. With reference to the financial crisis

of 2007-2008, Benedict argues against a market economy where economic agents act purely out of self

interest he says that commercial logic alone cannot solve all of society's problems. The Pope states there

is both a moral and economic case to conclude that "in commercial relationships the principles of

gratuitousness and the logic of gift as an expression of gratuitousness can and must find their place within

normal economic activity". He argues that giving fosters a sense of justice, responsibly and sense of thecommon good amongst different economic actors. The Pope emphasises the call in Populorum progression

for the creation of a market model where "all will be able to give and receive". He states everyone,

including business managers and investors, should base their decision partly on an awareness of how their

actions will effect progress towards global solidarity.

[edit] Chapter 4: the development of people, rights and duties, the environment.

Here the Pope dwells at length on the concept that rights must be linked to duties. Too much focus on ones

own rights can lead people to believing they owe nothing to anyone but themselves, to making insistent

demands that one's own rights are promoted by public authorities even when they are harmful, such as the"right to excess" or to chose vice. This can lead to the whole notion of rights being weakened and even core

rights being violated. Benedict argues that core rights are safest when everyone accepts they have a duty to

respect other people's development and rights. The Pope turns to duties of governments, which should

strive to look after the deep moral needs of their citizens and to promote ethical economic systems where

actors look to maximise not just profits but also the common good. The last part of the chapter is about the

duty to protect the environment, though the Pope also warns that nature should not be regarded as more

important than man. He regrets the way "some states, power groups and companies hoard nonrenewable

energy resources" which he says "represents a grave obstacle to development in poor countries". Benedict

notes the importance for developed countries to take the lead in reducing their own environmental impact,

which may involve in the adoption of new, more environmentally friendly life styles for their populations.

Chapter 5: the cooperation of the human family

In this chapter, Benedict discusses the importance for individuals to live in communion with each other. He

states "the development of peoples depend above all on a recognition that the human race is a single

family". The Pope suggests isolation is one of the causes of various forms of poverty, including self inflicted

isolation where the individual elects to withdraw from society. Solidarity and fraternity are antidotes to

isolation, and also essential for effective development. The Pope suggests that in addition to solidarity,


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attention needs to be paid to the principle ofsubsidiarity "the most effective antidote against any form of

all-encompassing welfare state." While welcoming the role of different cultures and faiths in fostering

cooperation for human development, the Pope advises discernment is needed so folk can avoid dangerous

ideologies and religions that encourage people to cut themselves off from communion with others. He says

religion must play a part in political discussion, so there can be a fruitful dialogue between faith and reason.

The Pope cautions against secularism and fundamentalism, both of which make such dialogue difficult.

Moving on to economic aid from developed to less developed states, Benedict states that the preeminentsort of help needed is increased access to the markets of developed countries. He also says developed

countries should allocate an increased proportion of their budgets to foreign aid. There is a discussion

concerning an ethical response to international tourism and to the "epoch making" phenomena of

migration Benedict reminds us that every migrant is a person possessing inalienable rights "that must be

respected by everyone and in every circumstance." In the last part of the chapter, the Pope returns to

poverty, discussing the great harm caused by unemployment, and how the issue can be responded to not

just by government but by financiers, microfinance, labour unions and consumers. He suggests increased

"regulation of the financial sector" is needed to safeguard vulnerable parties.

The chapter ends with a call for an establishment of an effective global authority "to manage the global

economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the

greater imbalances that would result." The Pope wishes to see reform and strengthening of the United

Nations and the international monetary system, including for poorer nations to be given a louder voice on

international bodies.

[edit] Chapter 6: the development of peoples and technology

The Pope praises the benefits of technology but warns that a purely technocrat mindset where decisions

are made only on grounds of efficiency will not deliver true development. Technical decisions must not be

divorced from ethics. Benedict discusses bioethics and suggests that practices such as abortion, eugenics

and euthanasia are morally hazardous and that accepting them can lead to greater tolerance for variousforms of moral degradation. He turns to another consequence of the technocratic mindset, the viewing of

people's personalities in purely psychological terms at the exclusion of the spiritual, which he says can lead

to people feeling empty and abandoned even in prosperous societies. Benedict says there is something

miraculous in every act of knowledge. Love which is so essential to human development can not be fully

appreciated from a materialistic perspective, but only with awareness of the spiritual dimension.

[edit] Conclusion

The Pope reiterates his belief that charity and truth are essential for integral human development, both for

the individual and for peoples. An awareness of God's love "gives us the courage to continue seeking andworking for the benefit of all" despite difficulties. The conclusion ends with a prayer to the Virgin Mary to

intercede with God that all may be granted strength and generosity for the task of bringing about the

"development of the whole man and of all men."

The encyclical was drafted during Benedict's July 2007 holiday at Lorenzago di Cadore in Italy's Dolomite

mountains and was inspired in part by Paul VI's Populorum Progressio.[3]

It was originally planned for 2007

to mark Populorum Progressio's 40th anniversary, but publication was delayed.[4]

A final draft was produced for translation in March 2008. Translation difficulties caused further delays in

publication. It was reported that the translation hold was related to one of the major languages of China.

Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone said that the encyclical would be released sometime in the Fallof 2008.

In December 2008, a release was announced for 19 March 2009.[5]

One month later, a May 1 release date

was announced. These third and fourth delays were reported by Vatican officials to be due to the necessity

for further reflection upon the global economic concerns of late 2008 and early 2009. Regarding this delay,

much attention was given to a 1985 essay presented in Rome by Benedict (then Josef cardinal Ratzinger) at

a symposium on "Church and Economy in Dialogue.", entitled Market Economy and Ethics. Speaking on


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social values and the common good, Ratzinger had predicted greed and corruption in economic polices

would inject a fundamental instability into the global economic system.

On February 1, 2009 it was announced that the encyclical would be released sometime in April 2009.[6]

Commenting upon the repeated delay of Caritas in Vertate, Rt. Rev. Giampaolo Crepaldi, president of the

Osservatorio Internazionale: sulla dottrina sociale della Chiesa, wrote an article entitled "Awaiting the New

Encyclical of Benedict XVI: What does it mean to say the social doctrine of the Church is timely?" Hewrites,

[7]

The "timeliness"ofan encyclical does not merely dependon the new socialproblems or issues it addresses.

Were this the case, establishing the timeliness ofBenedict XVI's upcoming social encyclical would merelybe

a question oflisting the social issues it tackles and then checking which and how manyofthem were not

touched upon in previous encyclicals. That, however, is not the way it is, for the simple reason that a social

encyclical is not a sociological investigation.

It therefore becomes clear that the "timeliness"ofSDC stems notonlyfrom the newfacts humanity has to

deal with, butfrom the Gospel itself, which, insofar as Word incarnate, is always new. Newfacts and

developments in history can act as a stimulus for a re-readingofeverlasting truth, because everlasting truth

is essentiallyopen to such an endeavor. Were this not true, each encyclical would speakonly to the men and

women ofits time. Present in the Church's social doctrine is an inexhaustible and irreducible elementof

prophecybestowed upon itby the Gospel. Christ is ever timely, and let us notforget that the social doctrine

ofthe Church is "announcementofChrist".

On April 23, 2009, during a conference on globalization held at the Gregorian University in Rome, Vatican

cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said that Pope Benedict

XVI's third encyclical "on globalization and the poor" is expected to be released June 29, 2009 the feast of

Sts. Peter and Paul.

On May 28, 2009, an unnamed Vatican official is reported to have said that[4]

Pope Benedict XVI has completed his long-awaited encyclicalon social issues and the text is nowbeing

translated into several languages, according to a Vatican official. The new document Caritas in Veritate

("Love in truth") is about 100 pages long, the official said. Originallyplannedfor 2007 to mark the 40th

anniversaryofPope Paul VI's landmark social encyclicalPopulorum Progressio, the newpapal document

suffered a succession ofdelays as the currentglobal economic crisis unfolded.

On the day of the actual release, July 27, 2009, the Financial Times reported the final publication had been

delayed to coincide with the G8 summit in Italy[8]

caritas in veritate summary

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