How can I grow spiritually?

If you are an adult Catholic who has not been confirmed, you will want to learn more about Adult Confirmation.

If you are a teen or young adult, please consider the retreats and workshops held by our Youth Ministry and Campus Ministry.

Perhaps you need a place to meditate or pray. Holy Family Retreat Center offers Liturgy of the Hours each evening at 6:00 except Thursday. You may also want to make a retreat this year, if so, check out the center's schedule.

Many Catholics and non-Catholics as well find a real sense of Christian Community by becoming a member of the ACTS Community. Visit its page to learn more about that possibility.

Finally if you are an adult male Catholic, you may want to consider the Permanent Diaconate.

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What are the Catholic Church's teachings on social justice?

Seven Key Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Church's social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. The depth and richness of this tradition can be understood best through a direct reading of these documents. In these brief reflections, we wish to highlight several of the key themes that are at the heart of our Catholic social tradition.

Life and Dignity of the Human Person

The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Our belief in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and assisted suicide. The value of human life is being threatened by increasing use of the death penalty. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

Call to Family, Community, and Participation

The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society in economics and politics, in law and policy directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. The family is the central social institution that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Rights and Responsibilities

The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.

Solidarity

We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever they live. We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. Learning to practice the virtue of solidarity means learning that "loving our neighbor" has global dimensions in an interdependent world.

Care for God's Creation

We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God's creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.

This summary should only be a starting point for those interested in Catholic social teaching. A full understanding can only be achieved by reading the papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents that make up this rich tradition.

Copyright © 1999, United States Catholic Conference, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.

Excerpts from Sharing Catholic Social Teaching is available in card and poster editions and may be ordered by telephoning (800) 235-8722. In the Washington metropolitan area or from outside the United States, call (202) 722-8716. Ask for publication #5-318 for the English poster, #5-818 for the Spanish poster, #5-315 for the English card, and #5-815 for the Spanish card. The complete Sharing Catholic Social Teaching is available in print. Ask for publication #5-281 for the English edition, #5-803 for the Spanish edition.

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Can you tell me just a little about what Catholics believe and practice?

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, with the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The Ten Commandments

I. You shall not have strange gods before me.
II. You shall not take God's name in vain.
III. Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.
IV. Honor your father and your mother.
V. You shall not kill.
VI. You shall not commit adultery.
VII. You shall not steal.
VIII. You shall not bear false witness.
IX. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
X. You shall not covet you neighbor's goods.

The Laws of the Church (Precepts)

• To attend Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation; and to avoid those activities that hinder the renewal of soul and body or the growth in union with the Lord.
• To go to confession at least once a year; and to receive Holy Eucharist during the Easter season.
• To study the teachings of the Church in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation and then to use the knowledge gained in that study to advance the cause of Christ and the mission of the Church in evangelizing this world and bringing it to a knowledge of Christ.
• To observe (obey) the laws of the Church concerning marriage; to provide religious training and an example of sanctity to one's children; and to avail oneself of the facilities provided by the parish to advance their and one's own religious education.
• To strengthen and to support the Church, by which one means one's own parish community, pastors, bishops and the Holy Father.
• To fast and abstain on the days appointed; i.e., to do penance, including, but not limited to, fasting from food and abstaining from the use of meat on the days appointed.
• To join in the missionary spirit and apostolate of the Church.

For more information go to http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/

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