Last week’s post examined legal and moral justice as part of the virtue of justice, which falls within the third principle that influenced the 1983 Code. Today’s post focuses on social justice.
Social justice is a relatively new emphasis because the Church’s social teaching had focused on the most classical forms of justice: commutative, distributive, and legal. Social justice evolved from legal justice, which focuses on ensuring that everyone is treated equally under the law. Hence, some consider it another expression of legal justice. Others view social justice as a combination of legal and distributive justice, while others consider it distinct from all others.
The emphasis on social justice dates back to 1931 in Pope Pius XI’s social encyclical, Quadragesimo Anno. The Pope writes: “By this law of social justice, one class is forbidden to exclude the other from sharing in the benefits.” (n.57). He further reiterates it in 1937 in another encyclical, Divini Redemptoris, emphasising that the essence of social justice is “to demand from each individual all that is necessary for the common good” (n.51). The Catechism teaches that social justice entails providing the conditions that allow individuals or associations to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and vocation (CCC, 1928).
In light of social justice, the Second Vatican Council prioritises justice over charity, stating that “the demands of justice be satisfied lest the giving of what is due in justice be represented as the offering of a charitable gift” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 8).
Gaudium et Spes emphasises that the social order, “founded on truth, built on justice and animated by love,” must work for the benefit of the human person (n. 26). Pope John Paul II urges consecrated persons to denounce injustice and commit themselves to promoting justice in the society where they work (Vita Consacrata, 82).
Hence, the 1983 Code integrates social justice. In line with the spirituality of canon law, social justice means that all the faithful are obliged to promote equity and prevent others from being deprived of access to the spiritual and temporal goods of the Church. The same applies to those occupying ecclesiastical offices or positions of authority. They are to fulfil their obligations towards the Church and to God in discharging their duties and not to deprive people of their ecclesial rights while seeking to be charitable towards them. The purpose of the spirituality of canon law is to ensure all are on the path of holiness to make heaven at last.
The following are relevant canons on the theme of social justice. Canon 222 §2 provides that Christ’s faithful are “obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the Lord’s precept, to help the poor from their own resources,” while canon 287 §1 stipulates that clerics should foster peace and harmony based on justice among the people. Canon 528 §1 stipulates that parish priests are to “foster works which promote the spirit of the Gospel, including its relevance to social justice.”
Canon 747 §2 recalls that the Church always has the right everywhere to proclaim moral principles in respect of the social order and to make judgements about any human matter insofar as it promotes human rights or the salvation of souls. Canon 768 §2 emphasises that those who proclaim the word of God should explain to the faithful the Church’s teaching concerning human dignity and freedom; the need for family unity, dignity and duties; people’s social obligations and ordering of temporal affairs according to God’s plan.
Canon 1286 requires administrators of temporal goods to observe Church principles and civil laws relating to labour and social life when drawing up contracts of employment. Administrators are also to pay a just and honest wage sufficient to provide for the needs of workers and their dependents. The Eastern Code provides that Eastern Catholic Churches should cooperate with non-Catholic churches in works of charity, social justice, and the promotion of peace (Can. 908 CCEO).
May God continue to help us🙏🏾
K’ọdị🙋🏾♂️
