The previous articles (Part 1 and Part 2) in this series examined Catholic social teaching as it relates to the environment and to economic reform. Authentic Catholic teaching is oriented towards heaven and urges us to be conformed to Christ. We are made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26), but we lost this likeness because of sin (CCC, 2566). Jesus restored us to friendship with God and gave us the Holy Spirit and the sacraments to restore our likeness to God (CCC, 705, 734). This is a lifelong effort involving prayer and making daily and conscious decisions to avoid sin and to cultivate the virtues (CCC, 1700, 2784, 1810-1811). The theological virtues of faith, hope, and love (1 Cor 13:12-23; 1 Thess 5:8) are oriented toward God (CCC, 1812). The virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance (Wis 8:6-8) are called “cardinal” because the other natural virtues hinge on them (CCC, 1805).
In the Catholic tradition, working for social change is does not consist of “virtue signaling” or doing feel-good activities. True acts of social justice draw one closer to God by reorienting one’s heart and mind to Christ, with the concomitant increase in prayer, growth in character (i.e., the virtues), and holiness. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church states that justice “consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbour” (par 201).
This final essay considers two programs popular on some Catholic university campuses—the Economy of Francesco and the Laudato Si’ movements—and evaluates whether or not they lead people to Christ and promote virtue. While programs that do not point to Christ or encourage living the virtues may still be commendable, they are not true expressions of the Catholic ethos. In the case of environmentalism, we can also ask whether these programs avoid either extreme materialism or the deification of nature.
In other words, the question is not about the good intentions of the participants but about truth in advertising: does a program marketed by a Catholic institution as based on Catholic social teaching truly comport with the Church’s understanding of the call to grow closer to Christ?
The Laudato Si’ and Economy of Francesco Movements
The Laudato Si’ movement is inspired by the encyclical which name it bears. It is a movement as well as an umbrella term for several different organizations with similar names. It encompasses a wide diversity of groups, some of which align with the Catholic spiritual and intellectual tradition while others promote secular perspectives.
One of the more prominent organizations is the “Laudato Si’ Movement”. A site geared for the academic community is the Universities Pathways website. The International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) encourages universities to join the movement on its “Becoming a Laudato Si’ University” site. The Laudato Si’ website is run by the Francis of Assisi Academy for Planetary Health and has a wealth of information on affiliated organizations. Quite a few colleges are “Laudato Si’ universities” and a list of affiliated institutions is available on the Laudato Si’ site. In the United States, Gonzaga, Loyola (MD), John Carroll, and Xavier (OH) Universities are among the colleges that joined the bandwagon.
The Economy of Francesco (EoF) movement started with a 2020 event convoked by Pope Francis. (The official Economy of Francesco organization has its website at FrancescoEconomy.org.) It should be noted that some of the participants in the program explicitly oppose Catholic doctrine, the most notable being population control advocate Jeffrey Sachs. The Francesco Collaborative is an organization of business, academic, and social leaders supporting the EoF. Georgetown University, in particular, is very active in this area.
A critique of the movements
A reading of the material on these various websites reveals that the vetting of proposals to address environmental and economic issues is inconsistent. In looking at any particular organization or program, the reader should take a “buyer beware” attitude, compare the proposal with the magisterium, and test the fruits (cf Matt 7:16-20).
Even a very quick and simple word search reveals that the degree of faithfulness to the Catholic tradition varies a lot. For example, the Francesco Collaborative website was searched for a mention of “Christ.” As of May 2023, there were only two live hits. The first presents an arrogant and utopian set of guiding principles and values: “We know we are a People with a shared destiny, and we gather to reflect, pray, and endeavor together to build ‘heaven on earth,’ to make and remake the world in the image of Christ.” This is rather arrogant considering that building ‘heaven on earth” is the initiative and work of Christ (CCC, 541-542, 763). Furthermore, it is the liturgy that unites heaven and earth (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 8, 19). This is not work that we do on our own, nor work divorced from the sacraments (although God can choose to use us if it is His will).
The second site is much better at capturing the Catholic tradition, with an essay discussing integral ecology and the Trinity.
To take another example, Georgetown University’s Environmental Justice Program outlines the principles for the “ecological and social reconstruction of our societies”: “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”; “time is greater than space”; “unity prevails over conflict”; “realities are more important than ideas”; “everything is linked.” These can be useful principles and Pope Francis teaches them (Evangelii Gaudium, 222-237). And Georgetown claims that these principles are the inspiration for its economists. However, one would expect that a well-grounded Catholic course of action would be motivated by a hunger for the virtues and a desire to bring the gospel message to humanity. Compare Georgetown’s principles for implementing the “ecological and social reconstruction of our societies” with Pope Pius XI’s aptly named encyclical “On Reconstruction of the Social Order”:
What We have taught about the reconstruction and perfection of social order can surely in no wise be brought to realization without reform of morality, the very record of history clearly shows. (Quadragesimo Anno [QA], 97)
… Therefore, let all men of good will stand united, all who under the Shepherds of the Church wish to fight this good and peaceful battle of Christ; and under the leadership and teaching guidance of the Church let all strive according to the talent, powers, and position of each to contribute something to the Christian reconstruction of human society, … seeking not themselves and their own interests, but those of Jesus Christ, not trying to press at all costs their own counsels, but ready to sacrifice them, however excellent, if the greater common good should seem to require it, so that in all and above all Christ may reign, Christ may command to Whom be “honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” (QA, 147)
Absent in Georgetown’s ideology is a robust Christology, ecclesiology, focus the dignity of the human person, emphasis on sacrifice, and encouragement of the exercise of the Christian virtues (above all, the virtue of charity).
Conclusion
Catholic universities are increasingly becoming involved in environmental and social justice activities. It is proper that a Catholic university, as an institution that is “born from the heart of the Church” be concerned with “serious contemporary problems in areas such as the dignity of human life, the promotion of justice for all, the quality of personal and family life, the protection of nature, the search for peace and political stability, a more just sharing in the world’s resources, and a new economic and political order that will better serve the human community at a national and international level.” (Ex Corde Ecclesiae, Introduction and 32; see also 34).
However, social action is to be done in fidelity to the Church’s teaching. As Pope John Paul II put it:
By its very nature, each Catholic University makes an important contribution to the Church’s work of evangelization. It is a living institutional witness to Christ and his message, so vitally important in cultures marked by secularism, or where Christ and his message are still virtually unknown.(Ex Corde Ecclesiae, 49).
Stated differently, a Catholic university is called to be counter-cultural and to resist the secular zeitgeist (cf Rom 12:2). One must be wary not to conflate Church teaching with a materialist, utopian, Marxist, or syncretistic world view, which is unfortunately very common today in Catholic education.
Two essential marks of Catholic teaching is that it points to our destiny in Jesus Christ and it stresses the role of cultivating the virtues in making Christ present in this world. The fruit of Catholic social teaching, properly implemented, is changed human hearts thirsting for God and for holiness. This provides the foundation for social change. In contrast, the spirit of the age does not require any real metanoia or a consideration of the world to come. Instead, its fruits confirm people in the view that Christ does not matter.
This topic is of the utmost importance because higher education is headed toward an existential crisis, if not already in one. Many are questioning the value of a college education given the rising tuition and the increasing efforts at indoctrinating students into wokeness. In addition, the number of high school graduates stopped growing. Many colleges have closed in recent years, including Catholic institutions. If Catholic colleges abandon their mission, and cease inculcating the virtues and stop pointing to our destiny in Christ, then they will be no different than the state schools that charge a lower tuition. That would, indeed, be a bad fruit for Catholic education.
Related at CWR:
• “The fruits of environmentalism and of social justice (Part 2)” (Aug 14, 2023) by Theodore Misiak
• “The fruits of environmentalism and of social justice (Part 1)” (Aug 1, 2023) by Theodore Misiak
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Movements and philosophies tend to complicate things unnecessarily and they come and go.Meaningfully change occurs from within and works its way out. Recognition of need (conviction) acceptance of help (repentance) and change of life (conversion) and application of convictions ( holiness or progressive sanctification.
Living simply on as little as possible while concerning yourself with being good stewards of time, talent and resources. Respecting others rights , needs and viewpoints and being open to help then when needed. Live what you believe but don’t expect others to do the same and never think of yourself as superior to anyone. Be willing to forgive others even if they do not forgive you.
In short- accept and live the Gospel and the world will be cleaner environmentally and more just socially.
“This topic is of the utmost importance because higher education is headed toward an existential crisis, if not already in one. Many are questioning the value of a college education given the rising tuition and the increasing efforts at indoctrinating students into wokeness.”
Thirty years ago, in my search for the Will of my Lord Jesus Christ, I took a $3500.00 course titled “The Gospel of Jesus Christ” at Seattle University. I was told that Seattle University was a Catholic University. My ex nun Professor told us that she felt that our purpose in life was to have a good sexual relationship. “Whether it is a sexual relationship between a woman and a woman, or a man and a man, or even a woman and a man, it is good sexual relationships which ‘God wills’ us to have, as our purpose in our lives” the Catholic University ex-nun Professor stated.
I contacted the Seattle Archdiocese. They asked if I talked to the Professor about it. I responded, “What good would that do? I do not have the power to excommunicate her and remove her from teaching at a Catholic college.”
Catholic Bishops should take their staff and mitre and smash and destroy them. Then place the broken ruble on the front steps of Catholic Cathedrals as a sign that they refuse to protect the flock from any evil.
I carefully guided my daughter away from Catholic Universities. For years, I warned all my fellow Catholics not to send their adult children to a Catholic College. Or if they do, carefully find out if there are any holy Catholic Universities left out there, and go check them out yourselves. I warned them, “Do not trust the salvation of your children’s souls to Catholic Bishops!”
Does the Catholic World Report have any sources which list which Catholic Universities are enemies of Jesus Christ and which Catholic Universities are holy? I, like many parents, did not have the time to run around the country looking for a spiritually safe Catholic college to send my children to.
The decade before your experience at the Jesuit Seattle University, a Visitation was conducted for the archbishop (later retired at the age of 70 in 1991). See below.
In answer to your question about reliable Catholic colleges and universities, take a look at the site-level reviews provided by the Cardinal Newman Society. Might still show up as a hard copy annual supplement in the National Catholic Register, but here at least is a listing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Newman_Guide_to_Choosing_a_Catholic_College
Regarding the Seattle Visitation, it consisted of a balance of the good with the bad, but here’s the extracted core in my recent posting at CWR. The five included “concerns” sound awfully familiar today (publicly available and signed by Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Pio Laghi, November 14, 1985):
“(a) The need to bring into clear focus–working together with priests, religious and theologians–certain teachings of the Church and their implications for the pastoral practice of the Archdiocese. These include the role of conscience in making moral decisions; the role of the Magisterium in giving definitive guidance in matters of faith and morals; the nature and mission of the Church, together with its sacramental and hierarchical structure; an anthropology which provides an authentic understanding of the dignity of the human person; and a Christology which correctly reflects our Catholic faith concerning Christ’s divinity, His humanity, His salvific mission, and His inseparable union with the Church.
“(b) In particular, the need to present more clearly the Church’s teaching concerning the permanence and indissolubility of marriage and to ensure that the Archdiocesan Tribunal, both its constitution and practice, conforms with all the prescriptions of the revised Code of Canon Law.
“(c) Greater vigilance in upholding the Church’s teaching, especially with regard to contraceptive sterilization and homosexuality.
“(d) The need to ensure that pastoral practice regarding the liturgical and sacramental ministry of the Archdiocese is in accord with the Church’s universal norms, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist. This includes, for instance, routine intercommunion on the occasion of weddings or funerals. Such a need also involves the Sacrament of Reconciliation, mentioning particularly the proper sequence of first confession/first communion and regulations regarding general absolution.”
“(e) The need to review the ongoing education of the clergy and the selection and formation of candidates for the priesthood., and to be clear that laicized priests are excluded from certain roles in accord with the rescripts of their laicization.”
Hello Peter,
Thank you for the information. So do you know if the Catholic Church has disassociated itself from Seattle University? I did a quick search. Nothing on the Seattle College advertisement indicated that it was a Catholic Jesuit college. The “An inclusive campus that fosters community and belonging” ad leads me to believe that they are still against Jesus’ teachings.
Two comments:
FIRST, responding to the hubris of the Economy of Francisco website: “We know we are a People with a shared destiny, and we gather to reflect, pray, and endeavor together to build ‘heaven on earth”…It’s just too bad that important qualifiers wedged into Vatican II and Gaudium et Spes are so easily ditched along the way by enthused minds. The fruits of grade inflation?
Instead, “Earthly progress must be carefully distinguished from the growth of Christ’s kingdom. Nevertheless, to the extent that the former can contribute to the better ordering of human society, it is of vital concern to the kingdom of God” (GS, n. 39).
SECOND, Georgetown’s Environmental Justice Program: “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”; “time is greater than space”; “unity prevails over conflict”; “realities are more important than ideas”; “everything is linked”…
Yes, these concepts (aka “principles”?) open us in useful and new directions, but one would expect a Catholic university to also pause to question: when “realities are more important than ideas” is at risk of Nominalism; when “time is greater than space” is at risk of Historicism; when “unity prevails over conflict” is at risk of Clericalism and, say, AI abuses; and further, when “the whole is greater than the part” is at risk of ideological Globalism, e.g., the Fundamental Option, Proportionalism/ Consequentialism.
An inconvenient and more-than-useful thing—the principles and moral absolutes of Veritatis Splendor.
I am not aware of any truly Catholic university in existence today. There may be some universities that identify as Catholic and which are orthodox, but an essential component of any Catholic institution is that it follows the pope.
That said, the focus/reliance on Quadragesimo Anno is a good aspect of this article.
Like the author it is disappointing, but not surprising to me, to see “Catholic” institutions not supporting the truth concerning Catholic social teaching. It is a form of fraud.
Authentic Catholic teaching concerning economic issues can be found in the works of Pope Pius XII and earlier popes. The two most important documents are the encyclicals Quadragesimo Anno (QA) and Rerum Novarum(RN).
While the reality/implementation is complex it seems to me, based upon the likely correct opinion of a traditionalist author which I won’t identify, that the/a program suggested by both QA and RN essentially requires a single breadwinner household as the basis for justice with regards to economics.
It wouldn’t be economically difficult to implement such a program, but it would be considered “quasi-Marxist” and certainly “extreme leftist,” and I could see any prominent person in such a movement being murdered.
What is necessary is for the criminal law to be relevant to businesses with regards to their decisions. The basis would be theft with regards to productive property, and, thus, the sin of defrauding the laborer of his wages. In this case, the defrauding portion would be a refusal to hire a breadwinner under just conditions.
Such conditions would include a family wage, reasonable hours suitable to the health of the breadwinner, and reasonable accommodations with regards to health issues. Thus, the job would – to an extent – fit the employee instead of vice versa. This is only just because humans aren’t machines and can’t operate like them.
As such, the utter EVIL of “at-will employment” MUST be definitively destroyed. This false “doctrine” has to have been created and certainly is maintained through judicial corruption. It is unique to the USA, AFAIK, so that, in itself, strongly suggests a justice issue.
Moral displacement should never be ignored. It is more than just coincidental that the world’s most notorious abortionists are the most fanatical environmentalists of the destructive sort, those who ultimately do more harm than good to the environment by shortsightedness. Fanatical environmentalism is an effective restraint on a conscience repressed from having supported extermination of inconvenient life. Jeffrey Sachs is hardly unique as a mass murderer honored at today’s Vatican.