What Catholic social justice principles are related to world hunger?

Answer 1

Catholic AnswerSocial justice is something that is supposed to come from the individual Christian, and every Christian is responsible for social justice in his community, his country, etc. Please note that this is NOT the responsibility of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is commissioned by Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, as His Body, to bring Him to people, to bring His grace and sacraments to the people, and to bring the people to Him. The laity, the common Christian layman is responsible as part of his vocation as a Christian to bring about "social justice" first of all in his daily life, and then, by extension, into his society. So social justice is not something that the Church is primarily involved in, it is the other way around. The Church is to instruct people in their duties as Christians which involves loving every single person (without exception) as they are to love God. An individual parish or diocese may get involved in social justice causes, but this is a secondary consideration for them AS a parish or diocese, it is a primary consideration for the individual Christian.

Social justice is covered in the Catechism in paragraphs 1928-42, 2425-26, and 2832. Most of the Church's teaching on social justice is related to how men should view and treat their fellow men, the Church states principles by which we should all live, but does not give specifics.

Probably the closest the Church gets to specifics in the Catechism, regarding world hunger would be paragraph 1938, in which the Church says :There exist also sinful inequalities that affect millions of men and women. These are in open contradiction of the Gospel: "Their equal dignity as persons demands that we strive for fairer and more humane conditions. Excessive economic and social disparity between individuals an peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international peace." (Gaudium et spes29 § 3)

Also, see the link below for Vatican statements related to social justice.

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from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

1928 Society ensures social justice when it provides the conditions that allow associations or individuals to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and their vocation. Social justice is linked to the common good and the exercise of authority.

1931 Respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that "everyone should look upon his neighbor (without any exception) as 'another self,' above all bearing in mind his life and the means necessary for living it with dignity." (Gaudium et spes 27 § 1.) No legislation could by itself do away with the fears, prejudices, and attitudes of pride and selfishness which obstruct the establishment of truly fraternal societies. Such behavior will cease only through the charity that finds in every man a "neighbor," a brother.