JUSTICE IN THE

WORLD
1971
JUSTICE IN THE WORLD
RESULT OF THE SECOND GENERAL SYNOD PRESENTED IN 1971 TO POPE PAUL VI
OF BISHOPS They felt that this “should be made known to the
This document is the result of a gathering of entire Church in view of the beneficial effects that
Bishops from all over the world including those would certainly be derived from them.”
from Asia, at what is called the Synod of
Bishops

Synod of Bishops is a consultative body and the

Pope may call it on any occasion when it is
necessary to consult the Bishops according to the
needs of the Church at a Particular Time

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“
The Bishops in the document affirm the
right of everyone to development that is
personal and culturally sensitive. They
teach that besides awareness of unjust
and sinful structures, there is also the
awareness of the right to development.
Action on behalf of justice and
transformation of the world is a
“constitutive dimension of the preaching of
the Gospel”
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 The Church must be a witness to justice
through its own lifestyle, educational
activities and international action. There
are four major parts to this document:

The Gospel Message and

Justice and World the Mission of the Practice of Justice A Word of Hope
Society Church

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 1

MAJOR PARTS
Let’s start with the first set of slides
A. Justice and World Society

● Some of these injustices include discrimination of

migrants, workers, and refugees; religious and ethinic
persecution; human rights violations; torture; political
prisoners who are denied due process of law; anti-life
(legalized abortion, war); dishonest media; rejection of the
old, orphans and sick.

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A. Justice and World Society

● Mediation through dialogue is needed to obtain true unity.

A return to authentic values is necessary, especially in
encouraging the participation of youth

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B. The Gospel Message and
The Mission of the Church
1. In a world marked by the grave sin of injustice, we
recognize both our responsibility and inability to
overcome it by our strength. We need to humbly listen to
the Word of God so that we are able to respond to the
cause of justice in the world.

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B. The Gospel Message and
The Mission of the Church
The Saving Justice of God Through Christ
● In the Old Testament God reveals himself as the liberator
of the oppressed and the defender of the poor demanding
from us faith in Him and justice towards our neighbor
● In the new testament, Jesus gives Himself totally to God
for the salvation and liberation of all people. He identified
Himself with His “brethren.”

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B. The Gospel Message and
The Mission of the Church
The Saving Justice of God Through Christ
● The Death and Resurrection of Christ is a call by God to
conversion in the faith of Christ in fraternity love
● Accdg. to St. Paul, The Christian life is the faith which
sparks love and service of our neighbours. This Leads to
genuine interior liberation and the gift of oneself for the
freedom of others.

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B. The Gospel Message and
The Mission of the Church
The Saving Justice of God Through Christ
● Human relationships with each other is bound up with
relationship with God in love “Christian love of neighbor and
justice cannot be separated.” Love implies an absolute
demand for justice. Justice attains its inner fullness only in
love.

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B. The Gospel Message and
The Mission of the Church
The Saving Justice of God Through Christ
● The mission of preaching the Gospel requires a dedication
of ourselves to the liberation of humanity in this world. The
Christian message of love and justice with only be credible
to the people of today, when we showed its effectiveness
through action in the cause of justice in the world.

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B. The Gospel Message and
The Mission of the Church
The Mission of the Church, Hierarchy and Christians
● The Gospel message gives the church the right and duty to
proclaim justice on the social, national and international
level and to denounce instances of injustices, when the
fundamental rights of people and their salvation demand it,
and to witness love and justice in Church institutions and in
our lives.

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B. The Gospel Message and
The Mission of the Church
The Mission of the Church, Hierarchy and Christians
● The Church is not responsible for justice in the world alone.
The role of the church is not to offer concrete solutions to
specific problems but to defend and to promote dignity and
fundamental rights of the human person. The members of
the church have the same right and duty to promote the
common good as other citizens. They should act as leaven
in the world, their family, professional, social, cultural and
political life.

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C. The Practice of Justice

Witness of the Church

● Christians bear witness to the Gospel by pointing out that
there are sources of progress other than conflict, namely
love and right. This priority of love leads to non-violent
action and work in the area of public opinion.
● All who venture to preach justice must first be just
themselves. The Church, therefore, needs to examine the
way of acting, its possessions and lifestyle.

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C. The Practice of Justice

Witness of the Church

● Within the Church, rights must be preserved. Those who
serve the church by their labor, including priest and
religious, should receive a sufficient livelihood and joy that
social security which is customary in their region.
● Lay people should be given fair wages, and a system of
promotion. They should exercise more important function
with regard to church property, and should share in its
administration

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C. The Practice of Justice

Witness of the Church

● Women should have their own share of responsibility and
participation in the community life of society and church.
● Other rights in the Church should include freedom of
expression and thought, proper judicial procedures
participation in the decision making process.

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C. The Practice of Justice

Witness of the Church

● The Church is obliged and manage its goods
● The lifestyle of all bishops, priests, religious and lay people
must be examined

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C. The Practice of Justice

Educating to Justice
● The Christian’s specific contribution to justice is the day to
day life of an individual believer.
● Education today fosters individualism and forms person to
conform to world standards.

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C. The Practice of Justice

Educating to Justice
● Education for Justice:
○ Demands a renewal of heart by recognizing both
personal and social sins.
○ Promotes a human way of life and justice, love, and
simplicity.
○ Creates a critical sense to reflect on society and its
values.
○ Help persons reject values that prevent justice.

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C. The Practice of Justice

Educating to Justice
● In developing countries, education:
○ Attempts to awaken consciences to a knowledge of
real situation of society.
○ Calls for improvements in society.

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C. The Practice of Justice

Educating to Justice
● Such an education prevents manipulation by the media and
political forces.
● This practical education comes through action, participation,
and contact with situations of injustices.
● Education for justice starts in the family
● The content of this education involves respect for the
person and his dignity

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C. The Practice of Justice

Educating to Justice
● The basic principles of the gospels are found in the social
teaching of the catholic church
● Our mission demands that we denounce injustice with
charity, prudence and firmness

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C. The Practice of Justice
Educating to Justice
● The liturgy of the word, catechesis and the sacraments can serve
education for justice. The Eucharist forms the community and places
it at the service of people.
Cooperation Between Local Churches
● Cooperation between Churches in rich and poor countries through
spiritual communion and sharing of human and material resources is
the sign of the solidarity of the Church

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C. The Practice of Justice
Ecumenical Collaboration
● Ecumenical cooperation and collaboration with all believers in God
can be found in activities for human dignity and rights, social justice,
peace and freedom.
International Action
● Recognizing the importance of international cooperation for social
and economic development, the Church asks that we consider the
following:

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C. The Practice of Justice
International Action
a. Ratify and observe the United Nations Declaration of Huma
Rights by all governments
b. Support United Nations efforts to stop the arms race, weapons
trade, and settle conflicts by peaceful means
c. Foster the aims of the Second Development Decade which
include transfer of income from rich countries to developing
countries, fair prices, opening of markets of rich countries,
preferential treatment for exports from developing countries,
taxation on a worldwide basis,

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C. The Practice of Justice
International Action
d. Change the concentration of power so that developing countries
can participate.
e. Emphasize the importance of specialized agencies of the United
Nations in promoting Justice,
f. Governments can continue their individual contributions to a
development fund, by allowing developing countries responsibility
in decision making.

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C. The Practice of Justice
International Action
g. Wealthy nations need to be less materialistic, consume less and
waste less.
h. Right to development can be fulfilled by action
o . People should not be prevented from development in
keeping with their own culture
o Through mutual cooperation, all peoples are the principal
architects of their own economic and social development
o Every people should be able to cooperate for the common
good on an equal footing.

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D. A Word of Hope
1. The people of God is present in the midst of the poor and of those
who suffer oppression and persecution they live out the Passion of
Christ and witness to his Resurrection.
2. Hope in the coming kingdom is already beginning to take root in the
hearts of people. The Pascal Mystery of the Lord brings meaning
when we lessen injustice, violence and hatred, and advance in
justice, freedom, fellowship and love.

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Action on behalf of justice and participation
in the transformation of the world fully
appear to us as constitutive dimension of
the preaching of the Gospel or in other
words of the Church’s Mission for the
redemption of the race and its liberation
from every oppressive situation
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While the Church is bound to give witness
to justice, she recognizes that anyone who
ventures to speak to people about justice
must first be just in their eyes. Hence we
must undertake an examination of the
modes of acting and of the possessions and
life style found within the Church herself
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 2

QUIZ
HETO NA SIRZ
 TRUE OR FALSE
● The Document was the result of gathering of Priests from Rome
● It was presented in 1976
● It was presented to Pope Paul
● They didn’t Affirm in the document the right of everyone to development that is personal
and culturally sensitive
5-7. The Church must be a witness to justice through?
8-10. Major Parts of the Document

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