Call to family, community, and participation and the pursuit of the Common Good [edit] According to the Book

of Genesis, the Lord God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone".[31] The Catholic Church teaches that man is now not only a sacred but also a social animal and that families are the first and most basic units of a society. It advocates a complementarian view of marriage, family life, and religious leadership. Full human development takes place in relationship with others. The family based on marriage (between a man and a woman) - is the first and fundamental unit of society and is a sanctuary for the creation and nurturing of children. Together families form communities, communities a state and together all across the world each human is part of the human family. How these communities organize themselves politically, economically and socially is thus of the highest importance. Each institution must be judged by how much it enhances, or is a detriment to, the life and dignity of human persons. Catholic Social Teaching opposes collectivist approaches such as Communism but at the same time it also rejects unrestricted laissez-faire policies and the notion that a free market automatically produces social justice. The state has a positive moral role to play as no society will achieve a just and equitable distribution of resources with a totally free market.[32] All people have a right to participate in the economic, political, and cultural life of society[33] and, under the principle of subsidiarity, state functions should be carried out at the lowest level that is practical.

Call to Family, Community, and Participation Definition of Call to Family, Community, and ParticipationHumans are not only sacred but social. This is why we should all be active in various activities: socializing with friends and family, participating in political events, and joining in on economic activities. During these activities, we should use our faith to form decisions and actions. We are called to serve the Church through our families, the community and participation. Our unit in simpler terms: In our unit, we discuss how we, as a society, can help the community, family, and everyone who needs help. Community plays a big role in our society so we can start a community garden, clean the streets, and gather as groups to get to know one-an-other. Family also plays a big role in our lives because they are with us more than anyone. As a family, we can get together as a reunion and see all of your family you don't get to see that often. We, as teenagers, can do a lot in our community such as: As Catholics, we have the responsibly to be active participants In the lives of our family members In our community In those lives who are in our community

We are also called to be active participants In our social life In our economic life In our political life By using the values of our faith, we mustAs human beings we are not only sacred but social- this is the main goal of our theme, and it is our job, as Catholics, to fulfill that goal. Shape our decisions Shape our actions Issues our teaching faces:

Gay Marriage-The Catholic faith teaches that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. This is shown in the Bible in the story of Adam and Eve Racism- Racism has no place in a Christian community, one that is in union with Christ Racism can separate a community and a family. Catholic faith teaches us that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to excel Defacing of property/graffiti is turning your back on the call to community We are called to keep our community a nice and safe place to live Divorce- When a marriage doesn't work, some people get a divorce and end the marriage. Marriage is unity made by God and is therefore unbreakable You are supposed to stay with your spouse in good times and bad. Divorce goes against the beliefs of the Church and separates a family Abortion- A baby is a gift from God, and and when a pregnant woman decides to abort her baby she is going against the Church and turning her back on the call to family. Homeless People- Homeless people live on the streets and often starve and suffer in extreme temperatures. They have an extremely hard life and as a community it is our job to protect, cloth, and feed the homeless.

In a global culture driven by excessive individualism, our tradition proclaims that 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. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. While our society often exalts individualism, the Catholic tradition teaches that human beings grow and achieve fulfillment in community. 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. Our Church teaches that the role of government and other institutions is to protect human life and human dignity and promote the common good. (from USCCBs Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions) As summarized on the Diocese of Oranges Respect Life, Justice and Peace web page (http://www.rcbo.org/respect-life.html), As persons made in Gods image, we must model divine selfgiving love. In community we realize the fulfillment of our dignity and rights in relationship with and to others. At Christmas, we ponder the great mystery of the Incarnation. In his 1991 encyclical Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II wrote It is not possible to understand man on the basis of economics alone, nor to simple define him on the basis of class membership At the heart of every culture lies the attitude man takes to the greatest mystery: the mystery of God. Different cultures are basically different ways of facing the question of the meaning of personal existence. On the eve of his election as Pope, Benedict XVI warned of a growing dictatorship of relativism, and in 2010, Cardinal William Levada gave our response: The dictatorship of relativism does not so much seek to impose one view on everybody, but rather to drive from political life, academic life and cultural life anyone who refuses to concede that all truths are relative, or to put it more bluntly, that there is no truth which can be known with certainty. Against this relativism and skepticism, the Christian believer proclaims that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. As we make New Years resolutions, here are some thoughts we might keep in mind. It is the duty of the laity without idly waiting for norms and precepts from others by their free planning and initiative to permeate not only peoples customs and mentality, but also the laws and structures of the civil community with a Christian sense of life. (from Pope Paul VIs Encyclical On the Development of Peoples) The US Catholic Bishops offer us an Examination of Conscience in Light of Catholic Social Teaching: Do I try to make positive contributions in my family and in my community? Are my beliefs, attitudes, and choices such that they strengthen or undermine the institution of the family? Am I aware of problems facing my local community and involved in efforts to find solutions? Do I stay informed and make my voice heard when needed? Do I support the efforts of poor persons to work for change in their neighborhoods and communities? Do my attitudes and interactions empower or disempower others?

Family Life The organization of society moves from the basic unit, the family, to the larger community while ensuring that everyone participates. The emphasis on the larger social group counterbalances unregulated individual rights, that left unconstrained, can turn toward anarchy. In his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love, 2005), Pope Benedict summarized the centrality of this concept to our faith: Only if I serve my neighbor can my eyes be opened to what God does for me and how much he loves me. Our family is where we learn to relate with each other, sacrifice for others and, most importantly, love one another. It is also where we develop our sense of participation, justice and other skills important in a well-functioning society. The family is often called the domestic or the first church. The well-being of the individual person and of both human and Christian society is closely bound up with the healthy state of the community of marriage and the family, explains Gaudium et Spes (The Church in the Modern World). Catholic social teaching urges that parents be supported in their effort to raise well-formed, healthy children. And at the core of the family is a stable, healthy marriage. (USCCB) On their website www.cacatholic.org, Californias Catholic Bishops state: We support and defend the institution of marriage as the basic foundation of society. We advocate for tax, workplace, welfare and divorce policies that enhance family unity. We support the fundamental rights of parents, and advocate for childrens well-being.

Strong Families Support Our Society Marriage, history shows us, is intrinsic to stable, flourishing and hospitable societies. Although cultural differences have occurred, what has never changed is that marriage is the ideal relationship between a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation and the continuation of the human race. Family friendly policies include tax considerations for families raising children, flexible work hourswhen possibleand family leave for caretaking of family members. When families fall into the states social safety net, it is imperative that their dignity and unity be preserved while all efforts are made to help them recover their financial independence. And when the misfortune of divorce hits a family, public policy must ensure that the children are the first priority. Pope John Paul II reminds us in his encyclical, Familiaris Consortio, that parents are the first and foremost educators of their children and that their home is the first school of those social virtues which every society needs. Knowing that marriage and the family constitute one of the most precious of human values, the Church wishes to speak and offer her help to those who are already aware of the value of marriage and the family and to those who are uncertain and anxious and searching for the truth . (John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, no. 1 (1981)

Community Humans gather in groups. In our Catholic faith, we are One Body with Christ. As One Body, we are called to care for all that is, establish the common good. The common good embraces the sum of those conditions of social life by which individuals, families, and groups can achieve their own fulfillment in a relatively thorough and ready way, said the Second Vatican Council document Gaudium et Spes, (The Church in the Modern World). We may be called to sacrifice occasionally for justice something that the modern world often has a hard time appreciating. Our definition of community is not limited to those in our immediate neighborhood, but expands (with various degrees of influence and responsibility) to the entire world. We can have the most impact for good on our families, but we can also improve our neighborhood, city, state, nation and world through a variety of means such as community service or advocacy. Christians must be conscious of their specific and proper role in the political community; they should be a shining example by their sense of responsibility and their dedication to the common good; they should show in practice how authority can be reconciled with freedom, personal initiative with solidarity and the needs of the social framework as a whole, and the advantages of unity with the benefits of diversity. (The Church in the Modern World)

Participation This nation is not ruled by the majority, said Thomas Jefferson, it is ruled by the majority who participate. We are called to participate in our communities by promoting the common good. In the 1986 letter, Economic Justice for All, the US Bishops explained the importance of allowing all to take part in the forming of our communities: Basic justice demands the establishment of minimum levels of participation in the life of the human community for all persons. The ultimate injustice is for a person or group to be treated actively or abandoned passively as if they were non-members of the human race. To treat people this way is effectively to say they simply do not count as human beings. And in Faithful Citizenship, the US Bishops explain that participation in public life is both a moral and ethical obligation. Government plays a major role in ensuring the participation of all. Excluding large groups of people from participating in our republic effectively eliminates their voice from the debate about the common good. How common can something be if enough voices are not raised? The poor and the vulnerable are often excluded from participation, as are minorities. Not only are we called to participate, but we are also called to make sure that others do as well.

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.

"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. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions 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." US Council of Catholic Bishops

This is certainly an all encompassing theme. Yet it is a most basic theme, that of family. We Catholics have an incredible responsibility. We are expected to personally live the teachings of Jesus, and to guide others to ultimate love.

How is your family doing in the love department? Most of us have room for improvement. Maybe we need to work on controlling anger, avoiding pride and envy, encouraging temperance and patience. Maybe it's as simple as giving an extra hug to the kids on a busy day. Maybe it's more complicated. Is there division in your family? Old hurts that need to be forgiven? What can yoou do this week to take a step to improving that situation?

Take some time to evaluate your family situation this week. How can it be improved? We recently started doing something that has had a wonderful impact on our family. Our parish leaders gave out small containers of Holy Water. We bless each other at night by dipping a finger in the Holy Water and making the Sign of the Cross on each person's forehead with the blessed water. It is amazing what wonderful things have come from such a simple action. If your immediate family is in good shape, why not go beyond your circle of comfort? Get prepared to be an informed voter on Election Day. Join a parish committee. Pick up some litter. Make your family and community better.