All within its proper place

By Br. Steve Herro, O.Praem.

	An Advent series on Catholic Social Teaching

Scripture, church documents

• "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" (Lk 11:9-13).

	A d v e n t
	• Other Everyday People, Everyday Faith articles
	• Other Advent articles

• "Just as it is gravely wrong to take from individuals what they can accomplish by their own initiative and industry and give it to the community, so also it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and disturbance of right order to assign to a greater and higher association what lesser and subordinate organizations can do. For every social activity ought of its very nature to furnish help to the members of the body social, and never destroy and absorb them" (Quadragesimo Anno, Pope Pius XI, 1931, #79).

• "The primary norm for determining the scope and limits of governmental intervention is the 'principle of subsidiarity' .... This principle states that, in order to protect basic justice, government should undertake only those initiatives which exceed the capacities of individuals or private groups acting independently. Government should not replace or destroy smaller communities and individual initiative. Rather it should help them to contribute more effectively to social well-being and supplement their activity when the demands of justice exceed their capacities" (Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy, U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1986, #124).

• "In the principle of subsidiarity, Catholic social teaching has long stressed the importance of small-and intermediate-sized communities or institutions in exercising moral responsibility. These mediating structures link the individual to society as a whole in a way that gives people greater freedom and power to act. Such groups include families, neighborhoods, church congregations, community organizations, civic and business associations, public interest and advocacy groups, community-development corporations and many other bodies. All these groups can play a crucial role in generating creative partnerships for the pursuit of the public good on the local and regional level" (Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy, U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1986, #308).

• "The principle of subsidiarity calls for government intervention when small or intermediate groups in society are unable or unwilling to take the steps needed to promote basic justice.... This role is to work in partnership with the many other groups in society, helping them fulfill their tasks and responsibilities more effectively, not replacing or destroying them" (Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy, U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1986, #314).

Movies and books

• 1776

• Free to Choose: A Personal Statement by Milton and Rose Friedman

• On Liberty by John Stuart Mill

• The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek

• Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith

Websites

• Acton Institute: For the Study of Religion and Liberty - www.acton.org/

• The Principle of Subsidiarity - www.seattlearch.org/FormationAndEducation/CatholicFaithFormation/SocTeaching/SocTeachApr/

• Public Achievement - http://publicachievement.org

Reflection and discussion questions

• How is or is not the rebuilding of New Orleans following Katrina a practice of subsidiarity?

• How does the Green Bay diocesan Advancing the Mission campaign reflect the principle of subsidiarity?

• How do the Faith Alive recommendations reflect the principle of subsidiarity?

(Br. Herro is the social concerns consultant for the Green Bay Diocese.)