CNA<\/a>).- The U.S. bishops' point man on domestic justice issues has called for an economic renewal that places \u201cworking people and their families at the center of economic life.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\u201cEveryone and every institution has a role to play in building a more just economy,\u201d said Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Calif., who chairs the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.<\/p>\n
\tHe recalled the words of Blessed Pope John Paul II that both \u201csociety and the State must ensure wage levels adequate for the maintenance of the worker and his family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tIn his 2012 Labor Day statement, the bishop reflected on the \u201cmoral and human dimensions\u201d of \u201ca broken economy that is not producing enough decent jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tHe observed that more than 46 million people in the U.S. live in poverty, and more than 16 million children grow up in poverty.
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tIn addition, he noted, there are more than 12 million people looking for work but unable to find it, \u201cand millions more have actually given up seeking employment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tMillions of other individuals are \u201cunderemployed,\u201d wishing to work full time but unable to find a job that allows them to do so, he added, while over 10 million families are \u201cworking poor,\u201d unable to meet their basic needs despite being employed.<\/p>\n
\tThese numbers show \u201ca serious economic and moral failure for our nation,\u201d Bishop Blaire said. He called for the faithful to show solidarity to those who are struggling, in order to help them meet basic needs.<\/p>\n
\tAt the same time, he said, there is a need for \u201cnational economic renewal,\u201d keeping in mind the dignity of human work while building \u201can economy that serves the person rather than the other way around.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cWork is more than a paycheck,\u201d the bishop explained, \u201cit helps raise our families, develop our potential, share in God's creation, and contribute to the common good.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe current broken economy brings concrete harm to workers and families, he warned, adding that it also increases the danger of workers being exploited, especially vulnerable immigrant families.<\/p>\n
\tThe Church works to help laborers who have been mistreated, showing them care and solidarity, he said. But such abuses also demand \u201cour attention and action,\u201d calling us to look at the effects of our economic choices and whether they contribute to the denial of the inherent human dignity of working people.<\/p>\n
\tThe necessary economic renewal will require the cooperation of \u201cbusiness, religious, labor, and civic organizations,\u201d Bishop Blaire said.<\/p>\n
\tHe explained that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is currently \u201cdeveloping a pastoral reflection on work, poverty, and a broken economy,\u201d which will draw from Pope Benedict XVI\u2019s encyclicals and will encourage solidary, prayer, discussion and action. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\tBishop Blaire also highlighted the \u201cunique and essential responsibility\u201d of unions and other worker associations in achieving effective economic renewal.<\/p>\n
\tUnions show the Catholic principle of solidarity \u201cby bringing workers together to speak and act collectively to protect their rights and pursue the common good,\u201d he said. They also demonstrate subsidiarity by \u201cforming associations of workers to have a voice, articulate their needs, and bargain and negotiate with the large economic institutions and structures of government.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tUnfortunately, he acknowledged, unions \u2013 like other intuitions \u2013 sometimes fall short of their responsibility, pursuing narrow self-interests rather than the common good and causing polarization and partisanship.<\/p>\n
\tHowever, rather than negating Church teaching on unions, these shortcomings demand \u201crenewed focus\u201d and public discussion on how to defend the interests of workers, the bishop explained.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cPublic officials rightfully debate the need to reduce unsustainable federal deficits and debt,\u201d he said, adding that candidates should offer specific steps to \u201cresist and overcome poverty\u201d in the nation.<\/p>\n
\tReflecting on the \u201curgent and compelling needs\u201d of many workers and their families this Labor Day, Bishop Blaire offered a special prayer for \u201call workers, especially those without a job struggling to live in dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cMay God guide our nation in creating a more just economy that truly honors the dignity of work and the rights of workers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n
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Washington D.C., Aug 15, 2012 \/ 12:03 am (CNA).- The U.S. bishops' point man on domestic justice issues has called for an economic renewal that places “working people and their families at the center of economic life.”<\/p>\n
\t“Everyon…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-820","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us"],"yoast_head":"\n
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