The
following are some suggestions of how the
discussion might develop in your small group.
Under no circumstances should this sheet be given
to the participants before the discussion!
The participants need to struggle with these
questions. The questions need to be chewed or
else digestion will not take place.
The Eleventh Commandment
is: "Thou shalt think!"
We presume that each Social
Concerns group will combine their regular
discussion of Church teachings with specific
actions for justice. And equally important each
member of the Social Concerns group will
have an "amateur-expert" activity. The
area of expertise may be related to the group
activities or to an individual's interest. The
"amateur-expert" may clip news items
related to his/her specific topic and from time
to time review the material and take an
appropriate action. Or the "amateur-expert"
may wish to write a letter each month to redress
an injustice e.g. Asian Center for the Progress
of People's Urgent Action appeals, Amnesty etc.
Or perform some monthly service to a group
involved in servicing the disadvantaged. Or
perhaps there is an activity related to one's
life or work e.g. a member of one's family with a
disability, consumer, prison officer, teacher,
social worker, businesswoman etc.
Otherwise the study of the
Church's social teaching will be mainly "blue
sky-ing" (theoretical discussion).
QUESTIONS
On what basis do Hong Kong people
have the right to question important government
policy?
There is general agreement
that government is responsible to its citizens
and not vice versa. This does not require a
specific Faith allegiance. See United Nation
documents. Even dictorial governments maintain
the pretence that each citizen had basic human
dignity and rights. All agree, in theory, that
governments are accountable to their citizens.
There is common agreement, if not practice, that
citizens have a right to participate in all
decisions that affect their lives.
Do you agree/disagree: "Church
authorities should not speak out on such
sensitive political issues unless they affect the
Church directly?" Why or why not?
Prudence! Don't rock the boat!
Church authorities have no expertise in delicate
political matters! They have no expertise in
polities! Church authorities should let the
citzens make up their own minds and not attempt
to influence them! Don't stir up people as it
might result in the breaking of the law!
CHURCH'S SOCIAL TEACHINGS
“It
comes within the meaning of religious freedom
that religious bodies should not be prohibited
from freely undertaking to show the special
value of their doctrine in what concerns the
organization of Society and the
inspiration of the whole of human activity.”
“Religious Freedom,” Walter M. Abbott,
(Editor), Documents of Vatican II (New
York: Guild Press, 1966) p. #4, p. 683. [Emphasis
added: et]
DOING
JUSTICE
- Ask a
Buddhist, Muslim or Protestant the policy
of their group in involving themselves in
recent political issues.
Here we have an opportunity to
| 1. |
|
Ask
the question and stimulate
thinking. |
| 2. |
|
To
experience solidarity with a
person of another Faith. |
| 3. |
|
To lay the
ground work for networking on
future issues as the arise. |
| 4. |
|
Above all to
learn from their Faith treasures. |
- List three
political issues in your area. Indicate
the policy/activity of the Catholic
community in addressing these issues.
The question is open-ended as the
Catholic community includes the parish as
well as the diocese.
- What is
the unique contribution of Catholics in
political debate such as that of the
“anti-subversion”?
Although the natural law is embeded
in the heart of each person, the ordinary
citizen is hard put to articulate and
present a rational basis for his/her
innate beliefs. Through the centuries the
Church has been reflecting on the human
condition through the prism of divine
revelation.
Same answers might be:
| Political
Issue |
Church’s
Unique Contribution |
| Anti-subversive |
Original
sine, natural law, mystery of
each person in divine plan,
rights and duties of citizens |
| Domestic
Workers |
Rerum
Novarum etc, just wage teaching,
statements on migrant labour,
labour unions |
| Education |
Teachings on
the purpose and content of
integral education; Declaration
on Christian Education-Vatican II |
|