‘Take Cabinet on weekend retreat’ says Mc Verry

Bishop Willie Walshe will launch the book ‘Catholic Social Teaching In Action’ and in its foreword, Peter Mc Verry SJ says ‘the Taoiseach could do worse than bring the Cabinet on retreat to reflect on what John XXIII said about the economic prosperity of a nation. (The economic prosperity of a nation is not so much about its total assets  in terms of wealth and prosperity ,as the equitable division and distribution of this wealth)  

According to Fr Peter Mc Verry SJ Catholic social teaching is among the Vatican’s best kept secrets with many of the documents coming in for much criticism both from within and without the Catholic Church down the years. “Three documents were labelled  ‘Marxist’ by the Wall St Press and many-even the older ones- are still  radical and relevant today”
 
Contributors including David Begg, Fr. Peter McVerry and Dr. Finola Kennedy , reflect on the influence  of Catholic social teaching on their own work and thinking. According to editor and theologian Cathy Molloy “we simply asked 12 people including a psychologist, economist, school chaplain,  parish priest , and educationalist –to write about how Catholic social teaching impressed or inspired them in their work for others and they did so with remarkable honesty and insight.”.

The book covers a wide range of areas with Trade union leader David Begg exploring the churches  teaching on a middle road between socialism and capitalism known as ‘the third way; well known psychologist Fr. Paul Andrews SJ examines the family and the father; Dr Finola Kennedy looks at work and the role of women, Dr. David Tuohy SJ examines Catholic social teaching ,its impact on  our education system  and its relevance today in terms of a partnership approach, and Michael Bingham writes of the  inspiration for his work of reconciliation in Columbia and now Portadown.
    
‘Catholic Social Teaching in Action’ is published by Columba Press and edited by Cathy Molloy of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice.