Social teaching of the Catholic Church and global problems

The company wouldn't be here if it weren't for the person who is the basis for the creation of the company. That is why every human being is born into a family, which, by connecting with other families, creates a society. Society is a group of human persons, distinguished from others by their characteristic features. It can be interests, culture or relationships. It should be guided by the right moral values ​​for the good and welfare of all. Pope John XXIII. emphasizes that ,,human society must be understood primarily as something spiritual, where people exchange knowledge with each other in the light of truth, where they have the opportunity to protect their rights and perform their duties, where their desires for spiritual values are stimulated, where they find a common legitimate interest in everything noble of every kind, where they persistently try to give others the best of themselves and to adopt the spiritual values of others more and more perfectly" (Documents Social Doctrine of the Church, 2007, p. 285).

In every era, society searched for the meaning of human existence, why it is in the world and where it goes after death. More than 2,000 years ago, the Son of God - Jesus Christ - came to answer these questions for society. (Laca, 2009). Man is created out of the love of the Heavenly Father into this world so that he can fully use the gifts of creation and enter eternal life after death. With his coming, Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church through his apostles, which still proclaims the good news - the gospel. The Church protects those who are weak and unable to defend themselves. It unites all Christians who differ in skin color, culture or tradition. She is there for each one of us to show us the right direction. Society with the Church creates a suitable environment for a person as a human being to be able to realize his mission, which stems from work.

Social teaching of the Catholic Church and global problems of human society

Every century has its current problems. In the 19th century, there were workers' social problems that the Church helped solve. However, the world of the 21st century has run into serious global problems.

dr. Carlo Casini, member of the European Parliament and chairman of the Italian Movement for Life, says about globalization: *"Globalization means that the world is both smaller and bigger. Bigger because more than a hundred years ago everyone knew only their own little world, the rest of the world was undiscovered, it only lived in our minds. Today, however, it is already possible to reach the most distant countries in a few hours and through information such as television, internet, radio, telephone to know everything about everyone and everything. And that is why the world it becomes the hands and the eyes of a person. Nevertheless, this information society, which is good, has also become a slavery of the mind. And this is not a quantitative but a qualitative change. But the owners of information can decide what to do."

And so we, the modern-day slaves of the media, indirectly agree to the fact that advertising shots direct our lives. We have no idea how quickly we will come across the words that we have stinky breath, that our laundry is not white enough, that we don't drive a reasonably good car, or that we don't have a sufficient flat rate for communication with those closest to us. Behind all this is hidden not so much the care for us that we need, but the world of big money. The constant recalculation of numbers and the use of bank transactions forces information actors to invent new and tempting conditions, only for the modern slaves to listen obediently.

The pre-computerized world has changed our way of thinking. When we are full, we often do not think about the fact that a billion people in the world are hungry. If we are in warm clothing, we do not feel what people who have lost their jobs and ended up on the street are going through. A single experience of a lack of heat or food draws our attention to people who are experiencing poverty, unemployment, unequal distribution of property or non-payment of wages.

The cause of every global problem is the forgetting of man, his value and dignity. The deprivation of human dignity and worth is the result of egoism, which stems from not accepting oneself. One's own non-acceptance later leads to the non-acceptance of others as well and to the creation of modern horizons, without moral values ​​and principles. No new horizon of global society can take man as some "multifunctional device" that will be available non-stop, will be of the best quality in terms of appearance and can control everything, just to satisfy the society that demands it. The life of each one of us is a gift and has great value. Therefore, it is imperative to take care to protect our worth and dignity from the sophisticated ways of modern society.

John Paul II speaks clearly and distinctly about human value and dignity through these words: "Nothing exceeds the nobility or dignity of the human person. Human life is not just an idea or an idea, human life is a concrete reality of being that lives, acts, grows and develops, human life is a concrete reality of being, capable of love and service to humanity..." In another place, when greeting UN workers, he emphasizes: "Men and women they were created in the image and likeness of God. They must never be considered as objects, nor can they be sacrificed for political, economic or social gain. We cannot allow them to be manipulated or controlled by the dignity they received from God and their value as human beings." (Ján Pavol II., 2005, p. 71). No society, nor anyone else, has the right to deprive a person of his value and dignity.

Global problems can and must be solved by changing a person's view of the world. The world "needs a deep cultural renewal and rediscovery of the basic values ​​on which a better future can be built. The crisis obliges us to reconsider our path, establish new rules, find new forms of engagement, focus on positive experiences and reject the negative". (Benedict XVI, 2009, p. 28). From Decree II. of the Vatican Council Unitatis redintegratio is selected and noted by Kováč (1999, p. 169): "The cooperation of all Christians... must be improved more and more... so as regards the proper assessment of the dignity of the human personality, the strengthening of the blessing of peace, the application of the gospel in the social field. The progress of the sciences and arts in the Christian spirit, as well as the comprehensive treatment of the ailments of our times, such as: hunger, disasters, illiteracy, poverty, lack of housing and unfair distribution of wealth." We all know that everyday life is difficult, especially in this time in which we find ourselves. As problems accumulate in the world, it is necessary that the voice of the Church, which is the voice of love and peace, speak again to this world, which is full of immorality, disrespect, broken relationships and characters.

Such a voice was heard many years ago from the mouth of poor St. Francis of Assisi: "It is not enough to change only the laws, it is necessary to change hearts." (In: Kováč, 1999, p. 283). And that is what the Church strives for. Its task and intention is not to replace the state, but to help it solve problems that threaten each and every one of us.

Pope Benedict XVI. and social learning

All social teaching is a voice that wants to bring light to this time. Each one of us feels as if there is more darkness than light in this world. But it is not so. The light is here, only we are often in the position of blocking the light. Our behavior causes darkness or gloom in society. The voice of the Church is always loud, but we do not hear it because of our haste, preoccupation with other things. Or if we do hear him, we plug our ears so we don't hear him. That voice wants to change our conscience, but we often don't want to hear it. Only with our own determination, if we listen to that voice and respond to the call of the Church, we will then begin to implement deeds to transform the world. To stop blathering means to be on fire for the common good, to spread the light, and the ultimate goal is to blaze for others. Today's time is waiting for such social workers who can do this.

Pope Benedict XVI, still a cardinal, said: "I see many old, dying branches on the tree of the Church, which slowly, many times quietly, sometimes with a thud, fall to the ground. But above all, I see the youth of the Church." (Ratzinger, 2005, p. 372). This youth, which the Pope sees, is an invitation to the cooperation of all social workers, volunteers and all lay people in the Church to help others and from other professions.

Social work was born in the Church, as many saints came out of it. They "are the true bearers of light throughout history, because they are men and women of faith, hope and love". (Benedict XVI, 2006, p. 59). Today, they are an encouragement for us to become professionals in the social field. However, professionalism is not achieved only in mastering theoretical lessons, but in practical help. Social work, if it does not want to lose from the specific goal of aid, must still draw strength from the voice of the Church.

The Church offers us true words, through the voice of the Pope, who wants to help us and facilitate our work in the social field in revealing our own shortcomings and progressing towards a better life. It offers us a mirror, so to speak, in which we discover that: "Truth is the light that gives love meaning and value. This light is the light of reason and faith, thanks to which the mind discovers the natural and supernatural nature of love: it understands its meaning of giving, receiving and communion. Without truth, love easily slips into sentimentality." (Benedict XVI, 2009, p. 5).

It is not easy to guide the ship of the Church on stormy seas at a time of global crisis and declining morals. The current Pope Benedict XVI. despite the negativity that also falls on his person, he does not go into the background, but tries with all his strength to defend the Church and the true values ​​that come from it as true wealth.

In his trilogy of encyclicals, he translates his teaching aimed at each one of us. We can call the three encyclicals a guide in the implementation of social work. They are focused on Christian love as the basis of everything, on Christian hope, without which we would have no sense to live - to serve, and on love in truth, from which the morality of the whole society springs.

In the previous chapter, we outlined and discussed global problems. For each problem, we started from a certain parable, the situation of which was related to help. Through the light of the encyclical of Benedict XVI. we will think about his current social challenges, which give an explanation for the mentioned parables towards the mission of social workers.

The encyclical Deus Caritas est explains the parable of the poor Lazarus and the rich man as follows: "The rejected rich man from the place of condemnation asks that his brothers be informed about what happens to the one who willingly ignores the poor in his misery. Jesus, so to speak, catches this cry for help and gives him a voice to alert us and lead us on the right path." (Benedict XVI, 2006, p. 23).

Every day we are also bombarded with a lot of information about how many people live in wealth and how many live in poverty. "However, wealth does not give a person true prestige. On the contrary, wealth wants to deprive us of heavenly dignity, which is the only true prestige, because earthly prestige is blind and false." (Tournai, 2009, p. 128). Even the rich man understood this later. If he could part with his wealth in his lifetime, he could gain heavenly prestige.

We, too, are asked to provide information to those who flaunt their wealth, so that they can part with their bread, which may fall from their table into the basket of surplus. Our "presence puts at our disposal countless means to provide humanitarian aid to brothers in need, not least modern systems for distributing food and clothing, as well as offering hospitality and accommodation". (Benedict XVI, 2006, p. 45).

Our passion for working in charities or low-threshold centers should lead us to a single goal - to help people. Today, the Pope considers loneliness to be a form of poverty. He notes: "It is good to see that other types of poverty, including material poverty, are born from isolation, from the fact that one does not receive love, and from the difficulty of loving." (Benedict XVI, 2009, p. 81). That's why he says about love: "Love is a gift that everyone has received, love in truth is a force that creates community and unites people in such a way that there are no barriers or boundaries. Love in truth puts a person in front of a wonderful experience of a gift. After all, the one who is penetrated by true love is very resourceful in revealing the causes of misery, in finding means to fight against it and how to resolve it to win." (Benedict XVI, 2009, p. 49).

Social work is an abundance of love and is only a true gift for the poor if it is given without distinction. The life of a social worker can be compared to this statement: "A person's life has meaning if a little more love and goodness remains in the world." (Delp, In: Danihel, Matisová, 2006, p. 102).

With our second mentioned parable of the Good Samaritan "the Pope primarily brings two explanations. While until now the concept of neighbor actually only referred to countrymen and foreigners settled in the territory of Israel, i.e. the solidarity community of a certain people and territory, now this boundary has been removed. Whoever needs me and I can help him is my neighbor. The concept of neighbor is generalized, but remains specific. Despite its extension to all people it is not limited to non-committal and abstract love, but requires my activity here and now. It remains the task of the Church again and again to interpret this connection between distance and closeness, focusing on the practical life of its members." (Benedict XVI, 2006, p. 24).

Social work is a mission to become a neighbor - to become a Samaritan. In order to become good Samaritans, we need to educate our perspective. If we can notice the one who is suffering, it does not mean that we have already done everything. It is important to look into his face and feel his pain with him. But the most important thing is to get off the horse, get your hands dirty in an act of love. Our willingness to interrupt the journey expresses our willingness to accompany those who suffer, who feel lonely, desperate. To become another neighbor means to walk a part of the road with him. The position of the Samaritan in us today allows us to see people: unemployed, dependent, homeless or in other problematic situations.

In carrying out such work: "There is no first intelligence and then love: there is love full of intelligence and intelligence full of love." (Benedict XVI, 2009, p. 42).

In the encyclical Deus Caritas est, the Pope notes: "There will always be suffering that requires consolation and help. There will always be loneliness. There will always be situations of material need in which help is necessary in the form of concrete love for one's neighbor." But going further from the encyclical we see that: "People always need something more than just technically correct treatment. They need humanity. They need the attention of the heart. Those who those who work in the Church's charitable organizations must be characterized by the fact that they do not limit themselves to doing what the current situation requires, but to attend to others with the attention that comes from the heart, in such a way that others experience the richness of their humanity. Therefore, in addition to professional training, the formation of the heart is essential for these workers." (Benedict XVI, 2006, p. 42). And each one of us must strive for such a formation of the heart.

We do not find the explanation of the last parable about the rich man in his encyclicals, but his other encouragements are of benefit to us. "The measure of wealth and happiness is not determined by the possession of things." (Bosmans, 2000, p. 58). This was understood by a number of determined doctors, health workers, social workers, educators and young volunteers who decided to donate their time, work, life to people in developing countries, where there is a lack of material things, but there is a wealth of spirit.

Pope Benedict XVI even as a cardinal, he wrote about helping these countries: "If we only help materially, we do little. When providing aid to developing countries, it becomes increasingly clear how important it is to provide people with an education that will enable them to take matters into their own hands. Only when we help the spirit, when we help the whole person, do we really help." (Ratzinger, 2005, p. 257).

In the encyclical Deus Caritas est, Benedict XVI again notes: "Deep personal participation in the needs and sufferings of another means giving him a participation in myself: I must give the other not only something of myself, but myself; so that the gift does not humiliate him, I must be present in him as a person." (Benedict XVI, 2006, p. 53). And we see that many volunteers are doing well. Cells are given indiscriminately in missionary countries. Often, a gift for them is not a lot of money, but a single smile or a word of thanks.

Every single social worker or missionary can find himself in situations when: "Sometimes the magnitude of the needs and the limits of one's own strength can lead a person to the temptation of disgust. But that is when it will help him to know that in the end he is only an instrument in the Lord's hands." (Benedict XVI, 2006, p. 54).

The arrival of missionary volunteers from countries of great poverty and misery often echoes: "Happiness has nothing to do with possessions. It does not reside on distant fertile shores with palm trees or in Euros. Only the one who learns to give more than to take, to liberate rather than to enslave can live free, happy and satisfied, without fear." (Bosmans, 2000, p. 58).

Nowadays, rich and powerful countries see no point in suffering and helping such people. People who suffer are considered a kind of burden and an unnecessary investment in them. Therefore, the Pope in the encyclical Spe Salvi reacts to it: "The degree of humanity is essentially determined by the relationship to suffering and to the sufferer. This applies to individuals and to society. A society that cannot accept those who suffer and is unable to participate in their suffering through compassion and bear it internally is cruel and inhumane. However, society cannot accept those who suffer and help them in their suffering until they are able to do so. On the other hand, the individual cannot accept the suffering of another until he himself can find meaning in the suffering, the path of purification, the path of hope. To accept the suffering of a neighbor means to take on his suffering in a certain way. It is precisely in the fact that we share the suffering with someone else that the light of love penetrates through it." (Benedikt XVI, 2008, p. 48).

Love is free, so our social work must be based on loving each other and not turning our backs on each other, because we are responsible for each other. (Laca, 2004). Let us give away for free everything that we have received for free, let us not be satisfied with easy profit or cheap alms. Let's be fair. Let us take care of the needs of the poor, let us be their guides who will lead them to their own liberation. Let's teach them to be their own character, the protagonists of their own growth. Let's replace competition with cooperation in order to build relationships for the benefit of those who need us the most. Let's try to make the poor and the little ones respected and loved. Let's build networks that protect their vulnerability. Let us be attentive to discover the injustice, the need and the oppression of those who suffer. Let's fight with them defending their rights. Let's eliminate hostility and violence, overcome inequalities and share common goods. Let us never cause suffering to anyone, let us always be willing to give everything, even if it should be our own life for everyone, because: "Whoever wants to get rid of love, gets rid of himself as a person." (Benedict XVI, 2006, p. 42).

It is necessary and important to do everything with love in the mutual cooperation of the Church and social work in finding, building and spreading the common good. It is a call to move towards a better future and achieve good.

Conclusion

In this post, we brought up the pain of the world, which is so much visible through global problems. We could clearly see that in every single problem, human life is not only threatened, but also loses its value and dignity in this consumer world.

Thanks to the social teaching of the Church, we know that the Popes in various difficult and stormy times helped people to be strong and not to succumb to evil despite temptations. Especially the person of Blessed John Paul II. and the current Pope Benedict XVI. it encourages us to respect life and to not hesitate to open the doors of our hearts to all people. Even the figure of the current Pope assured us through his encyclical voice of his loyalty and effort to help us.

Authors: PaedDr. Slavomír Laca, PhD. PaedDr., ThLic., Mgr. Vladimír Novák List of references

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