What's New:
Catholic-Labor Network Gathering
(Part of the USCCB Social Ministry Gathering) Saturday February 23, 2007 8:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill Catholic-Labor Network Gathering Schedule and Information USCCB Social Ministry Gathering Registration Booklet USCCB Social Ministry Gathering Registration Page 2007 USCCB Social Ministry Gathering Home Page |
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The Catholic-Labor Network
is pleased to post this occasional newsletter from the Kentucky
Catholic Community. David Grief, Mike Roby and Fr. Anthony Shonis
oversee this effort. C-LN will post the editions as they come out on a
special page. Click
here. |
Labor in the PulpitSponsored Annually byInterfaith Worker Justice  Again, Interfaith Worker Justice has prepared outstanding materials for Labor in the Pulpits. These can be used in small group meetings, labor union meetings, and at your parish church on Labor Day Weekend. |
 Guild of Dorothy DayThe process for canonization has begun for Dorothy Day. Recently, the Guild for Dorothy Day was established in New York, and has published a brochure. Click here for information on the canonization process. |
Catholic Labor Network Gatherings:
Washington, D.C. 2001
Washington, D.C. 2002
Washington, D.C. 2003
Washington, D.C. 2004
Washington, D.C. 2005
Washington, D.C. 2006
Washington, D.C. 2007
Documents & Articles which concern Catholic and Labor Issues
Other Catholic Social Teachings
The Catholic Church &
Farmworkers
The Church and Ethics in Construction
Catholic-Labor Network Commentaries
Initiatives
- The Newsletter of the National Center for the Laity
Catholic Social Thought Web Site by John
Ryan Institute and Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
World Movement of Christian Workers
The Catholic-Labor Network E-Mail List
We strongly invite all those who visit this page, and who share a common interest in issues effecting the Catholic Church and the Labor Movement to subscribe. Occasionally, notices will be sent when this page is updated. When important events happen, we will pass on the information through the e-mail list, and most of all, the e-mail list is a means by which we can pray and support each other.
Some Catholic and Labor Link
- The Holy See
- United States
Conference of
Catholic Bishops
- World Movement of Christian Workers
- The John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought
- Human Rights for
Workers
by ANGUS SIBLEY
- Americans Rights at Work
- The
Catholic
Social Teaching Engine Produced by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and
Minneapolis
- National Association of Catholic School Teachers
- National Rural Life Conference
- National Farm Worker Ministry
- The Houston Catholic Worker
- Catholic Online
- Traditional Catholic
Reflections & Reports
- Interfaith Worker
Justice (Formerly NICWJ)
- The Seamless
Garment Network
- U.S. Department of Labor
- The International Labour Organization
- The American
Federation of
Labor and Congress
of Industrial Organizations
- Change to Win
- The International
Transport Workers Federation
- AFL-CIO Union Privilege Programs
- Union Resource Network
Why
the Network?
The
Catholic-Labor Network
hopes to be a place for those Catholics, lay, religious and
clergy,
who are active in their churches and in unions to learn about their
Church's
teachings as regards to labor issues, pray for those who are working
for
economic justice and share information about events and struggles
that may be taking place in their area.
For over one hundred years, the Catholic Church has been a voice of support for workers, and a conscience to the body politic when it pondered issues dealing with the distribution of wealth and the condition of workers.
As far back as 1891, Pope Leo XIII proclaimed a radical new message to the people of Europe, and to a lesser extent North America. Pope Leo's encyclical, Rerum Novarum , spoke out clearly for those who participated in God's creative power by the work of their hands and minds. He pointed out the errors intrinsic to the new socialist philosophies that were spreading among intellectuals and workers. Though these philosophies attempted to give relief to the working class they often did so by introducing a new state of war, the Class Struggle, and a new social structures that was threatening to the family and the traditions of society. However, Pope Leo's concerns were not reserved only for those who would be considered on the left. He strongly called to task the new bourgeois class who used their new wealth as a means of controlling and oppressing the industrial worker.
The pope reminded the owners of production that they could not ignore the inherent, divine dignity of every worker, and that the welfare of workers and their families could not be left to the invisible hand of the market place. Finally, he reminded all concerned that workers have an inherent right to organize themselves into associations so that they could collectively work for their common good and prosperity.
This first encyclical had a dramatic effect on European and North American thought and public policy. It established Catholic social teaching, defined the fundamental principles for which subsequent Catholic teaching would emerge, and placed the Church firmly on the side workers when they sought justice and dignity in their workplace and in society.
The spirit of Rerum Novarum grabbed the hearts of many clergy, religious and Catholic laity. In our country, many of the Catholic labor leaders and clergy took up the challenges of Rerum Novarum, and worked diligently to bring Pope Leo's vision to bear in the work place and in society.
Great Catholic figures like Msgr. John Ryan, Dorothy Day, John Cort, Msgr. Jack Egan and Msgr. George Higgins and others dedicated their lives to make the fundamental principles of economic justice which was found in Rerum Novarum and subsequent papal encyclicals part of the very fabric of society.
In 1995, a small group of religious , laity and clergy gathered in Decatur, Illinois, a town that was being rocked by two major strikes and one lockout. Their goal was to hear from those who had been active in Catholic-labor issues, pray with one another, and to begin to re-establish a network of support.
This web page is an expression of that meeting. We hope that those who share the common concern for the proclamation of the Church's social teaching and welfare and dignity of working people will use this page as a resource, and a place where issues in their own community can be shared throughout our Church community.
For over one hundred years, the Catholic Church has been a voice of support for workers, and a conscience to the body politic when it pondered issues dealing with the distribution of wealth and the condition of workers.
As far back as 1891, Pope Leo XIII proclaimed a radical new message to the people of Europe, and to a lesser extent North America. Pope Leo's encyclical, Rerum Novarum , spoke out clearly for those who participated in God's creative power by the work of their hands and minds. He pointed out the errors intrinsic to the new socialist philosophies that were spreading among intellectuals and workers. Though these philosophies attempted to give relief to the working class they often did so by introducing a new state of war, the Class Struggle, and a new social structures that was threatening to the family and the traditions of society. However, Pope Leo's concerns were not reserved only for those who would be considered on the left. He strongly called to task the new bourgeois class who used their new wealth as a means of controlling and oppressing the industrial worker.
The pope reminded the owners of production that they could not ignore the inherent, divine dignity of every worker, and that the welfare of workers and their families could not be left to the invisible hand of the market place. Finally, he reminded all concerned that workers have an inherent right to organize themselves into associations so that they could collectively work for their common good and prosperity.
This first encyclical had a dramatic effect on European and North American thought and public policy. It established Catholic social teaching, defined the fundamental principles for which subsequent Catholic teaching would emerge, and placed the Church firmly on the side workers when they sought justice and dignity in their workplace and in society.
The spirit of Rerum Novarum grabbed the hearts of many clergy, religious and Catholic laity. In our country, many of the Catholic labor leaders and clergy took up the challenges of Rerum Novarum, and worked diligently to bring Pope Leo's vision to bear in the work place and in society.
Great Catholic figures like Msgr. John Ryan, Dorothy Day, John Cort, Msgr. Jack Egan and Msgr. George Higgins and others dedicated their lives to make the fundamental principles of economic justice which was found in Rerum Novarum and subsequent papal encyclicals part of the very fabric of society.
In 1995, a small group of religious , laity and clergy gathered in Decatur, Illinois, a town that was being rocked by two major strikes and one lockout. Their goal was to hear from those who had been active in Catholic-labor issues, pray with one another, and to begin to re-establish a network of support.
This web page is an expression of that meeting. We hope that those who share the common concern for the proclamation of the Church's social teaching and welfare and dignity of working people will use this page as a resource, and a place where issues in their own community can be shared throughout our Church community.
Papal Social Encyclicals
Other Catholic Social Teachings
General Articles of Interest