Fr. Dehon on “Politics” and Social Justice
Connection to Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Eucharist
It is necessary that the veneration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was begun in the mystical life of souls, come down and enter into the social life of the world's peoples. It will bring the sovereign remedy to the cruel ills of our moral world. (I.37)
The union of the Church and the people in the love of Jesus Christ prepares the way for the social reign of the Sacred Heart. (I. 17)
Certainly the Eucharist does not relieve humanity of its sufferings. Certainty it does not make the inequalities willed by God himself disappear. But the sacrament of love gives to the humble and the suffering the acceptance and patience which they need; and it inspires justice and charity on the part of the great! (II.303)
His (and Our?) Contemporary Situation
Contemporary society has surrendered to capitalism and money fever. (I.220)
Wealth is now the only thing being studied. It is the dominant, if not the only, end of social life; and political economy in its entirety has been reduced to three elements: production, distribution, and consumption of wealth. (I. 239)
The excesses of capitalist society must be fought. (I.224)
There are certain categories of workers whose wages are fair and whose circumstances are prosperous. But there are others who are exploited by a capitalism that is selfish, demanding, harsh, greedy, and unyielding. There are factories where employment is granted only to those who make the most modest demands and where the fate of the workers, at the mercy of the whim and fancy of the employer, is so precarious that Leo XIII himself was not afraid to declare that the servitude of such workers was more humiliating and difficult than the slavery of the past. To Alumni of the College of St. Jean
Another clear-cut sign of poverty is the emigration provoked by hunger and suffering. (I.316)
… the social question is above all a moral question. (I.472)
At whatever cost, equity must be vindicated and justice must be reestablished in the economic world; if we do not want the oppressed, who are always discontented, to overthrow this society which does not protect them. (I.180)
The "Politics of the Gospel"
What is the politics of the Gospel?
What were the social goals of the savior?
He came to uplift the humble. The prophets said so.
He said: “My Father sent me to deliver to the poor the good news of their uplifting. (III.302)
The supreme work today is electoral work.
All the other tasks must work to its benefit…
The ordinary ministry and even missions have no social impact.
The people vote just as badly after a mission ends. (I.233)
It is not tomorrow that we must act, it is today. Political action is necessary with regard to elections and social action through charities and democratic institutions. (I. 490)
Let us apply ourselves to these tasks. The good press, electoral action, and social action: such are the weapons with which we shall establish the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
(I. 236)
The Church Has Lost Her Appeal to Many Because We Have Failed to Challenge Oppression
If the people have turned away from the Church, it is because they have sensed (and have been given too many pretexts for believing) that it was favorable to political and economic oppression. (I.346)
What Must We Do?
The Church must be able to demonstrate that she is not only able to prepare pious souls, but also to bring about the reign of the social justice for which people are eager. For that to happen, the priest must devote himself to new studies and new programs. (III.347)
It would also be essential that the clergy, following the initiative of Leo XIII, keep themselves informed on matters of social justice and that they use their great moral and doctrinal authority to combat every injustice and abuse. (I.225)
Let us increase the number of study groups. Let us further the economic and historical knowledge of the people. (I.346)
Do not lose sight of the models: Christ and his apostles. Christ reached out to people unceasingly and without respite. He selected some of them, he taught twelve apostles and then seventy-two disciples. They became his auxiliaries. He gave them a watchword: Go and teach. (I. 158)
But with regard to social action, the clergy cannot remain on the sidelines. They have the primary role to play in the practical implementation of the evangelical principles of justice and charity, while being assisted by lay battalions and especially by young people. (I.516)
The priest must therefore intervene in the social fray, not only out of opportunism, which would be sufficient justification, but out of a strict duty of justice and charity and in order to carry out his pastoral ministry to the fullest. (III.341)
We must have scholars and we should all be scholars to a limited degree. We must study in order to know; and we must study in order to teach. We must particularly study those social questions which are regarded as new issues and which should have always been studied in the Church. We must have at our disposal a journal and up-to-date books which deal with these questions. A priest cannot rush into this new apostolate without being prepared through serious study. (III. 349)
Justice Not the Same as Charity
The people have biases against Catholics. They think that we have no concern for temporal interests. Prove through your actions that the opposite is true. Charity is not sufficient for them. They are demanding social justice and social charity; and they are right to do so.
La Chronique du Sud-Est, 10 (October 1898), 315-317.
"Charity is a palliative which is always welcome and often necessary; but it does not attack the root of the evil." (I.319)
The happiness of the citizens is comprised of several elements: religious life, intellectual development, and economic prosperity. And all of these various goods require a reign of social peace and justice for their formation and legitimate growth. (I. 250)
Nothing has a foundation without justice. Nothing endures except through justice. (I.57)
Responses to Criticism that He was a Socialist
Henceforth, if some jokester tells us: "You are practicing Socialism," we shall console ourselves by thinking that it has been said of people greater than ourselves. It has been said of the Holy Father and of Cardinal Manning who vigorously rebutted it by saying: "Our doctrine is accused of being socialistic by frivolous and impetuous persons, as well as by capitalists...but the future will prove us right" [Letter to le XXe siecle, December 20, 1890]. It has also been said of Bishop de Ketteler who was reproached for concerning himself with these questions. He replied:
I not only have the right, I furthermore have the duty to follow these affairs of the working world with a lively interest, to form an opinion about them and to express it publicly depending on the circumstances... When I was consecrated as a Bishop, the Church, before anointing me and giving me my jurisdiction as a bishop, asked me the following question, among others: Do you desire to be charitable and merciful toward the poor, toward strangers and all the unfortunate, in the name of our Lord? And I replied: I do. The bishop is a representative of Christ and that is why the Church asks him, before conferring the responsibility upon him, if he has, as a successor to Jesus Christ, the desire to imitate his divine Master's love for the needy among humanity. How could I, after this solemn promise, remain indifferent in the face of a problem which touches upon the most essential needs of such a large class of people? The worker question concerns me as much as the well-being of all those dear members of my diocese who belong to the working class. What is more, going beyond the narrow boundaries (of my diocese), I have the right to concern myself with the worker question as well as the well-being of all workers, with whom I am united in Christ's love." [Introduction to the brochure, The Worker Question and Christianity] (I.114)
Furthermore, nothing prevents us from meeting with the socialists for a multitude of useful reforms for which they have, indeed, most often borrowed the first idea from us. (I.56)
It is necessary that the veneration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was begun in the mystical life of souls, come down and enter into the social life of the world's peoples. It will bring the sovereign remedy to the cruel ills of our moral world. (I.37)
The union of the Church and the people in the love of Jesus Christ prepares the way for the social reign of the Sacred Heart. (I. 17)
Certainly the Eucharist does not relieve humanity of its sufferings. Certainty it does not make the inequalities willed by God himself disappear. But the sacrament of love gives to the humble and the suffering the acceptance and patience which they need; and it inspires justice and charity on the part of the great! (II.303)
His (and Our?) Contemporary Situation
Contemporary society has surrendered to capitalism and money fever. (I.220)
Wealth is now the only thing being studied. It is the dominant, if not the only, end of social life; and political economy in its entirety has been reduced to three elements: production, distribution, and consumption of wealth. (I. 239)
The excesses of capitalist society must be fought. (I.224)
There are certain categories of workers whose wages are fair and whose circumstances are prosperous. But there are others who are exploited by a capitalism that is selfish, demanding, harsh, greedy, and unyielding. There are factories where employment is granted only to those who make the most modest demands and where the fate of the workers, at the mercy of the whim and fancy of the employer, is so precarious that Leo XIII himself was not afraid to declare that the servitude of such workers was more humiliating and difficult than the slavery of the past. To Alumni of the College of St. Jean
Another clear-cut sign of poverty is the emigration provoked by hunger and suffering. (I.316)
… the social question is above all a moral question. (I.472)
At whatever cost, equity must be vindicated and justice must be reestablished in the economic world; if we do not want the oppressed, who are always discontented, to overthrow this society which does not protect them. (I.180)
The "Politics of the Gospel"
What is the politics of the Gospel?
What were the social goals of the savior?
He came to uplift the humble. The prophets said so.
He said: “My Father sent me to deliver to the poor the good news of their uplifting. (III.302)
The supreme work today is electoral work.
All the other tasks must work to its benefit…
The ordinary ministry and even missions have no social impact.
The people vote just as badly after a mission ends. (I.233)
It is not tomorrow that we must act, it is today. Political action is necessary with regard to elections and social action through charities and democratic institutions. (I. 490)
Let us apply ourselves to these tasks. The good press, electoral action, and social action: such are the weapons with which we shall establish the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
(I. 236)
The Church Has Lost Her Appeal to Many Because We Have Failed to Challenge Oppression
If the people have turned away from the Church, it is because they have sensed (and have been given too many pretexts for believing) that it was favorable to political and economic oppression. (I.346)
What Must We Do?
The Church must be able to demonstrate that she is not only able to prepare pious souls, but also to bring about the reign of the social justice for which people are eager. For that to happen, the priest must devote himself to new studies and new programs. (III.347)
It would also be essential that the clergy, following the initiative of Leo XIII, keep themselves informed on matters of social justice and that they use their great moral and doctrinal authority to combat every injustice and abuse. (I.225)
Let us increase the number of study groups. Let us further the economic and historical knowledge of the people. (I.346)
Do not lose sight of the models: Christ and his apostles. Christ reached out to people unceasingly and without respite. He selected some of them, he taught twelve apostles and then seventy-two disciples. They became his auxiliaries. He gave them a watchword: Go and teach. (I. 158)
But with regard to social action, the clergy cannot remain on the sidelines. They have the primary role to play in the practical implementation of the evangelical principles of justice and charity, while being assisted by lay battalions and especially by young people. (I.516)
The priest must therefore intervene in the social fray, not only out of opportunism, which would be sufficient justification, but out of a strict duty of justice and charity and in order to carry out his pastoral ministry to the fullest. (III.341)
We must have scholars and we should all be scholars to a limited degree. We must study in order to know; and we must study in order to teach. We must particularly study those social questions which are regarded as new issues and which should have always been studied in the Church. We must have at our disposal a journal and up-to-date books which deal with these questions. A priest cannot rush into this new apostolate without being prepared through serious study. (III. 349)
Justice Not the Same as Charity
The people have biases against Catholics. They think that we have no concern for temporal interests. Prove through your actions that the opposite is true. Charity is not sufficient for them. They are demanding social justice and social charity; and they are right to do so.
La Chronique du Sud-Est, 10 (October 1898), 315-317.
"Charity is a palliative which is always welcome and often necessary; but it does not attack the root of the evil." (I.319)
The happiness of the citizens is comprised of several elements: religious life, intellectual development, and economic prosperity. And all of these various goods require a reign of social peace and justice for their formation and legitimate growth. (I. 250)
Nothing has a foundation without justice. Nothing endures except through justice. (I.57)
Responses to Criticism that He was a Socialist
Henceforth, if some jokester tells us: "You are practicing Socialism," we shall console ourselves by thinking that it has been said of people greater than ourselves. It has been said of the Holy Father and of Cardinal Manning who vigorously rebutted it by saying: "Our doctrine is accused of being socialistic by frivolous and impetuous persons, as well as by capitalists...but the future will prove us right" [Letter to le XXe siecle, December 20, 1890]. It has also been said of Bishop de Ketteler who was reproached for concerning himself with these questions. He replied:
I not only have the right, I furthermore have the duty to follow these affairs of the working world with a lively interest, to form an opinion about them and to express it publicly depending on the circumstances... When I was consecrated as a Bishop, the Church, before anointing me and giving me my jurisdiction as a bishop, asked me the following question, among others: Do you desire to be charitable and merciful toward the poor, toward strangers and all the unfortunate, in the name of our Lord? And I replied: I do. The bishop is a representative of Christ and that is why the Church asks him, before conferring the responsibility upon him, if he has, as a successor to Jesus Christ, the desire to imitate his divine Master's love for the needy among humanity. How could I, after this solemn promise, remain indifferent in the face of a problem which touches upon the most essential needs of such a large class of people? The worker question concerns me as much as the well-being of all those dear members of my diocese who belong to the working class. What is more, going beyond the narrow boundaries (of my diocese), I have the right to concern myself with the worker question as well as the well-being of all workers, with whom I am united in Christ's love." [Introduction to the brochure, The Worker Question and Christianity] (I.114)
Furthermore, nothing prevents us from meeting with the socialists for a multitude of useful reforms for which they have, indeed, most often borrowed the first idea from us. (I.56)