In his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, which was issued this week, Pope Benedict emphasizes the importance of the common good, solidarity with the poor, and a more equitable distribution of wealth. Click here to hear a recording of leading Catholic commentators discussing the Pope’s encyclical as well as his visit with President Obama. Below are some other critical excerpts from the encyclical as well as a link to the encyclical itself.

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• Suggest to your pastor that he give a homily highlighting the Pope’s reflections on social justice and the common good.
• Look for articles that mention the encyclical, and write a letter to the editor in praise of Pope Benedict’s call to remember the common good.
• Form a group to discuss Caritas in Veritate.
• Forward this message to 10 friends who may not be aware of the Catholic Church’s rich social justice tradition.

Key Excerpts from Caritas in Veritate:

• “Another important consideration is the common good. To love someone is to desire that person's good and to take effective steps to secure it. Besides the good of the individual, there is a good that is linked to living in society: the common good.”
• “If we love others with charity, then first of all we are just towards them. Not only is justice not extraneous to charity, not only is it not an alternative or parallel path to charity: justice is inseparable from charity, and intrinsic to it."
• “The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable manner,83 and that we continue to prioritize the goal of access to steady employment for everyone.”
• "Economic activity cannot solve all social problems through the simple application of commercial logic. This needs to be directed towards the pursuit of the common good, for which the political community in particular must also take responsibility."