Economic Issues

Economic Justice for All is the pastoral letter promulgated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 1986 that deals with the United States economy and with Catholic social teaching in the nation’s context. The document is a part of the tradition of Catholic social teaching. Every perspective on economic life that is human, moral, and Christian must be shaped by three questions:

1) What does the economy do for people?

2) What does it do to people?

3) And how do people participate in it?

The economy is a human reality: men and women working together to develop and care for the whole of God’s creation. All this work must serve the material and spiritual well-being of people. The efforts of our Commission on Global Issues are to be proactive in giving voice to those persons who are impacted by inequities in our economy. We strive to educate on the issues, engage in advocacy and be active in written and verbal communications with legislators at the local, state and national levels

Several issues that are in the forefront of these efforts include:

• Utilize encyclical principles from Laudato Si’ to study and integrate climate justice/economic justice plans
• Uphold an economy of inclusion that supports Catholic social justice
• Support universal healthcare as a human right
• Privatization of the detention centers across the nation  
• Continue to address federal and state budget priorities as needed
• Keep abreast of the issues of economic inequality  
• Corporate power and investment realities in the workplace
• Closing the gap in the American economy