Social Justice Ministry |
The STA Social Justice Ministry meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each Month, at 6:30 p.m. in Classroom #2 of the Parish Center. All are welcome!
Mission Statement
“The Call of Christ”
The St. Thomas Aquinas Social Justice* Ministry seeks to inform, inspire and challenge parishioners and others in the New Port Richey community to live lives reflective of the Catholic Church’s social justice teaching and to seek to ensure that the policies and actions of government, private and religious agencies reflect these teachings.
Procedures to Implement the Mission:
The Social Justice Ministry will;
Be open to accept on the committee anyone who espouses this mission,
Hold regular meetings and keep accurate minutes of them,
Sponsor periodic forums conducted by knowledgeable people and open to the public on selected topics,
Write a regular column in the weekly parish bulletin on topics related to the forums,
Maintain an updated web page on the parish web site with appropriate links to other organizations involved in
fostering social justice,
Inform the public of pending federal, state and local legislation that supports or hinders social justice,
Create additional subcommittees of people who have a deep concern for a particular issue,
Review regularly its work to ensure it is achieving its mission.
*Catholic Social Justice is an essential element of the Catholic faith having its origins in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures where God showed his love for the poor and called people to a covenant of love and justice.
At the end of the 19th Century, Pope Leo XIII wrote Rerum Novarum. In this new order, Leo XIII challenged Catholics to get involved in the struggle for social justice and reform of the social order. Since then numerous papal encyclicals and episcopal pastorals have addressed housing, race relations, life issues, economics, war, stewardship of the planet and many other concerns.
The work of this Ministry might be best described as Catholic Action. It is not enough to give alms to the poor; the Catholic must seek ways of remedying the causes of poverty.
Prayer for Social Justice
Almighty and Eternal God, may Your grace enkindle in all persons a love of the many unfortunate people whom poverty and misery reduce to a condition of life unworthy of human beings.
Arouse in the hearts of those who call You God a hunger and thirst for social justice and for fraternal charity in deeds and in truth.
Grant, O Lord, peace in our days, peace to souls, peace to our community and peace among nations.
Amen. Pope Pius XII
