Inflation and Social Justice

Now online for the first time:
📈 "INFLATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE"
by E.F. Schumacher (1975)

This thought-provoking analysis of inflation and its representation in both economics and general parlance still bears relevance in our present day. https://t.co/yPEkyc244n pic.twitter.com/0K1or3eCmU

— Schumacher Center for a New Economics (@Center4NewEcon) December 22, 2021

"Inclusion"

We're excited to co-sponsor "The Health of Nations: Pope Francis’ Call For Inclusion" this coming Friday, 9/24 at 9:30 a.m. EST with our friends at @americamag. Additional details & livestream registration can be accessed on this webpage 👇https://t.co/EbyASbGJem

— McGrath Institute (@McGrathND) September 21, 2021

Corrupted by the Latins? Or Their Own?

Show me the theological argumentation that gets us from "the deeper truth of the ecumenical councils" to a statement about how the state should be ordered that respects scale and the integrity of real communities. Let them donate 100% of the proceeds from their Greek festivals to fund social justice efforts in their local communities.

"Social justice that can build a 'more perfect union' is rooted in the deeper truth of the ecumenical councils," Archbishop @Elpidophoros of America​#orthodox_times @goarch @GOARCH_Press

https://t.co/sCP9c7Grge

— Orthodox Times (@orthodox_times) December 1, 2020

Meanwhile, on "Giving Tuesday"...

Double your gift to #HCHC this #GivingTuesday! Members of our Board of Trustees have agreed to match all gifts made to HCHC through December 31, 2020, up to $200,000! Make your gift online today at https://t.co/z6DIK4LI9x. Thank you for your support! pic.twitter.com/4JjxZu4Jeq

— Hellenic College Holy Cross (@HCHCBoston) December 1, 2020

Feminism at the Service of Oligarchs

There can be no work without care. Gender justice is worker justice is economic justice is care. This is why we need cooperative economics and worker-ownership. https://t.co/MJvBpJV1Sn

— U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives (@USFWC) October 7, 2020

Acroecology

"Showing up for farmers means standing up to the political leaders who claim to represent them but instead align with agribusiness."

Learn more from our own @AlbeFood and @TQuinnThib via @foodtank: https://t.co/bRcEqeZcNy

— ActionAidUSA (@ActionAidUSA) October 19, 2020

One Prediction

I’m becoming increasingly optimistic about the post-2025 time period. However, I expect the next few years to be very challenging, like birth pangs.

The dark age isn’t coming, we’ve been living in it. Try to have a positive effect as we work through the coming transition.

— Michael Krieger (@LibertyBlitz) October 6, 2020

On the other hand, the following is not probably not going to happen peacefully, though may be the 1% will try to facilitate it in the name of "social justice," "reparations," and "equality."

"To work toward an equitable future for all...land-owning (white) populations can move resources meaningfully into the hands of people and communities which have repeatedly been stripped of rightful access."#Landgifting can be a vehicle for reparations: https://t.co/DCzdxGvj5D pic.twitter.com/MdW7AIsUDB

— Schumacher Center for a New Economics (@Center4NewEcon) October 6, 2020

Eastern Christian Books: An "Eastern" Christology?

Eastern Christian Books: An "Eastern" Christology?

Liberation theology that is grounded in the Eastern Church Fathers?

Herald Press: Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded by Phuc Lu - Google Books

Consumerism

One Catholic Prof Aware of the Higher-Ed Bubble

Crazy clericalism at Houston’s University of St. Thomas by Dr. Randall B. Smith
Some clerics in leadership at Catholic universities give lip service to “empowering the laity”—when their real agenda is enforcing their own ideology.

The Social Justice Agenda Continues?

DOCAT, “spicy peppercorns” and the Pope’s dream
An interview with Bernhard Meuser, editor of the original German edition of DOCAT.

Reading the interview, I have no reason to think that the book will not reiterate tired talking points of "social justice Catholics," which will be some form of nanny liberalism.

Privilege

John Michael Greer has some thoughts on privilege here: Starhawking the Privilege Game

The building up of fraternity and the relocalization of community would help mitigate one problem associated with privilege but it wouldn't make all of the egalitarians happy. JMG remains a man of the left, even though some of his analysis of the current presidential campaign is probably more correct than not.

Privilege 101
Suffolk University

SJ(W)

Tom Smolich SJ is the director of the Jesuit Refugee Service which accompanies, serves and advocates on behalf of...

Posted by Vatican Radio - English Section on Sunday, January 17, 2016

In his speech on Monday to ambassadors of the 180 countries with diplomatic ties to the Vatican, Pope Francis chose to...

Posted by Vatican Radio - English Section on Thursday, January 14, 2016

The Failure of Bishops

From A New World Pope (Some National and Social Context) by Timothy J. Cullen:

This writer has lived in South America for nine years now, and began spending “non-tourism” time on the continent more than twenty years ago. Persons unfamiliar with South America—regardless of how many films they have seen that are set in it—cannot easily grasp the social conditions in even the more prosperous nations, let alone in those marked by a very high degree of social inequality. The Church—Her hierarchy in particular—has long been perceived by the poor as allied with the wealthy and powerful families that have dominated the region for centuries but have now lost political power to the “resuscitated” revolutionaries of the Sixties and Seventies who to a certain extent have put the promises of Liberation Theology into practice. Traditional Catholicism in particular is often viewed as “elitist” and out of touch with the masses if not with the Mass. The SSPX, largest of the Traditional Catholic priestly fraternities, has no presence in Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia, the three South American nations with the most left-leaning governments, and precious little presence outside of the major cities of the others. In my own rural village, to go no further, outside of one family, there is no interest in the old Mass and nearly no one has heard of the SSPX or has any interest in it, dismissing it as either “the rich people’s Church,” or worse, “the oppressors’ Church”. A goodly number of the villagers reject the Church entirely for this same reason, although they claim nearly to a man to be Catholics.

A Good Man for the USCCB

But is one man enough to tackle the following? The USCCB'S Department for Justice, Peace, and Human Development and Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Jonathan Reyes, the Bishops’ New Man in D.C.
Denver Catholic Charities, Social Ministries Director Named Head Of USCCB Justice, Peace, Human Development Department
Pro-life leaders laud new head of U.S. bishops’ peace and justice department
Patheos
America Magazine
Zenit

"National" Catholic programs administered by the USCCB, just like the program he founded, Christ in the City. (An alternative to the Jesuit Volunteer Corps?)

The bishops may be trying to clean house, which thethe CCHD especially needs, but should they reconsider their approach? It could be argued that one office to cover all these United States is necessary so long as there are factors and agents that affect them all and cannot be effectively addressed through state legislation alone. But an unwieldy bureaucracy cannot replace the needed renewal of the local Catholic churches and their parish communities, which would be better able to perform corporal works of mercy in accordance with the order of charity while evangelizing at the same time. (Moreover, the local Churches need to respect the local culture [and peoples], rather than attempting to replace it with some "natural law" vision of what it should be.)

How can one trust someone who is paid to be "nice"? Is he truly kind or is he merely acting in order to get the paycheck?

Rather than ameliorating problems, such programs, if they are misguided in their principles, may make them worse, reinforcing erroneous beliefs about political communities (especially the question of scale).


On John Carr, Dr. Reyes's predecessor: Ending the USCCB’s Path to Progressive Politics?

Some recent news for the Augustine Institute, which Dr. Reyes helped found.




Augustine Institute Opens New Campus
Augustine Institute Expands Evangelization Effort with New Campus
Bishop Aquila Finds an Ally for Changing the Order of the Sacraments

Whatever else he may think or say, Archbishop Samuel Aquila's writing on restoring reception of the sacrament of confirmation as the second sacrament to be received by the newly initiated deserves a wider audience.

Bishop Aquila receives Pope's praise for reordering sacraments

Related:
From 2007, The New, Lay Face of Missionaries

'We have no king but Caesar:' Some thoughts on Catholic faith and public life
By Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M., Cap. *

Fr. Rutler, Christ in the City

Fr. Fosolm, TEARS, THE WOOD OF THE CROSS, THE WORD, AND THE EUCHARIST

I have noted, going through job postings for local farms, that many of the positions require someone who is bilingual (the other language being Spanish), or that this is preferred, since those who [actually] work on the farm speak Spanish [only]. Doing jobs that Americans don't want to do? How much are these workers being paid? If they are not being paid a living wage, how much more would the food cost if this were the case? Before farming can be a feasible occupation for young people in California much else in the political economy must be changed. (Instead of allowing it to be dominated by the e-tech industry and affluent immigrants who push the standard of living up?)

Ethnic Nationalism

Rod Dreher: WaPo: Ron Paul approved racist newsletters

Someone else I know has said that if the allegations about Ron Paul are true, then it is worse than mere racism; it is racism as opportunism. I have not read the newsletters in question; I've only seen snippets here and there and they seem more politically incorrect than "racist," with content or a focus that might approach what you would find in a white nationalist publication (crime committed by members of minorities, etc.). Can valid generalizations be made at all? Will there be any honest discussion of these sort of issues? This sort of chiding by Mr. Dreher is evidence why some readers believe they have cause to worry about the direction of The American Conservative. Should AmCon become a white nationalist magazine? I don't think that is likely and I still believe that white nationalism as a political program cannot be reconciled with traditional conservatism, if we believe assimilation is the goal - it violates the precepts of charity and justice. I do not think that having a preference for a member of the same race is part of the ordo caritatis, and it is detrimental to the well-being of a community - that we are members of the same political community is of greater import. To prefer someone merely because he is of the same race would vitiate the shared understanding that we are one community, one people. I would say the same of any other ethnic nationalism. There is some sort of natural affection towards one's own, but race is a rather weak constituent of identity and only comes into play when one perceives division along racial lines. But common opposition alone doesn't create solidarity or trust.

Of course, one rejoinder would be that "one community, on people" is not really true at any level in California.

What should be the response to members of other ethnic/racial groups promoting ethnic nationalism in the U.S.?

Items of Interest, 27 January 2012

Dr. Wilson reviews The Founding Fathers Guide to the Constitution by Brion McClanahan (via Rebellion)

Facebook and the Degradation of Personhood

A Tale of Two Cities: Beijing and Detroit
Which symbolizes success, and which disintegration? It may not be what you think.
by Helena Norberg-Hodge

Vox Populi: Consequences of Post-Christianity

U.S. Probe of Border Attack Hardened Pakistani Suspicions by Gareth Porter

The New Pentagon Budget: Better, Not Great by Benjamin H. Friedman

McRaven plots global expansion for spec ops

Issa rips Holder, Justice Dept. over 5th Amendment ‘escalation of culpability’


Marriage:
Marriage and Procreation: The Intrinsic Connection
by Patrick Lee, Robert P. George and Gerard V. Bradley

Community and Localism:
Neighborliness: On a Shared Life by Brian Phillips

Exploring The Ingredients For Transition w/ Rob Hopkins (mp3) (EB)

Social Justice, Institutions, and Communities by Adam J. MacLeod

Diet and Health
16 Signs You're Primal

Music:
Where I Go: Yo-Yo Ma
The Goat Rodeo Rides Again (January 31): A Conversation With Stuart Duncan Plus Chatting With Chuck Prophet (Video Exclusives)


Vevo

The civilian version of the HK417.

Charles Bowden on Mexico

An Interview with Charles Bowden by David Zlutnick
War on the Border

Upheaval Productions


Charles Bowden, Murder City

"Now Calderón is a very devout Catholic and he believes deeply in free trade. He belongs to a party there that would be like the Republican Party here."

Is there an equation between the two being made? How sad.

Related:
Charles Bowden on "The War Next Door"
From 2008: Orion Magazine, A Conversation with Charles Bowden

Say what...

The Preferential Option for the Poor by R.R. Reno (via Patrick Deneen)

Those on the right may differ from those on the left on the applicability of subsidiarity, seeking to keep the solution local rather than growing the state. (Though there are plenty on the left who are interested in relocalization, just not many Catholic Democrats.)

Mr. Reno writes:

Want to help the poor? By all means pay your taxes and give to agencies that provide social services. By all means volunteer in a soup kitchen or help build houses for those who can’t afford them. But you can do much more for the poor by getting married and remaining faithful to your spouse. Have the courage to use old-fashioned words such as chaste and honorable. Put on a tie. Turn off the trashy reality TV shows. Sit down to dinner every night with your family. Stop using expletives as exclamation marks. Go to church or synagogue.

In this and other ways, we can help restore the constraining forms of moral and social discipline that don’t bend to fit the desires of the powerful—forms that offer the poor the best, the most effective and most lasting, way out of poverty. That’s the truest preferential option—and truest form of respect—for the poor.

Will these acts really matter if one is not living next to the poor, though? We should be committed to evangelizing and both the corporal and the spiritual works of mercy, but there's very little talk in this piece about the reform of the political economy. There are moral problems, to be sure, at every strata of society, but how many people seeking to make a simple, honest living are being prevented from doing so?

The premise of Mr. Reno's argument:

A Christian who hopes to follow the teachings of Jesus needs to reckon with a singular fact about American poverty: Its deepest and most debilitating deficits are moral, not financial; the most serious deprivations are cultural, not economic. Many people living at the bottom of American society have cell phones, flat-screen TVs, and some of the other goodies of consumer culture. But their lives are a mess.

It's too late for legislation -- what else can work, unless it's conversion or the heavy hand of law (which would do away with the American egalitarian, laissez-faire impulse). The current form of Leviathan, the bureaucratic welfare state isn't sufficient to prevent the demise of the state. More extreme measures would be required.

I can see why Professor Deneen appreciates the piece, with its emphasis on defending the civilizing influences and practices of society , but I don't think it does a good job in evaluating its proposed measures.

The Right of Association

Mr. Bradley Birzer gives a communitarian explanation on the right of association, one that can be harmonized with CST on solidarity and subsidiarity (and the value of lower-level associations): The Right to Association: Fundamentally and Naturally American

How would he deal, then, with the understanding of the right of association offered by libertarians, in which the right is defined first through commercial transactions and the voluntary nature of such associations is (over-)emphasized? As a result of the emphasis on the voluntary, the right to association is also defined negatively by libertarians as the right not to associate with people. How much interaction is necessary between individuals who at odds on fundamental moral issues?