Saint Peter's 

Catholic Church

"O sinner, be not discouraged, but have recourse to Mary in all your necessities.  Call her to your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity."

~Saint Basil the Great

This week’s Question:

Why does the Catholic Church take such a strong stance against Socialism and Communism, when it seems these political systems would be the most fair for everyone, especially the poor?

  Answer:

●     In last week’s Q&A, we contrasted the Christian view of human life (that is, as possessing inherent and immutable dignity, from the moment of conception until natural death) with the secular, utilitarian view of human life (as a utility that is useful so long as it produces more than it consumes).  The Church’s rejection of communism and socialism is ultimately for the same reason that she rejects abortion and euthanasia: they deny of the dignity of the human person.  In these socio-economic structures, the focus on human worth shifts from being a creature made in the image and likeness of God, to having worth and value based upon being able to produce more than one consumes (see CCC 2424)

●     The Church also stands against communism and socialism because they deny the individual rights to economic initiative and private property ownership.  Central planning refuses the right of the individual to take economic initiative, that is “to make legitimate use of his talents to contribute to the abundance that will benefit all and to harvest the just fruits of his labor.” (CCC 2429) The saying, “a rising tide floats all boats” applies to this right of economic initiative that is denied by communism and socialism.

●     As a final note, communism and socialism have failed in every instance where they have been implemented as the central consolidation of political and economic power.  Moreover, communist governments have been responsible for the deaths of over 150 million of their citizens in the 20^th Century alone.  In the end, these systems undermine the rights and protections that are essential to the thriving of individuals, families, and societies. (CCC 2211)

Sources & Additional Information:

1.    CCC Paragraphs 2426-2436, Economic Activity and Social Justice: http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#582

  Next week’s Question:

Why does the Catholic Church insist that only Sacramental marriages (i.e. marriages within the Church) are considered valid?

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