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Tag Archives: Catholic Social Doctrine
Putting modern social conflict into perspective
“The ‘alt-right’ neo-pagans and white supremacists on one side, and the ‘antifa’ and ‘BLM’ progressivists on the other are really flip sides of the same bad coin: a vision of society that asserts man’s rights (as perceived by the warring ideologies) while ignoring the rights of God.
……… Yes, we should take sides; for, while the factions we saw fighting it out in Charlottesville are not worthy of the allegiance of a baptized soul, there is a side to choose: the side of a Christian (i.e., Catholic) America, which respects the Social Reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King and all that implies. Until His rights are respected, we can fully expect more Fergusons, more Charlottesvilles, and more Berkeleys. We cannot expect peace.
May God help us, for only He can.”
G.K. Chesterton died 81 years ago
One of England’s giants of literature, Catholic apologetics and social criticsm (with solutions).
Réquiem ætérnam dona ei, Dómine,
et lux perpétua lúceat ei.
Requiéscat in pace. Amen.
Catholic Action: Uses, Abuses and Excuses
Catholic Action: Uses, Abuses and Excuses is the name of a seminal study written for The Saint George Educational Trust by Liam Connolly and published in booklet form in the late 1990’s.
The study highlights a fundamental incongruity between Catholic Action as defined by Pope Saint Pius X and the concept later promoted under the same name by Pope Pius XI.
The study struck a deep chord with Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais of the Society of Saint Pius X and led to him publishing his own article on the subject, entitled Catholic Action Defined in the August 2003 edition of The Angelus magazine.
Suffice it to say that earning one’s salt requires Catholics in action, rather than Catholic inaction.
Available from SGET for £5.00 including p&p. Cheques/postal orders payable to ‘The Saint George Educational Trust.
Send orders and payment to:
SGET, 225 Andover House, George Yard, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1PB.
Usury
“Usury does not mean high interest. It means any interest, however low, demanded for an unproductive loan.
It is not only immoral but it is ultimately destructive of society. It has only been the rule of our commerce to take usury since the breakup of Europe following on the Reformation.
Usury will destroy our society, but meanwhile there is no escape from it. We are coming near the end of its maleficent action, not through awaking to its evils but because it is reaching the end of its resources.
The modern world is organized on the principle that money of its nature breeds money. A sum of money lent has, according to our present scheme, a natural right to interest.
In this essay Hilaire Belloc shows that principle is false in economics as in morals. It ruined Rome, and it is bringing us to our end.”
Belloc’s essay on usury, a sinful practice thoroughly condemned by the Church, is available from SGET for £5.00 including p&p.
Cheques/postal orders payable to ‘The Saint George Educational Trust’.
Send payment to:
SGET, 225 Andover House, George Yard, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1PB.
Deadly Duo
Capitalism had arisen through the misuse and exaggeration of certain rights, notably the right of property — the basis of economic freedom — and the right of contract, which is one of the main functions of economic freedom. Therefore, even under Capitalism, so long as the old principles were remembered it was possible to recall the principles whereby Society had once been sane and well ordered. But as a Godless greed pursued its career from excess to excess, it provoked a sort of twin hostile brother, equally Godless, born in the same atmosphere of utter disregard for the foundational virtues of humility and charity. This hostile twin brother of Capitalism was destined to be called Communism……..
– Hilaire Belloc
