Religious Studies
Catholic social teaching and catholic social thought are akin to one another, as both value the notion of human dignity and emphasize actions that are related to the common good of all people living in, a given society. Catholic social thought and catholic social teaching are also seen to differ from one another. This is because catholic social teaching is doctrinal in nature and is the teaching that is officially undertaken by the church to educate large numbers of faithful followers along the path of God. Catholic social thought is less rigid and more flexible in its focus and is influenced by the practice and thinking of social reformers and thinkers and not simply to the doctrine of the catholic church (Hovey & Phillips, 2015).
Since the year of 1891, there are numerous popes at the catholic church in the Vatican, who have published, a number, of in the Rerum Novarum on a variety of social issues. These include the consequences that have had to be dealt with since the fall of communism, the crisis that was generated on account, of international debt, financial crisis in the world in general and the issues that have arisen because of cross border migration (Hovey & Phillips, 2015). Dignity of work, cooperation among classes, access to just wages, defending the poor and just ownership of private property are some of the other social issues that are addressed in the Rerum Novarum (Hovey & Phillips, 2015).
The issue of cross border migration, and the social difficulties that arise from such a situation is something that finds mention in the Rerum Novarum. This is something that can be related to a lot of the turmoil that is taking place in Australia because of the cross-border migration undertaken by people from other countries of the Global South, such as Sri Lanka, and from the West Asian countries such as Syria and Lebanon, because they are unable to survive in the countries, they are currently living in (Adamson & Tsourapas, 2020). There has been a hostile approach generated by the Australian government to such migrants, but as per catholic social doctrine and thinking, they should be treated with compassion and mercy and given shelter (Rees & Rawson, 2018).
The catholic social thought and principle as discussed above already, is something that ought to be extended to the dire situation that those who are undertaking cross border migrations today, are faced with. Australia is faced with an influx of migrants, who are not only escaping from social and political turmoil, but who are also escaping the threat of climate change (Carreta et al., 2018). For instance, there are many people from the Pacific Islands who are migrating to Australia in large numbers, for refuge, because the islands are going under the sea, because of climate change. In such situations, it is necessary for a nation such as Australia to uphold catholic social thought and catholic social teaching both, by ensuring that these migrants are given access to work, with just pay or remuneration and are rehabilitated in a way that allows them to lead their lives as economically self-sufficient beings, so that they may protect themselves from thirst, hunger, and lack of shelter (Carrera et al., 2018).
The defense of the poor is an important criterion that is outlined in catholic social thought, and which finds mention in the Rerum Novarum (Rees & Rawson, 2018). In the context of the migrants who are in Australia, what needs to be stated is that catholic people living in this country, who are well settled and well to do, must come to the defense of the poor migrants, must speak out on their behalf and must do everything in their power to ensure that such migrants are given care and shelter, and all the ammunition that they need, to build their lives once again. It is the duty of the rich and the prosperous catholic individuals to come to the aid of the poor migrants and help them out in some or the other way, so that they can restart their lives in a new land, and do not have to worry about defending themselves against hostile elements (Adamson & Tsourapas, 2020).
Catholic social thought and catholic social practice must be implemented from the perspective of the poor, with actions being taken to help them combat their poverty and make them from economically resilient than what they are. In this context, it is not charity which is the answer but the provision of healthcare services, the provision of employment opportunities and the provision of educational opportunities to poor people, such as the cross-border migrants, so that they are able, to showcase their skills and build their skills to earn money (Carrera et al., 2018). Such resilience and self-reliance on the part of the migrants will allow them to live in the new land, in this case Australia, without relying excessively on government support and assistance. They will be able, to conduct their lives with dignity, and will be valuable members of the society in which they live, in spite, of being economically inferior to others around them (Carrera et al., 2018).
Adamson, F. B., & Tsourapas, G. (2020). The migration state in the global south: Nationalizing, developmental, and neoliberal models of migration management. International Migration Review , 54 (3), 853-882.
Carrera, S., El Qadim, N., Fullerton, M., Garcés-Mascareñas, B., Kneebone, S. Y., Sala, A. L., ... & Vosyliute, L. (2018). Offshoring Asylum and Migration in Australia, Spain, Tunisia and the US. Lessons learned and feasibility for the EU. Brussels: Open Society European Policy Institute (OSEPI).
Hovey, C., & Phillips, E. (Eds.). (2015). The Cambridge companion to Christian political theology . Cambridge University Press.
Rees, J. A., & Rawson, S. (2018). The Resources of Religious Humanitarianism: The Case of Migrants on Lampedusa. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 31 (2)
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