Summary Of John Paul II's Centesimus Annus

John Paul II’s Centesimus Annus

Inspired by Rerum Novarum, John Paul II intervened in the discussion of social justice. John Paul II wrote in favor of the worker and sought just resolutions to unemployment and poverty. “In his first chapter, the pope invites us to re-read Rerum Novarum and apply it to our own day (3). The “new things” about which Pope Leo XIII wrote are a new form of property (capital) and a new form of labor (wages),” (Medaille). To understand Centesimus Annus, one must first understand Rerum Novarum.

Dignity of the Human Person Man is the Way of the Church embodies Centesimus Annus. The Catholic Social teaching is directed toward Man, who is the core of society. The Church is concerned with the dignity of the human person, whether he is rich or poor. “The social teaching of the Church is not a theory but a basis for action; the witness of actions gives credibility to the teachings, and this concerns not only material poverty, but cultural and spiritual poverty as well (57),” (Medaille). Man’s call to

However, man had already begun to abuse the power he had by decreasing the value of man and increasing the value of materials. John Paul II rejected materialism as the conflict between capital and labor grew. “The new things”, capital and labor inspired John Paul to write and defend workers against the violation of human rights. The new ways of life transformed the meaning of labor into making man the machine. It disregarded the dignity of the labor. John Paul II explained how man does the opposite of his calling because he abuses his power to co-create. “Instead of carrying out his role as a co-operator with God in the work of creation, man sets himself up in place of God and thus ends up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature, which is more tyrannized than governed by him.76,” (C.A.37). This is the exact opposite of justice and economic