3. Mater et Magistra 
English title: Christianity and Social Progress
Encyclical Letter of Pope John XXIII, May 15 1961
Individual human beings are the foundation, the cause and the end of every social institution. That is necessarily so, for men are by nature social beings. This fact must be
recognized, as also the fact that they are raised in the plan of Providence to an order of reality which is above nature.
(#219)
Wherefore, whatever the progress in technology and economic life,
there can be neither justice nor peace in the world, so long as men fail to
realize how great is their dignity; for they have been created by God and
are His children. (#215)
The economic prosperity of any people is to be assessed not so much
from the sum total of goods and wealth possessed as from the distribution
of goods according to norms of justice. (#74)
It is necessary that public authorities have a correct understanding
of the common good. This embraces the sum total of those conditions
of social living, whereby people are enabled more fully and more readily
to achieve their own perfection. (#65)
One may not take as the ultimate criteria in economic life the interests
of individuals or organized groups, nor unregulated competition, nor
excessive power on the part of the wealthy, nor the vain honor of the
nation or its desire for domination, nor anything of this sort.
Rather, it is necessary that economic undertaking be governed by
justice and charity as the principal laws of social life. (#38-39)
The remuneration of work is not something that can be left to the
laws of the marketplace; nor should it be a decision left to the will
of the more powerful. It must be determined in accordance with
justice and equity; which means that workers must be paid a wage
which allows them to live a truly human life and to fulfill their family
obligations in a worthy manner. (#71)
... the principle laid down by our predecessor of happy memory,
Pius XI, in the Encyclical Letter Quadragesima Anno, should be
borne in mind: "It is totally false to ascribe to a single factor of
production what is in fact produced by joint activity; and it is
completely unjust for one factor to arrogate to itself what is produced,
ignoring what has been contributed by other factors." (#76)
There are three stages which should normally be followed in the
reduction of social principles into practice.
First, one reviews the concrete situation;
Secondly, one forms a judgment on it in the light of these same principles;
Thirdly, one decides what in the circumstances can and should be done
to implement these principles.
These are the three stages that are usually expressed in the three terms:
observe, judge, act. (#236)
If the organization and structure of economic life be such that the
human dignity of workers is compromised, or their sense of responsibility
is weakened, or their freedom of action is removed, then we judge
such an economic order to be unjust, even though it produces a vast
amount of goods, whose distribution conforms to the norms of justice
and equity. (#83)
It is not enough merely to formulate a social doctrine. It must be
translated into reality. And this is particularly true of the Church's
social doctrine, the light of which is Truth, Justice its objective,
and Love its driving force. (#226)
It is therefore our urgent desire that this doctrine be studied
more and more. First of all it should be taught as part of the
daily curriculum in Catholic schools of every kind, particularly
seminaries, .... We would also like to see it added to the religious
instruction programs of parishes .... it must be spread by every
modern means at our disposal: daily newspapers, periodicals,
popular and scientific publications, radio and television. (#223)
We must reaffirm most strongly that this Catholic social
doctrine is an integral part of the Christian conception of life. (#222)
As for the State, its whole raison d'etre is the realization of the
common good in the temporal order. It cannot, therefore, hold
aloof from economic matters. On the contrary, it must do all
in its power to promote the production of a sufficient supply of
material goods, "the use of which is necessary for the practice
of virtue."
It has also the duty to protect the rights of all its people, and
particularly of its weaker members, the workers, women and
children. It can never be right for the State to shirk its obligation
of working actively for the betterment of the condition of the
workingman. (#20)
As regards taxation, assessment according to ability to pay is
fundamental to a just and equitable system.) (#132)
It is especially desirable today that workers gradually come to
share in the ownership of their company, by ways and in the
manner that seem most suitable. For today, even more than
in the time of Our Predecessor, "every effort must be made
that at least in future a just share only of the fruits of production
be permitted to accumulate in the hands of the wealthy, and that
an ample sufficiency be supplied to the workers." (#77)
The solidarity which binds all people together as members of a
common family makes it impossible for wealthy nations to look
with indifference upon the hunger, misery and poverty of other
nations whose citizens are unable to enjoy even elementary
human rights. The nations of the world are becoming more and
more dependent on one another and it will not be possible to
preserve a lasting peace so long as glaring economic and social
imbalances persist. (#157)
Our predecessors have always taught that in the right of private
property there is rooted a social responsibility. (#119)
As Our Predecessor Pius XII so rightly affirmed: The dignity of
the human person "normally demands the right to the use of the
goods of the earth, to which corresponds the fundamental
obligation of granting an opportunity to possess property to
all if possible." This demand arises from the moral dignity of work.
It also guarantees "the conservation and perfection of a social
order which makes possible a secure, even if modest, property
to all classes of people." (#114)
Certainly one of the principal characteristics which seem
to be typical of our age is an increase in social relationships,
in those mutual ties, that is, which grow daily more numerous
and which have led to the introduction of many and varied forms
of associations in the lives and activities of citizens, and to
their acceptance within our legal framework. Scientific and
technical progress, greater productive efficiency and a higher
standard of living are among the many present-day factors
which would seem to have contributed to this trend. (#59)
The Church today is faced with an immense task: to humanize
and to Christianize this modern civilization of ours. The continued
development of this civilization, indeed its very survival, demand
and insist that the Church do her part in the world. ...
In conducting their human affairs to the best of their ability, the laity
must recognize that they are doing a service to humanity, in intimate
union with God through Christ, and to God's greater glory.
And St. Paul insisted: "Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever
else you do, do all to the glory of God." (#256)
Differences of opinion in the application of principles can
sometimes arise even among sincere Catholics. When this happens,
they should be careful not to lose their respect and esteem for each
other. Instead, they should strive to find points of agreement for
effective and suitable action, and not wear themselves out in
interminable arguments, and, under pretext of the better or the best,
omit to do the good that is possible and therefore obligatory. (#238)