Catholics meet Obama team, discuss policy | National Catholic Reporter

Platform for the Common Good

This summer the North American Passionist JPIC Office took part in the Convention for the Common Good. At this event a number of Catholic communities and organizations joined to develop a political platform that would take a consistent approach with the Catholic social principle of the common good.

Pope John XXIII wrote a definition for the common good in an encyclical that he wrote prior to Vatican II:

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 men are enabled more fully and more readily to achieve their own perfection. Hence, we regard it as necessary that the various intermediary bodies and the numerous social undertaking wherein an expanded social structure primarily finds expression, be ruled by their own laws, and as the common good itself progresses, pursue this objective in a spirit of sincere concord among themselves.

Mater et Magistra, #65

Below is a wonderful “You Tube” video that depicts the platform and the concept behind the convention.

This month a number of Catholic leaders discussed this platform and these policies with members of the Obama administration.

Catholics meet Obama team, discuss policy | National Catholic Reporter.

We are hopeful that the Catholic community can come together as a unified and consistent social voice to advocate on the needs of the poor, marginalized and oppressed. The North American Passionist JPIC Office will work with these organizations to promote this policies.