What the Pope's Really Saying

Townhall.com ^ | December 7, 2013 | Kathryn Lopez

[Colonel_Flagg]

As I said, absent other context. I’d need to see the entire interview.

John 21:17 makes it clear that Christ commands the Christian to help the less fortunate (”feed my sheep”). However, he neither commands government to do it, as ‘social justice’ advocates believe, nor makes it a requirement to get into Heaven. The Christian, filled with Christ’s love, will wish to do these things simply because they are the right thing to do.

[markomalley]

…absent other context…

OK, so here's the context:

As far as the social justice question goes, I don't think you can be an evangelist, or part of this evangelical movement in the church, without being as clearly committed to social justice as the church has been in the past. We can't preach the Gospel and not live it. If we don't love the poor, and do all we can to improve their lot, we're going to go to Hell. It's very clear from the gospels that we have the duty to do that. To be an evangelist means to preach that too, but it also means you don't just preach that. There's a clear difference between being a social worker and being a preacher of the Gospel. You can be a social worker without believing in God, but not a preacher. The Gospel calls all of us to be social workers, in a sense, but not all social workers are called to be evangelists.

BTW, please note the "official" "Catholic" definition of the term "social justice" -- The respect for the human person and the rights which flow from human dignity and guarantee it. Society must provide the conditions that allow people to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and vocation

[Colonel_Flagg]

Thanks for the context. I think this is a case where the interviewee is not done justice by the article written.

Bless your evening.