Parish social ministry is about the transformation of ourselves and society. It is not the work of a committee or a specific ministry, rather it is the work of all of God’s people as a response to God’s love. It is an interaction with the world that requires us to reach beyond our families, our communities, our parish, our state and even our national boundaries and take up the task set before us by Pope Benedict in his encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est.”

Building a just social and civil order, wherein each person receives what is his or her due, is an essential task which every generation must take up anew…The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society… is proper to the lay faithful. As citizens of the State, they are called to take part in public life in a personal capacity. So they cannot relinquish their participation “in the many different economic, social, legislative, administrative and cultural areas, which are intended to promote organically and institutionally the common good.” The mission of the lay faithful is therefore to configure social life correctly, respecting its legitimate autonomy and cooperating with other citizens according to their respective competences and fulfilling their own responsibility. Even if the specific expressions of ecclesial charity can never be confused with the activity of the State, it still remains true that charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity, lived as “social charity."

NEW!

Office of Peace and Justice,

Parish Social Ministry Resource Manual

For information about getting your parish or organization involved, contact the following Office of Peace and Justice staff members:

Phoenix Regional Service Center
Contact: Diana Stickney
602.650.4835

dstickney@cc-az.org

East Valley Regional Service Center
Contact: Lisa Laliberte

480.964.8771, ext. 3273

602.650.4873

llaliberte@cc-az.org

West Valley Regional Service Center
Contact: R Scott Jones
602.650.4840
rjones@cc-az.org

Northern Arizona Regional Service Centers

Yavapai and Coconino-Mohave

Contact: Tricia Hoyt

480.650.4832

phoyt@cc-az.org

Administrative Service Center

Office of Peace and Justice

Contact: Scott Jones

480.650.4840

rjones@cc-az.org

Resources for Developing Parish Social Ministry

Adult Formation Justice and Peace Toolkit

JustFaith II: Practices and Tools for Parish Social Ministry

Communities of Salt and Light: Relfections on the Social Mission of the Parish

Organizing A Parish Social Ministry

Office For Social Justice, Diocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis,

Parish Social Justice

Parish Social Ministry: Strategies for Success by Tom Urlich

(2001, Ave Maria Press)