Module 5 is oriented towards students’ recognising that their work is intended to sanctify their lives and the world.
Catholic Social Teaching on the Dignity and Vocation of Work; work as co-creation; the parables of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30) and the Workers in the Vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16); authority and freedom; inviting Jesus into your boat (Luke 5:1-11); worship of God as the ultimate human purpose; the value of recreation; transformation of society and the world; Saints Joseph and Mother Teresa; prayer focus on the Sunday Eucharist and silence.
Beginning with examples of Jesus’ vision for human flourishing in the Parables of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30) and the Workers in the Vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16), and using these as a chance to reintroduce (or introduce) the Four Senses of Scripture, students will be presented with the Catholic Social Teaching on the dignity and value of human work.
It will elucidate how Jesus’ Law of Love can be realised through even the small details of daily work as a means by which one is sanctified, creatively using and developing God’s gifts, and seeing in this a co–creative participation with God as a way to transform society and the world, and ultimately lead humanity to its transcendent purpose.
A particular emphasis will be placed on the nature, and relationship, of freedom to responsibility, and the importance of, and limits to, authority in moral decision-making.
Asserting that all life and creativity originates from God, and that the ultimate purpose of human existence is found in union with God, students will be led to an appreciation of the place of the Sabbath rest as the high point of one’s week, and how the worship of God helps to order one’s life properly, trusting that “Unless the Lord builds the house, in vain do the labourers toil” (Ps. 127:1). The importance of recreation, holidays and a balanced life will be highlighted, and key principles explored within.
The prayer focus of this module will be upon the Sunday Eucharist, with the provision of silent Eucharistic adoration and visits to the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle recommended.
The example of Saint Joseph, patron Saint of workers, and the one whom God worked through amazingly while sleeping, will be studied. So too, Saint Mother Teresa, and her extraordinary example of living out Catholic Social Teaching, will be offered as a case study.
Applying principles of Catholic Social Teaching to moral decision-making in real life workplace scenarios.
Alexandre Havard. (2013). Virtuous leadership : an agenda for personal excellence. Strathmore University
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Muggeridge, M. (2009). Something beautiful for God : Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Lion.
Pieper, J. (2009). Leisure : the basis of culture ; The philosophical act. Ignatius Press.
Pope Francis. Apostolic Letter Patris Corde of the Holy Father Francis on the 150th Anniversary of the proclamation of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church (8 December 2020) | Francis. www.vatican.va.
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap
_20201208_patris-corde.html
Pope John Paul II. Laborem Exercens (On Human Work) (14 September 1981) | www.vatican.va.
https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_14091981_laborem-exercens.html
Sarah, R., Diat, N., & Miller, M. J. (2017). The power of silence : against the dictatorship of noise. Ignatius
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Spitzer, R. J. (2015). Finding true happiness : satisfying our restless hearts. Ignatius Press.
Under development TBA