Cardijn’s Gift Presentation by Anthony Steel Institute for Advancing Community Engagement to the Church

Championing the universal call to holiness and the mission of the laity flowing from Baptism All the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity. By this holiness a more human way of life is promoted even in this earthly society. Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, article 40. (1964)

Highlighting lay mission as engagement in and with the world, to bring about personal and social transformation and social change

Cardijn’s vision for the apostolate of the laity was forward looking, engaging and transformative. He had great capacity to help people see the relevance of the Gospel to everyday life, and to bring together faith and life faith and culture faith and action for social change.

The relevance of See-Judge-Act in many different contexts people find themselves in. A method for reading the signs of the times A very human method of social action because it is an inductive process, beginning ‘where people are at’

See-Judge-Act: a model of pastoral planning and action from: Cuernavaca Center for Intercultural Dialogue on Development

See-Judge-Act embedded in the Church’s social teaching 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. Pope John XXIII, 1961, Mother and Teacher, #263

It is up to the Christian communities to analyse with objectivity the situation which is proper to their own country, to shed on it the light of the Gospel's unalterable words and to draw principles of reflection, norms of judgment and directives for action from the social teaching of the Church. Pope Paul VI, 1971, A Call to Action, #4

This document continues the practice of the “see, judge, act” method used in previous CELAMs. Many voices from the entire continent offered contributions and suggestions along these lines, affirming that this method has helped us live more intensely our vocation and mission in the Church, enriched theological and pastoral work, and generally motivated us to assume responsibilities vis-à-vis the concrete situation in our continent. Fifth General Conference of Latin American Bishops, 2007 SYNTHESIS of contributions received

See-Judge-Act embedded in the Church’s social teaching even here in Australia!

As agents of God’s peace we are bound into the struggle for justice – to see, to judge and to act. We do not hide behind closed doors! Rather, standing alongside the youth of Australia we are all challenged to

The centrality of community, engagement and common action in living the Christian life

Some questions What does it mean to be a witness to Christ in the 21 st century? Why is a sense of ‘mission’ central to Christian living? What are the issues young people in Australia face today, where human dignity is under challenge? What can they draw from the Gospel and the Church’s social teaching to help them meet these challenges? Beyond Australia, what are the issues young people globally face today, where human dignity is under challenge? What light do the Gospel and the Church’s social teaching shine on these challenges? How can we build solidarity among young Christians, in order to effectively meet these challenges? How can young people effectively come together as a community to grow and to bring about transformation in the world? How can the wider Church community recognise, welcome, encourage and support such communities of young people?

Acknowledgements for photographs: pdfhttp:// 009.pdf Workshop presentation for the conference Rediscovering Joseph Cardijn for the New Millennium Adelaide, October 2009 Anthony Steel Institute for Advancing Community Engagement Australian Catholic University, Strathfield