Liturgical Catechesis

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) refers to the body of work that defines a Catholic’s moral obligation to live by Mathew 25:31-46—“I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me to drink, sick and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.” CST has developed as official church documents since 1891, when Pope Leo XIII wrote and disseminated Rerum Novarum.

In the tradition of Catholic Social Teaching and the activism Saint Mary Parish is known for, we are forming a Justice for Immigrants chapter here in Gilroy. JFI is the US Bishops’ organization for lobbying and informing about the need for immigration reform. Our parish is forming a group that will implement the directives of the bishops regarding immigration reform. This is in direct response to Jesus’ insistence that we welcome the stranger—Matthew 25. We are a nation of immigrants and our current system makes immigration difficult. At the same time, we have thousands who cross our borders illegally. That is, they cross without documentation. It is time our laws caught up with the reality and addressed the needs of our neighbors, our employers, and our workers. If you are interested in this issue, if you would like to be part of the parish committee, if you have an opinion to express, please contact me at the parish office.

Rose Barry, Director of Liturgy