Catholic Social Teaching

Resources to Respond to Division

Division between human persons seems to be a pandemic that is proving to be far deadlier and more destructive than the pandemic virus that the world has battled for over 2 years. This division leads to discord and fighting between nations, unrest and violence on our city streets and even breaks in relationships within our family homes. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops-Office of Justice, Peace & Human Development offers us resources that describe ways that we, as Catholics,  can respond to division in our world. Pope Francis’ encyclical, Fratelli Tutti,  encourages us to seek “a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good” (no. 154). The following resources  help us to “love our neighbors by committing to charity, clarity, and creativity”. These resources provide ways to pray, reflect and to productively respond to the divisions that separate us from God and one another.

Civilize It: Loving our Neighbor through Dialogue | Amar a nuestro vecino a través del diálogo | USCCB

Civilize It: Examination of Conscience | Examen de conciencia | USCCB

Civilize It: Prayer for Civility | Oración por la civilidad | USCCB

Prayer for Civility: Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where uncivil words prevail, show me how to model love.
Help me remember the God-given dignity of all and invite others to do
the same.

Show me how to build bridges and not walls
and see first what unites us rather than how we diverge.
Let me seek to understand before asking to be understood.
Give me a listening heart filled with empathy and compassion.

May I be clear in sharing my own position
and respectful and civil in describing those of others.
Let me never tolerate hateful ideas.
May I invite all to charity and love.

Lord, help me to imitate your compassion and mercy.
Make me an instrument of your peace.
Amen
 

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