Labor Day Statement Calls for Action at Time of Crisis and Opportunity

WASHINGTON—Inhis 2017 Labor Day statement, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida,chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and HumanDevelopment, calls for action based on a vision of work that supports theflourishing of the family, a clearer understanding on the nature of poverty,and solidarity with those on the margins of society.

AdoptingPope Francis' language of the "gaze of love" that God has for the worker,Bishop Dewane examines the state of work today, which, when healthy, "anoints"the worker with dignity and is essential for human growth and development. "'Brother work,' in Pope Francis' words, is formational and sustainingfor every human life and community, and is essential to our faith."  

Drawingon the words of Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Dewane notes thatinsufficient, poor, or excessive work can be corrosive to the person; whereassevere and increasing disparities in wealth coupled with stagnation of wagesfor the majority of people presents dangers for the social pact and civil harmony."When unethical labor conditions weaken thesocial pact, society can become vulnerable to attempts to use fear, and ourcare and concern for one another can disintegrate into blame and suspicion."

BishopDewane suggests reflections and actions for Catholics and all people of goodwill, including: solidarity with neighbors, a renewed moral emphasis by leadersin business and government, a clearer understanding of the nature of poverty,focus on the vital role of unions, and the recovery of rest and a sense of thesacred in work.  

Thefull statement is available in English is at: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/labor-employment/labor-day-statement-2017.cfm.  

ASpanish translation of the statement will soon be available at the same link.

---

Keywords: U.S. Conferenceof Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Committee on DomesticJustice and Human Development, Labor Day, Labor Day statement, solidarity,work, labor, poverty, union, human dignity, Pope Francis, workers,

# # #