Scriptural - Theological

In the Hebrew Scriptures within the Torah and the Prophets, we hear about the challenge
of the community to hear and to proclaim the word of God, to worship God alone and to
care for each other. We hear the great commandment given to the followers of Torah, that “Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5), and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). We hear over and over again that the community, and individuals, are to care for each other, especially care for, and execute justice for, those who are widows, orphans and strangers in the land (see for instance, Deuteronomy 10:18).

The people were constantly reminded by the prophets that they had a responsibility to ensure that justice and mercy should be lived, because they too were once aliens and slaves in a foreign land (see Leviticus 19:34). The prophets continued to challenge the followers of Yahweh, and the leaders of their community, that they would be judged by how well they responded, both individually and communally, to the commandment to love their neighbors, especially those who were widows, orphans and strangers (see Jeremiah 22:3).

In the New Testament we hear Jesus tell his followers that the two greatest commandments, of loving God with one’s entire being and loving one’s neighbor (see Mark 12:31; Matthew 22:39), are ultimate expressions of how one’s life is to be judged at the end times. In Jesus’ proclamation of the Beatitudes, we are provided with a framework to live, both personally and communally. Loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves are signs of how the Kingdom of God is lived each day, especially with a call to live our lives with new attitudes about our love, not only for our direct neighbors or siblings, but for each person that we meet (Matthew 5:3ff; Luke 6:20ff). The Beatitudes establish the “attitude” or “perspective” on how we as
Catholic Charities are to organize and structure our organizations and relationships with those we serve, those who govern, those who lead and those who work and volunteer in our agencies. The framework of the Beatitudes marks our difference: we are called to be witnesses to this Kingdom of God in our operations, policies and actions.

This message is expressed more fully in Jesus’ story about the Last Judgment (Matthew 25: 31-46). In this powerful reflection, we hear how Jesus’ disciples and others did not recognize Him in those who are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, ill or in prison. Jesus challenges us today to continue to recognize Him in the very people who are in need among us, “the least of these,” and to respond with love, kindness and mercy. This story further tells us how the “nations”
will be judged on how they as a community responded to those with basic and urgent needs (Matthew 25:32).

Jesus then opens our minds to a more inclusive understanding of our role in helping our
neighbor in need through the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37). In this story, a scholar of the law wants to assure his salvation; Jesus praises him for his answer to the question about the greatest commandments: love of God and love of neighbor. But the scholar wants to know, really, who is his “neighbor?” Jesus continues with that great story of the Good Samaritan who stopped on his journey, cared for the half-dead man’s wounds, brought him to the inn, paid for his care and promised the inn-keeper that he would repay him for care given beyond the expenses already paid. According to some scholars (see Venerable Bede), Jesus himself is the model of the Good Samaritan, and we as Church are called upon to be like the inn keeper, called upon to organize care for those in need – anyone in need is our neighbor – and we will be repaid at the end of time.

The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, reflects on the importance of this story for the work of the Church, especially Catholic Charities: “The Church is God’s family in the world. In this family no one ought to go without the necessities of life. Yet, at the same time, "caritas-agape" extends beyond the frontiers of the Church. The parable of the Good Samaritan remains as a standard which imposes universal love towards the needy whom we encounter "by chance" (cf. Lk 10:31), whoever they may be" (Benedict XVI, God Is Love , 25b).

Again, Pope Benedict XVI notes that "The Christian's programme " the programme of the Good Samaritan, the programme of Jesus' is "a heart which sees." This heart sees where love is needed and acts accordingly. Obviously, when charitable activity is carried out by the Church as a communitarian initiative, the spontaneity of individuals must be combined with planning, foresight and cooperation with other similar institutions' (Benedict XVI, God Is Love ,

31b). "This proper way of serving others also leads to humility. The one who serves does not consider himself superior to the one served, however miserable his situation at the moment may be. Christ took the lowest place in the world "the Cross" and by this radical humility he redeemed us and constantly comes to our aid. Those who are in a position to help others will realize that in doing so they themselves receive help; being able to help others is no merit or achievement of their own. This duty is a grace" (Benedict XVI, God Is Love , 35).

In conclusion, Following the example given in the parable of the Good Samaritan, Christian charity is first of all the simple response to immediate needs and specific situations: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for and healing the sick, visiting those in prison, etc. The Church's charitable organizations, beginning with those of Caritas (at diocesan, national and international levels), ought to do everything in their power to provide the resources and above all the personnel needed for this work. Individuals who care for those in need must first be professionally competent: they should be properly trained in what to do and how to do it, and committed to continuing care. Yet, while professional competence is a primary, fundamental requirement, it is not of itself sufficient. We are dealing with human beings, and human beings always need something more than technically proper care. They need humanity. They need heartfelt concern. Those who work for the Church's charitable organizations must be distinguished by the fact that they do not merely meet the needs of the moment, but they dedicate themselves to others with heartfelt concern, enabling them to experience the richness of their humanity. Consequently, in addition to their necessary professional training, these charity workers need a "formation of the heart": they need to be led to that encounter with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirits to others. As a result, love of neighbour will no longer be for them a commandment imposed, so to speak, but a consequence deriving from their faith, a faith which becomes active through love (cf. Gal 5:6) (Benedict XVI, God Is Love , 31a).

atholic Charities are an expression of the Church’s very nature in their exercise of the ministry of charity. The human services and social outreach of the Church’s work is rooted in the history of the Judeo-Christian community, with its foundation in the Scriptures and with ongoing reflection in the Tradition of the Catholic Church. In this section, a brief survey of the Scripture’s and Tradition’s call to serve is explored in order to better articulate the core Principles and Values, which in turn root and form the various Ethical Standards found in the Code of Ethics of Catholic Charities USA and its member agencies.

The Church’s emphasis on the fundamental dignity and worth of the human person is deeply rooted in the Scriptures, beginning with the story of creation as recounted in the Book of Genesis. There we are told that the human person is created in the very image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). This opening book of the Scriptures further reflects that as God created all the aspects of the universe, along with man and woman, God looked upon creation and noted that it was “good.” In fact, God ultimately proclaims that all God had created was indeed “very good” (Genesis 1:31)
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These insights root Catholic Charities in the foundational principles that 1) each person is made in God’s image, and from that flow the inherent dignity and rights of every individual; 2) there is a universal destination of all the goods of creation, so that the common good is served; and 3) each creature is “good,” in fact, “very good.”

Another foundational insight about Catholic Charities is noted when Abraham and Sarah welcome three strangers by the terebinth of Mamre (Genesis 18:1-10) with genuine and heartfelt hospitality. An icon, The Holy Trinity , “written” by Andrei Rublev (1410), reveals an important insight on this chance encounter: God visited and ate with us. Hospitality, service and love are hallmarks of the work of the Christian community. As St. Augustine writes: “If you see charity, you see the Trinity” ( De Trinitate , VIII, 8, 12:CCL50, 287). Catholic Charities is called upon to be that welcoming community that expresses hospitality and love in all that we do, since we are reminded that we must “not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels” (Hebrews 13:2).