Coughlin, John J.

English

As an introduction to the general panel discussion, I would like to pose the following question. Is the notion of the common good in Catholic social thought merely a nice sounding theory, or does it have any real and practical impact?
The Vatican II document Gaudium et Spes offers this definition of the common good:  the sum of those conditions  which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily. This notion of the common good places a primacy on the flourishing of individual human beings-spiritually, intellectually, culturally, and financially-through participation in solidarity with others. It stands in direct opposition to any system of government which denies the conditions for human flourishing

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Notre Dame Law SchoolNDLScholarshipJournal Articles Publications2001The Practical Impact of the Common Good inCatholic Social ThoughtJohn J. CoughlinNotre Dame Law SchoolFollow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/law_faculty_scholarshipPart of the Other Law CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Publications at NDLScholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal Articles byan authorized administrator of NDLScholarship. For more information, please contact lawdr@nd.edu.Recommended CitationJohn J. Coughlin, The Practical Impact of the Common Good in Catholic Social Thought, 75 St. John's L. Rev. 293 (2001).Available at: https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/law_faculty_scholarship/745THE PRACTICAL IMPACT OF THECOMMON GOOD IN CATHOLIC SOCIALTHOUGHTREV. JOHN J. COUGHLIN, O.F.M.tAs an introduction to the general panel discussion, I wouldlike to pose the following question. Is the notion of the commongood in Catholic social thought merely a nice sounding theory, ordoes it have any real and practical impact?The Vatican II document Gaudium et Spes offers thisdefinition of the common good: "the sum of those conditions"which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reachtheir flfillment more fully and more easily.1 This notion of thecommon good places a primacy on the flourishing of individualhuman beings-spiritually, intellectually, culturally, andfinancially-through participation in solidarity with others. Itstands in direct opposition to any system of government whichdenies the conditions for human flourishing.Perhaps, without fully appreciating it, I believe that wewitnessed an astounding and unexpected practical consequenceof Catholic social teaching in the not so distant past. Affirmedduring the 1960s at Vatican II, I would like to suggest that theconcept of the common good percolated throughout the Catholicworld, and would bear a special fruitfulness in Eastern Europeat the end of the twentieth century. It started in Poland with atrade union known coincidentally enough as "Solidarity," whichproved the primal energy in the transformation in the lives ofmillion of human beings in Eastern Europe, the whole of theSoviet empire, and throughout the world.t J.C.D., J.C.L., Pontifical Gregorian University; J.D., Harvard Law School;Th.M., Princeton Theological Seminary; M.A., Columbia University; B-A., NiagaraUniversity. Fr. Coughlin was a law clerk to the Hon. Francis X. Altimari of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and currently serves asAssistant Professor of Law, St. John's University School of Law and SpiritualDirector, St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie, New York.I THE DocumENTs OF VATICAN I 225 (Walter M. Abbot, S.J. ed., VaticanCouncil 2d ed. 1962-65) (1966).ST. JOHN'S LAW REVIEWIn 1991, John Paul II issued the encyclical CentesimusAnnus to commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary ofRerum Novarum, the first in a series treating Catholic socialdoctrine. Referring to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Popeobserved that "[tihe fall of this... empire was accomplishedalmost everywhere by means of peaceful protest, using only theweapons of truth and justice .... This disarmed the adversary,since violence always needs to justify itself through deceit and toappear, however, falsely, to be responding to a threat posed byothers."2 Subsequently, in his best selling book, Crossing theThreshold of Hope, Pope John Paul described Catholic socialdoctrine as the "medicine" that healed the disorder that was thestructures of oppression imposed by Marxism.3In 1992, Mikhail Gorbachev wrote: "Everything thathappened in Eastern Europe during the past few years wouldhave been impossible without [Pope John Paul I]." 4 The lasthead of the former Soviet Union attributed to the Pope "aturnaround that culminated in the approval of freedom ofconscience... a liberalization with a strong moral significancefor all citizens believers and nonbelievers" 5Responding to questions about his role in the fall of SovietCommunism, Pope John Paul cautioned against an"oversimplification" that would posit any one factor or person assingularly responsible. Rather he noted that Communism fell"as a consequence of its own mistakes and abuses."6 With acharacteristic humility, the Holy Father remarked: "I think thatif any role was decisive, it was that of Christianity... of itscontent, its religious and moral message, its fundamentaldefense of the human person and his rights."7 The Holy Fatheradded: "I have done nothing other than to call to mind, repeatand insist that this principle is to be observed."8 What the Pope2 JONATHAN KWITNY, MAN OF THE CENTURY 593 (1997) (quoting POPE JOHNPAUL II, CENTESIMUS ANNUS, ON THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF RERUMNOVARUM (1991)).3 POPE JOHN PAUL II, CROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF HOPE 131-32 (JennyMcPhee & Martha McPhee trans., Vittorio Messori ed., 1994).4 KWITNY, supra note 2, at 592 (quoting Michael Gorbachev, La PerestrojkaePapa Wojtyla, LA STAMPA (Mar. 3, 1992)).5 Id.6 POPE JOHN PAUL II, supra note 3, at 132.7 KWITNY, supra note 2, at 593 (quoting interview by Jas Gawronskd with PopeJohn Paul II (Nov. 1, 1993)).8 Id.[Voh.75:29320011 PANEL THREE: THE COMMON GOOD 295repeated was the fundamental notion that the conditions forindividual flourishing as well as solidarity in participation withothers are best met in a human society marked by a profoundrespect for the common good. This core teaching of Catholicsocial tradition most certainly contributed in no small way to anon-violent transformation of an oppressive social, economic andpolitical system right before our post-modern eyes.ST. JOHN'S LAW REVIEW

The Practical Impact of the Common Good in Catholic Social Thought

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The Practical Impact of the Common Good in Catholic Social Thought

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