ASSIGNMENT ONE

Assignment One

Assignment One

Relationship between Personal and Professional Values

The societal changes resulting from industrialization, combined with the rapid increase of immigration in the early 20th century, created challenges and questions about how to help others effectively and efficiently while preserving their human dignity. Influenced by the "scientific charity" methods and service coordination efforts developed by the Charity Organization Societies, Catholic leaders created the National Conference of Catholic Charities in 1910 (currently Catholic Charities) to coordinate Catholic social services and to bring a level of professionalization to social work practices (Stuart, 1998 Pp. 1-9).

Catholic social services were also influenced by and in turn influenced the social work profession's efforts to establish professional training schools. As Mary Richmond and Jane Addams were helping to form the first schools of social work at Columbia University and the University of Chicago, respectively, Catholic Charities leaders also recognized the importance of professional training for social workers. Catholic schools of social work began to emerge starting in 1914 with the Loyola University in Chicago, followed by Fordham University in 1916 and the National Catholic School of Social Service (Catholic University of America) in 1921 (Abrams & Moio, 2009 Pp. 245-61).

In addition to working toward coordination, professionalization, and training in social work, the Catholic Church and the social work profession have collaborated to shape public policies to protect children, to secure living wages for workers, and to address many of the structural causes of poverty and human suffering. The theological tradition underlying the U.S. Catholic response to need is commonly referred to as Catholic Social Teaching (CST). This volume is an attempt to introduce readers to this aspect of the Catholic faith and its relevance to the social work profession (Alexander, 1999 Pp. 57-70).

Catholic Social Teaching reflects that when addressing contemporary social questions. Catholic social teaching is a set of doctrines that have become more fully expressed over time, and have been described in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, 2004). The following documents are considered to have had major influence on Catholic Social Teaching (Barker, 2003 Pp. 1-5). The brief summaries are paraphrased from teaching activities on Catholic Social Teaching through the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops;

Rerum Noxarum (Of New Things) 1891, Pope Leo XIII: Considered the "groundbreaking social encyclical," addressing dehumanizing labor conditions, rights to just wages, unions, the individuals' right to hold private property and distributive justice so that workers can adequately support families and special consideration for the poor.

Quadragesimo Anno (After Forty Years) 1931, Pope Pius XI: Written to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Rerum Novarum, the encyclical reaffirms concern for workers, workers' rights, just wages, condemns increasing disparities, and introduces the idea of subsidiary along with critiques of communism, unrestrained capitalism and classism (Abrams & Moio, 2009 Pp. 245-61).

Mater et Magistra (Mother and Teacher) 1961, Pope John XXIII: Reflects on communication advances, increases in workers' rights, the decline of colonialism, global interdependence, the arms race, the growing inequalities between countries ...