Justice

• Justice - Is the constant and firm will to give human person their due
• The virtue of justice

  "Justice is the firm will to give what is due” – St. Thomas Aquinas
• Justice - It empowers all human person to respect the rights that are inherit in every human person (natural law) and stipulated by society (civil law)
• Justice - Promotes peace and attains its inner fullness only in love
• “The Seventh Commandment safeguards justice”
• STEALING FROM ABOVE

  ● Corruption

  ● Tax evasion

  ● Gambling

  ● Refusal to pay legitimate debt
• STEALING FROM BELOW

  ● Shoplifting

  ● Wasting office hours

  ● Overcharging

  ● Borrowing and never returning
• Types of Justice

  1. Commutative Justice
  2. Distributive Justice 3.
  3. Contributive/Legal Justice 4.
  4. Social Justice
• COMMUTATIVE JUSTICE

  ● Latin word commutare: com (with) + mutare (change), which means to exchange one thing with another.

  ● It focuses on the obligation of one person to another because of a specific relationship they establish by reason of agreements, transactions, or contracts.

  ● contractual justice because it regulates the exchange according to what is agreed upon between parties
• DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

  ● Governs the relationship between society and its members.

  ● The virtue demands that society, through its government agencies and leaders, give to the individual members what is rightfully theirs.

  ● The duty is on the government to make sure that the peoples need are met
• CONTRIBUTIVE/LEGAL JUSTICE

  ● It is the duty of all citizens to contribute to the betterment of their country.

  ● We all have the moral obligation to participate in socio-political life.

  ●this moral obligation is commonly articulated and measured in terms of the people’s obedience to the Constitution, this type of justice is also referred to as legal justice
• SOCIAL JUSTICE

  ● This type of justice also has to do with the relationship between society and its members, but includes institutions, systems and structures of society.

  ● What social justice requires is for people to get organized and create institutions or structures that will address social problems. – the focus is on structural injustice that causes the suffering of the people.
• Obstacles in achieving a just relationship with others:

  1. Me-first attitude/Self-centered
  2. Indifference
• 2. Indifferences -Failing to treat others fairly because of the differences in race, culture or environment
• 1. Me-first attitude/ Being Self-centered - Self-centered people tend to ignore the needs of others and only do what's best for them.
• Catholic Social Teachings

  1. Each person is priceless
  2. Everything is for everyone
  3. Care for the poor
  4. Love your work
  5. Care for the Earth
• Each person is priceless

  • Justice is not simply having law and order but, more importantly, grounding this law and order on a basic respect for the fundamental equality and dignity of all person
• Everything is for everyone

  • Universal destination of all earthly goods - Depriving anyone, whether directly or indirectly, of their basic needs is a contrary to the very dignity of persons and a form of injustice
• Care for the poor

  • We are called to work actively in empowering our needy brothers and sisters so that they may be freed from oppressive discrimination and injustice
• Love your work

  • -This social teaching gives emphasis on human labor. As Christians, we must also understand and view human labor as a sharing in God’s creativity and generosity.
• Care for the Earth

  • Since are natural resources are limited, we as stewards of God’s creation have to care from our environment so that all people may benefit from it.
• As we grow, our awareness of the value of justice develops. This is expressed in our greatest concern for the people in our community – our class, our neighbors, the marginalized members of our society