CSDC 194

The message of the Church's social doctrine regarding solidarity clearly shows that there exists an intimate bond between solidarity and the common good, between solidarity and the universal destination of goods, between solidarity and equality among men and peoples, between solidarity and peace in the world⁴²⁰ Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 17, 39, 45: AAS 80AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 80 (1988) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1988), 532-533, 566-568, 577-578. International solidarity too is required by the moral order; peace in the world depends in large part on this: cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 83-86: AAS 58AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 58 (1966) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1966), 1107- 1110; Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 48: AAS 59AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 59 (1967) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1967), 281; Pontifical Commission “Iustitia et Pax”, At the Service of the Human Community: an Ethical Approach to the International Debt Question (27 December 1986), I, 1, Vatican Polyglot Press, Vatican City 1986, p. 11; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1941, 2438.. The term “solidarity”, widely used by the Magisterium⁴²¹ Solidarity, though not yet with that explicit name, is one of the basic principles of Rerum Novarum (cf. John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See) [1961], 407). “What we nowadays call the principle of solidarity... is frequently stated by Pope Leo XIII, who uses the term ‘friendship', a concept already found in Greek philosophy. Pope Pius XI refers to it with the equally meaningful term ‘social charity'. Pope Paul VI, expanding the concept to cover the many modern aspects of the social question, speaks of a ‘civilization of love' “ (John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 10: AAS 83AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See) [1991], 805). Solidarity is one of the basic principles of the entire social teaching of the Church (cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction Libertatis Conscientia, 73: AAS 79AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See) [1987], 586). Starting with Pius XII (cf. Encyclical Letter Summi Pontificatus: AAS 31AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See) [1939], 426-427), the term solidarity is used ever more frequently and with ever broader meaning: from that of “law” in the same encyclical to that of “principle” (cf. John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See) [1961], 407), that of “duty” (cf. Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 17, 48: AAS 59AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See) [1967], 265-266, 281) and that of “value” (cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 38: AAS 80AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See) [1988], 564-566), and finally that of “virtue” (cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 38, 40: AAS 80AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See) [1988], 564-566, 568-569)., expresses in summary fashion the need to recognize in the composite ties that unite men and social groups among themselves, the space given to human freedom for common growth in which all share and in which they participate. The commitment to this goal is translated into the positive contribution of seeing that nothing is lacking in the common cause and also of seeking points of possible agreement where attitudes of separation and fragmentation prevail. It translates into the willingness to give oneself for the good of one's neighbour, beyond any individual or particular interest⁴²² Cf. Congregation for Catholic Education, Guidelines for the Study and Teaching of the Church's Social Doctrine in the Formation of Priests, 38, Vatican Polyglot Press, Rome 1988, pp. 40-41..