CSDC 201

Justice is a value that accompanies the exercise of the corresponding cardinal moral virtue⁴⁴¹ Cf. Saint Thomas, Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 6: Ed. Leon. 6, 55-63.. According to its most classic formulation, it “consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbour”⁴⁴² Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1807; cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 58, a. 1: Ed. Leon. 9, 9-10: “iustitia est perpetua et constans voluntas ius suum unicuique tribuendi”.. From a subjective point of view, justice is translated into behaviour that is based on the will to recognize the other as a person, while, from an objective point of view, it constitutes the decisive criteria of morality in the intersubjective and social sphere⁴⁴³ Cf. John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris: AAS 55AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 55 (1963) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1963), 282-283.. The Church's social Magisterium constantly calls for the most classical forms of justice to be respected: commutative, distributive and legal justice⁴⁴⁴ Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2411.. Ever greater importance has been given to social justice⁴⁴⁵ Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1928-1942, 2425-2449, 2832; Pius XI, Encyclical Letter Divini Redemptoris: AAS 29AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 29 (1937) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1937), 92., which represents a real development in general justice, the justice that regulates social relationships according to the criterion of observance of the law. Social justice, a requirement related to the social question which today is worldwide in scope, concerns the social, political and economic aspects and, above all, the structural dimension of problems and their respective solutions⁴⁴⁶ Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Laborem Exercens, 2: AAS 73AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 73 (1981) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1981), 580-583..