The Morning After

J. Peter Nixon at dotCommonweal provides his post-election reflections, including things which were not edifying to see in the campaign, such as

...the misuse or misunderstanding by many of key concepts from our tradition of moral theology: “intrinsic evil,” “prudential judgment,” “formal and material cooperation,” just to name a few. The catechetical collapse of the last few decades seems to have led to the loss of a language in which we can talk to one another. We are the poorer for it.

At St. Al's this year in tenth grade Christian Formation we're using as a text Justice: Building God's Reign by Karen Emmerich (St. Mary's Press). The publisher describes it as a

Minicourse appropriate for grades 11-12

In Session 1, "What Is Justice" the Preparation section lists Materials Needed which include

several sheets of colored construction paper
several bottles of glue
several scissors

You might have noticed that social justice advocates express frustration when attempting to build parish programs. The likely cause of that frustration is the construction paper foundation the DREs produce for them to build on. The social justice types, though, are effectively constrained from complaining because the DREs tend to be ideological allies. Like financial leverage, solidarity can also work in reverse.

P.S. Speaking of solidarity, construction paper social justice for high school seniors might have something to do with the claim that there's a need for a Dick and Jane liturgy for John and Mary Catholic. See U.S. Catholic Bishops' Liturgy Chair Raises Concerns Over New Worship Texts.