The Gift in Commercial Relationships

In his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, the late Pope Benedict XVI asked his sons and daughters to consider the following question: “The greatest challenge before us (…) is to demonstrate, in thinking and behavior (…) that in commercial rela … [Read more...]

Of Horses and Men

Over thirty-five years have passed since St. John Paul II issued his encyclical, Laborem exercens. Its key principle—that human labor has priority over raw capital (§12)—was, and remains, a revolutionary proposition. It shouldn’t be. Capita … [Read more...]

On the Significance of the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker

In 1955, Pope Pius XII instituted May 1 to be the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. This feast, which perhaps intentionally coincided with “May Day” and “International Workers Day,” seeks to remind us of the spiritual dimension of man’s dail … [Read more...]

Questions Answered

For June 2014

What are the legal ethics underlying conduct followed by law courts and lawyers practicing in them? What is the origin of the concept of  "private property"? How does this effect the morality of "labor" and "work"? Question: In … [Read more...]