Original scientific paper

Certain elements of spiritual dimension of Solidarity in Social Documents of the Church

Nikola Vukoja ; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Keeping in mind how today's world is unimaginable without mutuality and mutual dependence of groups, countries and nations, based on Church documents about social teachings, the author shows the care and advocacy of the Church, in particular over the past century to constantly and continually dedication to the inevitability of mutual dependence which — as clearly stated in documents — is one of the signs of the times that need to grow into general advocacy of our time, advocacy that today is referred to as solidarity that Paul VI referred to as »compulsory solidarity« and John Paul II called Christian virtue. For this to truly become important — along with the social, ethical and theological dimensions of solidarity - it is necessary to clearly emphasise its specific spiritual dimension to the point of complete Christian solidarity which today we can rightly consider as true spirituality. With that internal spiritual dimension, which is like the soul to the body, solidarity becomes an Evangelic virtue that demands the gift of constant conversion that brings forth its fruits in concrete life while the fundamental and final fruit is to realise and develop true togetherness amongst people and amongst all creation.
The author does not pretend to deal with the all encompassing and systematic analysis of the entire issue which would require a great deal more time and space. Instead, he attempts to collect all the more significant texts in Church documents that speak about the spiritual dimension of solidarity and to present a brief analysis of these fundamental texts and in that way mark and in some cases, deepen and inspire certain elements of that dimension of solidarity. It is precisely because this work does not pretend to cover the entiretopic that the author adheres to a chronological order of the emergence of Church documents about social teachings. These are collected and presented in one place identifying the most significant expressions of these documents and in that way, offer an abundance of material for any in depth study with the aim of their concrete application in the formation of true Christian solidarity.
It is evident in Church documents that solidarity is an important dimension in the history of salvation and as such is vitally enrooted into human existence and realisation in such a way that it is not imposed externally but instead is a significant without which there cannot be any completion of man and mankind. This is particularly highlighted by the Second Vatican Council, which considered that this solidarity should be offered to all people of good will.
The article shows how Church documents, when referring to the spiritual dimension of solidarity, constantly try to emphasise this dimension as being something in fact specifically Christian. As such, these expression constantly keep in mind how solidarity as an ontological dimension of human nature always needs to be treated within its Christo-centric and historically-salvational dimension.
As true solidarity unity is expressed in the strongest and in the most complete way and is developed and executed in the celebration of the Eucharist which endeavours to become the liturgy of life and Eucharistic unity is at the same time the most living realisation of the fullness affinal unity in God, the author briefly identifies some Eucharistic elements that signify solidarity and help to form a spirit of solidarity.

Keywords

solidarity; Christian spirituality; responsibility; conversion; faith; Eucharist; unity

Hrčak ID:

24347

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/24347

Publication date:

27.6.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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