The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church: A Theological Perspective

Contents

contents Preface ix 1. Early Historical Context and Taking Care of Our Own 1 2. The Social Mission of the Church in the First Part of the Twentieth Century 15 3. The Understanding of the Church after Vatican II 41 4. Vatican II and a New Understanding of the Social Mission 57 5. Post–Vatican II Development of Three Earlier Instances of the Social Mission 81 6. Three Significant Issues in the Post–Vatican II Church 101 7. Roles of the Church in Supporting the Social Mission 135 8. U.S. Bishops and Abortion Law 153 Conclusions: Looking Backward and Forward 181 Index 189 vii This page intentionally left blank ...