"What Is Catholic Social Teaching?" Mark Brumley tells us

I found this essay by Igatius Press editor Mark Brumley particularly topical and appropriate reading, given this Tuesday's elections and the fact that I'm currently reading Centesimus Annus (JP2's encyclical on the social teaching of the Church) for a class of mine.

What Is Catholic Social Teaching? A Review Essay on An Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching by Mark Brumley

Some paragraphs caught my attention in particular:

... "Father Charles’ discussion makes clear that subsidiarity means that greater organizations or social units should help lesser ones, not merely be indifferent to them. The form which that help should take, according to the principle of subsidiarity, is to allow the lesser organization or social unit the maximal liberty to pursue its purpose. But the underling notion is to aid, not to avoid or ignore."

... "A second point Father Charles stresses regarding political society is that genuine political society gets its authority from God. In that sense, it isn't a purely human authority. Disobeying that authority without just cause amounts to disobeying God, while obeying that authority is an act of submission to God." [to prevent any misunderstanding, please take into consideration that calling it "genuine" political society implies that the political society is not opposed to any truths of the revealed or natural law - AmP]

... "The hierarchy of the Church has the right and responsibility to denounce particular evils—even particular laws and public policies that promote evil–when fundamental human rights or the salvation of souls requires it (GS 76 § 5; CCC 2420). For example, the U.S. bishops are well within their rights, as a matter of church law as well as civil law, to criticize laws permitting abortion or euthanasia. Moreover, there is nothing in church law or in the nature of the episcopal office that forbids a bishop from denouncing a particular public policy, even a particular politician or party, when a grave evil is being promoted. Indeed, one can argue that, all other things being equal, a bishop is obliged to do so in such a circumstance."

The Father Charles that Brumley refers to in the essay has recently published a book (An Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching - $10) that he recommends as a good primer on the topic.