Solidarity

—Sixth in a series on the Principles of Social Justice—
By Sean DeWitt

Standing as one of the most important principles of social justice, Solidarity remains one of the hardest principles to understand. The reason for the difficulty is that Solidarity serves very much as the synthesis for all of the social teachings of the Church. Just as the Dignity of the Human person stands as the foundation for social justice, Solidarity serves as the roof, which covers and makes the entire work of social justice function.

Solidarity, which has a great tradition in the Church and the Pope’s encyclicals, is so important because it is founded on the ‘golden rule’—You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Though often times the meaning of Solidarity is misconstrued.

In the United States, the term is often applied to issues of race, ethnic, or economic disparity. Though this focus is not wrong, it is narrow and misses the fullness of the true essence of Solidarity. Rules, regulations, and guidelines that inundate our law codes to protect discrimination are good, but they only capture part of true Solidarity.

Solidarity is the recognition of the human family. As the U.S. Bishops say: We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers—A Century of Social Teaching. We have a duty given to us by God to care for our fellow man—to treat our neighbors with respect and dignity. Pope Benedict XVI describes Solidarity in Caritas In Veritate as ‘fraternity’ or ‘brotherhood’ among the human race. This is the true essence of Solidarity because as brothers and sisters, by sharing a fraternal relationship, we not only protect each others dignity, but we work to honor that dignity through charity, or service. Equality, or equal treatment, is only half of that fraternal love that makes up Solidarity. As Benedict says:

As society becomes ever more globalized, it makes us neighbors but does not make us brothers. Reason, by itself, is capable of grasping the equality between men and of giving stability to their civic coexistence, but it cannot establish fraternity. [19]

Here, the Pope is reflecting on a genuine concern for the human person. Solidarity does not stop at the material progress, or social status that makes us all ‘neighbors.’ Solidarity is love of one’s neighbor. It is a friendship, a brotherhood, based on genuine concern for the other’s physical and metaphysical being.

Catholic Charities strives to create Solidarity in particular with the immigrant community. Through our low cost and often times free legal consultation and service, we work our hardest to honor and protect the immigrant community. We strive to keep families and communities together, who would otherwise be separated. We hope to provide and facilitate stability and security within the immigrant’s lives, while loving them as people, creating that sense of fraternity and brotherhood. By accepting the immigrant community into our own community with open arms and with respect of their dignity, there comes a spirit of love and kindness, as we slowly become the human family that God intended us to be.