‘Among the chief distinguishing marks of all Christian social teaching include an awareness of the dignity of all human beings in the eyes of God; the importance of seeing our neighbour when we look at ourselves; the need to distribute wealth so that it does not blind us to the reality of our humanity, and to use wealth to minimise the pain and tragedy for as many as we can in this present life.

Unfortunately, while this message does echo somewhat in the ears of young people, a louder message often drowns it out. Unfamiliar with the fullness or totality of the Christian message, and being too disinterested or too lazy to explore it, only a smattering of the message is grasped.  Other voices tell us that the inequitable structures of society are the real problem that must be solved: structures built on tradition or on unjust hierarchies or patriarchies, on centuries of oppression and of racism. These structures, even including the family, we are told need to be dismantled if we are to make things right. Such solutions, while grasping in some form the idea of the equality of persons, show no understanding of the personal love which must motivate the Christian’s search for justice.’