May I add to this discussion on socialism and Catholicism, that all these ideas are found in the encyclicals of the great Popes for
over one-hundred years. In addition, I think that many Catholics feel guilty about the poor and their own prosperity, and fall into socialism as a way of assuaging their own guilt. Charity is the call of the Catholic, not misplaced socialist feelings. I am very concerned, visiting friends in Malta, Ireland, France and England, that the socialist agenda has contaminated the Catholic psyche. Capitalism is practically a dirty word among some Catholics. I also discovered that some Irish in the republican movement are hard-line socialists and against the Catholic Church. If one studies the republican movement in Ireland, one sees this betrothal of socialism and republicanism early on, even by the middle of the 19th Century. I am grateful to these great popes for my lists. Popes Pius IX, X, XI, XII, Leo XIII, Benedict XV and XVI, John Paul II...
Here is a great place to find little snippets from these wonderful, Godly men.
I did not look at this
link for my list, but it is great and includes some of the same points, as we both get our information from the Teaching Magisterium of the Church.
I have written these posts for M., S., C., G., J., and others with whom I have had this discussion. Tomorrow, I shall move from criticisms to the concrete solution against socialism; the Catholic Church and the real community of Faith.
