In today's secular society Catholic morality and modern societies are coming coming into conflict more and more. This increasing conflict has moved into the workplace of many people across America and in the world. In this article I will provide some catechetical back ground on our duties as citizens and followers of Christ, as well as tips to live life at work in accord with Church teaching. I pray that you'll be able to use this article to help you at work and in the world.
So, what does the catechism say?
1900: in the CCC: "The duty of obedience requires all to give due honor to authority and to treat those who are charged to exercise it with respect, and, insofar as it is deserved, with gratitude and good-will."
1903: "Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs morally licit means to attain it. If rulers were to enact unjust laws or take measures contrary to the moral order, such arrangements would not be binding in conscience."
2242: "The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities, when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community. "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 'We must obey God rather than men'"
This applies to the workplace as well. God comes first. Morality belongs to God, and therefore when an earthly institution acts counter to morality we are no longer obliged to follow the earthly institution's directive.
What to do at work
I work in retail, which is challenging enough as it is, when sales are a priority over the employees (that's another article). On top of that working at a place where Church teaching is often confronted can have its challenges. To give you an idea of what I am trying to convey I will be using my place of employment as an example, while not disclosing which company I work for. I work at a modern day drug store that is a part of a national chain of drug stores. At this drug store I find myself entering into moral conflict quite often. Conflicts include theft, extreme couponing, contraceptives, etc. When I first started working for this company I looked into its policies. What are its coupon policies, Plan B policy, theft policies, etc. I was pleased to learn that the company decided to protect my religious freedoms.
Tip #1: Look at the policies. Every company has a number of work policies that govern it like our government has laws that govern the nation. Getting to know the policies is the best way to prepare for moral decision making. For example, my company allows me to not sell Plan B or other contraceptives due to my firmly held religious beliefs. According to the policy, I am to walk the customer to someone who will sell it.
Tip #2: Discuss policies with your colleagues. The best way to avoid awkward situations and customer frustrations is to know who specific policies also apply to. For example, I have shared the Plan B policy with my coworkers and know who also objects to its sale. This allows me and my colleagues to quickly and easily avoid confrontation when someone wishes to purchase Plan B.
Tip #3: Present any points of confusion to a spiritual director or a priest. Sometimes there are instances when our participation is not necessarily sinful. There are certain contraceptive medications that are prescribed for medical reasons. It is certainly not my job to identify the specific reason someone is taking a certain contraceptive medication that has other medicinal purposes. So, when I am helping in the pharmacy I needn't concern myself with that a person is using a certain pill for and can in good conscience fill their medication. One should use common sense to figure out which contraceptive medications or devices have the singular purpose of being a contraceptive (condoms were created to be used as a contraceptive so I do not sell them). Spiritual direction and confession have helped come to this conclusion.
What to do as a citizen
Tip #1: Look at the laws. Get to know laws that have a negative impact on living as a Catholic, such as the HHS mandate. Many Church organizations have not complied with this mandate due to its violation of God's Law.
Tip #2: Discuss the laws with others. Fellowship is huge in Christian living. Discusses certain laws with good Catholic friends can bring you to a greater understanding of the laws and of Church teaching.
Tip #3: Vote. Involvement in society is certainly good. If we want a society that is in line with Church teaching, then we should work to put in place a government that will work toward this. Knowing where candidates stand on important issues (life, marriage, religious freedom, social justice, etc.) is very important. We should enter the voting both after having done some research.
While the world and the Church are growing farther apart (it shouldn't be a huge shock), we can still be assured of God's superiority over what is happening today. We can remain confident that we can still live Catholic lives even if it is painful at times. At this time I feel that it is good to remind myself and the reader that we should pray for the persecuted in other parts of the world that can live a Catholic life, but at the cost of their livelihoods or even their lives all together. Credo Domine.
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Pope Benedict XVI on emergency contraception
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