On Profitable Activity of the Catholic Church

Andrej Fink

On Profitable Activity of the Catholic Church

Keywords: Catholic Church, profitable activities, Catholic social teaching, canon law, temperance

Abstract:
It seems to everyone, to individuals and groups alike, that a just profitable activity is something normal. Humans are not only spiritual, but also bodily beings. Profitable activities are necessary for their bodily life and covering of material needs. The same goes for larger communities and institutions. The Catholic Church is a visible and at the same time spiritual institution, a hierarchically organized society as well as »Christʼs mystical body«. It is one, but composed of two fundamental elements, human and Divine. As far as profitable activities of the Church are concerned, all this and many other things are mutually intertwined. Catholic Church – like any other individual and institution – can be a propriety owner and engage in profitable activities by all just means of the natural and positive law. In addition to the aforementioned external normative (legal) aspects, the Church doctrine in general and its social teaching in particular clearly defines that the Church can own and administrate material goods, but at the same time necessarily respecting the criteria of Evangelical poverty. All this should be governed by prudence, wisdom and transparency.

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