[Mariner]

This is the parsing of words in the extreme.

The Council on Justice and Peace is authoritative for the Vatican and Church unless reined in by the Pope.

Yes, the Catholic Church is at least socialist and they do seek to enter the political debate.

They do not support a society with winners and losers and in my book that means they do not support human liberty.

[papertyger]

Are you a Bible Christian?

[agere_contra]

The Council on Justice and Peace is authoritative for the Vatican and Church unless reined in by the Pope.

No it isn't.

J&P has the role of 'promoting justice and peace in the world, in the light of the Gospel and of the social teaching of the Church'. It has no authority - as that word is understood in the Church - because the Church claims no authority in such matters.

Pope John 23rd said that capitalism was the best way man had discovered to create wealth. He was right, but even he wasn't seen as pronouncing authoritatively for the whole Church. It just doesn't work like that.

The Church couldn't *authoritatively* declare Hayek right and Keynes wrong, or vice versa - that would mean going beyond its ambit.

What we have here is some lefty screed from a loser committee in J&P. Not the voice of the Church.

Hope this was helpful.

[caww]

According to the Vatican itself they are wrong to say the Pope didn't say or wasn't approving...once again backtracking is the norm when they are caught between a rock and hard place. "The Council on Justice and Peace"... is authoritative for the Vatican and Church unless reined in by the Pope.

The Pope appoints each individual within this group. And accordingly speak on his behalf.

As an organism 'of the Holy See', the Council is first and foremost at the service of the Holy Father and also collaborates with other departments of the 'Roman Curia.' (see below)

Because of the interest of the Holy See in the work of the United Nations, the Pontifical Council, in collaboration with the Secretariat of State, has frequent contacts with ‘the United Nations’ and its ‘specialized agencies’, especially at the time of the major international conferences.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_pro_20011004_en.html THE ROMAN CURIA In exercising supreme, full, and immediate power in the ‘universal Church’, the Roman pontiff makes use of the departments of the Roman Curia which,... therefore,... perform their duties ‘in his name’ and ‘with his authority’ for the good of the churches and in the service of the sacred pastors. CHRISTUS DOMINUS, 9 http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/index.htm