#12213 Understanding Catholic Social Teaching From Pope Leo XIII to Today - Tom Nash

Catholic Answers Live

Catholic Answers

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.8 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 27 May 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Cy Kellett is joined by theologian Tom Nash for a deep dive into Catholic social teaching through the lens of Rerum Novarum, the 1891 encyclical by Pope Leo XIII. Prompted by Pope Leo XIV’s decision to connect his papacy with his namesake, the discussion explores why Rerum Novarum remains foundational for the Church’s response to modern social and economic upheavals. From labor rights and the dignity of work to AI, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the proper role of the state, this hour unpacks timeless Catholic principles for navigating new challenges. Whether you’re new to Catholic social teaching or looking to revisit its core insights, this episode offers a clear, passionate, and relevant exploration of how faith meets public life.

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Topics Covered:

00:00 – Intro: Why Pope Leo XIV chose the name Leo
03:30 – Overview of Rerum Novarum and Pope Leo XIII
07:00 – Origins of Catholic Social Teaching
10:30 – Response to Industrial Revolution
14:00 – Gregory XVI and Marari Vos
17:30 – Theocracy vs. Catholic moral leadership
21:00 – Definition of Catholic Social Teaching
24:30 – Human flourishing and property ownership
28:00 – Dignity of workers and work conditions
31:30 – Modern implications: AI as a moral issue
35:00 – Market economy vs. socialism
38:30 – Greed, envy, and class warfare
42:00 – Role of unions and political integrity
45:30 – How AI might affect human dignity
49:00 – Solidarity and Subsidiarity explained
52:30 – Common Good and the role of the family

Transcript

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0:00.0	Buying or selling your home, real estate for life can connect you with a pro-life real estate agent.
0:05.2	When Real Estate for Life receives a referral fee, they donate 65% to Catholic Answers.
0:11.5	Learn more at realestateforlife.org. Hello and welcome to Catholic Answers live.
0:32.0	Thanks so much for being here with us on this Tuesday afternoon.
0:34.4	It is a delight to get to be with you.
0:36.7	And also we're going to do something
0:37.7	a little different because of Pope Leo. Pope Leo has engendered an interest around the world in
0:44.7	why did he take the name Leo? And then when you get the answer, the answer often is related to Pope
0:50.1	Leo the 13th. As a matter of fact, Pope Leo himself, Pope Leo the 14th, our current Pope,
1:02.0	uh, said that he took the name, uh, in part, uh, to be, to connect his papacy with the papacy of, uh, Pope Leo the 13th, who wrote the document Rarum Navarum, the encyclical Rarum
1:08.2	Navarum. He also wrote, uh, 71,000 other encyclicals. I don't know how many
1:13.3	encyclicals he wrote, but I think he has the record. I think he wrote more encyclicals than any
1:17.2	other Pope Leo the 13th. But here's what we thought we would do. This is a great opportunity
1:22.6	to look back at Rarim Navarum and the papacy of Pope Leo the 13th and answer the questions about it,
1:30.5	because we know, okay, people know that there's that connection between the Holy Father and Pope Leo the 13th.
1:36.7	Let's take a look at Rarum Navarum and actually dig into it.
1:39.9	Because one of the things you will hear lots of people say is, well, it's the foundational document.
1:44.4	It's the first document of Catholic social teaching, which in some ways is true.
1:49.8	It is one of the seminal documents in the history of the Catholic Church.
1:54.0	It's impact has been extraordinary.
1:57.7	So what is it?
1:58.6	What is Rarim Navarum?
	...

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