Rights and Duties

I've started reading another chapter in "Caritas in Veritate," and planned to have another post ready this morning. Then I learned about a sad situation in Wisconsin.

Someone killed six people at a Sikh temple in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, yesterday. Then he shot at police, and is now dead. No pressure, but a lot of folks are hurting and prayer couldn't hurt.

My take on what happened, and responses I've seen:

• "Wisconsin: Dead Sikhs; Disrupted Lives"
  (August 5, 2012)

Writing that post took time I had planned to use for a post about the next section of "Caritas in Veritate."

Meanwhile, at the Olympics - - -

The 2012 London Olympics are still happening. I haven't been following the events, but quite a few folks have:

• London 2012 Olympics
  (Official website)
• "Usain Bolt sets Olympic record in 100"
  Associated Press, via ESPN (August 5, 2012)
• Olympics: Wu equals medals record with China's fifth diving gold
  channelnewsasia.com (August 6, 2012)

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More posts about "Caritas in Veritate" (Charity in Truth)
"Caritas in Veritate"

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I don't know if I'll have another post ready later today, but that's what I'm hoping to do.

Here's the chapter heading of "Caritas in Veritate" I read a little while ago:

Chapter Four

The Development of People
Rights and Duties
The Environment

And here's the first few sentences:

" 'The reality of human solidarity, which is a benefit for us, also imposes a duty'[105]. Many people today would claim that they owe nothing to anyone, except to themselves. They are concerned only with their rights, and they often have great difficulty in taking responsibility for their own and other people's integral development. Hence it is important to call for a renewed reflection on how rights presuppose duties, if they are not to become mere licence[106]...."
("Caritas in Veritate, 43)

I like having 'rights.' But rights come with responsibilities. Like Benedict XVI put it, "rights presuppose duties, if they are not to become mere licence."

There's more in this section: but that'll be in another post.

Somewhat-related posts:

• " 'Religion...has Social Implications' "
  (August 5, 2012)
• "Tennessee Mosque, Fundamental Rights, and a Mission to Mars"
  (July 20, 2012)
• "Faith and Obedience"
  (March 25, 2012)
• "Obedience, Yes: Blind Obedience, No"
  (March 12, 2012)
• " 'Confirmed Bachelor Syndrome:' My Take"
  (June 8, 2011)

More:

• "Message for the World Day of Peace 2003"
  John Paul II (January 1, 2003)
• "Populorum Progressio"
  Encyclical of Pope Paul VI on the Development of Peoples (March 26, 1967)